Irene's Health History

Three years ago now (2008), we were back from Hong Kong living in Salt Lake City.  We came to Mesa to be with our family for Thanksgiving.  I had our son-in-law, Dr. Chuck Peterson, check what I thought was a hard muscle on the inside of my right thigh.  Why I would ever think I had a hard muscle is quite humorous?  He said it was not and that I needed to have an MRI which we scheduled for three weeks later when we were home for Christmas.  Chuck sat us down on Christmas Eve day and told us that I had a tumor, and he had made an appointment with a surgeon at the Phoenix Mayo Clinic. 

I am not much of an alarmist and was pretty naïve in that I didn’t even really think it was cancer for some time.  I had my first surgery in Salt Lake City at The Hunstman Cancer Center in February of 2009 to remove the sarcoma cancer and recovered quite well, not even worrying that it might recur.  Daryl was released the following October Conference, but we were finished and had moved back to Mesa into our new condo in July. 

President Eyring had called us to be the Mesa Arizona Temple President and Matron beginning in November of 2009.  In October, before beginning our new assignment, I felt another lump which was a reurrence of the cancer.  We began at the temple, and in December and January I had 5 weeks of daily radiation treatment before the second surgery in February of 2010.  Recovered again, but the cancer returned, and in November of 2010, I had my third surgery.  This one was more complicated and the recovery was much more difficult. 

This brings us to this year.  Elder Larry Gibbons of the Temple Department really felt that the temple matron routine was not conducive to my recovery and recommended that we come to Salt Lake City for a second opinion which we did.  In April, we met with two oncologists in Salt Lake City and they both agreed that the long days at the temple were not contributing to my recovery.  They also both told us that if the cancer recurred, the only option would be to amputate my leg.  This was shocking, but the thought was planted in our minds.  We were released from our temple assignment in June of this year.  It was definitely the right decision for the temple and for us also, but it was very hard to have things end that way.  We feel so blessed to have had that experience and to have associated with such wonderful people, many who will be life-long friends. 

Through another routine MRI and biopsy in September, we learned that the cancer had recurred for the fourth time and that the option at this point was to lose my life or my limb.  It was not a difficult decision, but it has taken some time for me to come to grips with the reality. 

We went to the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas last month and made the decision to have the surgery done there, as they perform many more of these high amputations than anywhere else we considered.  We feel good about that decision and will fly to Houston on December 5 for pre-op appointments that week, then the surgery will be Monday, December 12.  As I said in our description of this blog, the outpouring of love and concern has sustained us tremendously.  We feel that we are in the Lord’s hands, and we have faith that we will have the best possible outcome.

Now, this has been all about me, but it is not all about me.  It is all about us -- about any of you who are reading this, but especially about Daryl and our family.   I could not have gone through any of this without Daryl's love, his encouragement and his physical and emotional support.  He is my rock.  He has not been discouraged, because he has such strong, undaunted faith.  He is willing and does anything and everything I could possibly need.  I cannot begin to express my deep love and gratitude for him. 

As soon as we shared this news with our children, our burden was immediately lifted because of their optimism, their faith, their love and support.  Again, how could I be so blessed?  This goes for my extended family and especially for my sisters.  They have hurt as much as I have.  We all know how much families and friends mean to us.  I could go on and on but will let this suffice for now.

We will keep you updated through this blog. 

Posted by Irene