"Patti’s Fight" is a story, spanning more now almost four years, documenting one woman’s tremendous strength and exceptional courage, fighting one of the deadliest forms of breast cancer IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer).  The story of "Patti’s Fight" is an absolute inspiration to women of all ages. 

Our goal, of telling the story of "Patti's Fight" below, is to have just one woman, read the story of "Patti's Fight", then subsequently obtaining an early diagnosis of their cancer.  If reading this page does results in that early diagnosis to occur, so that another woman does not have to go through the debilitating pain and suffering that Patti Gates has endured,
then we have done our job!


November 2005 after finishing 8 straight weeks of
 every day radiation treatments. But the effects of
Chemotherapy wearing off with hair coming back.
Declared in remission, unfortunately not factual as you will read.
 She still has more hair than I do!!
 
 

Note: This introduction and "links" were updated 02/04/07
The story of "Patti's Fight" is told from the beginning starting directly below.  For the new readers who do not know the complete story of Patti's Fight, it is absolutely worth starting here and reading on to know the complete story of this courageous and inspiring woman. 

Patti Gates was, at one time, the ultimate professional Vice President of Marketing by heading marketing departments with hundreds of employees, down to managing a small local Lake Oswego, Oregon pet store so she could leave at 3:30 to be "home" for  her 1st and 3rd graders and have the most important job she would ever cherish, that most important job being the job title "MOM".    Professionally she had risen through the ranks to become a senior marketing professional officer, by early on developing her marketing talents working for companies as diverse as Playboy headquartered in Chicago to that of National Public Television and Radio located in Washington, DC. 

So whether you are a professional career woman, a stay at home mom (or anything in-between) we are willing to bet, the story of "Patti's Fight" will be inspiring for ALL women 15 years old to 115 year's old!!!!!! 

Additionally, we would like to provide some guidance/assistance to people who are just starting (or are in the midst) of the process to fight the battle.  We would like to possibly assist you  by addressing issues that were difficult or hindered us, so far, in this three plus year battle.  Maybe situations or concepts we found hard to understand or difficult to do might be made easier for you by us outlining what we did to overcome or fight through a situation, issue or some specific problem while fighting a potentially terminal illness (no matter what illness).

Our suggestions for the reader:
[1] If you are a first time visitor or newer to reading about Patti's Fight just start directly below titled "2005 History".   It is a quick read to catch up.

[2] If you are returning, after being away for a while, you can click on the following link to read the Oct/Nov/Dec 2007 information.  2008 comes right after this section.     (Click Here) for Oct/Nov/Dec 2007 and Jan/Feb 2008 information

[3] Here is what has happened in Jan/Feb 2008 so far  (Click Here)  for 2008
 

2005 History


November 2005 after finishing 8 straight weeks of
every day radiation treatments. But the effects of
Chemotherapy wearing off with hair coming back.
Declared in remission unfortunately not factual as you will read.
She still has more hair than I do!!

Author's notes:
Since Patti was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer, it has been a roller coaster of emotions for her and our family.  Patti and I sat down right after the diagnoses and had a depressing conversation.  We truly believed she and our family were in this fight all alone. As word spread around to the local community, to Jessi's High School, to Devin's Junior High, to Patti's co-workers and customers, our RDcom suppliers, etc etc, something amazing started to happen.  People wanted to know how Patti was. 

But people find it EXTREMELY hard sometimes to ask.  I personally was getting enough questions, that I decided to use e-mail to bring people up to date with Patti's condition via a series of e-mail updates.  Never would I have imagined

So here are the updates in chronological order. They are here pretty much as written.  So please forgive the redundancy in some sections.   As more and more people requested to be put on the e-mail list, we had to bring them up to speed.  So we repeat ourselves in some updates.

 

Using this format, of course, the most current updates are at the bottom of this page.  

Thank you for your interest and please keep Patti in your thoughts and prayers.

 
 

From: Greg Gates 
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 9:27 AM
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: A Patti update # 2 as of 042905

I have compiled a very large list of e-mail addresses that this note is going to.  To keep your privacy, your e-mail address is being keyed into the BCC (Blind Copy) box for this note.  That way, your e-mail address is not visible to any other reader.  And I want to respect your privacy.   This address list contains, friends, coaches, teachers and some family. 

 

To All,

Many have asked or written asking for an update on Patti’s fight.  So I will do my best to bring you up to speed.  

 

History
On March 3rd 2005, Patti Gates was diagnosed with a rare and unfortunately, extremely  aggressive form of cancer, Inflammatory Breast Cancer or IBC as it is called.  As of this writing, she is currently undergoing what is called  high-dose chemotherapy.  

 

With most breast cancers, when a cancerous tumor is discovered, an operation is preformed quickly to remove the cancer tissues.  Depending upon the spread of the cancer cells, a lumpectomy or mastectomy is preformed.  Most breast cancers do not spread quickly so they can be isolated.  After surgery, the patient will usually have several; rounds of chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments.   These treatments are to make sure all the cancer cells are dead in the areas not removed by surgery.   With the miracles of medical science, the fifth year survival rate of the most common of breast cancers is up to 88%-92%. 

Once diagnosed, Patti was given a full body cat scan..  The purpose of this procedure is to get a base line picture of where the cancer cells were in the body.  So at the beginning of March, the images showed definite cancer cells in the left breast and “suspicious” cells in the left limp nodes.  There were suspicious single small “dots” (as the doctor called them), in the lung, liver and kidney.   These dots hopefully are not cancer, but they do not want to rule it out.  We pray daily they are not. 

 

Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Patti was diagnosed with IBC.   IBC is in a different family of breast cancers.  The fifth year survival rate of IBC is 30% to 40%.    She is currently undergoing what is called  high-dose chemotherapy.   In fact, from diagnosis to first chemotherapy session was only a few days, not weeks. 

 

IBC is to aggressive and potentially spreads too fast to mastectomy/lumpectomy first and chemotherapy/radiation second..      IBC is treated by aggressively attacking the cancer cells with chemotherapy to reduce the size of the original tumor and most importantly, to kill the cancer cells throughout the body that are not near the original tumor.  For example, if the “dots” that were “suspect” in the lung, liver and kidney were cancer cells, the hope is, that the chemotherapy will kill them (thus localizing the cancer in the breast and limp node area ONLY).   That would be for Patti a chemotherapy home run so to speak.    If that all succeeds, then a lumpectomy or mastectomy will be performed.  

 

IBC is usually detected very very late, thus the worrisome “prognosis” communicated on the Imaginis web site available by the link below.    So please, if you or someone you know has the IBC symptoms, do not hesitate to let your physician know!   By viewing this link, if just one person receives an early diagnosis of IBC, Patti & I would be extremely happy.  (http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/inflammatory.asp)    

 

Chemotherapy
Like most people, chemotherapy was just a word to me prior to this.  I had some vision of some type of Star Wars treatment.  I had zero idea of how it was administered to a cancer patient.   Needless to say, both Jessi and Devin had no idea as well.  I took Patti to her first chemotherapy.  I was pleasantly surprised as to how professional and caring the first session was.   For a patient’s first session, they have private glass rooms.  .For ongoing treatment, there are hospital beds (probably 20) in a line, but no too close, each with their own private viewing TV.    

 

Over the course of the 4 to 6 hours, several nurses explained each step of the process.  Later in the day a pharmacist came in and explained the potential side effects of each of the three chemotherapy drugs used.  The side effects are not pleasant, but there are new drugs recently available to counteract many of them.  Both Jessi and Devin (by their own choice) attended a chemotherapy session to take away the mystery. 

Start

Finish

Chemotherapy Drugs Used at this point

March 2005

May 2005

Cytoxan ®

Adriamycin ®

Taxotere ®

Patti’s support group
 The outpouring of support directly to Patti has been fantastic.   At Healthy Pet (where she is the manager), Patti has a continual stream of customers and employees who are there for her.   The support of the Lakeridge parents has been overwhelming.  When physically down after chemotherapy, the dinners provided have been a God send.  You can never know how something like that is so appreciated and helps our family. 

The other three Gates’
Many of you have asked how Devin, Jessi and I are doing.  “Fair” would be the best answer.   I think it has finally hit all three of us the “other” end result possibility of all this.  Despite all efforts to stay positive, these eight weeks have worn us down. 

With the kids, they are not doing well.  Unfortunately they both have met kids who lost a parent from cancer.   They have also met kids from survivors too.  But it is the ones who have lost a parent,  they remember first.  The resulting stress has hurt school work, tests, day to day depression and most importantly decision making.   So if any teacher/administrator thinks that you can assist by having positive one on one sessions, Patti and I would welcome that.  Feel free to grab them and ask them how they are doing.  They are holding way to much inside.  Me, well along with this, my mom 83, is failing in health (recently hospitalized) and failing mental capacity.  I am in the midst of attempting to get her into an assisted living facility.  There is resistance from other non local family members with all of that adding to the stress.  And lastly of course I worry about Jessi and Devin, and most importantly Patti.  Patti is not only my wife, she is my best friend. 

 

This week we had our first family cancer counseling session with a professional.   From that, there are individual sessions scheduled in the next weeks for all three of us.  We need them. 

 

What’s next
Patti will be having her second full body scan tomorrow (Saturday April 30th).  That procedure will show the doctors the location of the cancer cells throughout the body.  Our hopes and prayers are that the cells have not spread more from the original tumor/limp nodes.  And more importantly, those “dots” in the liver, lung and kidney are gone or no bigger (or no dots anywhere else).    Patti’s attitude is positive.  Bottom line, we must now leave the rest in God’s hands. 

 

So please continue to remember Patti in your thoughts and prayers.   May God bless you all! 

 

PS: we have a several dozen pink bracelets from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation  www.komen.com  (race for the cure etc).   Just ask Patti, the kids or I for one.  Kind of helps us to visually see, that Patti is not alone in her fight.
  

From: Greg Gates 
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 9:46 AM
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update # 3 as of 051005 

051005 Our third Patti update
I have compiled a very large list of e-mail addresses that this note is going to.  To keep your privacy, your e-mail address is being keyed into the BCC (Blind Copy) box for this note.  That way, your e-mail address is not visible to any other reader.  And I want to respect your privacy.   This address list contains, friends, coaches, teachers and family. 

 

To All,

Many have asked or written asking for an update on Patti’s fight.  So I will do my best to bring you up to speed.   We have new people on our e-mail  list, so we apologize for some repetition from previous updates.

 

History
Early in March, Patti was diagnosed with a rare and unfortunately, extremely  aggressive form of cancer, Inflammatory Breast Cancer or IBC as it is called.  She is currently undergoing what is called  high-dose chemotherapy. 

 

With most breast cancers, when a cancerous tumor is discovered, an operation is preformed quickly to remove the cancer tissues.  Depending upon the spread of the cancer cells, a lumpectomy or mastectomy is preformed.  Most breast cancers do not spread quickly so they can be isolated.  After surgery, the patient will usually have several; rounds of chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments.   These treatments are to make sure all the cancer cells are dead in the areas not removed by surgery.   With the miracles of medical science, the fifth year survival rate of the most common of breast cancers is up to 88%-92%.  IBC has a 40% fifth year survival rate. 

 

Once diagnosed, Patti was given a full body cat scan..  The purpose of this procedure is to get a base line picture of where the cancer cells were in the body.  So at the beginning of March, the images showed definite cancer cells in the left breast and “suspicious” cells in the left limp nodes.  There were suspicious single small “dots” (as the doctor called them), in the lung, liver and kidney.   These dots hopefully are not cancer, but they do not want to rule it out.  We pray daily they are not. 

 

What has happened since the last update 

Latest full body cat scan


About 10 days a go Patti had her second full body scan.  That was a week ago last Saturday, and we then had to wait until last Thursday(05/05/05) to get the results from Dr. Rarick.  Patti’s oncologist.  The terms used were “disappointing” and “frustrating” when describing the results of this body scan as compared to the first one.   The single small “dots”, in the other organs were still there.  The suspicious lumps in the limp nodes were still there. 

 

The most frustrating part for Patti, despite going through three high dose chemotherapy sessions, the mass in the left breast has not reduced one millimeter.  It is still very large.  So the frustrating point of all this for Patti is that maybe, all the after effects so far of the chemotherapy, were for nothing.  The oncologist and the surgeon had hoped for (and thought there would be)  a reduction in the mass of the breast tumor.  Plus the pain has not lessened for Patti this whole time.  Eight to ten daily Vicodin have become a necessity for Patti (and Patti has a very very high tolerance to pain).

 

There may be some good news in the situation that we will find out later.  I will explain that after explaining what will be the next steps. 

 

What are the next steps
Patti will have surgery on Monday the 16th.  Most likely a full radical mastectomy.  While doing that, the surgeon will examine the limp nodes as to their potential for cancer.  They also will thoroughly examine the removed breast tumor to ascertain if there are any dead cancer cells within it.

 

After surgery there will begin localized radiation treatments.  These treatments will be every day for six weeks at Emmanuel Hospital (just past the Rose Garden on I5).  Then more chemotherapy with different drugs than used last time.

 

What could be good?
The first good news after the operation would be if there are ANY dead cancer cells within the breast tumor mass.  Maybe the chemotherapy did not reduce the tumor in size, but just maybe chemotherapy did do some good, killing cancer cells, keeping it from spreading.   Also, if the limp nodes do not contain cancer and are just swollen, that could mean the cancer might be localized to the breast area.  If they are cancerous, then it will be a hunt to find where else they are in the body. 

 

Remember cancer like can be "blood borne" (can travel around the body in the blood stream).   The limp nodes act like little oil filters for the body's blood stream capturing material that should not be there and slowly letting the material decompose to prevent spreading.  But the cancer cells will get stopped by the limp node filters and begin to grow there instead.

 

The other three Gates
Devin, Jessi and I have started individual sessions with trained cancer counseling professionals.  Hopefully that will reduce the tension and stress.    We will have to wait and see.  As I stated before, if any teacher/administrator thinks that you can assist Devin or Jessi, by having positive one on one session, Patti and I would welcome that.   Feel free to grab them and ask them how they are doing.  They are holding way to much inside.  The more we get them talking and feeling better about the future, the better!

 

Requests
Several have asked how can you assist.   Lynn Huck (xxxxxxxt@xxx.com) has been coordinating food post chemotherapy and now post operation.  We can not tell you how grateful we are for that.   It has been wonderful and so very much appreciated!!!  We also may need some transportation help to Emmanuel hospital as Patti will need to go there every day for six weeks (not sure when that starts or what it entails for a time commitment, all of this is new for us).  Lynn, thank you for all your efforts coordinating.

 

We truly want to thank everyone for all the support. 

 

After we know more, after the operation, we will update you.  God Bless you all.  Please keep Patti in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Warmest Regards, 

 

Greg Gates 
 

Patti & Devin at his 8th Grade Celebration
on 05/05/05. 
2008

From: Greg Gates 
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 11:35 PM
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update number 4 

Note: I have compiled a very large list of e-mail addresses that this note is going to.  To keep your privacy, your e-mail address is being keyed into the BCC (Blind Copy) box for this note.  That way, your e-mail address is not visible to any other reader.  And I want to respect your privacy.   This address list contains, friends, coaches, teachers and family.  

 

051305 Our fourth Patti update

To All, 

We have new people on our e-mail  list, so we apologize for some repetition from previous updates. 

 

As you may remember, Patti’s 4th chemotherapy session was canceled last week by Patti’s oncologist.  Her most recent full body cat scan did not show any reduction of the mass in her left breast as they had hoped.  So the decision has been made to remove the known cancer ASAP.  

 

Patti and I met with her surgeon this morning (Friday).   A full radical mastectomy is scheduled for Monday afternoon May 16th.  The operation will be at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center    Patti will definitely be there overnight Monday night and maybe Tuesday night (but not Tuesday night if Patti has anything to say about it).    The doctor said recovery is 2 to 3 weeks. 

 

After recovering from surgery, Patti will have radiation and chemotherapy.  At this time they are not sure which will be first, but it will be one, then the other.  The concern still is the spot on the lung and the spot on the liver.  Again, our hopes and prayers are that they are not cancer.  But that is what the post surgery second round of chemotherapy will go after. 

 

Thank you all again for all the caring, prayers and support.  It is so very much appreciated. A special thanks to all of Devin and Jessi’s (Waluga & Lakeridge) teachers, counselors and administrators for all their individual concern and help.  No kid should have to go through this.  A special thank you to Amy Gretencourt and Heather Roberts for their special individual attention to the kids in the past two weeks.  Thank you for your compassion and caring!  

 

Next week will be long & rough for the Gates family (especially Devin & Jessi).  But with all of your support and prayers, Patti will get through it part of the long journey.  

 

We will update you after the surgery as to what they find or don’t find. 

 

God Bless you all, 

 

Warmest Regards, 

 

Greg Gates

 

From: Greg Gates 
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 8:14 AM
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update #5

Note: I have compiled a very large list of e-mail addresses that this note is going to.  To keep your privacy, your e-mail address is being keyed into the BCC (Blind Copy) box for this note.  That way, your e-mail address is not visible to any other reader.  And I want to respect your privacy.   This address list contains, friends, business connections, coaches, teachers and family.

 

To All:

 

We have new people on our e-mail  list, so we apologize for some repetition from previous updates. 

 

Good morning!    Wanted to write this last evening when I got home from the hospital, but fatigue took over. 

 

Patti and I arrived at St Vincent Hospital Monday morning.  Patti’s operation scheduled for around 12:30, moved to 1:15.  The operation lasted until 5:15 (four hours).   Patti had a bi-lateral mastectomy (both breasts).  They also took part (or all, I never asked how much) of the limp nodes.  Patti never got to her hospital room from recovery until around 6. 

 

They will be performing a biopsy of the limp nodes and the actual breast tumor.  Great news would be there is no cancer in the limp nodes (just swollen) and some dead cancer cells in the breast tumor.  That would mean the chemotherapy did some good other than just retaining the cancer in place.   

 

 Discouraging  news would be they find cancer in the limp nodes and no dead cells in the breast.   That “could” (but not 100%) mean that there may be cancer in another part of the body. 

 

Not sure if Patti will come home today or not.  That will be a doctor decision later today.  As of 8:00 last night, my bet would be no.  But I just talked to her, and she is saying today. 

 

Thanks to the teachers, and administrators at Waluga JR High and Lakeridge HS for your care, thoughtfulness and compassion shown towards Devin and Jessi!  It was tough for them in classes knowing “mommy” was in surgery.  Patti and I want to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.  The outpouring of support for the kids from each school has been overwhelming.   God Bless you all!

 

Next Steps
Patti will be recovering at home this week and next.  Keeping her away from Healthy Pet that long will be interesting.  She is so professionally conscientious.

 

Around three weeks from now, Patti will start either another round of chemotherapy or the six weeks of radiation therapy.  Not sure which treatment will be first.  The surgeon suggested yesterday post operation, that it will be first another round of chemotherapy (with different drugs), then radiation.  Just not sure.  Recovery from the operation is the order of the day.

 

Hopefully things will settled down just a bit for this family.  The kids need to get back focused on living.  Devin just had a tremendous run in the Waluga play “Happily Ever After….and Other Lies You Were Told”.    He just loved it.  Jessi is looking forward to Lakeridge basketball’s summer league and team camp.  Need to focus on the positives.  Me, well did you ever see that commercial, with the family where everyone in the family is hyper super active in rock climbing, sight seeing and other activities, except for the dad (who is always asleep, snoring in some deck chair)?  I want to be that dad!  LOL.

 

In closing, I can not miss the opportunity to thank you all for your overwhelming support, compassion, caring, thoughts and prayers.  I truly do not know how this family would have gotten this far without you.  God Bless you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warmest Regards, 

 

Greg

 

PS:  Attached is the first page of this year’s Waluga Jr High Play program.   Devin was in it!   Patti did not know about it and was truly touched.  Read the last part.


 

From: Greg Gates 
Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2005 4:57 PM
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update number 6

 

I have compiled a very large list of e-mail addresses that this note is going to.  To keep your privacy, your e-mail address is being keyed into the BCC (Blind Copy) box for this note.  That way, your e-mail address is not visible to any other reader.  And I want to respect your privacy.   This address list contains, friends, coaches, teachers and some family.

 

To All:

Many have asked, therefore, here is an update post surgery regarding Patti.

 

Patti, Jessi, Devin and I, want to continue to thank all of you for all the supportive phone calls, e-mails, cards, flowers, food etc etc etc for Patti!  Three months ago as this whole thing was beginning, Patti and I depressingly discussed how our family was in this alone (especially with no relatives close by).  Never did we EVER think, so many people would and do care. We were so absolutely wrong!!  The support has been emotionally overwhelming (but deeply appreciated).

 

The power of Prayer
 Patti and I seem to never finish one of our private silent prayers asking for God’s help.   With all that is going on with this family, our thoughts and concerns always take over our busy minds, and we seem to never finish.    But, what we do add a little something in all our prayers now!   We add something like,  “please God, you know Patti and I can’t seem to concentrate as hard as we should with all that is going on in our lives,  but if I do not finish this prayer, would you please listen to all the other people who are praying for Patti!!!”   LOL

Patti is absolutely convinced much of her potential recovery and positive attitude is because of all the prayers being said for her.  The process is actually occurring worldwide.  Here are some examples.    Locally almost all of you on this e-mail distribution list, have sent Patti or I, messages or cards letting us know, that Patti’s fight is in your thoughts and prayers.  We could never express how much that is appreciated.

 

But there is more. 

 

In my business, for the past 6 years, we have purchased diamonds directly from a company located in Tel Aviv, Israel.    I have never met these people in person, but I have spoken with them on the phone almost every day.    One day, Dalia Yehudaie, their CEO, called out of the blue.   She asked, “what is Patti’s mother’s name?”   I responded Bernadette Swanson and they live in Tucson.  She then said, “so it is Patti, daughter of Bernadette Swanson of Tucson!”   I said yes, and if I may, why do you ask ?  She then told me that on the next Sabbath, she and a group of her employees were going to drive into Jerusalem to place a note with Patti’s name on it, into the Holy Wall and pray for Patti’s recovery” !   Needless to say, tears immediately came down my cheeks.

 

People who we have known while living in Ohio and Pennsylvania have called or written to tell us they have added Patti to their prayer circles at their churches.   Many of our Roman Catholic friends have had masses said for Patti’s recovery.   One of our friends who is Mormon, said he made sure Patti was remembered in his temple as well as two other temples he has association with.   About 20% of our jewelry business is military, most deployed in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.  We had placed a Pink Ribbon on our web site’s home page.  Seeing that Pink Ribbon, many of these military customers have e-mailed us saying that they are remembering Patti in their prayers.  As if they didn’t have enough to worry about!  Customers at Healthy Pet check in regularly to see how Patti is doing.  The Healthy Pet customers have brought cards and presents for her.   Also from all of the above, our home occasionally looks like a floral shop.

 

So bottom line, God is hearing from you, as well as many parts of the world, as well as from many denominations.

Is that not immensely cool???????? 

 

OK now how is Patti?
As you may remember, on May 16th, Patti had a bilateral mastectomy.    I can’t believe how strong Patti is.  She came home on Tuesday less than 24 hours after her major surgery.  On Tuesday afternoon, Lynn Huck stopped by to drop something off, and I MADE Lynn come in to say hello to Patti.  You could see the amazement on Lynn’s face as to how good Patti looked after going through such an ordeal.   Everyone who sees her says the same thing.  

 

Jessica's First Prom
Wild horses could not keep her away from a picture taking session for the Prom Jessi was going to on that Friday night the 20th.   So she dressed in a longer green sweater to hide the three ugly and large surgical tubes & drains, and we went to the home of one of Jessi's friends.  We stayed as long as Patti could tolerate the discomfort (and there was a lot).    Needless to say, Patti slept well that night.

 

By the way she looked terrific!   ONLY 4 days after surgery!!  Take a look.

And, she hid 3 surgical drains under her long green sweater, and never complained.

What happened in and after the surgery
 A bilateral mastectomy was performed.    In the surgery, a massive tumor was removed from her left breast.    . The surgeons also removed 14 swollen limp nodes from the left side.  The tumor and the limp nodes were sent for biopsy.   Three surgical drains were implanted (two on the left side, one on the other) to lessen potential swelling, plus reducing the risk of clotting and infection.

Patti and I met with her surgeon at the end of that week.  There was some really good news, some reason for hope news, and some news of concern.  The large tumor in the left breast had not reduced in size at all, but 90% of the cancer cells were dead in the tumor resulting from the three major chemotherapy sessions Patti had endured (that is very good news).  Reviewing the results of the mastectomy showed what is called “border negative”.   That means in the left breast, the cancer had not spread past the original outside border lines of the tumor (that is good news).   Of the swollen 14 limp nodes removed and biopsied, 4 had cancer cells. (that is of concern news).  So bottom-line, they seemed to have gotten all the cancer in the chest area, but at this time, there is no certainty that some cancer cells may have migrated to other parts of the body.  Remember, there are still the “spots” shown from the full body cat scan, on the liver and on the lung that may or may not be cancerous.

 

Our hope is, that the chemotherapy sessions performed so far have attacked any cancer cells in other parts of the body as they did in the big tumor.

 

What is next
Patti still has a long long long fight ahead.   She had two of the three uncomfortable drains removed, but one is still there.  She hopes it will come out late next week.

 

We will meet for the first time on Wednesday with the Oncology Radiation doctor.  He will outline the next steps to start soon after that.  It sounds like Patti will be starting daily (5 times a week), radiation treatments at Emmanuel Hospital.

 

There will be more rounds of chemotherapy, due to the uncertainty of more cancer cells in the body.  We aren’t sure if that will happen during or after the radiation treatments.  We will find out on Wednesday.

 

Pioneer Woman
Patti and I have sat and talked more in the last 120 days than maybe we have in any other time of our lives (that is good news) LOL.   We never before seemed to have time to do that.     Funny how something like this makes you aware of what you need to do.            A few days ago, late one night, during one of these sessions, when we were solving every problems of the world, I told Patti something.    It is something I kind of knew, but never really understood.   I told Patti, she may be the strongest person I have ever known.   Her attitude and outlook to beat this thing, is absolutely amazing.

 

Many people would have folded by now with all the physical pain of the cancer and all the normal pressures of being a conscientious professional, but most importantly being “mom”.   She is absolutely the strongest person I have ever known.  So I have started to call her “Pioneer Woman”.   The kind of woman who has to just keep moving along on the Conestoga wagons, despite the perils and personal pain.   Maybe we have been transplanted to Oregon, but Patti bites the bullet with the best of them.

 

So folks, Patti and I are convinced, that it is your thoughts and prayers have done many things.   Things like the results of the biopsy come to mind.        We believe your thoughts and prayers have helped Patti stay so very strong and positive.   We believe they have helped Patti’s commitment to beating this thing.

 

Oh yeah, forgot to say, Pioneer woman is going to attempt to work a 10 to 5 day at Healthy Pet on Memorial Day.    Keep those wagons rolling!!!

 

With the warmest of regards and deepest of appreciation,

 

God Bless your all!

 

Greg Gates

 

From: Greg Gates 
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 10:37 AM
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update number 7

I have compiled a very large list of e-mail addresses that this note is going to.  To keep your privacy, your e-mail address is being keyed into the BCC (Blind Copy) box for this note.  That way, your e-mail address is not visible to any other reader.  And I want to respect your privacy.   This address list contains, friends, coaches, teachers and some family.

 

To All:

Many have asked, therefore, here is an update post results of surgery and what is next regarding Patti. 

What happened in and after the surgery (from update number 6)


A bilateral mastectomy was performed.    In the surgery, a massive tumor was removed from her left breast.    . The surgeons also removed 14 swollen limp nodes from the left side.  The tumor and the limp nodes were sent for biopsy.   Three surgical drains were implanted (two on the left side, one on the other) to lessen potential swelling, plus reducing the risk of clotting and infection.

 

Patti and I met with her surgeon at the end of that week.  There was some good news, some reason for hope news, and some news of concern.  The large tumor in the left breast had not reduced in size at all, but 90% of the cancer cells were dead in the tumor resulting from the three major chemotherapy sessions Patti had endured (that is good news).  Reviewing the results of the mastectomy showed what is called “border negative”.   That means in the left breast, the cancer had not spread past the original outside border lines of the tumor (that is good news).   

 

Of the swollen 14 limp nodes biopsied, 4 had cancer cells. (that is of concern news).  So bottom-line, they seemed to have gotten all the cancer in the chest area, but at this time, there is no certainty that some cancer cells may have migrated to other parts of the body.  Remember, there are still the two “spots” shown from the full body cat scan, one on the liver and one on the lung that may or may not be cancerous.

 

Next Steps
All the doctors have indicated two “next step” treatments post surgery.  They are more chemotherapy and targeted radiation therapy.

 

As of today Monday 06/06/05
Patti and I met last week with what will be her third major medical player in her fight with cancer.    So far major players have been her Surgeon Dr. Wayne Gilbert and her Oncologist Dr. Mark Rarick.    Patti now is working with Dr. Thomas Wynne of Emmanuel Hospital, who he and his department, specializes in Radiation Oncology.  We found out that the treatments will be daily, 5 days a week M-F and  last only a few minutes duration in time each session.   It will take longer to drive there than each physical treatment will take.

 

Each radiology treatment will focus directly on the chest area where the cancer was found.  It sounds like it is very targeted to a specific area of the body being treated.  The doctor explained the side effects such as  possible sunburn like symptoms in the are being treated, potential blistering and soreness.  After everything that Patti has been through so far, our Pioneer Woman considers these side effects minor league in comparison.

 

Cancer Board
Dr. Rarick had earlier on made us aware that they have a “Cancer Board” that meets regularly to discuss individual patients as to their treatment to date and results to date.  All three of the above mentioned physicians working with Patti sit on this board.  Apparently this Cancer Board is made up of ALL the major departmental players, such as Oncologists, Surgeons, Therapists, Radiation Oncologists etc etc.  Not just the physicians working with Patti, but all the doctors from the specific departments.  For example, Patti’s case was presented to the Cancer Board last week.  Her case is presented to all the physicians thoroughly and completely, from the initial medical visit to present day (biopsies, diagnoses, family history, cat scans results, chemotherapy, surgery etc etc).

 

Patti’s case was presented to the Cancer Board last week.   The prime purpose was to get opinions from the group as to which of the two next steps should be started first.   The next step treatments are targeted radiation or more chemotherapy.   After reviewing the results of the post surgery biopsies, the group recommended implementing more sessions of chemotherapy first and then performing the targeted radiation treatments.  Both are not given at the same time.

 

To give you an idea of how aggressive Patti’s physicians are pursuing the cancer, the board met Thursday, and on Friday, the “chemotherapy coordinator” (I am learning a whole new jargon) called Patti to set up this week’s chemotherapy session (which will be Thursday the 9th).  Patti felt a momentary rush of "can’t we slow down feeling" while speaking on the phone with the chemotherapy coordinator.  But of course, she wouldn’t want her physicians to let up for one second fighting this terrible disease.   One would not want them acting any other way.   In perspective, since just March to now, it has been the fastest roller costar ride Patti and this family could ever have imagined.   Thank God for aggressive physicians!

 

So it is three rounds of chemotherapy, all Thursdays, June 9th, June 30th and July 21st.  Pioneer Woman is planning on being back to Healthy Pet each subsequent following Monday (as she did for the first chemotherapy sessions).   Then sometime late July and early August, the targeted radiation treatments will begin.

 

A note on factual “Physician Speak”
One thing I have found insightful has been the tone and exact wording of the feedback sessions by Patti’s Oncologist and Surgeon.    As you know, we have gained a confidence and trust for them over these months.  At first you really don’t know who the heck these guys are who have your wife’s life in their hands so to speak.  So it takes time to build the trust, but we are blessed with terrific physicians, who happen to be caring compassionate human beings as well.

 

But there is a special language I like to call “Physician Speak”.   In each of the initial sessions, when you first meet each physician and then carrying through, to each feedback/follow up conversation following every major event (cat scans, biopsies surgeries etc),  there is a special way the physicians specifically speak to you and choose their words precisely.   This is Physician Speak.  My guess is this has become more and more a requirement in the medical community, especially Oncology, dealing with life threatening diseases.   They do not want to accidentally raise expectations.  Plus there is the always present worry in today’s society of malpractice litigation.  And remember, Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) has a very low 30% to 40% 5 year survival rate versus what are the typical breast cancers that now have grown to a miraculous 92% survival rate.

 

In the first sessions with both the Oncologist and the Surgeon, there were NEVER words used in their feedback that Patti and I would categorize as close to “positive”.  The feedback was always direct, factual and hard hitting sometimes.  

In fact right before surgery, after the second major body Cat scan, the words of “disappointing” and “frustrating” were used all too often.  Remember, the last Cat Scan had shown absolutely NO shrinking of Patti’s  7 centimeter breast tumor.    

Needless to say, the lowest time for Patti and I was the week or so time between that particular negative feedback session and the resulting next week bilateral mastectomy surgery.  

 

The lowest feeling for me, culminated as Patti was being wheeled away to the surgery, leaving the pre-op area, grabbing my hand and saying “I am really scared!”, as the motion of her gurney pulled our fingers apart.   Needless to say, I attempted to look strong for Patti as they wheeled her away, I looked strong for her as I walked, faking confidence, through the large exiting swinging double doors, walking only a few steps outside the pre-op large exiting swinging double doors, to where I leaned my back, neck and head directly against the closest wall I could find, then slide to the floor to my butt, covered my face with my hands and broke down for what seemed like hours in crocodile tears.  That was absolutely the lowest point for this “Alpha Male of the family” in this continuing saga. 

 

Semi Positive Physician Speak
OK, they say once you reach bottom, there is no place to go but up.  Boy we pray so!

 

After receiving the results of the surgery, the various post surgery biopsies and the meeting of the Cancer Board, strange, never before  heard words began to occasionally surface in the feedback conversations with both the Oncologist and the Surgeon.  Never-before used words such as “encouraging”, “positive” and “promising” were used frequently in the feedback conversations.  At the beginning of this update number 7, I inserted the past published section titled “What happened in and after the surgery”.    Apparently, it was the biopsy results described in that section that had changed the physicians tune of the “Physician Speak”.

 

So what is next for Patti
Starting this week, there is chemotherapy and then later, targeted radiation treatments.   If I am doing the math correctly, that spans a period from today, to the first couple of weeks in September.   This is not an overnight battle for Patti to say the least.

 

I wish it was the year 2105 instead of now.  Then most likely there will be a vaccine given at birth that prevents all forms of cancer developing during  the average person’s 162.5 year lifespan  (171.5 years average for women of course).

 

The Power of Prayer section
As described previously, Patti and I strongly feel, no let us say we emphatically feel, all the thoughts and prayers are behind Patti’s strength and results so far.  As we said, it isn’t Patti and my prayers that are doing it.  It is all of you who are making Patti strong as you are constantly reminding us that you are thinking of Patti and remembering her in your prayers.   No one is strong enough to make it individually through all of this alone and without God’s help.

 

You may remember how I mentioned in prior updates, that we had folks praying for Patti all over the world as well as many different denominations .  Well, direct feedback after those comments, let us know, that the Lutherans and Methodists where actively in Patti’s corner.   And one of Jessi’s basketball coaches, coach Shelm, walked up to us after a summer league game over the weekend, and let us know "the Episcopalians were on board as well"!   In this terrible time, it is occasions like that, that just bring a huge smile on Patti and my faces!

 

Oh yeah, you want another touching tearjerker?   We were at 10:30 Mass on Sunday.   A family with the dad, mom, two younger boys, and a (I would guess) 10 year old girl were sitting directly in the pew in front of the four of us.    The mom leaned back to whisper something to Patti.  A few minutes later she leaned back and said something else to Patti.  I noticed Patti wiping her eyes after the second lean back.    In the car I remembered to ask Patti what that was all about?   In the first lean back, the woman mentioned she was a customer of Patti’s store Healthy Pet. 

 

She wanted to know how Patti was doing?   Patti remembers her and her daughter early on being in the store, and the mom asking Patti’s about her condition noticing Patti’s loss of hair.  Patti told her she was progressing and doing well as expected.  In the second lean back, the mom said that during the ride home from the pet shop, her daughter had asked about Patti’s appearance and what that was all about.  The mom then described what most likely was a young women’s first description of a subject no woman really wants to know about.  In the second lean back, the mom told Patti, that after that visit to Healthy Pet, her young daughter says a prayer EVERY night for the "lady at the pet shop" !

 

Wow, and in February/March Patti and I sat around and discussed, how we thought Patti and our family were facing this terrible disease all alone.  Boy were we wrong!

 

With the warmest of regards and appreciation for the thoughts, prayers and support,

 

Patti, Devin, Jessi and the Greg

 
From: Greg Gates
Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2005 10:50 PM
To: All
Subject: FW: Patti Update Number 8 07/11/05
 
I have compiled a very large list of e-mail addresses that this note is going to. To keep your privacy, your e-mail address is being keyed into the BCC (Blind Copy) box for this note. That way, your e-mail address is not visible to any other reader. And I want to respect your privacy. This address list contains, friends, coaches, teachers and some family.

To all:

It has been a while since our last update on 06/06/05. I have had no less than 15 request to put out another update. So here it goes!

If you missed any past updates, I am not going to add them here to this e-mail. All the past updates are on our web site on a private page. Here is the URL address for the prior Patti updates. I put them in chronological order: http://www.ringdesigner.com/Patti/patti-updates.htm

After this is all over
In between the last update and now, we had to ship rings to a location where our Missouri customer’s where going to have their ocean side ceremony. Just wanted to share this location with you. Now here is a place to go and relax. Of course a lottery win might be required. Here is the link to see the location, once on their web site, just click on the island image to view the whole experience: http://www.matamanoa.com/index.html 

What has happened since the last update?
When we last left Patti (sounds like the perils of Pauline), you may remember, on May 16th, Patti had a bilateral mastectomy. After the lab results came back, Patti’s physicians decided on continuing the remaining chemotherapy sessions prior to any localized radiation therapy. Three final rounds of chemotherapy, all Thursdays, were scheduled for June 9th, June 30th and July 21st.

You may also remember that Patti had three long and “aggressive” chemotherapy sessions prior to her surgery. As we reported in our prior updates, as difficult and stressful as the first three chemotherapy sessions were for Patti, she was back on the job each subsequent Monday morning.

Patti has had her 4th and 5th of the six scheduled chemotherapy sessions as of this writing. But these last two sessions really had major negative after effects for her. During the recovery from the 4th session, Patti had a bit of a cold. The chemotherapy’s resulting drop of white blood cell counts coupled with the slight cold, knocked Patti for a loop. She was exhausted for over a week. She actually took some hours off from Healthy Pet the next week. This chemotherapy session hit her like a truck.

Patti’s 5th session was last week. Her post chemotherapy session recuperation benefited by the following Monday being Independence Day which is one of the few non dog food sale days of the Healthy Pet year. A little known fact is that in 1776, Dogs and cats also have declared their independence from Great Britain as well.   But much like the 4th session, the 5th session has Patti extremely tired and run down.

Patti has her last chemotherapy session scheduled for Thursday July 21st. The numerous meds and self administered injections required, both before and after the chemotherapy sessions, to reduce nausea and to raise the blood cell counts to prevent infection, have really become an extremely difficult 10 to 12 days for Patti. I can’t say Patti is looking forward to the 6th session, but I can safely say she is extremely glad there is not a 7th session scheduled.


Some extremely great news since the last update.
Just to remind you of the post surgery results, here is a paragraph from the last update:

Patti and I met with her surgeon at the end of that week. There was some good news, some reason for hope news, and some news of concern. The large tumor in the left breast had not reduced in size at all, but 90% of the cancer cells were dead in the tumor resulting from the three major chemotherapy sessions Patti had endured (that is good news). Reviewing the results of the mastectomy showed what is called “border negative”. That means in the left breast, the cancer had not spread past the original outside border lines of the tumor (that is good news). Of the swollen 14 limp nodes removed and biopsied, 4 contained cancer cells. (that is of concern news).

 

So bottom-line, they seemed to have gotten all the cancer in the chest area, but at this time, there is no certainty that some cancer cells may have migrated to other parts of the body. Remember, there are still the “spots” shown from the full body cat scan, on the liver and on the lung that may or may not be cancerous.

Not too long after the last update the surgeon scheduled a comprehensive cat scan of Patti’s liver and surrounding area. Their were actually three spots on her liver they wanted an extremely close look at. Our apologies to the science teachers from Waluga and Lakeridge who are on this list as Patti and I both had a 100% incorrect idea of where a person’s liver is.

It was a long and tense several days between the liver cat scan and the results to Patti. But what great results to hear. The surgeon and oncologist told Patti that they are fairly certain the three spots on the liver are benign cysts.

 

Thank you all for your prayers. Patti and I believe this is only possible because of the thoughts and prayers of our Episcopalian, Mormon, Methodist, Jewish, Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, and Presbyterian friends and readers of these updates (hope I did not miss any one!). Readers have actually forwarded on our updates to people who are complete strangers to us, who are praying for Patti. Pretty cool huh?

So bottom line, the fear of the cancer being in Patti’s liver at this time, is most likely not a worry. Is that not great to hear! The surgeon and oncologist don’t seem to be as worried about the spot on the lung as they were the spots on the liver. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

After chemotherapy
Sometime after the July 21st chemotherapy session , localized radiation therapy will start. It is either 6 or 7 weeks of 5 days a week X-ray treatments administered directly to the areas where the cancer was found. In our next update we will let you know how that goes.

A unique and touching sorority
Unknowingly, Patti has joined a pretty special group of people. Just this morning, after church, the four of us stopped at Noah's our favorite bagel shop for our weekly almost like New York City bagel fix.  Patti’s pink baseball cap, lack of hair and our family’s pink wrist bracelets kind of give away her situation. At the bagel shop, a complete stranger came up to Patti and gave her a hug. She identified herself as another cancer survivor. She said she and a bunch of Portland cancer survivors compete in the annual Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race competition, proudly representing cancer survivors with their pink life jackets and hot pink paddles. This group is named the Pink Phoenix Check this web site out to see something really cool http://www.pinkphoenix.org/Index.htm  For those non-Oregonians on our e-mail distribution list, here is a clue regarding Dragon Boat races: http://pksca.com/index.html 

The out of the blue, hugs and introductions from complete strangers, has occurred numerous times since Patti was diagnosed and lost her hair due to the chemotherapy.  What a strong sense of support and hope that sends to Patti and other women in Patti’s situation. My guess is Patti will be right there, doing the same thing, when she beats this terrible disease.


Bottom-line as of 07/10/05
Patti still has a long fight ahead of her. Radiation should extend through August and into September (maybe into October depending when radiation treatments start). What is next after that, we are not sure. But we know whatever is next will be easier for Patti and our family because of all of you who receive this update and keep Patti in your thoughts and prayers. God bless you all!


Submitted with the deepest of gratitude,

Greg

 

I will publish another update sometime following the last Chemotherapy session (July 21st).
From the Lake Oswego Review August 11, 2005

 
From: Greg Gates 
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005  03:35 PM
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update number 9

It has been a awhile since our last update. Now since the kids are registering for school (hurray!), we can start to get back into some kind of regular schedule. For the last 8 months, nothing has even come close to a regular schedule. I guess we should not expect one now.

Patti and I continue to be amazed at the level of concern from all of you as to Patti and her condition. Between the last update and now, many of you have stopped by the Healthy Pet to say hello and check up on Patti. Some of you saw the article in our local paper (Lake Oswego Review) about Patti. The paper is doing several weekly stories of women, who have now, or have had breast cancer, leading up to the September 18th race for the cure. You can read the story if you did not see the article on September 11th via this link: (Click Here) Patti’s fight. LO Review Article 08/11/05. Many have commented how good she looks in the picture. I should look so good with no hair (which I naturally am getting to) and a baseball cap!!!!! Amazing how good she looks!

What has happened since the last update
When we last left Patti on 07/11/05 (again, it sounds like the perils of Pauline), you may remember, she had one more (her sixth) chemotherapy sessions scheduled for 07/21/05. The last two Thursday chemotherapy sessions took their toll on Patti. She was wiped out over each following weekend. The chemotherapy process seem to have a cumulative draining effect on Patti’s energy level and stamina. For the first times, after the 5th and 6th chemotherapy sessions, our Pioneer Woman, understandably, could not go to work on the first day of the following week. Chemotherapy really caught up with Patti big time.

Preparing for Radiation
I had no idea how precise is the preparation process for the subsequent daily radiation treatments.

I had an opportunity to attend the first radiation preparation session with Dr. Thomas Wynne MD, Radiation Oncologist, at Emmanuel Hospital. Until Kaiser’s new radiation treatment center is completed next year, they partner with Legacy for Kaiser patient’s radiation treatments.

Dr. Wynne examined Patti then sat with us both to thoroughly explain what happens next.

First they would have Patti lie down on a table. Using a “real time” scanner (i.e. looking at her insides right now), they would look to see where her organs were located as they relate to her precise body positioning, on the table she was on. They want to locate the exact position of her heart, lungs, kidneys etc. One of the negatives of prolonged radiation treatment, is that it can cause a new type of cancer to start on the internal organs. You may remember, back in the 50’s and early 60’s, X-ray technicians were unknowingly getting cancer. That was before they started putting X-ray technicians in lead lined rooms or behind lead lined screens to do their job.

So they measured the distances and angles of how they would apply the radiation, as to the radiation’s strength and the depth of the radiation “beam” (for lack of a better name to call it) at each location on Patti’s upper torso that was to be radiated. Basically, they made a virtual 3D model of Patti’s upper torso both inside and out.

The robotic X ray machine
As you go through a car wash, the various nozzles and brushes, go back and forth, in and out, changing their distance away from your car as well as the strength of the soap, water or hot air. There are sensors on the car wash machines that regulate the distant and position of each car wash device depending on the size and shape of each car. Not unlike, no two human upper torsos are the same as to their dimensions or relative placement of the internal organs.

The robotic X ray machine itself, reminds you of a Sci-Fi movie, where the aliens strap the abducted human down, and a mechanical eye robotically moves all about to examine every square inch of their body. For lack of a better name to call this robotic machine at Emmanuel hospital, for descriptive purposes, I will use “robot X-Ray gun”. Heck that is better than robotic alien examining eye.

There are markings on the table that a patient lies on. This done so that each and every time, the patient’s positioning, on the table, is exactly the same for each daily radiation session. They actually tattooed small blue dots on several parts of Patti’s upper torso. These tattooed marks are made to assist the technicians for each daily session, to position Patti’s body, in relation to the actual robot X-Ray gun, for start and stop points. The X-ray gun robotically travels around and about Patti’s upper torso, starting and stopping, applying radiation at the various preprogrammed spots on her body, while she remains prone on the table. From the technicians pushing the start button, to the final zap, takes all of five minutes. Yes only 5 minutes. It takes longer for Patti to get ready in her x-ray gown, and to position her on the table, than the treatment takes.

So bottom-line, every day for seven weeks, Patti drives 30 to 60 minutes (each way) depending on traffic, to and from Lake Oswego and Emmanuel Hospital, to receive a five minute treatment.

When Dr. Wynne was explaining the tattooing process, I asked him if Patti could also have the letters “G” “R” “E” “G” tattooed on her arm? Not laughing, he asked “is that your name?” Patti laughed at least. I thought it was funny. He didn’t.

The actual Radiation treatments
Patti will have completed two weeks of the treatments as of yesterday 08/26/05. Five weeks to go. She will have radiation sessions scheduled from now out to around the first week in October. She will finish just in time for her to monitor the first week of Supreme Court sessions for 2005. One of Patti’s favorite times of the year.


The after effects and risks of Radiation treatments
The biggest concern is that massive prolonged radiation treatments can cause a different type of cancer to form on a person’s internal organs (heart, lungs, liver, kidney etc). The treatments, over the seven weeks, can accumulate causing a severe sunburn effect on the skin of the upper torso. In worst cases, the sunburn can be almost like sun poisoning with large blisters and stuff. We pray that does not happen to Patti. The radiation treatments can have an accumulating draining of strength and stamina.

Patti’s Radiation sessions so far to date
So far, Patti has been able to be in work each day. She leaves Healthy Pet, in Lake Oswego, around at 2:40 PM to make her regularly scheduled 3:24 PM daily radiation sessions at Emmanuel Hospital. Patti has learned the hard way, the traffic delays for Interstate 5 and Interstate 405. There have been several times even in just two weeks where the journey took a lot more time.

It seems that the radiation true to our warnings, is taking its toll on Patti. I have never seen her so tired as she is now. With her energy and stamina, she always was the last one standing in any walk of life. That is not the case now. She is downright exhausted with 5 weeks to go. Dr. Wynne said the radiation treatments could have an accumulating physical effect on the patient. He mentioned a deterioration of energy levels as the sessions go on. That seems to be happening. Plus, think of what this lady has gone through up to now? The process started around March 3rd. That is about 148 days. The 148 days seem like 148 years to Patti and this family.


Thanks again
That wraps up Patti update number 9. We want to thank all those who continually are keeping Patti in their thoughts and are prayers. We strongly believe it is helping.

We hope this update, as well as the previous others, have taken some of the mystery and unknown, out of the cancer diagnosis, surgery and treatment process. We have found, it is a lot easier to handle, when you know what is coming and what is about to physically occur for all these processes and situations. Since breast cancer will strike one out of seven women, unfortunately there is a chance, someone reading this, most likely will have to go through some or all of this. Patti’s advise continues to be “get those regularly scheduled mammograms, and don’t miss one”. We know it is said often, but it is so true. With early detection the chances of recovery are much greater.


And finally
What Patti has learned out of this whole draining process is, no-one is EVER “cancer free”   Rock stars, movie stars and politicians like to publicly profess the day they are “cancer free”. Unfortunately, it does not work that way. The famous seem to have a need to tell their public supporters and fans, that there is no need to worry about them any more. A cancer survivor is never cancer free. We wish and pray it would be that way.   Patti is setting short goals. The first is to see Jessi (in 2007) and Devin (in 2009) graduate from Lakeridge High School. Once she gets passed that (and we have faith in God she will), then goals of graduation from college are next and then other goals after that. If anyone of you is thinking right now, “grandchild”, then stick out your tongue as far as it goes, and please bite down as hard as you can !   We have a lot of living to do before that!!

God Bless you all

Respectfully submitted

Greg Gates 

Saturday September 18th,  2005


Komen Spring & Summer Magazine 2006   (Oregon and SW Washington)
Far left Patti & far right Debbie Wilkins   (who has been a huge support for Patti)


Komen Portland Race for the Cure® September 18th, 2005
45,770 participants walking/running in Portland
Raised over $2.2 million for breast cancer research

2006 to Present

In remission!  November 2005 after finishing 8 straight weeks of
every day radiation treatments. But the effects of
Chemotherapy wearing off with hair coming back.
She still has more hair than I do!!
 

Note: For those new to Patti's fight,  the complete story of March to November 2005 is told above, in chronological order.      (2005 the longest year in Gates family history)

Our hope is that just maybe some woman, will read Patti's story, finding similarities, then seek testing/medical advise, thus diagnosing this disease early.   That would be absolutely fantastic!!!!!!

Below are the latest 2006 updates
 

From: Greg Gates 
Not sent yet as of March 10th 2006 awaiting cat scan results
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update number 10
 

Just when we thought it was all over
 

2006 January, February and March have been extremely hard for Patti.  She has pain on the left side front torso, extending from the shoulder down past her mastectomy operation portion on that left side. 

 

Pain is semi constant. 

 

At times the pain is as severe as the time pre radical mastectomy.  She has major difficulty sleeping.  The pain killers just are not keeping up.  Vicodin is the only thing that seems to work.   Doctors have tried time release morphine and some other pain meds.  But the other pain killers have been absolutely debilitating for Patti when she takes them.  They make her sick to her stomach, dizzy and drain her of energy.  

 

She is trying yet another 12 hour time release medicine (at the time I am writing this).  And don't ever go on the Internet to research pain killing meds!  The new one she is trying has the potential of working fine or causing her to become a serial killer (or somewhere in between).   The Vicodin seems to work the best, but Patti does not want to depend on frequently popping such a powerful potentially addictive drug.  Advil and Aleve work sometimes.

 

Unfortunately, there is more to tell.     Doctors report there is a new "mass" in the area where Patti is experiencing the pain (in the area around the incisions of her radical mastectomy as well as where the massive breast tumor originally was).     Last week I drove Patti to the Kaiser-Permanente in NW Portland facility for a full body cat-scan (scheduled at 8:30pm no less).  Patti is still awaiting results of the cat-scan as of this writing.  It is just not fair.  We are praying it is just a mass of scar tissue.

 

Will update results of full body scans here when received. 

 

Please keep Patti in your thoughts and prayers.

 

From: Greg Gates 
Not sent yet as of March 13th 2006
To: Greg 041 Gates
Subject: Patti update number 11
 
The severe pain started for Patti about 75 days ago, just after the new year.  At that time she coincidently had one of her every 6 month check ups with her Oncologist Dr. Mark Rarick.   At that time he felt it might be the beginnings of lymphoma or a build up of scare tissue.  He felt physical therapy was the way to go.  From then until today, Patti has been going to physical therapy a couple of times a week.

In March  she met with the Radiologist Dr Wynne.  He did not think the lump was anything just like Dr Rarick.   Just in case, he wanted her to have the full body cat scan just to be sure. Dr Wynne called on Friday to say it looks OK, but he is going to send the results to Dr. G