Another Infusion

Mom was very tired this week after her chemo treatment Monday.  She has been sleeping a lot and doing her best to eat as many calories as she can.  She had her platelet levels checked today, they were below the desired level of 20...so she had an infusion.  She will go back again Monday to have them rechecked (she is scheduled to have them checked 3 times a week now, MWF). 
She is also scheduled to have a bone marrow biopsy on Monday. This is a fairly painless procedure where they will draw a small sample of bone marrow from her hip so they can test it to determine if there are cancerous cells in the marrow.  They can also determine the type of cancer cells so they can select the best chemo treatments for to treat the bone marrow cancer.  The chemo she is currently receiving is focused on the cancer in her central nervous system fluid (brain fluid).
Her spirits remain strong and she seems to find great joy in having my dad treat her like a queen.  She is always telling him how much she loves him (and us!).  Her smile is beautiful!

Chemo day

Today was mom's 2nd dose of intrathecal chemotherapy-- where the chemo is given into the new port in her head and goes directly into her spinal fluid.  She did great, no pain, no problems.  Just a long day at the cancer center.  She did have to have a platelet infusion because her level dropped 20.
She also had her first dose of systemic chemo, which she takes as pills daily.  This chemo will go directly into her blood stream and affect her bone marrow and other blood/organs that may be affected.
Tony was in town over the weekend visiting, along with my mom's youngest brother Bill and his wife Cindy. 
Thank you for your continued prayers.  If I could be so bold...would you please add our son Brayden to your prayer list!  He has a slight case of pneumonia (high fever and bad cough).  As you can imagine, I have had my fill of doctor's offices.  We just got our daughter well from a long bought of fever and before that Brayden had strep...so we could use some wellness here!
Mom will go back to have her platelets checked on Wed and Fri.  She will continue with the systemic chemo everyday for a month.  And she will repeat the Itrathecal chemo in two weeks.
God bless you
Mandy

Holding steady!

Mom's platelet level today was just one point off yesterday, which is good news.  She did not have to have a platelet infusion (she will only be infused when it drops below 20-- today it was 24).  She will be checked again on Monday morning before her chemo treatment.  If it is below 20, she will get an infusion.  Either way, the chemo treatment is scheduled for 11am Monday.  This treatment does not affect her blood stream, so there is no risk with low platelets.  It is directed at her central nervous system fluid (brain fluid) and will be injected into the port which was placed into her head.
Mom continues to be tired, but I think we all are!  There is just so much going on.  Her eyes are bright and she looks happy and still has no pain!  Praise the Lord.

Low platelets

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days.  I know many of you have contacted me for an update.  Mom is still pain free!  The shunt seems to be working to keep the pressure down.  Unfortunately now her blood platelet level and hemoglobin levels are very low.  She had to have a transfusion yesterday.  She will go back to the doctor tomorrow morning, they will test the blood levels again.  Hopefully, the platelet level will hold.  They are not sure what is driving the reduction of platelets, they have taken her off some of her medications in hopes that that may be the cause.  She is scheduled for a chemo treatment Monday.
She has also being treated for slight pneumonia, which is from the surgery.  She is still very tired but has had a few great visits with friends and family.  She has started physical and occupational therapies which will hopefully help her maintain some strength (physically and mentally). 
My dad is taking amazing care of her!  He rarely leaves her side, but we are trying to get him back to the gym and he even go to go golfing this week.  He is so encouraging and loving toward her.  It is wonderful to see how much love they have for each other!
Thank you for the meals, flowers, cards and prayers!
Please pray for stable blood levels and physical strength to continue chemotherapy.

Home sweet home

Mom came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  She is happy to home but is obviously tired.  She will continue chemo this week and will also have to have soe physical and occupational therapy to improve her strength and memory.
Thank you for all the cards, visits, support and love.

Successful surgery

The surgery was a success. Mom is doing great.  The shunt has relieved the pressure and many of her symptoms are gone.  Now that she has a port for the chemo, they will tackle fighting the cancer spread.  That will continue next week.  She is expected to go home tomorrow.

Thank you all for your prayers.  God was present and merciful. 

Surgery day

Sorry I didnt post yesterday.  Mom had a tough day yesterday with a great deal of back pain and she slept most of the day.  But maybe thatv was Gods way of making her rest for today.
We are sitting in pre op getting ready for surgery.
Please pray for her to be strong and fight hard.
I will update you when it is over.

Good day

Just wanted to try and give you all daily updates.  We will see how faithful I can be with sitting down each night to do this!  Life has been very busy.
But I know how much you all want to be updated on my mom.  She had a good day today.  It seems as though she was a bit stronger, could walk better and felt overall much better than previous days.  The procedure she had yesterday must be working!
We spent most of the day at UCSD Thornton hospital going through pre-op appointments, getting her prepared for the surgical procedure for this Thursday.  She did so well...staying awake from 5:45am until almost 2:30pm.  With a busy day of appointments and talking with doctors and nurses...she was a trooper.
She enjoyed time this evening with her granddaughter Madison and her boyfriend Jarrod.  And of course, Mike and Joan are still here helping my parents with so much (cooking, cleaning, but mostly love and support). 
Most likely my mom will have the surgery Thursday to implant the shunt into her head to help relieve the build up of the brain fluid.  We are still praying about the surgery decision and talking it over as a family.
We are so blessed by all the emails, calls, text messages and love that we are getting from so very many family and friends.  I do my best to read all of your responses to my mom.  So please continue to post them when you feel like you have a message for her.
Love you all,
Mandy

Lumbar puncture & chemo success

Today mom had a lumbar puncture which drained some of the spinal fluid that has been creating pressure inside her head.  They also administered two chemotherapy agents which should act quickly on the cancer cells in her central nervous system.
This evening she showed signs of improvement-- having no headache pain and no nausea.  She also had much more stability while walking (she could barely walk at all this morning).  She sat and had dinner with my dad, Uncle Mike, Aunt Joan, my husband Bryan and myself in her bedroom sitting area.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner of scallops, rice and green beans lovingly prepared by Aunt Joan.  Mom ate better tonight than she has in weeks, even enjoyed dessert.  She walked without assistance and went to bed without pain medicine.
The doctors do feel it is necessary that a shunt be surgically placed into her head to continue to disperse the excess fluid from her brain into her belly area.  This will help to keep her symptoms away.  They also would like to implant a port into the other side of her head to administer the chemo agents directly to the brain area, rather than into her spinal column.  This surgical procedure could happen as early as this Thursday.  We will keep you posted.
In the meantime, thank you for all your prayers today.   God was listening!  And please continue to pray for her healing.  Every day is a new day.  And we feel blessed to have each one of them.

Mom is home from hospital

They let my mom come home from the hospital late last night.  There are no more tests to do, and they say she will be more comfortable at home.  We all agree!  Because of the cancer cells in her brain fluid, she is experiencing brain seizures that cause her to lose her words and make it hard for her to speak and remember things.  She is taking an anti-seizure medication that seems to be helping keep the seizures from happening.  She is very tired and she sleeps a great deal. 
Monday she will begin a new chemotherapy treatment that will attack the cancer in her central nervous system.  The drug will be administered through an injection into her spine.  The doctor says that we could see improvement after the first round of therapy.  She will have treatments every other week. 
We have been receiving so many calls, emails and words for support and prayers.  Thank you all for your love and encouragement.  Please continue to hold up my mom and dad in prayer.  Pray for God's healing power over my mom's body and for Him to give my dad strength and courage as he faces this journey.
Much love,
Mandy

Standing firm in the faith

My devotional this morning was 1 Corinthians 16:13, " Be on guard, Stand firm in the faith.  Be courageous. Be strong."    So that is what I will do.
The doctors have told us that there was no stroke all along.  That the cancer has spread into mom's central nervous system (brain fluid and bone marrow).  We are still waiting on more test results to confirm it is anywhere else in her organs.  But it wasn't the news we had hoped for.
A neurology oncologist will be meeting with us later today to give us some treatment options that will eleviate her symptoms and slow down the cancer growth.  We are hopeful that they will let her go home very soon. 
Please continue to pray.