Timeline of the New Year 2011

We have been loving the last four years cruising on our 38ft Lagoon Catamaran "Don't Look Back".  She has taken us up and down the entire Eastern coastline, the Bahamas for the last three winters and for the last year we have been in the Eastern Caribbean.  Although we have been on "vacations" off DLB, she has been our prime residence and we have loved it!
In early November we traveled up island from Grenada, West Indies, visiting many islands we had passed pre-hurricane season. We spent Christmas and New Years in St. Maarten with friends.  We made passage to St. Thomas USVI on January 3 to prepare for our son, Jonathan and his girlfriend, Emily's visit on Jan. 6th. We had a great week with the kids, sailing to St. Johns, USVI, then to Soper's Hole, and Bitter End, BVI.  John and Jonathan spent an afternoon sailing practice kites and we really enjoyed every minute of their visit.  A week after they left, we continued with our plans to head back to the Bahamas.  We enjoyed stops along the southern coast of Puerto Rico ending in Boqueron, PR.  We wanted one last meal at a favorite restaurant, La Marea.  Fate has it, we made friends with a boat broker at dinner and next thing we knew, we signed a three month contract to sell DLB while living aboard and decided to return to the USVI and cruise there!  We still laugh about our 300 mile side trip to Puerto Rico!  We turned around and enjoyed more areas of Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra en route to St. Thomas.  I had started back on the new Weight Watcher's program Jan. 11th and loved the results I was getting.
First business in St. Thomas was a doctors visit for my shoulder--it had frozen due to a fall I had taken in July in Grenada. I was pleased to find I had lost 10 pounds at my appt. Feb 2nd.   I began Physical Therapy for my shoulder and within a month it was greatly improved!!  We left St. Thomas for a sail to St. Johns to spend my 57th birthday!  What a wonderful week, circling the island, staying at different moorings in the National Park, snorkeling and relaxing in the sun.
We returned once again to our favorite anchorage, Brewer's Bay, in St. Thomas.  We had made good friends with local gals, Dorene and Susan.  They taught us how to Stand Up Paddle Board and we had been spending our Sundays paddling around the bay with them.  The following week, we sailed again to St. Johns for a crossing to St. Croix.  It was exciting to visit a new island, enjoy the great snorkeling and eat dinner at a Live Food Restaurant recommended by Dorene.
We started discussing hauling out DLB for hurricane season in the Virgins as opposed to sailing the 500 miles to Grenada.  We headed back to St. Johns and began calling various boatyards for rates.  Due to the width of our boat, the only possibility was Virgin Gorda Yacht Marine, in the British Virgin Islands. We decided to sail there to finalize our plans and made the round trip from St. Johns in one day.  Our reservations were made and we returned to St. Thomas.
What relief to know we could enjoy the next month in the Virgins as opposed to a long sail to Grenada just to haul out!  We planned to spend our summer months, May-July, in France at our friends Janis and Tom Henderson's home, where we had left our tandem bicycle two years ago. Our daughter Jenn is to be married in August and we would spend time in Calif. with families.   Everything was fallling into place perfectly!  Our last hurrah of this season was Chelsea's upcoming visit March 27th.
We spent Wed. March 23 entertaining our daughter Jenn's neighbor Danielle and her friend, Andrew.  Danielle was visiting Andrew and his girlfriend who had recently relocated in St. Thomas.  Along with a fellow cruiser John, the six of us spent the day sailing around Charlotte Amalie, Hassel Island and Water Cay.  We ended the sail with snorkeling in Persistence Bay.  Anchored back in Brewer's Bay, we enjoyed a happy hour with another boat before Andrew and Danielle left.  I was amazed how exhausted I felt at the end of the day but I also had talked so much!!
The last four days I had felt a low pelvic pain or ache!  Every morning I would say to John, "what is this stupid pain?"  It didn't take my breath away, it was just low and constant.  I decided it must be a bladder infection!  I had never had one, so this must be the way it feels.  I didn't want to be under the weather for Chelsea's visit, so I called and got an appointment that morning.  John dinghied me to shore and I took the safari bus into town.  I was familiar with the medical building because the nurse practitioner was in the same office I had my shoulder treated.
My urinalysis was normal.  My pelvic exam was not!  Judy felt a huge mass, possibly a fibroid on my right pelvic area.  She said I needed to go right downstairs to radiology for a sonogram.  I called John to say I would be later returning.  I went to Radiology and was told they could do it in the afternoon at 3:15--so I took myself out to lunch!  After the sonogram I was sent back upstairs to Judy.  One look at her face and I knew something was up.  The report showed a large right adnexal mass, highly suspicious for ovarian neoplasm, 11.9 x 8.5 x 7.1 cm.  My Mother died of ovarian cancer four years ago!!  YIKES!
Immediately, Judy arranged an appointment with a GYN the next day.  I took a taxi back to the boat-I just needed to be with John.  That evening we called my Internist in Calif.  She instructed us what to ask during the next days appt. and when John asked her what she would do if it were her, she said, "Come home, this is where your team is".  Friday we met with Dr. Rosser and after consultation and exam, he encouraged we see an Oncologist GYN for surgery and there wasn't one on island.  My weight was now down 20 pounds!  We left his office in a daze--only thing I knew for certain, I wanted a cheeseburger!  We had lunch at Shipwrecks and then started inquiring at marinas about leaving Don't Look Back.
My first phone call was to my sister, Debbie.  Bless her heart, she had been very sick with pneumonia.  I told her not to freak out, but that we needed to come home for surgery.  We then called my son, Ryan, and then Chelsea, to break the news that she needed to cancel her trip and we were coming home.  John called Jenn, Jonathan and his sisters.  We left a message for my GYN Dr. Hoff.  He was wonderful when he called-he could see me between surgeries the next Wed.  I flew home Sunday arriving at 2:00am Monday.  Chelsea picked me up and I spent the night with her.  My sister and I went to see Dr. Hoff on Wed., sharing with him a CD copy of my sonogram.  After exam, he called Dr. Chen, and was able to get me an appt. the next day.  Surgery was scheduled for the following Friday, April 8th, allowing John time to sail DLB to Puerto Rico and fly out of San Juan in time for surgery.  We always held out hope it was benign, but surgery proved it was ovarian cancer in both ovaries, half of the fallopian tubes and an area of the Omentum.  The great news is the appendix was clear and all lymph nodes negative.  I was in the hospital from April 8-12.  I was continually surrounded by John, my children, Ryan and Chelsea,  my sister Debbie, husband David, and family.  My friends have also been amazing.  I cannot get over the outpour of love and support--thank you so much!
On April 19 I had my sutures removed.  At this time an infection was found in the upper part of my incision.  I was started on Keflex.  The next week is a blur.  John had already booked multiple flights to return to Puerto Rico, leaving the next day, to move DLB to Virgin Gorda for haul out on April 29.
I have always been generally healthy.  This was my first experience with an infection that totally deflated me!  I am so thankful to Debbie, David and Chelsea for their constant care.  I also want to thank my Mason Lane neighbor, Pat, for wound care every other day.  Thank you.  My brother Bill & Kathy call me everyday!  John is my rock!
I was being considered for a clinical trial of IV vs IP Chemotherapy.  I have been approved by our insurance company and so far, I have had my baseline tests done and today, John and I will attend a Chemo Teach at PAMF Oncology in Mt View.  I am scheduled for IV(intravenous-into the vein) and IP (intraperitoneal-into the abdominal cavity) ports to be implanted on Wed. May 11 and if all goes well, chemo will begin on May 17.  I have now lost 25 pounds and for once in my life, I am told to gain weight!!  Whodda thunk??!!
My first Mother's Day home in 4 years--love my family!
This brings you up to date!  From now forward, we will post updates as they occur for your information.
I plan to kick cancers butt!  Keep posted for that update!!!!