Today marks two weeks from when my mom started chemotherapy treatment and we received good news. Her platelet count was up to 13,000! That's low for people without cancer, but for my mom, it's the first time her count has been above 10,000 in a week or so, and this increase happened without platelet transfusions the last two days. This means that her body is making her own platelets, and this is a very good thing. Her other blood counts are also on the rise, and in general, my mom is feeling better and eating more. She actually read today when my sister Lisa was visiting. You know how much my mom LOVES to read, but she's had no interest since this all began.
My mom's hair has started to fall out. To avoid watching it fall out, she opted to get her hair cut today. My dad arranged for her hairdresser to visit the hospital (with permission) and my mom now has a buzz cut. She's wearing a hat today. My mom's sister, Marlene (mutiple myeloma survivor), sent her wig, so that's an option. Karen Berger (breast cancer survivor) is going to show Norma ways to tie and wear scarves.
Celebrate platelets! Pray for more.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Post chemo treatment day 9
My mom is being so well taken care of at Grant Medical Center in Columbus. She's been moved to a regular room and is seen daily by her oncologist, and seen even more often by an attending physician and a fabulous team of nurses. She loves the hospital chaplin, Donna, who my mom can't wait to introduce. This weekend, my mom's sister, Donna is with my mom. Donna lives in Chicago and has generously offered to rotate in during my mom's care. This weekend, it gave my dad a much needed break.
Norma is still in the hospital because her blood counts need to be checked daily, and when they are low, she can efficiently receive transfusions. She is also there to keep her well protected from infection.
My mom's diagnosis has now been doubly confirmed by the James Cancer Center at the OSU hospital in Columbus. She has small cell carcinoma. This matches the initial diagnosis from her oncologist. Her oncologist wanted a second opinion, and so did we. Treatment remains the same, which involves several rounds of chemotherapy. She's had one treatment so far, and will most likely need 3 to 5 more. Treatment occurs for 3 consecutive days, followed by 21 days off.
Symptoms of small cell carcinoma come on quickly and the cancer is agressive. It usually appears in smokers, of which my mom has never been. Her small cell carcinoma is not lung cancer. Her cancer has a pelvic origin, which might explain the pain she was experiencing in her right upper thigh.
My mom is very resolved to keep pressing on and to focus on one round of treatment at a time. As a friend of hers said, she's way tougher than this. We think so too.
My mom is being so well taken care of at Grant Medical Center in Columbus. She's been moved to a regular room and is seen daily by her oncologist, and seen even more often by an attending physician and a fabulous team of nurses. She loves the hospital chaplin, Donna, who my mom can't wait to introduce. This weekend, my mom's sister, Donna is with my mom. Donna lives in Chicago and has generously offered to rotate in during my mom's care. This weekend, it gave my dad a much needed break.
Norma is still in the hospital because her blood counts need to be checked daily, and when they are low, she can efficiently receive transfusions. She is also there to keep her well protected from infection.
My mom's diagnosis has now been doubly confirmed by the James Cancer Center at the OSU hospital in Columbus. She has small cell carcinoma. This matches the initial diagnosis from her oncologist. Her oncologist wanted a second opinion, and so did we. Treatment remains the same, which involves several rounds of chemotherapy. She's had one treatment so far, and will most likely need 3 to 5 more. Treatment occurs for 3 consecutive days, followed by 21 days off.
Symptoms of small cell carcinoma come on quickly and the cancer is agressive. It usually appears in smokers, of which my mom has never been. Her small cell carcinoma is not lung cancer. Her cancer has a pelvic origin, which might explain the pain she was experiencing in her right upper thigh.
My mom is very resolved to keep pressing on and to focus on one round of treatment at a time. As a friend of hers said, she's way tougher than this. We think so too.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Post-chemo, day 5
The chemo therapy treatment is starting to bust up the cancer cells, evidenced by improved counts from her liver function tests. Her platelet count is still low because of the small cell cancer, but the expectation is that in a week or so, her body will generate platelets on its own.
Daily monitoring of her blood counts is crucial as is the ability to manage platelet and blood transfusions quickly and efficiently. For this reason, my mom was admitted to Grant Medical Center in Columbus yesterday morning. She is now more accessible to the blood bank (across the street) and receives a high level of care in the Critical Care Unit (between a regular room and the ICU). A member of her oncology team is on staff at Grant. He checks on my mom daily and coordinates her care with the lead oncologist and the attending physician.
When she is less reliant on transfused platelets and her blood counts stabilize, she'll get to go home and continue to let the chemotherapy do its job.
The chemo therapy treatment is starting to bust up the cancer cells, evidenced by improved counts from her liver function tests. Her platelet count is still low because of the small cell cancer, but the expectation is that in a week or so, her body will generate platelets on its own.
Daily monitoring of her blood counts is crucial as is the ability to manage platelet and blood transfusions quickly and efficiently. For this reason, my mom was admitted to Grant Medical Center in Columbus yesterday morning. She is now more accessible to the blood bank (across the street) and receives a high level of care in the Critical Care Unit (between a regular room and the ICU). A member of her oncology team is on staff at Grant. He checks on my mom daily and coordinates her care with the lead oncologist and the attending physician.
When she is less reliant on transfused platelets and her blood counts stabilize, she'll get to go home and continue to let the chemotherapy do its job.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The last two days of post-chemotherapy have been consumed by paying close attention to my mom's body and tending to her most basic needs. While the chemotherapy fights her disease, it also takes a toll on her body. Between managing her pain meds every two hours, making sure she eats something every two hours, getting her to the bathroom every couple of hours, I haven't had much time to write. I appreciate your patience and understanding about this. Close follow-up regarding her blood counts is critical. Yesterday's CBC (complete blood counts) required another transfusion of platelets and blood last night and because it was Saturday (outpatient closed), she was admitted to the hospital and is still there for monitoring. My dad (who volunteers at the hospital) scored a cot and I stayed with her. She had an extremely attentive team of nurses and slept through the night.
The plan is to bring her home tomorrow for rest and more recovery. Several of my mom's dearest friends in Ohio are taking turns staying overnight this coming week. I'll return to St. Louis Monday night. My mom's sister Donna from Chicago will be here next weekend.
It takes a village, and we have one here. Thanks for your love and support.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Day 1 (of 21 days post-chemo therapy)
Norma was hoping for a day off after three days of chemotherapy, but she started the day with a transfusion to receive blood and platelets. This was a planned activity following the chemo to check and improve her blood levels. She also received fluids to flush her system and meds to help manage the nautia. She came home with a bit more energy and wanted to go through the mail and insisted on doing at least one constructive thing, so she wrote a check to Central High School for a fundraiser organized by Mr. Groff, her former superintendent. My dad double checked the amount. A+ for Norma! Her friends who have had cancer use the term 'chemo-brain' to describe the way it feels to be unable to fully concentrate or think clearly.
She has the weekend off and is looking forward to having lunch on the porch in the sun. It's supposed to be warm and sunny in Ohio.
She has a followup appt with her oncologist on Monday. Several tests, scans and MRIs this past week are helping them pinpoint the source of her cancer.
Heartfelt thanks for all of your kind words, cards, phone calls, food, and flowers. My dad was so thrilled tonight with the dinners from the St. Vincent's fish fry.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Day 3 of 3
Treatment started today at 9:30. The first few hours get my mom's body ready for chemo. Fluids, flushing kidneys, and nausea medicine. Then the chemo is dripped in. She sleeps alot. We try to get her to eat every couple of hours. She does pretty well with that. This morning I woke up at 3:30 and found her in the kitchen eating some yogurt. She is trying really hard to do what she needs to do, even though she just feels like sleeping. She walked into the doctor's office today. Would not let us just drop her off. She knows she needs to get some movement.
Her dear friends are coming to her aid. Ann stopped by last night and my mom perked up a bit. Mitzi stopped by and my mom smiled. Mitzi has agreed to be the food coordintor. Food queen is probably a better desciption. Anyone that wants to provide food can call Mitzi and she has a list of what my mom and dad can eat. She'll coordinate requests with food and timing. This is a huge, huge relief to us and such a generous contibution at this point in the process. Another organization is rallying to arrange for woman to stop by and give my dad a break and provide various things are good for my mom. Eating with her, walking with her, whatever might be the need of the day and that could change over the next few weeks. A new face from time to time will be a nice change for her.
Tomorrow she gets more blood to maintain her platelet counts. She's being very well attended to and her doctors and nurses are pillars of strength and competence.
She's getting the drugs she needs. Now we anticipate they will do their jobs to fight this disease.
All of your loving thoughts are most appreciated. The people of Granville and Newark has come to her aid and they are an army of support that is truly awesome and a force to be reckoned with. So is Norma.
A special thanks to my sister and her husband Brian for all that they have done and are doing for my mom. My dad is tired, but he's a real trooper.
xoxox
Treatment started today at 9:30. The first few hours get my mom's body ready for chemo. Fluids, flushing kidneys, and nausea medicine. Then the chemo is dripped in. She sleeps alot. We try to get her to eat every couple of hours. She does pretty well with that. This morning I woke up at 3:30 and found her in the kitchen eating some yogurt. She is trying really hard to do what she needs to do, even though she just feels like sleeping. She walked into the doctor's office today. Would not let us just drop her off. She knows she needs to get some movement.
Her dear friends are coming to her aid. Ann stopped by last night and my mom perked up a bit. Mitzi stopped by and my mom smiled. Mitzi has agreed to be the food coordintor. Food queen is probably a better desciption. Anyone that wants to provide food can call Mitzi and she has a list of what my mom and dad can eat. She'll coordinate requests with food and timing. This is a huge, huge relief to us and such a generous contibution at this point in the process. Another organization is rallying to arrange for woman to stop by and give my dad a break and provide various things are good for my mom. Eating with her, walking with her, whatever might be the need of the day and that could change over the next few weeks. A new face from time to time will be a nice change for her.
Tomorrow she gets more blood to maintain her platelet counts. She's being very well attended to and her doctors and nurses are pillars of strength and competence.
She's getting the drugs she needs. Now we anticipate they will do their jobs to fight this disease.
All of your loving thoughts are most appreciated. The people of Granville and Newark has come to her aid and they are an army of support that is truly awesome and a force to be reckoned with. So is Norma.
A special thanks to my sister and her husband Brian for all that they have done and are doing for my mom. My dad is tired, but he's a real trooper.
xoxox
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Day One
Today Norma began the 1st of 3 days of Chemo-therapy in Ohio. She started at 8:30 a.m. and finished at 4:30 p.m. She sits in a recliner in a living room setting at Dr. Laufman's office. My dad, Ralph, is there taking orders from my mom. Lisa, my sister, brings food and tries to coax my mom to eat. My mom is basically pissed off and feeling very unproductive. Imagine that.
The treatment also includes flushing her kidneys to try to keep them healthy during the process. A doctor is on standby the entire time.
She had a brain MRI tonight. This will help Dr. Laufman and her partners pinpoint the source of the cancer. That is still a mystery. Adjustments will be made to her treatment program as more conclusive data becomes available.
For now, I'm just praying my mom and dad get some sleep tonight.
Some of you have asked for their address:
740 West Maple
Granville, OH 43023
P.S. E-mail from 3/16/09:
Thanks to all of you who know and love Norma and have expressed care and concern these last two weeks. We appreciate your support as we've tried to pinpoint Norma's illness. We will do our best to share information with you as we get it. A weblog is being set up over the next few days and updates will be posted. A link to the blog is forthcoming. Here's what we know so far: Norma has been released from the hospital and we met today with Dr. Leslie Laufman, her oncologist. Dr. Laufman confirmed that Norma has a malignancy of some kind, although the lab results are still inconclusive as to what type. We have elected to proceed with chemotherapy treatment nonetheless, and it will begin tomorrow, March 17th, and run for three consecutive days. This is followed by 21 days of no treatment and then it starts again. Many of you have expressed an interest to help in some way and for that we are truly grateful. Rest assured we will certainly take you up on your generous offers. We are in the process of organizing and planning Norma (and Ralph's) needs and will provide you with ways to help in very short order. For the time being, please share this email with anyone you think we may have missed, and send us their phone numbers and email addresses. This will allow us to muster Norma's support network most effectively, as we help her regain her health and return to the many activities she shares with all of you. If you respond to this email and don't hear back right away, please know that updates will be posted as soon as the blog is developed.
Keep us in your prayers. Norma, Ralph and family
The treatment also includes flushing her kidneys to try to keep them healthy during the process. A doctor is on standby the entire time.
She had a brain MRI tonight. This will help Dr. Laufman and her partners pinpoint the source of the cancer. That is still a mystery. Adjustments will be made to her treatment program as more conclusive data becomes available.
For now, I'm just praying my mom and dad get some sleep tonight.
Some of you have asked for their address:
740 West Maple
Granville, OH 43023
P.S. E-mail from 3/16/09:
Thanks to all of you who know and love Norma and have expressed care and concern these last two weeks. We appreciate your support as we've tried to pinpoint Norma's illness. We will do our best to share information with you as we get it. A weblog is being set up over the next few days and updates will be posted. A link to the blog is forthcoming. Here's what we know so far: Norma has been released from the hospital and we met today with Dr. Leslie Laufman, her oncologist. Dr. Laufman confirmed that Norma has a malignancy of some kind, although the lab results are still inconclusive as to what type. We have elected to proceed with chemotherapy treatment nonetheless, and it will begin tomorrow, March 17th, and run for three consecutive days. This is followed by 21 days of no treatment and then it starts again. Many of you have expressed an interest to help in some way and for that we are truly grateful. Rest assured we will certainly take you up on your generous offers. We are in the process of organizing and planning Norma (and Ralph's) needs and will provide you with ways to help in very short order. For the time being, please share this email with anyone you think we may have missed, and send us their phone numbers and email addresses. This will allow us to muster Norma's support network most effectively, as we help her regain her health and return to the many activities she shares with all of you. If you respond to this email and don't hear back right away, please know that updates will be posted as soon as the blog is developed.
Keep us in your prayers. Norma, Ralph and family
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