Well, I am a few days behind in posting this great news.......
Mom went to the doctor last week. We got the results of her latest CT scan. The doctor used the term "complete remission." Wow, we couldn't have asked for anything better. It was the best news that we could have gotten. In fact, it was Dad's birthday. I don't think he has ever gotten a better birthday present in his life.
What is next.... mom continues on her regiment of infusions every three weeks. She will also continue on the oral chemo (2 weeks on and 1 week off). Talking to the doctor, he didn't want to change something that we know is working. The medication is now for prevention of the cancer coming back. She will also continue periodic monitoring tests every few months to make sure that things are still going well.
Mom and dad plan on heading to Rainbow Village in Florida on their normal schedule. They will be flying down the first week in December to take in some of that nice Florida weather.
Mom has recovered remarkably well from surgery. She is feeling good and is back to many of her normal activities. She still goes in every couple of weeks to drain some excess fluid, but that is getting better too.
So, thanks for all of the prayers and support.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
How is Mom doing?
Ok, I know that it has been weeks since my last post. Since then, any time I run into someone, they ask.... How is your mom doing? Well, I wanted to wait to post until after mom's drainage tubes were taken out. We sort of were assuming that this would be somewhere around 3-4 weeks after surgery. Mom just had the drainage tubes out on Thursday. It was just over 7 weeks that she had them in. Yeah, it is a long time. No, the doctors were not too worried. She had the tubes in so long because of the amount of volume of drainage that was still coming out. I wouldn't call it typical, but it is not really unusual. Some people just take a bit longer to heal.
The tubes came out because mom developed a bit of an infection around the incision. It is a few days after and it is looking better already. Amazing what antibiotics can do. She will be going to the doctor on a weekly basis to have any excess fluid aspirated until the drainage stops. Hopefully this won't be for too long.
Mom was off of the chemo drugs for about 8 weeks (3 weeks before surgery and 5 weeks after surgery). This 8 weeks gave her some much needed time to regain feeling and strength in her fingers and toes. Her energy level was better too.
She is back on her 2 weeks on chemo, one week off chemo. This will be her long-term treatment. In addition, every 3 weeks she will go in for an infusion. Every 3-4 months she will have a CT scan to make sure that things are held at bay. It has been a long road to get here, but we are here.
The tubes came out because mom developed a bit of an infection around the incision. It is a few days after and it is looking better already. Amazing what antibiotics can do. She will be going to the doctor on a weekly basis to have any excess fluid aspirated until the drainage stops. Hopefully this won't be for too long.
Mom was off of the chemo drugs for about 8 weeks (3 weeks before surgery and 5 weeks after surgery). This 8 weeks gave her some much needed time to regain feeling and strength in her fingers and toes. Her energy level was better too.
She is back on her 2 weeks on chemo, one week off chemo. This will be her long-term treatment. In addition, every 3 weeks she will go in for an infusion. Every 3-4 months she will have a CT scan to make sure that things are held at bay. It has been a long road to get here, but we are here.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Pathology Results
GREAT NEWS: The pathology results came back "clean." There was no cancer detected in either breast that was removed. The months of treatments have been doing their job!
Mom is recovering from surgery very well. She is 9 days post surgery. She is feeling better and stronger each day. We even went out for lunch today (to celebrate the good news). This was her first outing outside of doctor visits since her surgery.
She did have a minor set back a couple of days ago (on Wednesday). Her knee swelled up and was very painful. I was concerned about blood clots so she went to the doctors office to have them check it out. Thankfully, it was not a clot, it was "only gout." Actually, we are waiting for this to be confirmed by lab tests, but the doctor thinks it was gout. After draining some fluid and a shot of steroids, she is feeling MUCH better already.
We followed up with the Cardiologist today. He was running a bit late. He even apologized to us that he was running late. I haven't had too many doctors do that before. Anyway, he will be putting mom on a blood thinner medication to help regulate the heart rhythm problem that she had in the hospital. She will be starting that medication as soon as the surgeon thinks it is ok. While she is healing from surgery, they will not be starting the blood thinner. As soon as she is healed enough, it will be added to her growing list of daily medications. In the mean time, she is on a different heart medication to prevent the rhythm problem.
So, all in all, it has been a really great week. We really couldn't have asked for better pathology results. We meet with the oncologist next week to talk about how this will effect her treatment going forward.
Thanks for reading.
Mom is recovering from surgery very well. She is 9 days post surgery. She is feeling better and stronger each day. We even went out for lunch today (to celebrate the good news). This was her first outing outside of doctor visits since her surgery.
She did have a minor set back a couple of days ago (on Wednesday). Her knee swelled up and was very painful. I was concerned about blood clots so she went to the doctors office to have them check it out. Thankfully, it was not a clot, it was "only gout." Actually, we are waiting for this to be confirmed by lab tests, but the doctor thinks it was gout. After draining some fluid and a shot of steroids, she is feeling MUCH better already.
We followed up with the Cardiologist today. He was running a bit late. He even apologized to us that he was running late. I haven't had too many doctors do that before. Anyway, he will be putting mom on a blood thinner medication to help regulate the heart rhythm problem that she had in the hospital. She will be starting that medication as soon as the surgeon thinks it is ok. While she is healing from surgery, they will not be starting the blood thinner. As soon as she is healed enough, it will be added to her growing list of daily medications. In the mean time, she is on a different heart medication to prevent the rhythm problem.
So, all in all, it has been a really great week. We really couldn't have asked for better pathology results. We meet with the oncologist next week to talk about how this will effect her treatment going forward.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Post Surgery Update
Sorry that this is a couple of days later than I wanted.
Mom is doing really well. She came home from the hospital on Thursday evening. We meet with her cardiologist later this week. The doctor at the hospital indicated that the abnormal heart rhythm was caused by the surgery. Apparently this is somewhat common. Her heart rhythm returned to normal late on Wednesday evening. She has been feeling a lot better ever since.
She is definitely sleeping better in her own bed. The pain level has been pretty tolerable for the last couple of days. She has already started some arm excercises at home. Her range of motion at this point is a lot better than I expected. She needs to obviously build up some strength, but that should come over time. The left side (the one with the cancer) is not as strong as the right, but we sort of expected that. The radiation on that side might make the recovery a bit longer.
The drainage tubes will be in for some time. They told us that she could have them for a couple of weeks. So, we just wait and see what happens.
Dads been a pretty good nurse so far. Moms not complaining about the level of care. In fact, I even heard her compliment him.
Thanks to all of you for caring so much.
Mom is doing really well. She came home from the hospital on Thursday evening. We meet with her cardiologist later this week. The doctor at the hospital indicated that the abnormal heart rhythm was caused by the surgery. Apparently this is somewhat common. Her heart rhythm returned to normal late on Wednesday evening. She has been feeling a lot better ever since.
She is definitely sleeping better in her own bed. The pain level has been pretty tolerable for the last couple of days. She has already started some arm excercises at home. Her range of motion at this point is a lot better than I expected. She needs to obviously build up some strength, but that should come over time. The left side (the one with the cancer) is not as strong as the right, but we sort of expected that. The radiation on that side might make the recovery a bit longer.
The drainage tubes will be in for some time. They told us that she could have them for a couple of weeks. So, we just wait and see what happens.
Dads been a pretty good nurse so far. Moms not complaining about the level of care. In fact, I even heard her compliment him.
Thanks to all of you for caring so much.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Surgery update
Moms surgery went well. The doctor was pleased with how things went. We should have the pathology report early next week. I never thought that I would say that mom has something in common with Angelina Jolie. However, they now have the same bust line.
Mom has had a bit of trouble in recovery. She had some minor heart rhythm problems. They are keeping her overnight to give her some meds to regulate her heart. We expect to see the cardiologist tomorrow morning. The surgery day turned into a long day at the hospital. She will stay on the cardiology floor for monitoring tonight. Considering the extent of her surgery, I don't think that any of us is that upset that she is staying. She is being taken good care of. Better to be safe than sorry.
I'll update you all tomorrow.
Mom has had a bit of trouble in recovery. She had some minor heart rhythm problems. They are keeping her overnight to give her some meds to regulate her heart. We expect to see the cardiologist tomorrow morning. The surgery day turned into a long day at the hospital. She will stay on the cardiology floor for monitoring tonight. Considering the extent of her surgery, I don't think that any of us is that upset that she is staying. She is being taken good care of. Better to be safe than sorry.
I'll update you all tomorrow.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Card Project
Ok, if you are reading this blog, then you probably care about my mom. Thank you all for your months of support, prayers and kind words. It has been my job to keep you up to date. Now, it is your job to make mom feel special. Her surgery is on Wednesday. If you have the time, please send her a get well or thinking of your card. The surgery is out patient, so she will be home on Wednesday at some point.
For your convenience, here is her address:
Ida Wolf
2411 Winkleman Drive
Waterford, MI 48329
I'll try to post on Wednesday or Thursday and let you know how things went.
For your convenience, here is her address:
Ida Wolf
2411 Winkleman Drive
Waterford, MI 48329
I'll try to post on Wednesday or Thursday and let you know how things went.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
The Next Step
Since my last post, we have been pretty busy. We have had appointments to see the Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist, Cardiologist and Surgeon. The bottom line is that mom is doing great. She will be having surgery on May 29th.
Mom opted for a bi-lateral mastectomy, instead just one side. Let's say that the decision was made for peace of mind. Although the chances of getting cancer on the other side is very low, she is not taking that chance. They will try to leave as many lymph nodes as possible. Reconsturction was not a viable option and mom didn't want to have it anyway. So, no more wet t-shirt contests for her :)
Recovery from bi-lateral is not that much more than for one side. Her skin has healed amazing well from her radiation. The skin looks great. The skin that has been radiated typically does not heal as well. However, because we are couple of months after her last radiaion treatment, the skin has continued to improve. It is still getting healthier looking at every visit.
The surgery is out-patient. The procedure itself should take about 3 hours. She will spend another couple of hours in recovery and then be sent home. The recovery should be more comfortable at home anyway.
She will be off her chemo drugs for 3 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery. The chemo drugs are a long term proposition for her. The 5 week break should be good for her fingers and toes.
I know that she is feeling better, because she has been doing some yard work clean-up outside. The bushes and plants are getting trimmed and the weeding is getting done. This is a nice change from a year ago. Maybe at some point she will start doing stuff around my yard again.
Mom opted for a bi-lateral mastectomy, instead just one side. Let's say that the decision was made for peace of mind. Although the chances of getting cancer on the other side is very low, she is not taking that chance. They will try to leave as many lymph nodes as possible. Reconsturction was not a viable option and mom didn't want to have it anyway. So, no more wet t-shirt contests for her :)
Recovery from bi-lateral is not that much more than for one side. Her skin has healed amazing well from her radiation. The skin looks great. The skin that has been radiated typically does not heal as well. However, because we are couple of months after her last radiaion treatment, the skin has continued to improve. It is still getting healthier looking at every visit.
The surgery is out-patient. The procedure itself should take about 3 hours. She will spend another couple of hours in recovery and then be sent home. The recovery should be more comfortable at home anyway.
She will be off her chemo drugs for 3 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery. The chemo drugs are a long term proposition for her. The 5 week break should be good for her fingers and toes.
I know that she is feeling better, because she has been doing some yard work clean-up outside. The bushes and plants are getting trimmed and the weeding is getting done. This is a nice change from a year ago. Maybe at some point she will start doing stuff around my yard again.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Another Update
Today we went to see Dr. Margolis. We got the results of moms CT scan. The news really couldn't be much better. The spots on her liver are really close to being gone. This is better than the doctor expected. There is a tiny residual spot that is hanging on, but it is very tiny. As you recall, this spot was over 6 cm just over a year ago. He didn't use the word remission, but she is probably as close to that as she can be. The doctor was so happy, and so were all of us :)
There is a targeted treatment that is available for the little spot on the liver, but we will see how things progress over the next few months before he recommends that treatment.
Mom also had an echogram last week. They discovered a bit of a flutter in her heart. Apparently, this is a pretty common side effect from the chemo. We have an appointment to see a cardiologist next week. Nothing to worry about, but we will be monitoring her and she will probably just add one more drug to the daily routine. She is close to having a drug store in her house, so what is one more pill?
We were also referred back to see the surgeon. Because the liver results were so positive and mom had such a good reaction to the radiation treatment, we are seriously talking about doing surgery (mastectomy). We have a consultation next week with the surgeon. Surgery was only recommended if she opted not to have reconstruction. At this point, she cares more about her health than her figure.
So, all in all, we had some really great news today.
Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts.
There is a targeted treatment that is available for the little spot on the liver, but we will see how things progress over the next few months before he recommends that treatment.
Mom also had an echogram last week. They discovered a bit of a flutter in her heart. Apparently, this is a pretty common side effect from the chemo. We have an appointment to see a cardiologist next week. Nothing to worry about, but we will be monitoring her and she will probably just add one more drug to the daily routine. She is close to having a drug store in her house, so what is one more pill?
We were also referred back to see the surgeon. Because the liver results were so positive and mom had such a good reaction to the radiation treatment, we are seriously talking about doing surgery (mastectomy). We have a consultation next week with the surgeon. Surgery was only recommended if she opted not to have reconstruction. At this point, she cares more about her health than her figure.
So, all in all, we had some really great news today.
Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Back in Michigan
Ok, as you can probably tell, my blog posts are getting farther apart. All in all, I think this is good news. Ultimately, it means that I haven't had much to update.
Mom and dad were in Florida for 8 weeks. They returned to Michigan about 2 weeks ago. Their time in Florida was great. They got to see all of their southern friends and enjoyed the warm weather. Thank you to all of you in Rainbow Village that took such good care of mom. All of the love and support you provided was felt all the way up here in Michigan.
The doctors office in Florida was really good. We were happy with the staff and the facilities. Mom had 3 treatments in Florida and the transition went really smooth.
Mom had her first Michigan treatment yesterday. She is still getting Herceptin (a protein drug) every 3 weeks through the IV. In addition, she takes other oral medication. The protocol for the chemo portion is 2 weeks on and 1 week off. All in all, mom has been doing really well in managing all of the side effects. Most days she feels pretty good. Yes, she has the occasional off day, but they are not really the norm.
Mom continues to crochet pot holders. She made over a hundred while she was in Florida. So, if you need some, let me know and I can probably get you a set. Also, if you supply your own yarn, for sure I can get her to make some for you. The hand work seems to help the circulation in her fingers, so she continues making something.
She is scheduled for a CT scan next week. She will have them about every 3 months or so to make sure that we continue to monitor the status of the tumors. After the test next week the doctor will make the determination on her next course of treatment.
I'll post again after we get the CT results.
Thanks for reading and Happy Spring (if it ever gets here).
Mom and dad were in Florida for 8 weeks. They returned to Michigan about 2 weeks ago. Their time in Florida was great. They got to see all of their southern friends and enjoyed the warm weather. Thank you to all of you in Rainbow Village that took such good care of mom. All of the love and support you provided was felt all the way up here in Michigan.
The doctors office in Florida was really good. We were happy with the staff and the facilities. Mom had 3 treatments in Florida and the transition went really smooth.
Mom had her first Michigan treatment yesterday. She is still getting Herceptin (a protein drug) every 3 weeks through the IV. In addition, she takes other oral medication. The protocol for the chemo portion is 2 weeks on and 1 week off. All in all, mom has been doing really well in managing all of the side effects. Most days she feels pretty good. Yes, she has the occasional off day, but they are not really the norm.
Mom continues to crochet pot holders. She made over a hundred while she was in Florida. So, if you need some, let me know and I can probably get you a set. Also, if you supply your own yarn, for sure I can get her to make some for you. The hand work seems to help the circulation in her fingers, so she continues making something.
She is scheduled for a CT scan next week. She will have them about every 3 months or so to make sure that we continue to monitor the status of the tumors. After the test next week the doctor will make the determination on her next course of treatment.
I'll post again after we get the CT results.
Thanks for reading and Happy Spring (if it ever gets here).
Friday, March 1, 2013
Florida Update
Well, it has been about a month since my last post and a few people have asked me for updates. I guess the long wait between posts can be summed up by "No news is good news." However, since they are no longer here, I could also say "out of sight, out of mind."
Mom and dad have enjoyed the Florida weather for a little over a month now. The girls and I went down there to visit them last week. The girls had a week off for their "mid-winter break." We were lucky enough to continue our annual visit with them. We had a nice time with them. I think they were happy to see us even though we upset their normal routine.
Mom had her 2nd Herceptin treatment in Florida yesterday. She will have one more treatment down there in 3 weeks. She also has continued on the oral chemo.
The warm weather has been good all around for her. Her spirits are good and her side effects are very manageable. I think you just feel better when the weather is warmer. Your body spends less energy trying to be comfortable.
I understand that the facilities are nice at the doctor's office. Dad was able to get in a nap in one of the reclining chairs while mom had her treatment. We just hope that all of his snoring didn't bother too many of the cancer patients.
Mom and dad have enjoyed the Florida weather for a little over a month now. The girls and I went down there to visit them last week. The girls had a week off for their "mid-winter break." We were lucky enough to continue our annual visit with them. We had a nice time with them. I think they were happy to see us even though we upset their normal routine.
Mom had her 2nd Herceptin treatment in Florida yesterday. She will have one more treatment down there in 3 weeks. She also has continued on the oral chemo.
The warm weather has been good all around for her. Her spirits are good and her side effects are very manageable. I think you just feel better when the weather is warmer. Your body spends less energy trying to be comfortable.
I understand that the facilities are nice at the doctor's office. Dad was able to get in a nap in one of the reclining chairs while mom had her treatment. We just hope that all of his snoring didn't bother too many of the cancer patients.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Florida doctor
We met moms Florida oncologist today. He has a great PA (physicians assistant) that spent a lot of time with us. She answered all of our questions before we even met the doctor. She was very impressed with how well mom responded to her treatment so far. The good news is that moms treatment seems really routine at this point. She is just here for a bit of maintenance. The practice is pretty big. The treatment room was giant and seemed very comfortable.
The doctor described mom as a bit of a miracle. I'll take that.
Although we didn't spend a ton of time with the doctor, he seemed really nice. We talked about additional medications that are now available or will be in the next few months. He also talked about how routine moms treatment is for them. They have lots of snow birds that come down. Some patients come for one shot a year.
The biggest physical attribute of moms doctor is his height. My guess is that he is at least 6 feet 8 inches tall. Dad is supposed to get me the actual height next week when moms goes for her treatment. He is going to ask one of the nurses or some other clandestine way.
I fly back to Michigan tomorrow morning. Back to the cold and snow. But also back to Andy and the girls. It was good to see how comfortable the new doctors office is. I am glad that I took the time to make sure that things are all set down here. I think she will be cared for really well, by both the new doctor and all of her wonderful friends in the park.
The doctor described mom as a bit of a miracle. I'll take that.
Although we didn't spend a ton of time with the doctor, he seemed really nice. We talked about additional medications that are now available or will be in the next few months. He also talked about how routine moms treatment is for them. They have lots of snow birds that come down. Some patients come for one shot a year.
The biggest physical attribute of moms doctor is his height. My guess is that he is at least 6 feet 8 inches tall. Dad is supposed to get me the actual height next week when moms goes for her treatment. He is going to ask one of the nurses or some other clandestine way.
I fly back to Michigan tomorrow morning. Back to the cold and snow. But also back to Andy and the girls. It was good to see how comfortable the new doctors office is. I am glad that I took the time to make sure that things are all set down here. I think she will be cared for really well, by both the new doctor and all of her wonderful friends in the park.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Off to Florida!!
Mom had a CT scan earlier this week. We got the results today from the doctor. He was very pleased. The mass on her liver has been stable since last October. That is GREAT news.
She has a final follow-up appointment with the Radiation Oncologist on Monday. Her breast is looking good. The redness has faded considerably.
Mom and Dad are leaving for Florida on Wednesday next week. (Rainbow Village - be prepared - they are coming back.)
Mom continues on her oral chemo drug and her Herceptin every 3 weeks. We have an appointment with an oncologist in Florida at the end of the month. We anticipate that she will continue to be on these meds for quite some time. However, it should be all manageable down there. I'm flying down for a couple of days so that I can meet the new doctor. Hopefully we like him as much as Dr. Margolis.
Let's just say that Mom and Dad have been ready to head south for some time. I am SO HAPPY that they are finally getting to go down. The best part is that Mom is still feeling really good.
She has a final follow-up appointment with the Radiation Oncologist on Monday. Her breast is looking good. The redness has faded considerably.
Mom and Dad are leaving for Florida on Wednesday next week. (Rainbow Village - be prepared - they are coming back.)
Mom continues on her oral chemo drug and her Herceptin every 3 weeks. We have an appointment with an oncologist in Florida at the end of the month. We anticipate that she will continue to be on these meds for quite some time. However, it should be all manageable down there. I'm flying down for a couple of days so that I can meet the new doctor. Hopefully we like him as much as Dr. Margolis.
Let's just say that Mom and Dad have been ready to head south for some time. I am SO HAPPY that they are finally getting to go down. The best part is that Mom is still feeling really good.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Done with Radiation
Well, just a quick update regarding the radiation treatment. Mom is done with her 30 treatments. We had a follow-up appointment with the doctor this morning.
We had a minor complication where she developed a small infection on the outside of the breast near the end of her treatments. Between the infection and the radiation, let's just say that mom looked like a tomato. She got pretty toasty at the end of her treatment cycle. She has been on anti-biotics and is looking much better after a few days.
All in all, the doctor was really pleased with how she responded to her treatment.
We will be back to the regular oncologist later this week.
We had a minor complication where she developed a small infection on the outside of the breast near the end of her treatments. Between the infection and the radiation, let's just say that mom looked like a tomato. She got pretty toasty at the end of her treatment cycle. She has been on anti-biotics and is looking much better after a few days.
All in all, the doctor was really pleased with how she responded to her treatment.
We will be back to the regular oncologist later this week.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Radiation Week 6
Mom just finished her 28th radiation treatment. Two more to go next week and she is done. We have a follow up appointment with the radiation doctor after she finishes her final treatment next week. Her skin is still holding up really well; the doctor and radiation techs are really happy with the response. She will have a CT scan in 2-3 weeks to see how the cancer responded.
We meet with her regular oncologist (Dr. Margolis) on Jan 9th. At that point we'll get a better plan for the coming weeks.
We are all headed to Baroda to visit my brother and family for the weekend. It will be nice to celebrate a belated Christmas together.
Wishing all of you a healthy new year.
We meet with her regular oncologist (Dr. Margolis) on Jan 9th. At that point we'll get a better plan for the coming weeks.
We are all headed to Baroda to visit my brother and family for the weekend. It will be nice to celebrate a belated Christmas together.
Wishing all of you a healthy new year.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Radiation Week 5
We are counting down the radiation treatments. Mom completed 24 of the 30 treatsments so far. The radiation therapy is going well. The doctor continues to be pleased with the response from treatment.
Mom had a few rough days this week. She stopped taking the oral chemo drug last week. We see the regular oncologist next week to see how long of a break she will before she begins the oral chemo again. I think it is good that she is able to have some better days around the holiday.
The big news this week is that she got a hair cut. This is her first hair cut since February. There was enough hair to shape on the sides and back. For those of you that are not able to see her, her hair is now curly. The only time I remember her hair being like that was after her getting a perm. So, a few chemo treatments and her hair came in curly. No more perms for her.
This is the first time that my parents will be joining us for the Christmas holiday in many years. They are normally in Florida by this time. I am glad that we will be able to share this holiday together.
Mom had a few rough days this week. She stopped taking the oral chemo drug last week. We see the regular oncologist next week to see how long of a break she will before she begins the oral chemo again. I think it is good that she is able to have some better days around the holiday.
The big news this week is that she got a hair cut. This is her first hair cut since February. There was enough hair to shape on the sides and back. For those of you that are not able to see her, her hair is now curly. The only time I remember her hair being like that was after her getting a perm. So, a few chemo treatments and her hair came in curly. No more perms for her.
This is the first time that my parents will be joining us for the Christmas holiday in many years. They are normally in Florida by this time. I am glad that we will be able to share this holiday together.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Radiation Week 4
Well, mom just completed her 19th radiation treatment today. Only 11 more to go. We are on the downhill side of this course of treatment. When we met with the doctor this week, he was really happy with how she has been responding. Although her breast is getting pretty red, the doctor said it is looking great. It looks pretty red to me, but I obviously don't see as many breasts as he does :) Mom had a few rough days this week, but we take one at a time.
Today is a very sad day in this country. How can anyone take the innocent life of a child? My girls will be getting an extra hug when I pick them up from their elementary school today.
I wanted to tell a quick story about how proud I am of Bridget (now in 5th grade). She has been doing a research project at school. Her subject has been breast cancer. She selected the topic herself, so I know how much mom's illness has affect her. Bridget and Julia also raised $116.41 that we donated to the Beaumont Foundation for breast cancer. She needed to interview an "expert," so we took her to one of mom's doctors appointments with Dr. Margolis. She asked him some questions for her report. She also wanted to do a section on "Someone real." So, she of course interviewed my mom. One of her questions included "How does it feel to have cancer?" Mom's response was "I am thankful to still be here to watch my grandchildren grow up." We are thankful that she is here to be a part of our lives and keeps inspiring others.
We should all feel blessed with the loved ones in our lives.
Today is a very sad day in this country. How can anyone take the innocent life of a child? My girls will be getting an extra hug when I pick them up from their elementary school today.
I wanted to tell a quick story about how proud I am of Bridget (now in 5th grade). She has been doing a research project at school. Her subject has been breast cancer. She selected the topic herself, so I know how much mom's illness has affect her. Bridget and Julia also raised $116.41 that we donated to the Beaumont Foundation for breast cancer. She needed to interview an "expert," so we took her to one of mom's doctors appointments with Dr. Margolis. She asked him some questions for her report. She also wanted to do a section on "Someone real." So, she of course interviewed my mom. One of her questions included "How does it feel to have cancer?" Mom's response was "I am thankful to still be here to watch my grandchildren grow up." We are thankful that she is here to be a part of our lives and keeps inspiring others.
We should all feel blessed with the loved ones in our lives.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Radiation Week 3
Mom completed 14 of her 30 scheduled radiation treatments. We are starting to see the effects of daily treatments, both good and bad. On the good side, the swelling of her breast has continued to shrink. That typically indicates that the cancer cells and surrounding areas are shrinking. There is a noticable deduction in the swelling. On the bad side, her breast is starting to get that "sunburn" look from the intense radiation - as expected at this stage. One area is especially sore, but she is taking good care of it so far.
Moms energy level has continued to increase since she has been off of the Abraxane. She just completed her fourth week of the oral chemo drug (Xeloda). The side effects are much better than with the Abraxane. Her hands and feet continue to improve. The pain and numbness continues to fade.
She was feeling well enough this week to endure a trip to IKEA with me. We haven't shopped together in a long time. It was nice to spend some brousing time with her again. She managed the shopping trip quite well. We walked for more than an hour. It was a slow stroll around the store, but her feet didn't bother her and she wasn't too tired when we were done. It was good to get her out of the house again for something enjoyable.
Moms energy level has continued to increase since she has been off of the Abraxane. She just completed her fourth week of the oral chemo drug (Xeloda). The side effects are much better than with the Abraxane. Her hands and feet continue to improve. The pain and numbness continues to fade.
She was feeling well enough this week to endure a trip to IKEA with me. We haven't shopped together in a long time. It was nice to spend some brousing time with her again. She managed the shopping trip quite well. We walked for more than an hour. It was a slow stroll around the store, but her feet didn't bother her and she wasn't too tired when we were done. It was good to get her out of the house again for something enjoyable.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Radiation Week 2
Mom completed 9 of her 30 treatments so far. She is still managing the radiation effects pretty well. It appears that the redness from the cancer is beginning to fad. A good sign.
She has also been tolerating her oral chemo drug well. The side effects have been very minimal.
Mom just completed knitting new scarfs for my girls. Julia's matches her backpack. Bridget's matches her jacket. They even got compliments on them from someone at the bus stop today. Nice to know that mom's handy work is being noticed.
Mom even felt well enough to hem a pair of Julia's pants for me this week. Needless to say, I didn't own enough stick pins for the job. So, the next day, mom brought over a box of stick pins from England for me. Apparently they have glass ends which you can iron over (instead of plastic ends that can melt). I don't even iron - but when I do, I'll have plenty of stick pins to use.
She got a bit of a cold this week, but nothing a few anti-biotics couldn't help.
Taking one day at a time.
She has also been tolerating her oral chemo drug well. The side effects have been very minimal.
Mom just completed knitting new scarfs for my girls. Julia's matches her backpack. Bridget's matches her jacket. They even got compliments on them from someone at the bus stop today. Nice to know that mom's handy work is being noticed.
Mom even felt well enough to hem a pair of Julia's pants for me this week. Needless to say, I didn't own enough stick pins for the job. So, the next day, mom brought over a box of stick pins from England for me. Apparently they have glass ends which you can iron over (instead of plastic ends that can melt). I don't even iron - but when I do, I'll have plenty of stick pins to use.
She got a bit of a cold this week, but nothing a few anti-biotics couldn't help.
Taking one day at a time.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Radiation Week 1
Mom ended her first week of radiation treatment on Friday. The treatments are 5 days a week (for six weeks). However, they are closed for holidays. So, mom only had 4 treatments last week. The fifth day was really a day of Thanksgiving for our family this year. I am thankful that we were able to spend another Thanksgiving together. I wasn't convinced of that back in January/February when she was first diagnosed.
Lots of people ask me about her spirit. She is still going strong. She still has good days and bad days physically, but her attitude continues to be unwavering. I would say that the good days still outnumber the bad.
Yesterday was a family wedding reception for my cousins son. It was about a 1 1/2 hour drive from home. Not far, but not around the corner. Probably not one of mom's best days, but she went anyway. How could she miss visiting with all of the relatives and friends she doesn't see very often? Those are the days that we should all be thankful for. Best wishes for a long and happy life together to Jeff and Danielle.
I hope you all remember to be thankful for someone special in your life. You never know what the next year will bring.
P.S - I am thankful for all of you, my blog readers. I sometimes think that I am writing to no one. Shirley, this one was for you!
Lots of people ask me about her spirit. She is still going strong. She still has good days and bad days physically, but her attitude continues to be unwavering. I would say that the good days still outnumber the bad.
Yesterday was a family wedding reception for my cousins son. It was about a 1 1/2 hour drive from home. Not far, but not around the corner. Probably not one of mom's best days, but she went anyway. How could she miss visiting with all of the relatives and friends she doesn't see very often? Those are the days that we should all be thankful for. Best wishes for a long and happy life together to Jeff and Danielle.
I hope you all remember to be thankful for someone special in your life. You never know what the next year will bring.
P.S - I am thankful for all of you, my blog readers. I sometimes think that I am writing to no one. Shirley, this one was for you!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Radiation Update
Well, it has been about two weeks since my last post and a lot has happened. We met a couple of days ago for our first consultation with a Radiation Oncologist - Dr. Vicini. We also have continued to see Dr. Margolis.
Here is what is going on....
1) Mom started taking an oral chemotherapy drug over the weekend. She developed a bit of redness after stopping the Abraxane. So, Dr. Margolis started her on a new drug. Good news is that the redness has all but disappeared. The side effects of the new drug seem to be tolerable at this point.
2) We switched to a different chemo drug because of the continued numbness in moms hands and feet. The feeling in her feet and hands are getting much better now that she has been off of Abraxane for several weeks.
3) We will go back to the Radiation guy next week. We anticipate having some additional scans done at that point and then beginning Radiation therapy shortly thereafter. Radiation would be 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
4) The new drug thankfully is oral so mom can take it at home or whereever she is. Eventually, she will only need to go to the doctor every 3 weeks for the Herceptin treatment.
5) The Radiation guy was very complimentary regarding moms spirit and attitude considering what she has endured for the last 10 months - not surprising to me at all.
So, the next phase of treatment is upon us - one day at a time.
Here is what is going on....
1) Mom started taking an oral chemotherapy drug over the weekend. She developed a bit of redness after stopping the Abraxane. So, Dr. Margolis started her on a new drug. Good news is that the redness has all but disappeared. The side effects of the new drug seem to be tolerable at this point.
2) We switched to a different chemo drug because of the continued numbness in moms hands and feet. The feeling in her feet and hands are getting much better now that she has been off of Abraxane for several weeks.
3) We will go back to the Radiation guy next week. We anticipate having some additional scans done at that point and then beginning Radiation therapy shortly thereafter. Radiation would be 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
4) The new drug thankfully is oral so mom can take it at home or whereever she is. Eventually, she will only need to go to the doctor every 3 weeks for the Herceptin treatment.
5) The Radiation guy was very complimentary regarding moms spirit and attitude considering what she has endured for the last 10 months - not surprising to me at all.
So, the next phase of treatment is upon us - one day at a time.
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