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Just heard from Digby again -- Jane's oncological surgeon came out to give an update and seemed cautiously optimistic without actually committing to anything until the final pathology reports are in (you know the way that doctors do that update without actually giving you any solid answer but only a feeling, right?). We've decided to go with the cautiously optimistic thoughts, because frankly that sounds awfully good about now. The surgeon went back in to finish the work and then there was to be some further testing from there, but things appear, at least at this point, to be proceeding as well as we could hope under the circumstances. Will update when I know something, in the meantime consider this an open thread.
(For everyone else, Melissa Ethridge rocks -- do click on the link above, but don't do so without tissues handy. And for all the women out there, make sure you get your mammograms regularly. Just called today to schedule my annual one.)
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It’s been 6 hours…
Here’s to Jane. I so appreciate the updates.
Thanks for the update!
Cautiously optimistic.
Ok that’ll work for now.
Any idea when the final pathology reports will be in?
(*fingers crossed for Jane*)
Thanks, Christy & Digby.
I remember my first mammogram. What a drag. They brought me back TWICE because they thought they saw something. There were about ready to do a sonogram when they finally cleared me. After the third mammogram on my right breast I told the technician that if my right breast was permanently bigger than my left one it was all their fault.
Jane rocks, and I will get a mammogram.
This is the best place.
Oh good. This is the day! Jane gets the tumor taken out clean and will come back strong. Today my oncologist examined my throat and proclaimed me clear of cancer as far as this level of exam can show. It’s a wonderful great day. Love love love, this community is so full of love. Ahh…
Thanks for the updates.
I understand their caution, but if they’re even hinting at a positive outcome then things are most likely going as expected. That’s all you can ask of invasive surgery.
She’s still in my prayers.
(For those wondering who the heck I am, I posted in the first cuppa, but I got EPU’d. Badly. So, uh, hi!)
Sorry T- the surgeon declined our offer to live blog.
Sounds like good news. I’ll take it.
Aaawww, that picture of Kobe just about breaks my heart.
Thanks Christy.
((((((((Jane))))))))
Keep fighting, Jane. You’ve got all of our energy, as well as prayers, behind you.
Good for you, marksb.
Thanks for the update, Christy. I’ve been thinking about Jane all day. I sit in meetings and look at the clock and think, “Jane must be in surgery now.”, “Jane’s doctor is probably looking at lymph nodes right now.” or “I wonder how Jane will like her new boobs?” (not to be insensitive, but I wonder about such things).
Jane’s news the other day really affected me in an unexpected way. It feels like it could be happening to my sister tho’ I have only been within 3 feet of Jane and never spoke a word to her. She doesn’t know me from adam but I feel like I know her. And I worry and hope.
Thanks, Christy. I knew you’d eventually answer my query from a couple threads ago :-)
I know the pathology can be done before they close to make sure the margins are clear and I do hope that is what’s being done here
/holding breath, waiting for teh good news
twolf,
I can’t believe I beat you to the coveted Zero. Man, what a day…and what a triumph! I hereby dedicate its profound significance to Jane.
Kick Cancer’s Ass, Jane!
And for the rest of you - wear sunscreen, and coat your kids with it!! We lost my late friend Steve to perfectly-preventable skin cancer at the age of 42 because he and I grew up in the “let the kids play” era, prior to sunscreen, bike helmets, seatbelts, etc.
http://albatross.org/journal/archives/000233.html
I hate cancer with the heat of a thousand white-hot suns!
marksb @ 8
Excellent, glad to hear it!
And I’ll gladly take the cautiously optimistic news about Jane, too.
marksb @
8
{{{{{{{ marksb }}}}}}} Great news, that’s one *big* hurdle over. Does this mean you can go back to playing the harmonica? ;)
RBG @ 10
LOL, good one, RBG!
T- @ 4
T-
My experience of this is that final pathology, frozen sectioning with screening for markers, etc, takes on average 48 hrs. to get the report. If more specialized markers/immunohistochemistry are desired, that info. could take longer.
Latest update. Hmmm. Why don’t I feel better about JH?
RBG-
Well hell, it only took [pick a number] years to get bloggers into the courtroom.
That doctor should realize that live blogging is the cutting edge of medical advancement.
In case anyone missed Jimmah’s op-ed in the wapo, here it is.
He attempts to refocus the breathless masses on the important issues in his book, namely Peace in the middle east, and he also gets a nice shot in at AIPAC.
Alison @ 7
You do that thing, Alison. Especially if you have a family history of breast cancer. My paternal grandmother and two of my father’s sisters died of breast cancer. His third sister was a breast cancer survivor.
If it’s detected early, it’s survivable. So get a mammogram.
BC
Best wishes and kitty head-butts for Jane’s full recovery.
Everyone else, hug your people and your pets. You never know when they’ll go.
Thanks for the update.
162 virtual candles burning for Jane
Damn. 48 hours? I’m going to have to take another breath then.
Heartfelt thanks to you and Digby for keeping us in the update loop. So very thoughtful, as always. xo
I’m so glad to hear that the news about Jane is as good as it is.
Having lost several family members to cancer, I am also glad to hear that she is wellgirded and supported going into this (third) battle.
May all of the energy that is being sent her way zap all those pesky cancerous cells to smithereens!
We are all thinking of you, Jane!
Blessings to Jane and thanks Christy for the update.
Healing thoughts and much hope for a healthy outcome for all the pups and our Jane.
Ms. Etheridge is a bonafide angel.
rooting for ya, Jane.
This may sound repetitive, but I’m gonna post it again (I told the ladies that I have no qualms about asking for money for things I believe in even if Jane and Christy do):
For those who might have missed the “passing of the plate”
I refer you to this post. Our beloved Ladies of the Lake are in need of our help. It’s time to put our money where our values are. If you don’t have time to click through and read the post, just wander up towards the pay pal buttons above or find your checkbooks and fill an envelope that you can then send to:
The Fire Dog Lake Company
8033 Sunset Blvd. #966
Los Angeles, CA 90046
For all they do for us, it’s time for payback.
Anything we can do to help keep this cyber home and family healthy and prospering will keep all of our hopes alive.
Thanks to everyone for kicking in.
Doctors seldom do cautiously optimistic unless they are very optimistic. Just have to make absolutely certain not to be confounded by some unexpected, or unseen complication. Cautiously optimistic is exactly what we want to hear, thank you Jane’s Docs. We shall come back for further updates, and hope for a great prognosis. What a tough cookie Jane is.
Thanks for the update and the marvelous Melissa Etheridge video. As a longtime married guy who sweated through a few (thankfully neg) breast biopsies of my wife, I think I have a (small) idea of what it all really feels like.
… Let me put in a quick word to the guys in the comments section here: Not to forget your periodic prostate exams. I was diagnosed ~13 months ago, had a full course of rad and am said to be OK now. But PC is (usually) not as serious a threat to guys as BC is to women.
You have so many friends on the ‘Net Jane, I hope these comments give you an idea of how much love there is out here for you. Waiting and hoping for best news about one of my heroes.
EPU’d from the 2nd Cuppa thread. Well, while we’re all waiting for news about Jane, I jumped back in time to one of her archived posts.
For your giggling pleasure, here’s our Jane from 01/07/05:
What Christy says above about scheduling your annual mammogram (or getting your wife/sister/girlfriend/mother to do so) and then some!!!
If you have a family history, get your regular doctor or OB/GYN to recommend the best breast surgeon/oncologist in your area and make an appointment to meet them and have them review your films in addition to the radiologist. Once you’re a regular patient, you already have a relationship with the doctor if anything shows up that needs treating. You have no idea how reassuring this is if you’ve spent even one night worrying about cancer. Plus mine gave me a lot of good tips for getting through the *change* comfortably.
When you leave from your mammogram, schedule your appointment for the next year … Greenwich (CT) Hospital rocks on this and won’t let you out the door without doing it.
I know, I know, I’m a fanatic on this one.
T-
The initial report is based on sentinel node testing and fresh sectioning. A good initial report is cool, but of course the final report is what one uses to base further planning and treatment.
Cautiously optimistic is what we were the day and evening of the primary in CT. I’ll go with that.
Getting my mom who lives near the hospital to bring Jane some excellent chocolate in a couple of days.
Rev Deb - you rock! xo
peace
Healing
love
healing thoughts for Jane and Pepp-Patty
I know it’s a bit early, Christy, but I’m hoping you’ll put up information where FDLers can send flowers, cards, trial transcripts, etc….
All the best to Jane & her loved ones.
Yay! When the oncologic surgeon is cautiously optimistic, I’m giddy.
Thanks for the update and the news, Christy!
Now off to sit with the medical students and discuss “breaking bad news” - so glad that topic appears far, far away from Jane’s path.
Be well, Firepups!
http://cristolumen.blogspot.co.....nline.html
I’ve been thinking about this song since I heard Jane’s news.
Also, my grandpa’s favorite song, Walk on the Sunny Side. He was a Methodist preacher, lived to be 98. He could belt it out!
S.O.S. from MA @ 33
I’m a threat to women? My ex- might agree with that, but the current Mrs BC wouldn’t. I think she wouldn’t. Maybe I’d better ask her.
BC
Oh. You meant Breast Cancer. Never mind.
Whew.
Optimisticly sayin’.
Christy -
Here’s a [huge bunch of yellow daffodils] for Jane; I got extra so you could have some too.
How smart of Jane’s hospital to build an extra-large waiting room *g*.
lisadawn82 @
6
Sounds bad , but this is EXACTLY the kind of clinic you want to go to that keeps bringing you back if any doubt, that even hounds you if that is what it takes. My partner and her sisters and mom schedule theirs every year at the same time and do lunch and almost every time one of them has been called back for more pictures. Which is really a pain and insurance doesn’t usually cover it. That is what we thought had happpened last year, but Northwestern Memorial in Chicago caught a very earlyl “.3 centimeter very agressive” so early you couldn’t see it, feel it, and the presurgery had to put in wires so they knew where to cut. Jan is doing fine. My mom is also a survivor now of 36 years.
Early detection, you can’t feel em if it is early.
And boyz don’t forget men get breast cancer too, but more importantly roll those stones on a regular basis.
More prayers, more good intentions…
(((((Jane))))) and Kobe too.
Thanks for the update Christy.
I’m glad about the cautiously optimistic report. I wish Jane the best possible recovery.
On another topic, any firedogs within driving distance of Lawrence, KS [the progressive oasis of the Midwest] might be interested in the following event at the University of Kansas:
“Dear Students & Faculty: (please announce in class or pass on to interested parties):
On the evening of Tuesday, February 13, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics (West Campus) will host a panel on “Blog to the Chief: The Impact of Political Blogs on the 2008 Election” as part of its Annual Presidential Lecture series. Guests include prominent political bloggers and professionals such as Patrick Hynes (President of New Media Strategics, blog consultant for Sen. John McCain’s Straight Talk America PAC, and the founder and proprietor of the blog Ankle Biting Pundits); Jerome Armstrong (MyDD) co-author of “Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots and the Rise of People-Powered Politics”; Erick Erickson (managing editor of RedState.com, the largest conservative community blog on the Internet); Joan McCarter (contributing editor at Daily Kos, writing as “mcjoan” and one of a dozen bloggers who attended a private meeting with President Bill Clinton in September, 2006); and Scott Johnson (cofounder of the Power Line blog, Time magazine’s first and so far only blog of the year [2004]). The moderator of the event will be David D. Perlmutter, KU professor of Journalism & Mass Communications and author of Blogwars: The New American Political Battleground (forthcoming, 2007, Oxford).”
I assume that more details will follow.
For more information, I would call the Dole Institute, or Prof. Perlmutter at the journalism school (university switchboard is 785-864-2700).
While this looks like it will be a good program, it will not be as good as it could be, since there is no FDL representative on the agenda…
Jane Hamsher,
Strong as nails and more feminine than a daffodil. It takes a lot of pressure to make a diamond and Jane, your brilliance is breathtaking.
Your comrades and flowers await.
Waccamaw @ 46
yeah,…but live blogging woulda been wicked-cool to have.
:-)
too funny
RevDeb -
Understand you had an appointment with the drill man today also.
Hope you came out better than I; hello, $900. gold crown in my future ‘~( . Am gonna have to remember to ask if it takes an entire troy ounce to make one of those suckers!
RevDeb @
32
As the offering is collected, let us turn in our hymnals to that great Tommy Yum hymn, “Have You Had Enough?“
Redshift @
20
too bad they declined - it would have received bra’d support.
Don’t be broken hearted by Kobe, that pup will help Jane hang in there!
libby trial on hardballs. let’s see if tweety can watch his mouth today
Hoping all’s well. Love to FDL in our time of troubles. Holding all y’all close in my heart.
$25 comin at ya, I assume we didn’t need the 07 on this one?
Peterr @
53
Thank you Christy, Thank You Digby !!!
small exhale . . .prayin’, prayin’, and oh, more prayin’
Thanks for the update. Keep the good energy and prayers going.
Never knew how much Jane meant to me until this week. We all need her desperately for our leader. She will not leave us.
I have sent my petitions for Jane, and will continue. I have a good feeling that she’ll be fine.
LIBBY UPDATE:
Court is done for today.
We now stand at 30 qualified jurors on the pool, but we need 36. It took us all day to get 6, so the Judge adjourned for the night and hopes to complete jury selection Monday. Opening statements, he said, will not commence until Tuesday at the earliest.
The calendar is too full for any jury selection tomorrow though there will be a conference among attorneys tomorrow at 3PM EST, which, according to Jeffress, will cover small issues related to jury instructions, among other things unspecified.
I’m going to leave court now and will have an update and nightly recap later on.
Forgive me if this has been discussed before but I think we need to talk about some of the politics of breast cancer. While a diagnosis of breast cancer is a personal tragedy, there is a larger issue in that something (or things) is causing the breast cancer rate to increase at a terrifying pace. Most likely environmental factors.
While Jane needs to stay positive and fight her cancer, the rest of us should be angry. Too many women have this dreaded disease. The large cancer organizations emphasize detection and treatment (many are funded by corporations that make money from the machines and medicines), however less emphasis is put on prevention which would require changes in how we do business. For example, Avon, which is one of the leaders of the October breast cancer events, will not take parabens out of their cosmetics (parabens are suspected of being a possible breast cancer contributor).
I give my money to Breast Cancer Action http://www.bcaction.org/ and the Breast Cancer Fund http://www.breastcancerfund.org/–both are concerned about the environmental aspects of breast cancer. I encourage everyone to check them out.
As a breast cancer survivor of 3 years I am angry to see so many new members of our special sisterhood. I second the call to get mammograms and take care of ourselves individually but also think we need to start asking why there are so many of us getting sick.
“libby trial on hardballs. let’s see if tweety can watch his mouth today”
LOL Tweety just said “irregardless.”
It’s not a word, Tweety.
LL@66,
Yes, there are way too many young women getting breast cancer. We need to ask why that is.
LMFAO.
Thanks punaise. I needed that.
Appreciate the update Christy.
Waccamaw @ 52
You got off cheap? Actually today was just an exam and cleaning . . . more to follow next month. But had to have a crown, gum surgery and an implant last year. All of that was over $7 K.
Peterr,
Are you intimating that I’ve posted that comment enough? Or are you refreshing our memory about the amazing work that has been done at the Lake?
just askin’
Jane,
All along the lakeshore, firedogs have gathered with intent;
We howl in unison for your speedy surge to robust health.
Take all the time you need,
We are with you all the way.
AH-OOOO.
OT, correction of bizarro event:
AH-OOOO
I second that howl
hot pants
Eureka Springs, AR @ 73
“is that a rocket in your pocket?”
Just catching up to the news and I’m kinda stunned.
Libby trial begins and Jane goes under the knife?
Anybody seen Cheney lately?
Prayers for Jane and curses to Darth and whomever else she wants cursed. Becuause she would.
Richard Clarke on Tweety now
We are with you, Jane. (((((hugs)))))
Thanks for the Update Christy. Keep up the faith.
AH-OOOOOOOW Too!
Question for whoever controls these things:
Any particular reason comments are closed in the “Root Canal” post?
Looking at that photo up top of, I guess, one of JH’s dogs reminds that pets have feelings too. And they know when something is up. I assume they (the dogs) are being well care for during this thing.
David Schuster’s Hardblogger entry on Libby jury selection today.
Click Daily ~ It’s FREE: The Breast Cancer Site
*and the other sites across the top.
CNN reportedly considering talk show for Michael “Nation of Sissies” Smerconish
All those having dental work done. Consider having crowns done in composit rather than any metal. There is some evidence that composite designed to go with your body chemistry works best. I had all amalgam fillings removed and a ton of caps done a year and a half ago. The composit adheres to the tooth leaving no space for decay to develop behind. There is quite a controversy about the whole issue.
This was on Balloon Juice today on a column about ….NEW HORIZONS IN THE CANCER FIGHT….. “This post is dedicated to Jane Hamsher, who needs to get better so that she can go on ticking off the John Coles of the apostate right.” Jane is certainly loved and would I’m sure appreciate this.
Where did I miss a root canal post?
Washington ’snubbed Iran offer’
Iran offered the US a package of concessions in 2003, but it was rejected, a senior former US official has told the BBC’s Newsnight programme.
Tehran proposed ending support for Lebanese and Palestinian militant groups and helping to stabilise Iraq following the US-led invasion.
But Vice-President Dick Cheney’s office rejected the plan, the official said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6 274147.stm
punaise @ 74
’tis a roaming candle.
I am checking out for a while to attend a Democratic meeting. Will stop by later.
Holding my fingers crossed for Jane.
Hey Jane, when you get back to Amato’s, ask him to tell you the story about that singing drummer who was told he’d never sing again from the big C.
(He’d been in some band that helped Mr. Dylan go electric, got themselves on the cover of Time, made a concert film with some guy Scorcese, and somehow survived long enough to get cancer.)
Amato will probably tell you he’s singing again, having a live Midnight Ramble at his studio in Woodstock twice a month, where guests like Emmylou show up unannounced. (i saw him drumming in SF for his daughter, and we spoke after the show for several hours, he was really horse.)
And now he’s singing again. As if Jane needed a role model.
RevDeb @
68
As they say on Car Talk, never go to the dentist if he has a boat payment due.
Best wishes to Jane and thanks to Pach for a great job.
I’ll reiterate my wishes for a speedy recovery for our dear Jane and add that I’ve found the outpouring of support by the folks who hang out here very moving.
Looking at Tucker Carlson and they’re attempting to blame this Iraq mess on Carter and Clinton. Coming up. Too much.
RevDeb -
$7 K!!!! Dear Gussie, I’m gonna go to bed tonite giving thanks for small blessings! Hope yours was spread out over a period of time in terms of both physical & financial pain. On the other hand, trying to give a sermon with a mouth full of novacain (sp?) could be an entertaining experience for your flock *g*
Root canals.
OW.
I had a couple of front teeth knocked out 27 years ago.
The dentist wanted to try a new fangled idea that he had read about.
You guessed it, implants.
Root canals and titanium pins literally driven into my gums.
Nice.
I’ve had 6 root canals since and two more pins with artificial teeth installed.
Needless to say,
I’m not real fond of dentists.
LL @ 64
Thanks! Excellent comment. My local daily rag today has a front page story by Washington Post reporter Rob Stein. Headline “Cancer deaths drop for second year” with male and female stats and charts.
“The biggest drop occurred in colorectal cancer with 1,120 fewer men and 1,094 fewer women dying of the disease….
Similarly, 666 fewer women died of breast cancer and 522 fewer men died of prostate cancer.”
No linky, sorry - I tried but couldn’t maintain a connection to The Washington Post site.
Oklahoma kiddo @
93
it’s Dinesh D Looza again…
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Jane! My grandmother is being honored in her town as a 51-year survivor of breast cancer. May you join her in living to a very old age!
Tucker and Dinesh sittin’ in a tree…
Pade @ 84
Yep. That’s the plan.
Pade @ 86
Sorry, luv -
Takeoff on Christy saying something about preferring a root canal to asking for $$$$ for the Lake.
Crazy Horse, Levon had a concert here a couple of months back. I missed that show but if you missed the album Jerico (about ten years old now), it’s a real gem.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 93
Thanks for the warning! ;~)
If this ‘Carter and Clinton did it’ (Iraq) thing is the best Rove can come with, this boy is in trouble.
newspaperbrat @ 96
Interesting. I’d read recently that breast cancer rates had dropped significantly in Canada and US (argues against govt anyhting), suggestion was that it reflected decreased use of hormone therapy for menopause. But that wouldn’t cover colorectal or prostate. Hmm, I have a client who is an epidemiologist specializing in cancer, I’ll see if she can give me a source for info.
Oklahoma kiddo @
93
Well of course, I Blame Clinton. ;)
Tucker said Carter should apologize for Hezbollah’s existence
newspaperbrat @ 96
Cancer deaths drop for second year (L.A. Times)
twolf1 @ 107
tucker can kiss my tuckus.
twolf1 @ 107
My tube is on mute. I missed that. Carlson is an ultra-nut.
twolf1 @ 99
…at that point even the tree huggin’ Liberal could not deny his moment of destiny…
“Is there gas and oil in that saw, there?”
RevDeb @ 69
The latter, definitely the latter!
(Given my reposting of the “be kind to the mods” comment on several of the threads in the last couple of days, I’m hardly one to intimate anything about posting something more than once. Hmmmm . . . something about a log in my eye comes to mind . . . )
The research has never been done, but back in the 1970’s my Cancer Surgeon advised me not to use any sort of under-arm deoderant that was an antiperspirant. Sweating, is indeed a waste disposal natural form, but antiperspirant closes down the pores and this function. It makes sense — soap and water work fine and you will never miss the product. Any bath soap that has an anti-bacterial component will eliminate odor, and generally protect till the next bath. As I said, there is no authoritative research on this, no experimental data — but it just makes sense if you think about it, and it is a low cost prevention just in case he was guessing right.
one of tucker’s guests thinks the new moveon.org ad may actually help McCain
Bush and the government of Israel are to blame for Hezbollah. Yo Tuck. This is not a difficult concept.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 102
Thanks, eureka, but i’ve heard it. some old buds played on that album, and continue to play these Midnight Rambles. Check out Levon’s site.
I have to say, it blows my mind to know that Levon’s daughter had the strength to make him fight, and now he’s singing again like a wolf.
RevDeb @ 100
Does that mean to an individual’s specific body chem or to the human body in general?