We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Mom and I (with lots of help from Dad!) were able to make some pumpkin pies on Tuesday.  It took a lot of mom's energy!!!  But she really wanted to do something for our Thanksgiving meal.  Our day yesterday was very special.  The meal was great...but love of family was the BEST! 
Mom and Dad spent most of the day over at our house today while their cleaning lady was at their house.  It wasn't easy for mom to be here.  But I think it was good for her.  And we loved having her here.  Dad got a chance to go run a few errands.  Mom got to see our kids running around being crazy with their friends.  I even took her on a walk around the block in her wheelchair.  Even our dog, Kodi, loved having here...he curled up at her feet and took a nap.  We are hoping she will make it a weekly visit!
Love to you all.

More good results

Mom went back today for chemo (which went smoothly) and had her blood platelet and hemoglobin checked.  Again, her levels were above the infusion numbers (platelets 23 and red blood 10, which was up from the other day!).  Praise the Lord!
She will go back again tomorrow for another check.  With this being a holiday week, the Infusion Center is very busy, so most likely they will infuse her with platelets as her level nears the 20 mark (she gets infusions when it falls below 20). 
But this is all great news because she has gone one whole week without an infusion...which means her body is making/keeping its own blood cells/platelets.  Which must mean the cancer is decreasing in the bone marrow.  But I am not a doctor!  So I will defer to the medical team for a specific answer, if they know one!
For now, we rejoice in this great week and thank our God for His grace and mercy!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, all of you!   I know I speak for my parents when I say, that we are very thankful for all of you.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Saturday CBC results

Just wanted to report in...mom went to have her platelet and hemoglobin (red blood cells) checked on Saturday to see if she needed an infusion.  Good news!  Her levels were up, high enough that she didn't need the infusion that day.  Her last infusion was Monday (11/14) so she has gone 5 days without needing the infusion.  She had been needing infusions about every 4 days...so we are hoping that this means that the chemo and/or medications she is taking are working. 
She is going back in tomorrow (Monday) for her regularly scheduled intrathecal chemo.  They will do another CBC blood screen to check her platelets and hemoglobin again tomorrow. 
She has been trying to do some of her physical therapy exercises even though she is still very fatigued and her muscles are tired.  She is also maintaining her body weight which is good news too.  She is still very tired.  But I think she is looking forward to Thanksgiving.  I talked her into making pumpkin pies with me!  So we are going to do that this week.  We will have Thanksgiving dinner at their house.  Dad is cooking the turkey.  Kacey, Madison, Chloe and I are bringing all the side dishes.  
I will post again after chemo tomorrow to let you know how it all goes.
Love to you all. 

Hanging in there!

Sorry I haven't posted for a while.  Mom is doing well.  She has had a few long days at the Infusion center where she has had to get platelets and red blood cells.  Her platelets continue to be low, and infusions are necessary about every 5 days.  Also her red blood cell level also drops, which effects her energy level and oxygen, so she gets transfusions almost weekly. 
She is still very tired and weak, but she is trying very hard to gain more strength by eating well and doing her physical therapy exercises.  She knows that the stronger she gets, the harder she can fight this disease.
I was with her this morning while Dad went to golf (we are trying to get him out once a week!) and she told me to tell you all that she feels very loved and blessed.  Her friend Dyanne who visited from Florida spent time with her reading the blog and the comments you posted. 
This Monday she will have her chemo treatment.  During the treatment they will "test" her brain fluid to determine if the cancer cells are reducing in quantity.  That measurement will take about a week.  She is also continuing with the chemo pills, which she know takes a higher dose every 3 days.  She is also taking two mineral supplements that will hopefully strengthen her bones and work on her energy level.
We are all looking forward to a blessed Thanksgiving.  We have so very much to be thankful for.  We hope you all spend time with your loved ones, enjoying the love and grace of our Lord Jesus.

Gained 3 pounds!!!

It may not sound like much but it is wonderful news.  Mom has gained some weight this week, which is probably due to all the wonderful company she has had, feeding her great food and encouragement and love.
She also got the results of the bone marrow biopsy which showed that the cancer in her bones and marrow is the of the same make up as in her central nervous system...this is good because all the chemo they are giving her can work on this cancer too.  No new meds are needed.  Also the CT scan results were normal, meaning there is no cancer in any of her pelvic organs!  The pressure she is feeling must be from the drainage of the shunt.  But she is still have that pressure and it is somewhat uncomfortable.  So pray that her body starts to absorb the fluid at a faster rate.
She had chemo treatment today.  It all went well.  Tomorrow she will have her platelets checked and she will begin a new infusion therapy drug that will help strengthen her bones and reduce the cancer there. 
She has a friend visiting this week from Florida (Diane) who was a friend from high school that has reconnected with her.  She is a cancer survivor and is a very supportive friend to my mom.  We are blessed to have her here. 
"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."  Deut 33:27

Bone Marrow biopsy and another CT scan

The doctors did a bone marrow biopsy on mom Monday -- this is to give us more details about the make up of the cancer in the bone marrow and what type of treatment options she has to slow down the growth of those cells.  It was painless (atleast she did great!).  After the treatment both of my parents came over to our house to enjoy Trick or Treating.  They do this every year, so it was wonderful that they continued the tradition this year too.  It was fun for them to see our kids all dressed up and so excited to go out into the neigborhood.
Then on Tuesday mom had another CT scan, this time of her pelvis area because she is experiencing some discomfort/pressure.  We should find out the results to both tests on Monday when she meets with her oncologist and has her next round of chemo.
Over the weekend she had a very nice visit with her sisters Pat and Karen and her sister in law Terry.  They all drove down from the Bay Area.  Today some of her long-time friends arrive, Carol and Michael Galbraith and Shirely Blythe.  They all drove down together from the Tahoe area.  They will be here for a couple days.
Much love to you all
Mandy