Mom Update

My mom has been battling cancer for the past few years.  Traditional chemotherapy treatments do not put her cancer into remission, so she undergoes cancer treatment every 6 months.  The cancer treatments kill off her immune system and it takes her about 4 months before she recovers enough to have energy to do her normal daily routine. 

In April, mom caught pneumonia which aggravated her COPD.  The medications she received eventually helped her recover, but she had a cough all summer.  One positive of her pneumonia was that she finally got a regular doctor.

Mom caught another cold a few weeks ago and is having a difficult time breathing.  Her COPD is so bad that she can't walk up a flight of stairs.  Washing a few dishes is impossible for her, so mom has moved in with my sister until she recovers.  Mom went to her doctor last Monday and is bordering on pneumonia once again.  She completed a cancer treatment in August, so her immune system is almost non-existent.  

The doctor prescribed 4 medications.  She was able to purchase 2 of them, but the remaining two medicines will cost her 70 percent of her monthly income.  Her doctor will not change the prescriptions to less expensive drugs.  Mom's local pharmacist is consistently calling the doctor's office for alternatives, but is meeting resistance.  I think it's time to look for a different doctor. 

We realize that many drugs are expensive to develop, test, and produce,  but there are other drugs that may be less effective available.  Why is the doctor unwilling to prescribe a less expensive drug?  Most people don't have thousands of dollars to spend on medications each month.  Mom doesn't expect the most cutting-edge drugs, but the older drugs are normally much less expense.  Mom doesn't have any other underlying health issues and isn't on any prescriptions, so drug interactions are not a concern.  It just doesn't make sense.

Mom Update

My mom completed her new chemotherapy treatment last week. She managed to get through the month of weekly treatment fairly well. Her biggest fear had been the side effects that happened with her normal chemotherapy treatment. The new treatment made her tired, but she didn't lose her hair, have the terrible nausea, or get as depressed as she has in the past.

Today, she went to her cancer doctor and learned that the lumps have disappeared and her blood work looks good. She returns to the doctor in 2 months for another assessment. The plan is to continue with this new treatment every 6 months for the rest of her life. The normal chemotherapy doesn't put her lymphoma in remission as it does for 90% of lymphoma patients.

I'm so thankful that this treatment seems to be something that she can tolerate and will keep the lymphoma from spreading throughout her body.

Mom Update

My mom had her first chemotherapy session yesterday. It didn't go well. She had an allergic reaction to the drugs and ended up staying hours longer than originally planned. She is very out-of-it and couldn't speak coherently last night when
I spoke with her on the phone. The doctor plans on giving her a second dose of the chemotherapy drugs today. Amy may need to go up to Lansing to stay with my mom after the chemo session. We won't know until later this morning, if she needs to go. Everything is up in the air and I'm not getting very good information.

Mom Update

My mom celebrated her 70th birthday yesterday. I took the kids over during the morning to spend some time with her and take her a birthday gift. We got off to a late start, but we were able to spend some time with my sister, Margie at the same time. Margie is expecting her second child around Halloween, but will probably deliver early.

Mom was glad that my siblings and I all made it to her house. She's been down in the dumps lately worrying about her cancer situation. She went to the doctor today and learned that the cancer has spread a lot. They want to begin chemotherapy asap, but are waiting to see what type of treatment will be covered by her Medicare and Medicare supplement. The doctor thinks that the new (read much more expensive) treatment would work much better, but we just don't have the $10,000 to pay for it if it isn't covered by insurance.

My mom has also discovered that her home needs a lot of very expensive repairs. Her roof is leaking and mildew is growing in the plaster and drywall. Many of her windows are rotted through. She lives in a 150 year old farm house and the windows are enormous. Each window would need to be custom made. Several bees and hornets have built nests in the attic of her two story home. A ground hog has moved into her garage (which has a dirt floor and is attached to her home. She is afraid that he will end up digging through the crawl space under her home. None of these projects are something that I can tackle. I don't have the money to pay for these repairs. We have been suggesting that she sell this house since my dad died 8+ years ago. My mom just doesn't have the resources to handle the upkeep and she doesn't want to move.

Mike and I are really concerned about her situation and aren't sure how to handle it. She is competent and has all her facilities, so we don't have the ability to get her out of this situation. She should simply move in with one of her children and sell her house and acreage. Unfortunately, her children can't make this decision for her.

Doctor, Dentist, and Surgeon

The last week has been spent in waiting rooms. Monday, our family had 6 dental appointments and 1 doctor appointment. The dental appointments were all for cleanings and only 2 cavities were discovered. Katie had a doctor appointment on Monday for her weight loss. She was down to 94 pounds and I was concerned. The doctor ordered several tests for her thyroid, blood sugar and iron count. The results won't be in for another week or two.

Tuesday, my mom had her second cataract surgery. The surgery went well and she is seeing much better. She was surprised at how bad her eye sight had been. I'm so thankful that everything went well and that she will be able to drive again.

Wednesday, Katie had a small cavity filled.

Thursday, Allie had an upset stomach and a night of vomiting.

Next week, Joe will go to the dentist for his 6 month cleaning and then we are through with the dentist for 6 months. I still need to get appointments for the children to get their annual physical.

Cataract Surgery

My mom had cataract surgery yesterday. We spent the day in Jackson at the eye specialist/surgeon. The doctor developed the currently used procedure for cataract removal. The surgery went very well. Between the testing and actual surgery, mom and I were at the hospital for over 5 hours. She needs to return next week to have the other eye done. That visit will only be about 3 hours, because she will not need all of the tests. Amy is going to drive my mom for that visit, because we will have started school.

It was a long day, but I enjoyed spending so much time with my mom. We were able to talk about her up-coming chemotherapy sessions and the jobs that still need to be done to prepare her house for winter. My mom misses having my family live closer to her. We had planned on having her visit us for a couple of week this summer, but we couldn't get our schedules to coordinate. The kids and I will make a couple of trips to her house this fall, while the weather is still nice. It's important that my mom keep a positive attitude during her chemotherapy.

Mom Update

My mom was diagnosed with cancer last year and underwent several months of chemotherapy. Her cancer doctor explained that it could take a year for the chemo chemicals to leave her body, so she might take awhile to regain her energy level. Mom last had chemotherapy last August and she still tires very quickly. A trip to Walmart requires a nap. Going to church on Sunday means that she will be wiped out for the remainder of the day.

A few weeks ago, Mom had a check up with her cancer doctor. There are lumps in her legs again that are cause for concern. If they continue to grow, she will need to undergo another bout of chemotherapy. Mom is pretty sure that she will need chemo again in a few months.

On Monday, my mom went to the eye doctor and learned that she has cataracts in both eyes. She shouldn't be driving and will need surgery. Mom is scurrying around to find an eye surgeon to give her the surgery before she needs chemo therapy. While mom and I were talking, I learned that my pregnant sister also has cataracts and needs surgery. My sister can't have surgery until after she delivers. My sister does a lot of errands with my mom. I have concerns about the two of them driving, because they literally are the blind leading the blind. Hopefully, I can take mom for her eye surgery very soon, so that the two of them are not involved in any accidents.

Mom's Cancer Update

Mom is scheduled to visit her cancer doctor next week for a consultation and physical check-up. She expected to get the results from her last battery of tests. Today the hospital called with the test results. She was told that everything looks good and that the chemo took care of the cancer. She will need to go back in three months for another round of tests.

My mom turns 69 on Sunday. What a wonderful early birthday present!

Mom Update

Mom and I went for her post-Chemo check-up with her cancer doctor. Her white count is good for someone undergoing chemo-therapy and her lymphnodes have significantly decreased in size. The doctor lowered my mom's steroids for the next two weeks, because she would like to have her off of them in 2 more weeks. The doctor is very happy with the way the treatment is going and believes that Mom will continue to feel really good throughout her treatment.

I am so thankful that the treatment is working so well and that my mom feels so much better than she has in a long time. Unfortunately, my mom's children are struggling with relationships between themselves. My brother's wife kept trying to plan my mom's treatment and her finances. Mom resented the interference and feelings were hurt. My sis-in-law was trying to be helpful and her actions were done out of worry and love, but my mom doesn't want to be treated like a child. She is capable of making decisions about her life.

One of my sisters is pressuring my mom to move into her home. This sister recently purchased a large home because she wanted a place for my mom to live when she could no longer be on her own. My mom isn't ready to give up her independence and doesn't want to move in with my sister at this time. Mom said that she would consider staying with my sister in January and February when the temperatures are so cold. My sister called me to let me know that Mom would be moving in with her as soon as chemo was finished. When I mentioned that Mom still valued her independence and asked that people not pressure her right now, my sister blew up at me. The phone call ended badly.

I love my siblings, but really want a break from all of their drama. Emotions are running too high and I can no longer cope with being yelled at because people are upset. No one is trying to attack anyone and the yelling sessions are more because they are concerned about my mom, but I have enough stress right now and just don't want to deal with it any longer.

There are no big family gatherings planned this summer, and I'm thankful.

Mom Update

Mom began chemo yesterday. The process took about 4-1/2 hours. Mom was quite tired after the treatment, but didn't feel nauseous when I spoke to her around 6 last night. She's spent last night at my brother's home and had 1 hour of treatment today. I'll pick her up tomorrow and take her to the cancer center, then bring her home. The nurse mentioned that my mom would not get ill from today's or tommorrow's treatments.

Mom Update

I took my mom for a chemotherapy training appointment today. We toured the office and learned about the changes that my mom can expect during the next 4 months. Initially, the doctor had wanted to include Rituxan. Mom has chosen to not have the Rituxan included in her treatment because the cost is so prohibitive. The Rituxan quadruples the amount of money my mom would need to pay for each treatment. She simply doesn't have $1500 each month for chemotherapy as well as all the other medical expenses.

The doctor has said that mom will have more nausea without the Rituxan and that she will lose all her hair. Mom and I are going wig shopping before she begins her chemo. I think she'd find it uncomfortable to be going out in public without hair. On the positive side, without Rituxan her treatments will require much less time at the chemo center.

We're trying to figure out how to make sure that mom has healthy quick meal available when she is fatigued. We also discussed that she will be unable to do lawn work and probably won't feel up to cleaning regularly. I'm going to go and mow one full day each week. Mom's yard takes approximately 20 hours each week, to just keep it mowed. My brother is in need of another hip replacement and can't do yard work. Two of my sisters have toddlers, and the third sister is having a severe life upheaval. She's left her husband and has a huge mess in her immediate family. I really can't count on her doing anything to help our mom during this time. My three older children have pollen/grass allergies, so they can't mow either.

Katie and Amy have offered to help keep mom's house work under control. I'm not really sure how this is all going to come together, but it WILL be fine.

Next week mom has her port put in on Tuesday. The following Monday, she will begin chemotherapy. My brother and sister-in-law are having mom spend Monday and Tuesday night at their home. So I'll drive her up on Monday and stay with her through the treatment, then drop her off at my brother's home. On Wednesday, I'll pick her up from my brother's house and take her to the clinic for treatment and then drive her home. I'm really thankful that I don't need to drive on Tuesday. My kids are being understanding about watching the younger girls, but three days in a row will cause friction between the older kids as they each try to gain total control.

Mom Update

My mom's appointment with her cancer doctor went very well today. Her cancer is at stage 3, but due to the type of cancer it is highly treatable. Mom will need to undergo chemotherapy for the next four months. She will begin with treatment every day for three days. After four weeks, mom will return for another 3-day session. After the four months, it will be necessary for mom to be screened every month for 3 months. As long as the results are good, she will only need to return for screenings every three months.

The physician stated that Mom could easily live another 20 years with successful treatment. My mom's health is very good and the doctor is confident that the chemotherapy will work. Mom was put on steroids today to shrink the lymph nodes that are in her groin and upper thighs. She should be more energetic for Easter, than she has been in the last few months.

My wonderful sister-in-law is helping mom and me look for ways to pay for the chemotherapy. Mom is on Medicare and has no other insurance. Dad didn't leave her with any savings, so her entire income is Social Security. My sil thinks that Mom will qualify for Medicaid to help pay for the drugs, tests, and treatment. She also mentioned that if Mom applies for Medicaid and is denied the hospital will often use charitable contributions to write off most/all of the remaining expenses. My sil works for the hospital where Mom will be receiving her chemotherapy.

My mom is thinking more positively about having cancer and undergoing treatment. Thanks for your prayers!

Mom Update

We got the results of my mom's biopsy. She was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She is either in stage two or three. Her underlying health is very good, but the masses are in both legs. Originally, it was thought that the cancer was in only the lower half of her body, but they discovered that her spleen was enlarged during the biopsy, so more testing will be required. Mom is being very strong and will be telling my remaining siblings this weekend.

Please pray for my mom's health and our family situation. There is a severe strain between one sister and three siblings. The sister left her husband and family back in May and moved in with another sister. She is planning on divorcing her husband in the near future. My sister has withdrawn from the family and is acting unpredictably. She loves drama and I'm worried that more stress will be created for my mom.

I've spent most of the last 2 weeks taking mom to the hospital and doctor's offices. The amount of visits will be greatly increasing. My youngest daughter is acting out a great deal, which she tends to do if I'm not around. No school has gotten done this week and we can't afford to have another unfinished year.

Mom's Biopsy

Mom had her biopsy yesterday. She had an early morning appointment and I left the house before most of the kids were awake. My brother Dave and sister-in-law Rosa were already at the hospital when Mom and I arrived. The waiting time before surgery was difficult for mom, but the surgery itself went very well. The surgical time was about 20 minutes less than expected and mom was out of recovery 1 hour earlier than stated.

I spent the day with Mom at her house in case she needed assistance. Mom and I had several conversations about her thoughts on dealing with possible cancer. She is optimistic and scared at the same time, but has confidence in the Lord's plan for her. At one point, I asked her if she would undergo chemotherapy if the doctor recommended that treatment. She said that she would probably have chemo, which eased a lot of my concern. At various points in her life, my mom had stated that she would never have chemo.

Mom has an appointment at the end of the month to find out the results and treatment of the tumor. If the pathology results are available before then, the surgical doctor will schedule an appointment with the endocrinologist before her appointment.

Weekend Activities

Friday, I drove my mom to the hospital for some further testing before her biopsy on Tuesday. The doctors will be determining the type of masses she has in her lymph nodes.

The temperature was in the mid-60's on Friday, so I spent the afternoon trimming trees and clipping bushes. The work should have been accomplished in the fall, but I never got around to it. The children cleaned out the dog kennel and picked trash from the yard. Steve got out his skateboard for a while and discussed building a new ramp for the summer.

Our church's Pioneer group had a sleep over on Friday. Madelyn and Paige were dropped off around 6:00pm. Amy, Katie, Steve, and Joe wanted to see Mall Cop so they went to the theater in Otsego after dropping the younger girls off at church. Mike and I saw the movie on our anniversary. Allie and I spent the evening playing Wii Fit and eating gourmet caramel corn. It is so rare that Allie and I have time alone together. She really had fun and we had a silly evening!

Saturday morning, I drove back to Otsego to pick up Madelyn and Paige from church. Amy needed to get back to school, so we drove up to her college from church. We didn't get home until after 1:30pm. For some unknown reason, I decided to sort out the large book cases in our living room. Nine shelves have been sorted and one large box has been filled with garage sale books. The living room is still torn up, but hopefully I'll complete the project Monday.

Mike had car problems Saturday night, so he took my van to work today. We weren't able to go to church due to Mike's work schedule. I spent the day thawing out our big freezer, completing 12 loads of laundry, washing out the freezer and returning the food, and working on the ironing.

The house is in various stages of organization and cleanliness. We're going to do our spring cleaning this week. I'll be gone on Tuesday and part of Wednesday, because of mom's surgery. The kids will be able to get their closets and bedrooms shipshape while I'm gone, so the week will still be productive.