You're so vain...You probably think this blog is about you. Don't you? Don't you? (Carly Simon)

For those of you who tune in to the blog to keep current on Karen's medical reports, as opposed to my deep thoughts and weekly reflections on our journey, hold on -- there is news! Actually, good news...the kind we like.

Dr. Tchou called today to say that she got "clean margins" during last week's surgery (it's about time!). Pathology reports indicate that she got all of the cancer cells from the breast tissue and there was no cancer in the chest wall. So for now, anyway, we bid good-bye and thanks to Dr. Tchou and will start to get to know Dr. Kaplan-Tweed who will guide Karen through her chemotherapy. This Thursday, we go to "Chemo School" (I'm not kidding, that's what they call it) where we'll learn more than we ever wanted to know about chemotherapy (look for the posting titled, "Shock and Awe", due later this week).

Karen also started physical therapy this week to help stretch and rehabilitate her arm which has developed a painful condition called "cording" (a muscle pulled tight like a violin string) -- a side effect of removing some of her lymph nodes. The physical therapy will also help prevent lymphedema -- a much more serious side effect of surgery that causes the arm to swell.

Karen returned to work last week just two days after surgery and is working a full schedule again. This is good in some ways, but tiring and stressful too since she still is recovering from her surgeries and trying to fit in other medical appointments.

Although I may stray to other topics, some about Karen and some that aren't -- I will always be sure to keep you abreast (I really do like how that word works in this context) of Karen's recovery and treatment. For now, it's a bit like the calm before the storm...though I'm not sure you'd share that same view if you spent a week with us.

(my thanks to Karen for her sense of humor...I think)