Good news! Kathleen just left surgery, and everything went better than we expected. The spot in her bladder was contained enough that only 10% more (about the same amount as removed last year) of the bladder was removed. The mass connected to her right ovary did not affect any other organs. The mass was removed along with her right ovary, but her left ovary and uterus remain intact and in place. She’s in recovery now, and we can’t wait to see her (a couple of hours)! Continue sending her your healing thoughts and prayers – they’ve been working wonders so far. This is as good an outcome as we could have hoped for going into surgery. – Howard, Diane, Brian

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Please pray for Kathleen today – may she have a smooth surgery and speedy healing.

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Kathleen is getting prepped now for surgery, and will go in at least an hour and a half earlier than originally planned. We will keep you all posted!

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Kathleen and Howard here: had a great night of sleep with many positive dreams of visiting retreat sights with hot springs and starry skies. Woke up feeling so relaxed and peaceful. Spent an hour meditating on my body, thanking each organ for its miraculous workings and blessing those that might be leaving me today. I could feel my whole being filled and vibrating with light.

The last couple of weeks in the hopsital, I have been having a hard time, imagining myself coming out of surgery just ravaged and weak. Now, I feel so certain that everything will go smoothly and easily. I feel happy picturing being home again with Howard and the kitties, resting and getting strong again. This morning, we laid in bed talking about our wedding this summer and other fun things to look forward to in the future. Howard reminded me that when I first met him I had a vision of a huge book opened to the middle and page after page of our life together fluttering by. Lots more pages than the measly (but rich) two years we’ve been together so far!

Thank you to my soul-sister Jenny for organizing the round the clock thoughts and prayers for me today. I am held in such a loving embrace. I wish I could express it well enough that you could all feel this peace–even excitement. Yes, again some finished part of us dies to make room for some new, mysterious bloom to open.

I am flowering. I am happy. I am so grateful to all of you, my loving family.

We’ll celebrate soon!

Kathleen

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Kathleen here. My brother, Brian, flew up from San Diego and spent last night with me in the hospital room, making me laugh and keeping my spirits up. Now he’s showing me how to update the blog. Too fun!

The docs came in this morning and gave me the good news that the PET scan came back clean: no other surprise cancer spots. What a relief!

Surgery is scheduled for 11:30-12:00 tomorrow, Wednesday, mid-day. Looks like I’ll be having my bladder removed and probably a hysterectomy–just in case any of the cancer cells got into those organs, too. Clean the area out, say “adios” to the cancer, and get back to my students and the life I so love. Doctors say I’ll probably be in the hospital at least a week after the operation but then I’ll get to go home.

Thank you again for all the inspiring notes, prayers, and candles lit. I feel positive and strong. This experience has been so filled with lessons. The present one I am meditating on is how to hold both surrender and hope–in equal measure–at the same time. I remember reading once, in some Buddhist text, “Act impeccably and then let go of the outcome.” An intriguing koan and invitation, for sure.

I love you all and miss you but feel your presence here so strongly.

I am truly grateful for your friendship and encouragement.

Hugs and besos,

Katalina/Kathleen

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Hello to this dear circle of friends of Kathleen,

Her surgery is scheduled for sometime around mid-day on Wednesday.
We know love and light and prayers have power.

Let’s each take an hour on that day and clearly, strongly, lovingly hold Kathleen
in our prayers. Use whatever words and rituals you wish.
(Think glorious. Think miracle.)

I suggest starting early in the morning and covering the whole day, including ICU, and into the night.

6 am
7 am
8 am
9 am
10 am
etc.

Please reply in the comments section.
You do not have to log-in to reply and take a time slot.
OK for doubles, tripples at the mid-day hours.

I will coordinate to assure that all the times are covered.

Thank you all, heart-to-heart, for our dear, precious heart, Kathleen.

Blessings to you all.
I’ll meet you there.

Jenny

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Kathleen is having a PET scan right now.

This is Kathleen’s brother Brian and his lovely wife Meg, and their beautiful daughter Breegan. Brian and Meg are to be given credit for this blog site and Kathleen enjoys walking down to the computer area with ‘R2D2’ (as she calls her IV stand) and reading your wonderful comments and seeing the pictures.

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Kathleen is scheduled to have a PET scan on Monday. A PET scan is a heat sensitive diagnostic tool, that can show cancer as heat on the display. She is scheduled to go into surgery on Wednesday.

She has been able to get to a computer every day, so keep those posts coming!! It gives her motivation to get up an and walk down the hallway – like a big blanket of love, she says!

Thanks all for staying in touch with her. It’s like you are all here with her.

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In celebration of the Muse (25th Anniversary) – is tomorrow night, Saturday, March 10th at the Cabrillo College Theater.

Ella, Kathleen’s niece, will be reading Kathleen’s poem in the program! Adrienne Rich and 25 other local, women prose & poetry writers will also be reading. The event starts at 7PM and tickets are available at Bookshop Santa Cruz.

This is a fundraiser to benefit Fast Track to Work.

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Kathleen had an MRI today, and she is awaiting the results from that. She also had some consultations. She has met with her surgeon, and it now looks like she is waiting for a ‘post-op’ room to be open. Many things to be coordinated! However, she really likes this hospital and the medical staff.

Kathleen was able to get to a computer last night, and read ALL of your posts and kind messages. It made her very happy and she said it felt like “Valentine’s Day” to her. Thanks all for your continued support & love.

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