A Cruise! and Clinical Trials?
Well, I seem to blog less and less frequently. I guess the activity has died down a bit and I have trouble finding 15 or 20 minutes most days. When I sit down I fall asleep right now. We do have a lot of things going on though. I apologize for the infrequency!
The best news we have right now is that we have booked a cruise!!!!!!!! Yes, everyone is going including all the kids. The big regret is that Josh will not be able to go. He will start classes on the 12th and if he misses more than 8 hours they have to hold him back for the next class. Have I told anyone how proud of him we are?! There will be 14 of us all together including 7 children! We will leave from New Orleans (just as they begin to celebrate Mardi Gras L) and cruise to Cozumel J! It will be a 4-day cruise and we are very excited. We had planned on going in the summer but when we found out about mom’s tumor regrowth we decided it might be now or never. I called the travel agent and said we want a cruise in 2 weeks for 14. She called right back with great prices and great news. We had less than 24 hours to decide and then we were thinking about where to find a swimsuit this time of year!
Then as soon as we get back from the cruise mom and I are headed to Maryland! The National Institutes of Health is located in Bethesda and we have an appointment. They have some clinical trials going on there that include the 2-chemo drugs we are interested in for mom. We do not want to take her up there to stay for an extended period of time and the thought of traveling frequently with her is bothersome. She is doing well but she does tire easily and hurried schedules are difficult for her. So, I guess we are going to see what they say. If they tell us there is really nothing else to be done then we will have to be satisfied I guess. It is just really hard to give up and wait to put her in hospice. She is too young for this. I read a cancer message board and so many are even younger than mom, many with children still at home. It makes me weep, but I also realize how blessed we have been to have mom for 61 years, especially in such good health.
Mom is doing well though. The oncologist Wednesday said that she was still an A+. He said that he thought she was mentally sharper this week over last week. She does not always answer his questions correctly, such as who is the governor etc., but she knows what you are asking and the generally direction of questions and conversation. He even asked her who the governor of CA was. I was shocked at such a difficult question, but I realized he is looking to see how she responds and figures out how to answer. He is looking for her to understand the questions he asks. He was impressed that being just 8 weeks out of radiation, she is still engaged with others. He said that often times there is nothing funny at this point and we were laughing in his office. He said that many times patients just lose the engagement and do not really focus on anything. So we are very grateful for mom. Also, we talked about how pleasant she is still. Often patients on high doses of steroids really turn angry and mean. Mom is still a lot like her old self, just very pleasant and agreeable. She does not laugh as often as she used to and conversations are difficult at best, but she still loves to be around family and friends. She watches TV and reads magazines and newspapers. She even cut out a classified add the other day to apply to be a firefighter! That really gave us a laugh!
We are still fighting a little yeast in her mouth but we are keeping it down to a gentle roar so far. I am afraid it will flare though. Also, her back has really been hurting lately. We say her doc last week and went back again yesterday. She injected the sciatic nerve with steroids and this seems to be helping more than anything else. She can move around better and grimaces a lot less. She was really in a lot of pain over the weekend. But we went to Wal Mart last night and she walked all over the store for about 1 hour. Her back hurt but she did great.
Steve and I are currently headed to Dallas. He has a business meeting tonight and tomorrow and I have a date with the sand man!!!!!!!!! I have everyone farmed out for the weekend and Anna will be with mom. Pray for her I think it will be a little hard for Anna. She has 4 kids and a full plate. She told me though that she did not want to come over tonight to get mom and find me sitting there! Mom will be with her cousins today. They have been so good to her over the years and especially the past few months. They are there whenever I call and that is such a big help to me. Thank you Becki and Joan!
And thank you to the rest of you that come and sit, have provided meals, cards, phone calls, plants, gifts, and most of all prayers. We covet your prayers so much. (I don’t think this breaks a commandment!) To know all of you are praying so hard for us is such a blessing. I can’t tell you how much that comforts me. On the days I fall asleep before finishing my prayers, or I am so sad I simply can’t put a sentence together, I know you are lifting us up to our wonderful heavenly Father and He always listens, always! I don’t know how anyone goes through this without faith in God and without such wonderful Christian brothers and sisters! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Mom would love it too!
Well, I seem to blog less and less frequently. I guess the activity has died down a bit and I have trouble finding 15 or 20 minutes most days. When I sit down I fall asleep right now. We do have a lot of things going on though. I apologize for the infrequency!
The best news we have right now is that we have booked a cruise!!!!!!!! Yes, everyone is going including all the kids. The big regret is that Josh will not be able to go. He will start classes on the 12th and if he misses more than 8 hours they have to hold him back for the next class. Have I told anyone how proud of him we are?! There will be 14 of us all together including 7 children! We will leave from New Orleans (just as they begin to celebrate Mardi Gras L) and cruise to Cozumel J! It will be a 4-day cruise and we are very excited. We had planned on going in the summer but when we found out about mom’s tumor regrowth we decided it might be now or never. I called the travel agent and said we want a cruise in 2 weeks for 14. She called right back with great prices and great news. We had less than 24 hours to decide and then we were thinking about where to find a swimsuit this time of year!
Then as soon as we get back from the cruise mom and I are headed to Maryland! The National Institutes of Health is located in Bethesda and we have an appointment. They have some clinical trials going on there that include the 2-chemo drugs we are interested in for mom. We do not want to take her up there to stay for an extended period of time and the thought of traveling frequently with her is bothersome. She is doing well but she does tire easily and hurried schedules are difficult for her. So, I guess we are going to see what they say. If they tell us there is really nothing else to be done then we will have to be satisfied I guess. It is just really hard to give up and wait to put her in hospice. She is too young for this. I read a cancer message board and so many are even younger than mom, many with children still at home. It makes me weep, but I also realize how blessed we have been to have mom for 61 years, especially in such good health.
Mom is doing well though. The oncologist Wednesday said that she was still an A+. He said that he thought she was mentally sharper this week over last week. She does not always answer his questions correctly, such as who is the governor etc., but she knows what you are asking and the generally direction of questions and conversation. He even asked her who the governor of CA was. I was shocked at such a difficult question, but I realized he is looking to see how she responds and figures out how to answer. He is looking for her to understand the questions he asks. He was impressed that being just 8 weeks out of radiation, she is still engaged with others. He said that often times there is nothing funny at this point and we were laughing in his office. He said that many times patients just lose the engagement and do not really focus on anything. So we are very grateful for mom. Also, we talked about how pleasant she is still. Often patients on high doses of steroids really turn angry and mean. Mom is still a lot like her old self, just very pleasant and agreeable. She does not laugh as often as she used to and conversations are difficult at best, but she still loves to be around family and friends. She watches TV and reads magazines and newspapers. She even cut out a classified add the other day to apply to be a firefighter! That really gave us a laugh!
We are still fighting a little yeast in her mouth but we are keeping it down to a gentle roar so far. I am afraid it will flare though. Also, her back has really been hurting lately. We say her doc last week and went back again yesterday. She injected the sciatic nerve with steroids and this seems to be helping more than anything else. She can move around better and grimaces a lot less. She was really in a lot of pain over the weekend. But we went to Wal Mart last night and she walked all over the store for about 1 hour. Her back hurt but she did great.
Steve and I are currently headed to Dallas. He has a business meeting tonight and tomorrow and I have a date with the sand man!!!!!!!!! I have everyone farmed out for the weekend and Anna will be with mom. Pray for her I think it will be a little hard for Anna. She has 4 kids and a full plate. She told me though that she did not want to come over tonight to get mom and find me sitting there! Mom will be with her cousins today. They have been so good to her over the years and especially the past few months. They are there whenever I call and that is such a big help to me. Thank you Becki and Joan!
And thank you to the rest of you that come and sit, have provided meals, cards, phone calls, plants, gifts, and most of all prayers. We covet your prayers so much. (I don’t think this breaks a commandment!) To know all of you are praying so hard for us is such a blessing. I can’t tell you how much that comforts me. On the days I fall asleep before finishing my prayers, or I am so sad I simply can’t put a sentence together, I know you are lifting us up to our wonderful heavenly Father and He always listens, always! I don’t know how anyone goes through this without faith in God and without such wonderful Christian brothers and sisters! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Mom would love it too!
posted by Angie at 12:28 AM
3 Comments:
I hope you have a great trip!
Please tell Faye I adore her and am praying for her. She was a big comfort to me during a bad time in my life and I just wanted her to know I am praying for her. It sounds like she has wonderful support from her family. God is good!
Mary Ellen (UCA)
Mary Ellen,
Thank you. We have a wonderful mom. She is a beautiful person. And yes, God is very good - all the time!
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