Sunday, January 26, 2014

The ringing of the bell...

Friday was a day for celebration...Mom's last day of chemo and radiation for this first round.  They have a bell at MD Anderson that the patients ring.  Since she's been going, we've heard others ring it and have cheered.  The radiation techs came out to see her ring the bell and they all hugged goodbye.  For a while, I had honestly developed a negative outlook, especially after hearing this is not likely the last round of chemo and radiation.  I had to check myself, though, and rethink that outlook.  This will be incredibly difficult if my focus is on how much longer this will take or how bad the prognosis is.  She just overcame a huge obstacle and that's an accomplishment worth cheering for.  These next couple of months leading up to the surgery are going to be about enjoying life.  And I know she's excited she gets to sleep a little later. :)

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

2 more days...

Mom has two more days of chemo and radiation.  While originally we were looking forward to this day and her ringing the bell to signal the end, this week brought a bit of darkness.  I'm not sure 'darkness' is the right word, but it hasn't been the brightest and happiest of weeks.  She met with the surgeon on Tuesday.  She will have a portion of her colon removed at the beginning of April.  Without going into all of the details now, basically she could be looking at an 8 month recovery.  They also revealed that there will be at least one more round of chemo and radiation at some point after the surgery.  Needless to say, Tuesday was hard for her.  But, I know I have to keep reminding myself that it is so much more important to focus on each day as we have it, rather than dreading what is to come.  I get to take her to her last two appointments this week, and while this isn't the end of all of this and the cancer, we do have something to celebrate.  It is the end of this round and she has done remarkably well.  She is such an incredible woman and inspiration.  She truly is my hero.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Halfway there...

Yesterday marked day 14 of Mom's chemo and radiation.  That means she is halfway through with the treatment.  She's been doing incredibly well.  She did have to admit yesterday that she has experienced a bit of nausea.  Her loss of appetite, which she brushed off as nothing, has apparently been bouts of nausea.  She finally succumbed to taking the nausea meds they prescribed in the beginning.  Since it was Friday, she had the Weekly See appointment again.  As with last week, the fill-in doc was there again.  He has to have the worst bedside manner EVER!!  And absolutely no personality whatsoever.  He is awful.

We also met with the chemo doctor.  He was pleasant, although he asked the question I think we have all been avoiding.  When is the surgery scheduled?  I think she is more worried about the surgery and recovery from it, than she is about the chemo, radiation, and actual cancer.  No more avoiding it, though.  She now has an appointment scheduled with the surgeon.  We are guessing surgery will take place in March.

All I can really say at this point is...cancer really sucks.