Hello, all! I am sure you are all anxiously awaiting news of the Goatmother and here it is! Fresh off the press! Yesterday was a looooong day, but it would seem that things went in a better direction than we could ever have hoped for. The offending lump was removed and two sentinel lymph nodes were dissected which showed, NO CANCER in them, at least on initial report. There are several good things about this. First, the Down-the-Rabbit-Hole MRI showed 'nothing remarkable'. (I am wondering if they included the Goatmother's brain in that scan, but I wasn't going to ask.) Secondly, the surgeon had had a suspicion that the Goatmother's sentinel lymph node (of which she apparently had two ) might be under her sternum (as occurs in 10% of people) and might not be accessible. However, as it turned out, the only problem was that due to the Goatmother's recent weight loss, the lymph node(s) had retreated to deep underneath her pectoral muscle. (I understand this completely. If I thought someone was coming after me with a scalpel, I'd certainly retreat. And if it turned out to be an Alpine bearing that scalpel, I might likely be in the next county. I'm just sayin'...) So the surgeon said the Goamother was likely to be very sore since she had to 'go a fishin', as they say, and indeed that has turned out to be the case. Still, it's all good. This is the Goatmother's new mantra - It's all good.
We were, however, afraid that the Goatmother might not get to come home last night (and no one would think to come and give the poor goats their nightly Peanut) because they couldn't get her blood pressure to raise. Finally, though, they deemed it 'good 'nuf' and she got to sleep in her own comfy bed! (And the goats got their Peanuts. This is very important, you know. How can we cheer her on and Butt the Hay OUT of Cancer if we can't keep up our strength? Oy.)
Now then, allow me to pause here and tell you a little side story. You see when the Goatfather and Goatmother first moved here, they bought an almost life-sized concrete statue of a lovely lady holding roses to go in the garden. Well, this woman stands in such a position that her left breast receives more exposure to the elements than the rest of her. Thus, her left breast is lighter in color (more white than gray) than the rest of her. She watches over the herbs and flowers and is fondly referred to as 'Our Lady of the White Nipple'. Now then, one of the things that happened during the Goatmother's adventure yesterday, was that they injected her first with a radio-isotope and second a blue dye. The dye was a beautiful Caribbean blue, reminiscent of the sun, sea and sand of a tropical paradise. These things were there so that the doctor could actually find those shy, little shrinking-violet lymph nodes. The only trouble was two-fold. I mean the stuff did its job all right, but the first time the Goatmother went to pee after surgery was better than 'Calgon, take me away!' Sort of St. Tropez and Windex rolled into one. The second thing is, that although we haven't actually seen it yet due to the latent skills of some frustrated expert Christmas-package-wrapping aspirant, and a huge ACE bandage, the Goatmother now has a little added 'Bling' in the form of a blue nipple. This farm is now in proud possession of two wonders of the modern age: Our Lady of the White Nipple, and Our Lady of the Blue Nipple. Ain't we special???
So there you have it. Our heart, our thanks and, well, everything but our Peanuts (although I might consider throwing in a few of those even) go out to each and every one of you who have given us so much and consented to travel this long and arduous road by our side. You have NO idea how special you are and how very MUCH you are loved.
"Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!" - Samwise Gamgee, The Return of the King.
You are ALL our Samwise.
Life goes on amidst change. Finding the laughter one day at a time...
26 comments:
Brilliant news Marigold, I was worried that your peanuts may be missed, but it sounds like the surgeon did a great job to get the goat mother home in time for supper.
Loving the nipple story....wouldn't it be a very useful thing if they used glow-in-the-dark solution?
Dearest Goatmother, I continue to pray for extra quick healing and recovery times for youxxx
Dear Faith,
Ah! Sort of a headlight! Brilliant idea! Thank you for all your thoughts and especially your prayers!
Ha - between your post and Faith's comments (and your response) I can't stop laughing.
We could try to start some sort of blue-nipple solidarity movement throughout the blogging world. (Can't you just see the Flickr group?) I don't have any special radioactive dye, but I could scrounge up a blue Sharpie....
(I'd better not tell Mr. M about this. Let him be surprised.)
So happy to hear about the Goatmother's good outcome, and I hope the fishing-induced soreness will soon be better. In future we'll have to refer to her as She of the Mighty Sentinel-Concealing Pectorals.
(Speaking of sentinels - we seem to have strayed out of LOTR and into the Matrix. I believe someone went down the rabbit hole in that movie as well.)
So glad the Goatmother got to sleep in her own bed; also that you got your Peanuts in a timely fashion. (Beds and Peanuts are very important. Where would we be without them?)
With loving thoughts and continuing prayers from your friend,
Sue (who has turned her blog pink for a week in your honour)
Dear Mrs. Micawber,
What a sweetheart you are! We are cracking up over the 'Blue Sharpie'! As for your new sobriquet for the Goatmother, that would make her 'The Goatmother a/k/a S&M, S&P'? Ooo. Do you think people might get the wrong idea?:) No matter. I'll just butt them! That's the ticket! Now, going to look at your new pinkness! Biggest of hugs to you!
This is very encouraging indeed! We're all so glad that your wonderful Goatmother is home and doing well. I do think my kids would like if I had glow in the dark teats too~much easier for those night feedings.
Yippee! I'm so glad it's good news, and I hope it stays that way! That is quite the unique Tetons you've amassed! Tell me; are eventually going for the entire rainbow!?! :)
Dear Millie,
Oh, yes! This would make night milking a must and just imagine the cheese you could make! The possibilities are endless. Still, we don't highly recommend how you get there. :)
Dear Snowcatcher,
Are you volunteering to take on a color? :) I'm sure Mrs. Micawber would be glad to loan you one of her Sharpies. By the way, the Goatmother had a big YES! on her right arm too, made with one of those Sharpies, no doubt. But that seems to have disappeard unless it is under the giant ACE bandage. :)
Since humor is supposed to extend our lives, all of you are going to live very, very long lives indeed! I'm not even going to try compete with the Cream of Wit on display. So glad for the news, Marigold - thank you for letting us all know so quickly.
Dear Ginnie,
Aw, come on in. The water's fine! :) Thank you so much for your support and your caring. Don't go away. The Fat Lady hasn't sung yet. :)
What wonderful news! See what happens when bloggers band together with happy, healing thoughts! I'm glad the Goatmother got to sleep in her own bed and I'm especially glad you got your nightly peanut Marigold!!
Whew! how relieved we all are. And I won't have to worry about slaying cancer, it looks like. I'd rather slay a Chupacabra.
Hooray! I know that fishing story first hand and I liked it so much a month later after the mastectomy, I went back for a second. I traveled to Mayo for my surgeries and while they did a top notch job, the WAITING is the hardest part. I agree on humor to alleviate the stress. I always say now after I had reconstruction done that it was the "perk" or "perky" I got out of having Cancer! I've had five children before my cancer and nursed every single one....believe me...I like the perk back! Ha!
Good luck on your steps to the cure...Your gonna do Grand!!
p.s.
Happy Mothers Day!
Whewww!! That's all we have to say..oh and bring on the Peanuts!! Goatmother must feel like the "Blue"bird of happiness has just dropped from the sky!! :)
Sending healing and back to good healthiness vibes her way and
Happy Goatmother Day!!
Dear Candy C.,
Thank you for all your thoughts coming our way, and yes, amazing, amazing people here! I, too, am glad I got my Peanuts. :) Well, after all, strength and all that...remember?
Dear BuffyBelle,
Well, I really think you still ought to slay cancer. After all, how many other Goatmothers might be out there facing the monster? Plus we aren't quite done with the journey yet and may be in need of your expertise. Of course, Chupacabras are VERY important to get rid of too. Hmmm...maybe you'll need to take on an assistant like Batman had. Just make sure he knows his place and exactly WHO gets the Peanuts first. :)
Dear DebH,
Bless your heart! That you had to make the journey twice - well, you are awesome! Even if one was to make you 'perky'. :) NONE of it is easy and yes, the waiting is the worst! Even waiting to check in at the hospital one is like 'let's get this show on the road!' Ha! Thank you for your wishes. We KNOW you understand and we are so very glad to have you along. By the way, the Goatmother got a peek at part of the incision this morning. She thinks we shall have to start calling her FrankenGoatmother. :) Frankenboob? I dunno'. As her new mantra says, 'It's all good!'
Dear Queen Quattra,
Thank you! Well, we still have radiation to look forward to for sure. Chemo we don't know yet, but it all could have been so much worse had they found anything in the lymph nodes. So we are encouraged! Thank you for being with us on this journey. You are very much appreciated!
Congratulations on the completion of stage one. Keep up the good work.
The human's sister was "done" in green for her surgery -- she was quite offended by the sickly shade -- said it reminded her of gangrene -- not something you want anywhere on your body, let alone .....!
And as for the "YES" on the arm -- at least it wasn't a "NO"....
Dear Goat Girls Rule,
Oh, I am so sorry for your sister. We much prefer the blue.:) Onward and upward. Thank you for the cheers. You rock!
I am concerned the goatmother did not have an MRI on her brain. I mean, really, while she was down the rabbit hole, why not? If it had been performed, I suppose the doctors and radiologists would have stood around speechless, staring at each other with their eyes burning. I, too, am scared of what's in there.
I think the brain issue can be summed up when the blue nipple was presented for public consumption and discussed. And, let's not forget, the St. Tropez and Windex comment...that is just WAY too much info.
The worst part of this is knowing the goatmother IS NOT ON DRUGS.
Moments like these need to be documented for evidence. Fireball is such a slacker.
Dear J,
FINALLY, someone realizes the enormity of what we have to deal with on a daily basis around here! In Fireball Goatfather's defense, it is quite a load to bear. He does his best to bear up under the strain. I think, however, it is a good thing when the Goatmother filled out the consent form so the Goatfather could access her insurance information, he had her mark the 'psychological' part.
We are very glad that the scan did not include the brain, because we fear that it might have taken on somewhat of a goat-shaped appearance over the years, which would have caused great consternation among the medical elite, and would have raised the goatmother to "curiosity" status, which would have further entailed the parading of her goat-shaped brain scan before all and sundry, and possibly incurred lengthy monologues by surgeons regarding the propensity of the brain to adapt to its surroundings. Oy. We are sending our best vibes of wellness and blue(berry) love.
Dear Claire,
That simply never occurred to me. We can only be thankful that it never occurred to anyone else either. What a scary thought. I suppose we could have come up with one of those black pen thingies the Men in Black had and might have erased all memory of the goat-shaped scan. On the upside, the Goatmother is eating blueberries by the handful. This could result in a further bluing. She is short and could be mistaken for a Smurf.
Oh I am so glad at all of this. Yes, even the blue nipple for a while. -giggles- Can't let a garden statue upstage you for long, now could you???
Lots and lots gentle hugs,
"Auntie"
Dear Auntie,
No, of course not! Garden statues get all the attention. Time some of it was passed around!
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