Mom's Progress: Dec 21, 2008

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Important Update

Hi,
Today was a benchmark day. Last evening, Dr. Cross, Mom's oncologist, called to say that although the gastroenterologist was willing to do a procedure to get a much larger biopsy from the metastatic nodes in the mediastinum (area between the lungs), he could not do it until Jan. 9 which was unacceptably too long a wait. We need a large biopsy now so that Dr. Cross will be able to start chemo w/ the correct agent - hopefully by Monday. He called this afternoon. (Mom was sleeping b/c we had 1) gone to the salon for a haircut, 2)gone shopping @ Talbot's & Joseph Bank. That was A LOT for her but she was having so much fun it was worth her long nap afterwards).

The scoop from Dr. Cross:
He's arranged for a surgeon to do the biopsy - a bit invasive but necessary - either late Tuesday night w/ discharge in the am OR early Wednesday am with discharge in afternoon.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON OR AVAILABILITY. DR. MCGRATH CAN DO EITHER DAY BUT NEEDS AN OR TO DO IT.

So, Mom will have general anesthesia; Dr. will check out all of her lung passages to be sure there is no blockage causing her cough; get a nice, complete node (no needle aspirations or lg. cuttings). Cross wants an entire mass so he can identify with certainty the primary source & select with certainty the exact chemo agent to use to kill it. He does not think she will be susceptible to any hair loss but her immune system will be compromised so we must be very careful re: visitors w/ flu, sniffles, coughs, etc. Lastly, the surgeon will put a "Mediport" in place. Thise is a semi-permanent, large bore IV catheter which will be stitched in place & used for the chemo treatments and clamped off when not in use.

The discomfort factor is de minimus and Dr. Cross' plan is excellent re: getting started with the big guns. The radiology totally wiped out the grapefruit on her shoulder (Henry) but there will be a lump for a while until the remaining dead tissue is re-absorbed by the body.

So that's the plan for now. Dr. Cross is always a pager away and he, like all of us, is praying that the procedure can be done late Tuesday night so Mom can be comfortable and rested and excited enough about PROGRESS that she will eat, drink & be merry with the Fam & the newly born savior. Hope you get this missive,

God Bless,
Lorane

Leenie Sunday

If only Eileen felt as strongly as Emma about pasta, we'd be ahead ofour game. So far today, I've only managed to coax her to drink 16 ozs. of vitamin water. I'm afraid Nurse Ratchet will have to pay a visit. She must move around or let me pat her back to get the lung secretions moving out. And, like it or not, she will eat some pasta salad. I know Declan and Molly wouldn't take hers.
Perhaps some phone calls will get her going. So far it's been a big nap day following a restful night.
Will let you know how things went @ bed time.
Lorane