Hello all. Mom started her radiation yesterday, Dec. 2. She's doing it five days a week, for 30 treatments. She's also taking an oral chemotherapy pill which works in conjunction with the radiation. I took her to her second appointment today and will be taking her to most of them. It only takes about 15 minutes once they get her into the room to do it.
Unfortunately, she is already feeling sick and queasy. It looks like this is going to be a long, hard road, but hopefully one that leads to better days ahead.
I'll keep you all updated as we get further into the treatment regimen.
- C
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Another update
Mom had her first appointment with the radiologist today. He threw her for a loop and suggested full blown radiation, rather than the seeding. He wants her to do radiation for 20 minutes a day, five days a week, for six weeks, starting on Nov. 30. She goes in on Wednesday for a CT scan to figure out exactly where to blast with the radiation.
This is a far cry from the one-time procedure of the radioactive seeding, but it is what he says gives the best chance of killing the cancer, so that's what she'll do.
That's all I've got for now. Thanks for reading and I hope you are all well.
This is a far cry from the one-time procedure of the radioactive seeding, but it is what he says gives the best chance of killing the cancer, so that's what she'll do.
That's all I've got for now. Thanks for reading and I hope you are all well.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Lastest news on my mom
Mom had her appointment with the oncologist and surgeon this morning. She had her PT scan last week to make sure they knew exactly what they were dealing with. We originally thought there was one spot on the liver and two cancerous lymph nodes. The PT scan showed there are actually four spots on the liver and the two lymph nodes. The surgeon said that he took nearly half of the liver the last time she had surgery, and while it does grow back, it doesn't have the same functioning ability after it grows back, so he can't take from the other side of the liver.
They are going to do radioactive seed therapy. She'll start out for a week with an oral chemo drug, which basically lights up the cancer areas and then they go in through a blood vessel with small instruments and place radioactive pellets in the liver to destroy the cancer cells. If that all goes okay and works well, they will likely then do some "clean up" of the areas with radiowave ablation treatment (where they burn the affected areas with high-frequency radiowaves).
This is all still very preliminary, but it is the recommended plan and there is no major surgery coming up. Unfortunately, the major surgery would have had the best chance at permanent success. It is clearly an on-going battle.
They are going to do radioactive seed therapy. She'll start out for a week with an oral chemo drug, which basically lights up the cancer areas and then they go in through a blood vessel with small instruments and place radioactive pellets in the liver to destroy the cancer cells. If that all goes okay and works well, they will likely then do some "clean up" of the areas with radiowave ablation treatment (where they burn the affected areas with high-frequency radiowaves).
This is all still very preliminary, but it is the recommended plan and there is no major surgery coming up. Unfortunately, the major surgery would have had the best chance at permanent success. It is clearly an on-going battle.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Just a quick update
Nothing really to report yet. Mom had her PT Scan on Monday, but she won't know anything more until this coming Monday (Nov. 2) when she meets with the oncologist and surgeon. She's been trying to enjoy her time without chemo or anything, but I can tell she is really nervous about the upcoming appointment. It'll be interesting to see when they schedule whatever they end up doing, and how that'll affect the upcoming holidays.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Update
Here's another update. My mom went to get a CT scan a couple of weeks ago. She had a chemo treatment last Monday. Today she went to see her oncologist to get the results of the CT scan and to see if there are going to be any more chemo treatments.
The doctor said that she doesn't have to do any more chemo for now. But, he said that his preferred option for the next step is to do another full-blown surgery to remove part of her liver again. This is the first time he's brought up surgery. In her previous appointments he mentioned radioactive pellets inserted into the liver and radiowave ablation as option. Needless to say, the surgery news is somewhat shocking and concerning. He told my mom that surgery gives her the best chance of staying away from chemo and other treatments for the longest period of time. The last time she had surgery, it was almost a year before cancer showed up again.
That's about it from here. They are meeting on Nov. 2 to determine the specifics on the surgery. I'll update when I know anything else.
- C
The doctor said that she doesn't have to do any more chemo for now. But, he said that his preferred option for the next step is to do another full-blown surgery to remove part of her liver again. This is the first time he's brought up surgery. In her previous appointments he mentioned radioactive pellets inserted into the liver and radiowave ablation as option. Needless to say, the surgery news is somewhat shocking and concerning. He told my mom that surgery gives her the best chance of staying away from chemo and other treatments for the longest period of time. The last time she had surgery, it was almost a year before cancer showed up again.
That's about it from here. They are meeting on Nov. 2 to determine the specifics on the surgery. I'll update when I know anything else.
- C
Monday, August 31, 2009
Quick Update
Just got back from a great visit to Texas. I enjoyed seeing many of my friends.
Anyway, my mom had a doctor's appointment today. The oncologist said that her cancer marker number has gone way down with the chemo regimen she's on. He said that he wants her to do two more treatments and then they will do a CT scan to determine the next steps. So, it is good news so far. My mom is upbeat about it, since the chemo is working.
- C
Anyway, my mom had a doctor's appointment today. The oncologist said that her cancer marker number has gone way down with the chemo regimen she's on. He said that he wants her to do two more treatments and then they will do a CT scan to determine the next steps. So, it is good news so far. My mom is upbeat about it, since the chemo is working.
- C
Monday, August 24, 2009
The end
My last post was on July 27th. In that post, I mentioned that my grandmother had been informed that she had a maximum of six months to live. Well, it turns out that was a very generous estimate. She passed away on August 16th, about three weeks later.
My aunt called in Hospice on Friday, Aug. 14th, when it became apparent that the pain was getting worse and she needed more intense treatment. They came and let us know that she didn't have much time left, and if we wanted to talk to her, we needed to do so immediately. She continued to speak with us well into Saturday, Aug. 15th. By Saturday night, she was no longer talking. She was on pain medicine and her breathing was shallow.
On Sunday morning, at about 9:30 a.m., she drew her last breath, just about the time she'd normally be starting church. It was a beautiful, sunny morning. My grandpa had decided earlier that he was not going to church on that morning, but he went on to get his church clothes on, splash on some cologne, etc. After she died, I realized that he knew that she wouldn't be there after that day. He got dressed up to see her off. I found out later that both he and my mom had prayed earlier that morning for a quick end to her suffering.
My grandpa, mom, aunt, two uncles, two cousins and myself were all there when she died. It was very peaceful - no laboring, no gasping, etc. I know my grandma was so tired of hospitals, so it was fitting that she was able to die at home.
We had her viewing this past Wednesday evening. There were well over 500 people there. She touched a ton of people in her life. She was the epitome of a good person. The funeral was held on Thursday afternoon. Everything was perfect. The sermon, the flowers, the casket - everything. I was able to help with some of the services. I wrote the obituary, put together a picture slideshow and created the CDs with the music for the service.
The forecast called for rain all day, but when we made our way to the cemetery for the graveside service, the sun was shining brightly and all was well. We then made our way to her church, where they had prepared a meal for the family and friends. As we were finishing up at the church, it started to pour outside. This lasted for five minutes or so. Afterward, everyone began making their way to the cars. We noticed a double rainbow. It seemed to be almost pointing at the church at one end. the other end seemed to be going to the cemetery and it was visible for more than 10 minutes. It almost seemed like she was telling us goodbye and letting us know she was okay.
I spent the better part of the week before she passed at her house. In fact, I've spent a lot of time with her over the past three years, since I moved back to Ohio from Texas. I feel so lucky that I was able to be around her so much. I see now just how important it was that I make the move. I miss all of my friends dearly, but family is just too important to ignore.
My aunt called in Hospice on Friday, Aug. 14th, when it became apparent that the pain was getting worse and she needed more intense treatment. They came and let us know that she didn't have much time left, and if we wanted to talk to her, we needed to do so immediately. She continued to speak with us well into Saturday, Aug. 15th. By Saturday night, she was no longer talking. She was on pain medicine and her breathing was shallow.
On Sunday morning, at about 9:30 a.m., she drew her last breath, just about the time she'd normally be starting church. It was a beautiful, sunny morning. My grandpa had decided earlier that he was not going to church on that morning, but he went on to get his church clothes on, splash on some cologne, etc. After she died, I realized that he knew that she wouldn't be there after that day. He got dressed up to see her off. I found out later that both he and my mom had prayed earlier that morning for a quick end to her suffering.
My grandpa, mom, aunt, two uncles, two cousins and myself were all there when she died. It was very peaceful - no laboring, no gasping, etc. I know my grandma was so tired of hospitals, so it was fitting that she was able to die at home.
We had her viewing this past Wednesday evening. There were well over 500 people there. She touched a ton of people in her life. She was the epitome of a good person. The funeral was held on Thursday afternoon. Everything was perfect. The sermon, the flowers, the casket - everything. I was able to help with some of the services. I wrote the obituary, put together a picture slideshow and created the CDs with the music for the service.
The forecast called for rain all day, but when we made our way to the cemetery for the graveside service, the sun was shining brightly and all was well. We then made our way to her church, where they had prepared a meal for the family and friends. As we were finishing up at the church, it started to pour outside. This lasted for five minutes or so. Afterward, everyone began making their way to the cars. We noticed a double rainbow. It seemed to be almost pointing at the church at one end. the other end seemed to be going to the cemetery and it was visible for more than 10 minutes. It almost seemed like she was telling us goodbye and letting us know she was okay.
I spent the better part of the week before she passed at her house. In fact, I've spent a lot of time with her over the past three years, since I moved back to Ohio from Texas. I feel so lucky that I was able to be around her so much. I see now just how important it was that I make the move. I miss all of my friends dearly, but family is just too important to ignore.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Two posts in one day - What?
I actually wish I weren't posting a second update today. I got a call from my aunt a few hours ago and she said she had been talking to my grandpa and he got a call from my grandma's oncologist today. Basically, the cancer has taken over the liver and there is nothing they can do. Best estimate is she may have six months to live. It was a very sobering moment for me. I was the first grandchild and she has been a huge part of my life. I can't hardly imagine a world where she isn't there.
My mom wasn't home when my aunt called, so I had to inform her when she got back. That is not something I ever wanted to or imagined telling my mom. She handled it like a champ - we've all known for a while that my grandma's time here is coming to an end, but it seems like such a finality when they put a timestamp on it.
My mom wasn't home when my aunt called, so I had to inform her when she got back. That is not something I ever wanted to or imagined telling my mom. She handled it like a champ - we've all known for a while that my grandma's time here is coming to an end, but it seems like such a finality when they put a timestamp on it.
Yet another update
This is like the third update this month - I'm on a roll!
My mom is doing great. She pushed her next chemo back a week, due to a scheduling conflict, but I feel that she's got some great confidence going into the rest of her treatment schedule, as this last round didn't knock her down as badly as in the past. She'll be doing the next treatment on Mon., Aug. 3.
My grandma is at home now. I wouldn't say she's doing great, but she is stable. She has a hard time eating because everything makes her sick and she has stated that she will be doing no more chemo, so I guess that means she is not going to get any better.
My dad's dad is now in a nursing home and he has been listed as "terminal." I assume that means that his organs have no hope for lasting much longer. He is sometimes like his old self and then sometimes not lucid at all. It is quite hard to see.
My aunt is pretty much back to normal. She's still got some pain, but she doesn't let it stop her from getting out and about.
In happier news, I'm planning a trip to Dallas in late August. I'm so looking forward to good times with friends and just getting out of this healthcare haze for a few days.
That's all from here for now.
- C
My mom is doing great. She pushed her next chemo back a week, due to a scheduling conflict, but I feel that she's got some great confidence going into the rest of her treatment schedule, as this last round didn't knock her down as badly as in the past. She'll be doing the next treatment on Mon., Aug. 3.
My grandma is at home now. I wouldn't say she's doing great, but she is stable. She has a hard time eating because everything makes her sick and she has stated that she will be doing no more chemo, so I guess that means she is not going to get any better.
My dad's dad is now in a nursing home and he has been listed as "terminal." I assume that means that his organs have no hope for lasting much longer. He is sometimes like his old self and then sometimes not lucid at all. It is quite hard to see.
My aunt is pretty much back to normal. She's still got some pain, but she doesn't let it stop her from getting out and about.
In happier news, I'm planning a trip to Dallas in late August. I'm so looking forward to good times with friends and just getting out of this healthcare haze for a few days.
That's all from here for now.
- C
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Some more updates
Just a quick update.
My grandma is still in the hospital. They seem to be figuring out what all is wrong in Columbus much better than they did at her small, hometown hospital. They said she may get out on Sunday, but we'll see.
My aunt is doing great after her colon surgery - she's probably getting out of the hospital tomorrow to continue recuperating at home.
My mom had her chemo this week and they came to take her infusion pump off on Thursday morning. She did really well this time around and she's feeling tired, but otherwise, pretty good.
My grandpa (on my dad's side) was admitted to the hospital on Thursday, with what they initially thought may be a heart attack. They've since ruled out the heart attack, but it seems that he's in poor shape and may be on his last leg. We'll have to see what happens there.
That's about it from here. I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I figure I'll make it through it. I'll update again soon.
- C
My grandma is still in the hospital. They seem to be figuring out what all is wrong in Columbus much better than they did at her small, hometown hospital. They said she may get out on Sunday, but we'll see.
My aunt is doing great after her colon surgery - she's probably getting out of the hospital tomorrow to continue recuperating at home.
My mom had her chemo this week and they came to take her infusion pump off on Thursday morning. She did really well this time around and she's feeling tired, but otherwise, pretty good.
My grandpa (on my dad's side) was admitted to the hospital on Thursday, with what they initially thought may be a heart attack. They've since ruled out the heart attack, but it seems that he's in poor shape and may be on his last leg. We'll have to see what happens there.
That's about it from here. I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I figure I'll make it through it. I'll update again soon.
- C
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Update
Hello all. Just a quick update (see - I'm trying to do better - it hasn't been three months between updates this time).
Mom starts chemo on Tuesday. She was supposed to start last Monday, but ended up getting a sinus infection the week before, so she wasn't able to do chemo while on antibiotics. The plan at the moment is four treatments, then evaluate for the next steps. Hopefully something minimally invasive.
My grandma isn't doing so hot. She's been in the hospital since Wednesday. Her magnesium and potassium levels are very low and she was very fatigued. The oncolgist says it is from her chemo which she is temporarily off of because of this stuff. This is the second or third time she's been in the hospital since my last update.
My aunt is having surgery on Tuesday for divreticulitis, which is a colon inflamation disorder. They will be removing a portion of her colon, so it is a pretty major surgery. I'm planning on going to the hospital to stay while it is taking place, since my mom will not be able to, due to the chemo treatment that day.
Still job hunting. I've sent out several resumes lately, but no bites. I believe the competition is super furious right now. I've been doing a bit of merchandising and other independent contractor work for the past month or so, trying to make a little money, so at least it is something to do.
The only other thing of note is that I've recently purchased a domain name and I'm working on a website. Pretty much just something for fun. Once I get it going, I'll be sure to post a link so you can all come visit!
That's all for now. See you peeps later!
- C
Mom starts chemo on Tuesday. She was supposed to start last Monday, but ended up getting a sinus infection the week before, so she wasn't able to do chemo while on antibiotics. The plan at the moment is four treatments, then evaluate for the next steps. Hopefully something minimally invasive.
My grandma isn't doing so hot. She's been in the hospital since Wednesday. Her magnesium and potassium levels are very low and she was very fatigued. The oncolgist says it is from her chemo which she is temporarily off of because of this stuff. This is the second or third time she's been in the hospital since my last update.
My aunt is having surgery on Tuesday for divreticulitis, which is a colon inflamation disorder. They will be removing a portion of her colon, so it is a pretty major surgery. I'm planning on going to the hospital to stay while it is taking place, since my mom will not be able to, due to the chemo treatment that day.
Still job hunting. I've sent out several resumes lately, but no bites. I believe the competition is super furious right now. I've been doing a bit of merchandising and other independent contractor work for the past month or so, trying to make a little money, so at least it is something to do.
The only other thing of note is that I've recently purchased a domain name and I'm working on a website. Pretty much just something for fun. Once I get it going, I'll be sure to post a link so you can all come visit!
That's all for now. See you peeps later!
- C
Sunday, June 21, 2009
An update aka I suck at blogging
Good afternoon good readers, if there are any of you left. Firstly, I am here to admit that I am a terrible blogger, especially during warmer months. Secondly, I do have some updates.
My mom is still doing well after her stroke and series of seizures. She has seen the neurologist twice since late-February when all of that happened. They said she is doing great, and actually cleared her to drive again (initially we were told at least a year for that). She went to see her oncologist last week and they indicated that her latest blood work showed that the cancer marker has begun rising again, so she is beginning chemo again in two weeks. She'll do that for about two months and then there is a possibility that they will implant radioactive seeds into the cancerous area to try to eradicate it. All of that sounds much better than another major surgery. She seems to be doing fine with this news. That may be because she is leaving tomorrow for a resort in the Dominican Republic for five days with my dad. Party at my place - who hoo!!
My grandmother is currently receiving chemo for her pancreatic cancer, but her oncologist has warned how deadly the disease is and that this is basically just a treatment to see if she can maintain her current health, not a cure of any kind. She has her good and bad days, but seems to be handling things okay.
As far as I go, I am still job hunting. I rarely find any jobs to apply for, but I keep searching. I know sometime soon, something will work out for me. On a happy note, however, I have lost about 42 pounds since the last week of February, so I'm feeling better physically than I have in many years. I've still got a lot of work to do on the weight loss, but I'm pretty proud of what I've accomplished so far.
My mom is still doing well after her stroke and series of seizures. She has seen the neurologist twice since late-February when all of that happened. They said she is doing great, and actually cleared her to drive again (initially we were told at least a year for that). She went to see her oncologist last week and they indicated that her latest blood work showed that the cancer marker has begun rising again, so she is beginning chemo again in two weeks. She'll do that for about two months and then there is a possibility that they will implant radioactive seeds into the cancerous area to try to eradicate it. All of that sounds much better than another major surgery. She seems to be doing fine with this news. That may be because she is leaving tomorrow for a resort in the Dominican Republic for five days with my dad. Party at my place - who hoo!!
My grandmother is currently receiving chemo for her pancreatic cancer, but her oncologist has warned how deadly the disease is and that this is basically just a treatment to see if she can maintain her current health, not a cure of any kind. She has her good and bad days, but seems to be handling things okay.
As far as I go, I am still job hunting. I rarely find any jobs to apply for, but I keep searching. I know sometime soon, something will work out for me. On a happy note, however, I have lost about 42 pounds since the last week of February, so I'm feeling better physically than I have in many years. I've still got a lot of work to do on the weight loss, but I'm pretty proud of what I've accomplished so far.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A long overdue update
Hello blog readers. It has been a long time. I've missed you! Just a few updates here.
My mom's health took a turn for the worse in February. I drove to Dallas in mid-February for a nice week-long getaway from everything and to catch up with all of my friends. I got to Dallas on Friday morning and on Friday evening, I received a call from my dad, telling me that my mom had possibly had a stroke and was in the emergency room. While my first instinct was to immediately turn around and go home, both my dad and mom thought it best that I stay in Dallas. I ended up cutting my trip by three days, but did stay for a few days after it seemed that things had stabilized with my mom's condition.
She was at her sister's house when she had the stroke and luckily, my aunt is a long-time RN, so she was able to care for her immediately. They had the emergency squad come and pick her up and take her to the local hospital (this all happened about two hours away from where we live). After she was stabilized at the local hospital, the decision was made to CareFlight her to her regular hospital, Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, since she regularly goes there for her cancer treatments.
She was admitted at OSU very late Friday night. She ended up staying at OSU through the following Wednesday, when she was finally released after numerous tests and procedures. During all of this, she suffered from seizures, likely caused by the trauma to the brain by the stroke. They also diagnosed her as a diabetic during this stay at the hospital and determined that her cholesterol levels were astronomical (side note - I'm convinced that the diabetes and the cholesterol were directly influenced by her chemotherapy treatments).
By the time I got home, she was at home, doing good, albeit with a ton of new pills to take each day and a large number of new doctors.
She's now doing very well, eating much better, exercising daily and effectively controlling her blood sugar. She's seen the neurologist since that time and they've been slowly lowering her anti-seizure medication and that has also been working out well.
As far as her cancer goes, she saw her oncologist last week and he wants to hold off on resuming treatments for a while, while her body adjusts to all of these new medicines, if everything looks okay on the CT scan she is having this morning. She goes back to the oncologist next Monday to get the results from the scan and if things look stable, it'll likely be about two months before she gets back into the chemotherapy.
At her last oncologist appointment before all of this happened, they did mention that the spot on her liver was shrinking and that they were thinking they'd do four more chemo treatments and then, rather than a full-blown surgery, they would do a radio wave ablation, with is an out-patient procedure where they basically burn the damaged area of the liver away with a small instrument.
My grandmother's news has not been great either. In January, she met with my mom's oncologist and it was determined that her cancer has indeed returned, and there are no surgeries they can do to remove it. She goes back for another CT scan in early April and at that point, they will determine next steps. She may end up doing chemotherapy, but the doctor wants to be sure to not ruin her quality of life, so he needs to find a balance.
Also, I am still jobless, but that may be a blessing with all of the things going on with my mom. Due to her seizures, she is unable to drive for at least a year, so I have in essence become a taxi service, but I don't mind.
That is all for now - I will update when I know more.
- C
My mom's health took a turn for the worse in February. I drove to Dallas in mid-February for a nice week-long getaway from everything and to catch up with all of my friends. I got to Dallas on Friday morning and on Friday evening, I received a call from my dad, telling me that my mom had possibly had a stroke and was in the emergency room. While my first instinct was to immediately turn around and go home, both my dad and mom thought it best that I stay in Dallas. I ended up cutting my trip by three days, but did stay for a few days after it seemed that things had stabilized with my mom's condition.
She was at her sister's house when she had the stroke and luckily, my aunt is a long-time RN, so she was able to care for her immediately. They had the emergency squad come and pick her up and take her to the local hospital (this all happened about two hours away from where we live). After she was stabilized at the local hospital, the decision was made to CareFlight her to her regular hospital, Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, since she regularly goes there for her cancer treatments.
She was admitted at OSU very late Friday night. She ended up staying at OSU through the following Wednesday, when she was finally released after numerous tests and procedures. During all of this, she suffered from seizures, likely caused by the trauma to the brain by the stroke. They also diagnosed her as a diabetic during this stay at the hospital and determined that her cholesterol levels were astronomical (side note - I'm convinced that the diabetes and the cholesterol were directly influenced by her chemotherapy treatments).
By the time I got home, she was at home, doing good, albeit with a ton of new pills to take each day and a large number of new doctors.
She's now doing very well, eating much better, exercising daily and effectively controlling her blood sugar. She's seen the neurologist since that time and they've been slowly lowering her anti-seizure medication and that has also been working out well.
As far as her cancer goes, she saw her oncologist last week and he wants to hold off on resuming treatments for a while, while her body adjusts to all of these new medicines, if everything looks okay on the CT scan she is having this morning. She goes back to the oncologist next Monday to get the results from the scan and if things look stable, it'll likely be about two months before she gets back into the chemotherapy.
At her last oncologist appointment before all of this happened, they did mention that the spot on her liver was shrinking and that they were thinking they'd do four more chemo treatments and then, rather than a full-blown surgery, they would do a radio wave ablation, with is an out-patient procedure where they basically burn the damaged area of the liver away with a small instrument.
My grandmother's news has not been great either. In January, she met with my mom's oncologist and it was determined that her cancer has indeed returned, and there are no surgeries they can do to remove it. She goes back for another CT scan in early April and at that point, they will determine next steps. She may end up doing chemotherapy, but the doctor wants to be sure to not ruin her quality of life, so he needs to find a balance.
Also, I am still jobless, but that may be a blessing with all of the things going on with my mom. Due to her seizures, she is unable to drive for at least a year, so I have in essence become a taxi service, but I don't mind.
That is all for now - I will update when I know more.
- C
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