Michael Jackson's Milk

(written by Jen Kwiatek)

Wow ... first let me just say that Jenn's mediport surgery went beautifully ... and that she is hilarious on drugs.

Prior to surgery, Jenn, Amy and I met with Jenn's nurse, anaesthesiologist and surgeon. All the women who helped Jenn were incredibly empathetic and, actually, pretty hysterical. I think Jenn really needed the positive energy that surrounded her.

When Jenn's surgeon came in to talk to her, Jenn explained that she received her PETscan report and that the cancer was showing up in four nodules (two in both lungs). Her surgeon looked at her and said, "OK, well all the more reason to get started with chemo on Wednesday." Her proactive and aggressive attitude was exactly what Jenn needed. Her surgeon indicated that nothing was going to change as far as the plan they had discussed (chemo, surgery then radiation) and that all we could do now is wait and see how her body will respond to the chemotherapy. She tapped Jenn gingerly on the nose. Jenn instantly looked less tense.

The nurse gave her a "happy pill" (Xanax) before surgery to help calm her nerves. Jenn kept saying that the "happy pill" wasn't working, but around the 30 minute mark she was out cold. Amy and I looked at one another with tears in our eyes. Thank goodness she was able to have some peace and rest prior to surgery. And she fell asleep laughing to the retelling of memories of when she and Amy grew up together.

When the nurse woke her up to put the heart monitors on, Jenn leaned forward and fell asleep sitting up. Amy grabbed onto her to make sure she didn't fall off the side of the bed. They administered two medicines into the IV. I don't remember what the first one was, but Jenn's response was "Ah, that's the good stuff." The second drug was white to which Jenn said, "it's Michael Jackson's milk." It took everything Amy and I had to hold it together and not bust out laughing. We kissed her on her cheek and forehead telling her how much we loved her. She can recall none of it.

She awoke from surgery asking the question, "When are we going to get this thing started?" (So typical Jenn) To which her surgeon replied, "baby girl, we're done." Jenn was a bit alarmed as to why her skin was orange like an oompa loompa, but Amy and I reassured her that it was just to clean her skin. She had no pain, no nausea, she was just anxious to get her medicine from the pharmacy and get home to her sweet Camilla.

Jenn will be resting over the next couple of days and trying to get herself in a restorative and positive mindset for chemotherapy on Wednesday. It is imperative that we all do the same in order to be strong for her. All we can do now is ask God to give her strength to sustain her during treatment in order to stay on schedule and for the medicine to fight the cancer aggressively.

Please feel free to reach out to me for updates.