HURRICANE ANA...

Hurricane Ana was first predicted to sweep through the island chain ending with a direct hit on Kauai.  By the middle of the week, this prediction changed some but it was still expected to cause wind damage, flooding, and tidal surge damage to all islands.  Jane's surgery was canceled until next monday, October 27th, and the airline waived change fees, etc. due to the storm.  The hotel did the same. All of that took until friday to complete and by then a high pressure area had entered the picture and started to steer Ana to the south of the islands..only 100 miles south, but enough to breathe a little easier.  In the end, all the islands got plenty of rain..some strong wind..and big surf..but not much damage...another bullet missed us...hurricane season ends on November 30th...Jane says that despite rain or shine, hurricane, lava flow, earthquake, or tsunami, she is camping out at the hospital next monday..period !!

 the little blue dot in the upper middle of the picture is Kauai

 ©bobpolli

iphone photo from the back lanai a couple of days into the Hurricane Ana watch

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iphone photo from the ridge during the watch

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iphone photo from the ridge yesterday

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iphone photo from mark and jb's house on saturday

A FUCKING HURRICANE..NOW..REALLY.....

Jane is scheduled for breast surgery at Kapiolani on Oahu monday morning at 7am..we are supposed to leave Kauai on sunday afternoon at 1pm and spend 4 nights on Oahu until Jane gets the all clear from Dr. Peterson and we can fly home on thursday afternoon..Of course we have made non-refundable, non-changeable hotel reservations and flight tickets....the hospital on Oahu made arrangements with the docs here to do pre-op tests (blood, EKG, etc.) so Jane would be good to go early monday morning for surgery.  The EKG machine in Kilauea was shorted out from being stored under the A/C and water dripping on the unit..so we had to drive to Lihue for the test...got the blood work done yesterday..and out of the clear blue sky, a freak'in tropical depression-tropical storm-hurricane ana forms..and is heading right for all of the islands..ending in a probable direct hit of hanalei...and enough to screw up the surgery on monday and our way to get there on sunday anyway..Jane is not calm about any of this latest development...we are on the phone with the hospital to see if there is a plan B...stay tuned...in the meantime, here is Jane's Starbuck's order:

OLD FRIENDS..

A friend from way back in the day..junior high and high school..college and afterwards..got in touch recently and was going to be in Maui with his wife for vacation.  We haven't seen each other for 42 years !!! Steve agreed to fly over to Kauai with Nancy and spend the night.  The day they flew over happened to be a last minute doctor's appointment with a breast surgeon for Jane at Kapiolani on Oahu..but we flew over in the morning and got back to Kauai for dinner with Steve and Nancy...and then were able to spend the next day with them until their flight back to Maui at 7pm.  Other than the fact that we looked like two old fucks, it was like 42 years never happened.  It was really wonderful catching up..meeting Nancy for the first time...and renewing a friendship that never really ended..just got set aside for four decades...

 old friends...

©bobpolli

Steve then (iphone image from 42 years ago) and now

HONOLULU...AGAIN

The results from the MRI assisted biopsy came back positive for invasive lobular carcinoma..Of the 3 areas probed, one area came back positive but the radiologist advises one of the other areas be removed too.  We met with the breast surgeon on Kauai and she referred Jane to a breast surgeon on Oahu because she thought that plastic surgery might be needed and Kauai doesn't have a resident plastic surgeon.  On tuesday, we went to Oahu to Kapiolani Women's Center to meet with Dr. Laura Peterson.  Jane felt very comfortable with her and also liked what she had to say about the amount of tissue that needed to be removed..so maybe no plastic surgeon needed..we are waiting for Kapiolani to call to let us know when the surgery is scheduled...maybe as soon as monday...we need to stay on Oahu for 4 days even though the procedure is out-patient.  The doctor wants Jane close by to monitor for bleeding and infection and also to be around when the lab results of the tissue removed and lymph nodes removed come back..Jane has a positive attitude and is a fighter.  Our friend, B.C., reminded us of what I told her 17 years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer: FUCK CANCER !!!!  I had forgotten that sage advice I gave to her, but passed it on to Jane...We have a hell of a next few months....

 ©bobpolli

waiting for the appointment with Dr. Peterson

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this time it is OK to have a glass of wine with lunch at Jane's favorite restaurant, Mariposa

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leaving Oahu.. Diamond Head below

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arriving back home on Kauai for sunset..long day