Mom had a good week. I think there was just one day that she was feeling really bad. Otherwise, most days she felt good.
Today she received both drugs (Herceptin and Abraxane). Next week, she will only get the Herceptin. We will only be getting the one drug every other week.
Dr. Margolis is a really nice man. I think we make him laugh more than most other patients. He always has a smile on his face when we leave. Today was a pretty classic checkup appointment. He asked mom how her energy level was. Mom's response was "really good, I was able to clean the toilets and sinks yesterday." Dr. M basically didn't know what to say, he managed a good laugh and a "I don't even know what category to put that in." He indicated that most patients talk about being able to get dressed or feed themselves. In all of years of practice, no one ever mentioned a good week being able to clean toilets. Actually, I am still chuckling about his reaction.
Well, so glad that you are taking a little bit of time to check in with us. We appreciate all of the support.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Treatment #20
Wow, 20 weeks of treatment seems like a lot. Looking back, I can't believe that it has been that many treatments already.
I would classify this week as decent. The end of the week was definitely better than the beginning. Her hands and feet started bothering her a bit more and fatique was an issue for several days.
Dr. Margolis opted to skip the Abraxane treatment (Chemo) and just give mom the Herceptin (Protein) today. I think we might be starting an every-other week of chemo treatments. This will give mom's body a chance to recover a bit more between treatments.
Her hair is starting to grow back. The back is gray, but the front and top are completely white.
Mom and Dad made a short road trip to have lunch with some of her Florida friends (about a 45 min drive) this week. It is really great that she is still getting out and enjoying life. She continues to have a great spirit. The smile on her face continues to shine (most days).
I would classify this week as decent. The end of the week was definitely better than the beginning. Her hands and feet started bothering her a bit more and fatique was an issue for several days.
Dr. Margolis opted to skip the Abraxane treatment (Chemo) and just give mom the Herceptin (Protein) today. I think we might be starting an every-other week of chemo treatments. This will give mom's body a chance to recover a bit more between treatments.
Her hair is starting to grow back. The back is gray, but the front and top are completely white.
Mom and Dad made a short road trip to have lunch with some of her Florida friends (about a 45 min drive) this week. It is really great that she is still getting out and enjoying life. She continues to have a great spirit. The smile on her face continues to shine (most days).
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Treatment #19
I am happy to report that mom had a really good week. Probably the best week in some time. Her feet and hands are hurting less and she has more feeling in them. She even started knitting again this week. She hasn't been able to do any hand work in several weeks. So, it appears that she is handling this dosage of chemo pretty well. She did receive another dose today and we are keeping our fingers crossed for another good week.
Mom's hair is starting to grow back considerably. The peach fuzz has turned into a buzz cut. However, she definitely won't be needing to go to the hair salon for a while.
Today we talked to the doctor about what the next 4-6 weeks will look like. I am leaving in 4 weeks for a two week family trip (to Africa). He anticipates that she will continue on the same course of treatment (dosage will be dependent on how she is feeling) for the next 6 weeks. At that point, he will schedule another MRI to see how the tumors are progressing. He is considerate enough to wait until I get back so that I can be there for the results. Normally we talk about things week to week, at least now we know what the rest of the summer will look like.
Mom's hair is starting to grow back considerably. The peach fuzz has turned into a buzz cut. However, she definitely won't be needing to go to the hair salon for a while.
Today we talked to the doctor about what the next 4-6 weeks will look like. I am leaving in 4 weeks for a two week family trip (to Africa). He anticipates that she will continue on the same course of treatment (dosage will be dependent on how she is feeling) for the next 6 weeks. At that point, he will schedule another MRI to see how the tumors are progressing. He is considerate enough to wait until I get back so that I can be there for the results. Normally we talk about things week to week, at least now we know what the rest of the summer will look like.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Treatment #18
Sorry for the delayed post this week. A storm that came through the area knocked out our cable/internet for several days. Thankfully, we had power, unlike many of our neighbors. However, we all needed to adjust our life a bit with no WiFi or TV. As you can see, I am happily back.
Mom had a good week. A good enough week that Dr. Margolis gave her a Chemo treatment along with the Herceptin. The good news about my delayed post is that she is about 2 days past her treatment and I can report that she is still feeling well this morning. The doctor gave her a little bit of a reduced dose from the previous treatments. We are hoping that she continues to tolerate the treatment well.
We had a nice time at Dave's house over the 4th of July. Mom had a great time catching up and spending some with some friends and family that she hasn't seen in a while. I think she really enjoyed herself. Remember, life is about living.
Mom had a good week. A good enough week that Dr. Margolis gave her a Chemo treatment along with the Herceptin. The good news about my delayed post is that she is about 2 days past her treatment and I can report that she is still feeling well this morning. The doctor gave her a little bit of a reduced dose from the previous treatments. We are hoping that she continues to tolerate the treatment well.
We had a nice time at Dave's house over the 4th of July. Mom had a great time catching up and spending some with some friends and family that she hasn't seen in a while. I think she really enjoyed herself. Remember, life is about living.
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