March 22, 2011. Special Edition

I want to update my wonderful followers about news from my sister. On March 17, a day off from riding, I called Elaine to catch up. She told me that she had seen the doctor for what she thought was a bladder infection. The doctor discovered a large mass in her abdomen. Many tests later, the knew that she had a large mass on her ovary; the doctor felt it did not fit the profile for ovarian cancer. However, they noticed a different mass on her pancreas that looked like typical pancreatic cancer. She absolutely turned down an offer for me to come home. Chris and Rachel, her son and daughter-in-law, concurred. She had surgery this morning. The preliminary diagnosis indicates that the huge mass on the ovary is a borderline cyst; they removed all of it. The small mass on the pancreas is totally unrelated to the cyst and is is cancer. The borders all looked clear in the lab, meaning that they got all of it. The surgeon feels that it will be labeled Stage one. Most likely they will recommend a course of chemotherapy once a week for three weeks then a week off. After completing that, she will have radiation. The doctor said they never would have found the pancreatic tumor if it had not been for the other one. It is so rare to find a pancreatic tumor this early.
Elaine learned all of this on St Patrick's Day, six years to the day after the death of her husband George, at the same cancer center where he was treated in Cleveland.
Needless to say, this has been devastating news. Chris and Rachel have asked me to continue riding and they will take care of Elaine. Rachel's parents are coming out from Philadelphia to care for the children so Rachel can care for Elaine. This wonderful group of women that I have known for only 18 days could not be more supportive. Katherine has been the best roommate, medical consultant and prayer partner that I could have hoped for.
For those of you who know Elaine, she does not feel up to having visitors bit I am sure she would welcome cards.