Bad News

I apologize for not posting in the last few weeks. I think the reality of this process took (and is still taking) a bigger toll on me then I expected. As I am sure you can imagine, I feel like I have no ground to complain, to be tired, or even to vent.... my job right now is to stay strong for mom. But it's hard.

Surgery was four weeks ago today.

We've been biding time since surgery, waiting for mom to be well enough to start chemo. Two weeks ago, she went to the ER due to shortness of breath and pain in her lungs. The doctor was concerned about a possible blood clot and so they ran another CT scan. The CT scan ruled out a blood clot in her lungs but there was a build up of acidic fluid in her abdominal cavity. The doctor said that cancer tumors produce this fluid, and its not surprising that it is there. He said he would send the CT scan to mom's specialist, and they would decide if the fluid should be drained prior to starting chemo.

Since then, mom has been having more and more bad days. The pain has gotten worse, not better, since surgery. The nausea is back full force. And she is miserable.

On Monday this week, we attended a class at the clinic for chemo, basically a "what you need to know before you start your chemo" class. After the class, mom asked to talk to a nurse because she was concerned about the pressure and the return of the swelling in her abdomen. The nurse said she would talk to Dr. Boente about it and get back to mom. Dr. Boente scheduled another CT scan for the very next day.

We got the results back today.

After only four weeks since surgery, where they "got it all out," the cancer tumors are back in full force. Mom isn't well enough for another surgery, and they won't schedule chemo until after she has her post-op, which is this coming Friday, and then only if her body is healed enough to handle chemo.

Mom is both depressed and frightened with the new news.

I'll be at the appointment on Friday for her post op, and hopefully we'll get a schedule for chemo that day. I'll post an update then.

If you are reading this and feel like you might be willing to help me keep this blog up to date by talking to me about what is going on, and then posting it here, let me know. I'd appreciate the help. You can email me at leisairwin(at)msn.com or call me.

Also, if you are up to visiting mom for a few hours in the evenings when Dave is at work, let me know that too. She isn't up for long visits, but she also doesn't like to be alone in the evenings, she would like to have someone just hang out and watch tv with her.