We Arrived. . .

Friday, my sister and I got to meet my moms Oncologist (my mom has known her for awhile, she does her iron transfusions). The Cancer Center is located in town, at the back of the hospital. The way back. Like you need a map and a compus to guide you. I am sure they do that for the privacy of those being treated for cancer, but it almost had a feeling of banishment. I thought I might see a sign that read, "You have hereby been banished to the farthest reaches of the hospital, where your bald head and pale complexion will not offend and/or scare the other patients! Please do not attempt to walk, drive or park in the main parking area of this facility. . .we mean it. . .don't do it. . . OR ELSE!" lol. Of course, I know, we were not being "banished,"all of the nurses, staff and doctors who work there are very nice and welcoming. After meeting Dr. O'Brien, we are confident that she will do everything in her ability to help my mom.

The Results. . .

If you have ever been in an exam room (who hasn't?) you notice they aren't all that roomy. So, the first obstacle we had was fitting me, my mom, and two babies in strollers in the already cramped space. Not to mention we needed to be nice and make a spot for the doctor too. After all of that was settled, the doc came in and told us some very relieving news. The spots on my mothers lungs are not cancerous! They are most likely scar tissue from a previous bought of pneumonia. Que the screams, hoops, and hollers of joy that radiated throughout the doctors office from me, my mom and my sister. However, it was a little bit worrisome that we have still not been given a definite answer about what stage or the severity of moms cancer. We do know these things, mom has Adenocarcinoma of the stomach, oh wait that is all we really know. So, on Tuesday, October 4th, she will be having a specialized test called an Endoscopy Ultrasound. This, my friends, should be the last test we will need to determine, the stage, severity, prognosis and exact treatment that she will need. So, keep on praying for good news. We want to hear that the tumor is small (or has miraculously disappeared, God can do that you know) and her lymphnodes are not affected.

Other News:

Mom has official been moved into Wendys house. She is enjoying her new room, that Wendy painted and decorated especially for her, and it certainly makes it more convenient for visits with the grandkids, because everyone is together. And it will also be easier on everyone during treatment and recovery.

Just a reminder that encourging comments on this blog are always welcome!

Waiting to exhale. . .

Waiting to exhale. . .that was all of us yesterday as we waited to hear the results of my moms CT Scan. After playing a very long game of phone tag with various doctors offices, we finally got the answer to an important question. Has the cancer metastasized to other parts of her body? Drum roll please. . .NO! There was no sign that the cancer has invaded her abdomen or her internal organs! Go ahead, do a little happy dance, we all did. We were are all very encouraged with the results of the CT and feel we have been given so much more hope as we contemplate moms future.
However, not to dampen this great news, there were two, very small spots on her lungs. BUT the doctor does not think they are anything to be concerned about. To be sure, she will undergo a PET lung scan (a radioactive imaging test) that will show the doctors exactly what those spots are. Then on Friday we get to meet with her Oncologist and get the low down about the treatment she will receive. Will this include surgery? Possibly. Will this include chemo and radiation? More than likely. Whatever lay ahead, we are choosing to keep a very positive attitude and outlook on the future!

Thank you for the support. . .

My mom and the family want to thank all of our friends and family who have already showed so much love and support, whether it be through encouraging words or prayers. Thank you to those who have become "followers" of this blog or signed up to get e-mail updates. All of your interest and care about my moms health and future means a lot to us.

To all who have signed up for e-mail updates; Please confirm with me by commenting on this blog or through FB, that you are receiving these updates. Thanks!

To All; Feel free to leave encouraging comments on this post. They help more than you know!

And So It Begins. . .

September 12, 2011 my mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer AKA Gastric Cancer or Adenocarcinoma of the stomach. After the shock and panic phaze of hearing the news that your loved one has cancer, survival mode seems to kick in and that is when you want all the answers to all the questions. You want to figure out how to lick this thing, but most of all you want to know that everything is going to be OK. Let's see, we are now on day 5 of this journey and I can honestly say the only thing we know for certain is that my mom has a cancerous tumor. However, answers will be coming to us soon. Today, September 16th, my mom had a CT Scan to find out whether or not the cancer has spread to any other part of her body. We will not know the results until Monday. On that day you can be certain that me, my sister, my dad, my bro-in-law, my hubby and especially my mom will all, litterally, be sitting by the phone, in her apartment, waiting for the phone to ring. It is kind of like that saying, "A watched pot never boils." I can tell you it sometimes feels like a watched PHONE never rings!
Well, friends and family, our special request from you is that you will please use the power of prayer to help get my mom through this scary time. Whatever lay ahead, we all believe that God is surrounding us with his love and grace. What His plans are for my mom, we do not know, but what we do know is that He is always with us.

For Your Information
Pam has been anemic for just over a year. Eight months ago she had a procedure called an endoscopy (a tube that is used to look at the upper GI tract, including stomach) to see if she was bleeding from somewhere. The test came back normal. Pams anemia got worse and she has been getting iron infusions every 4 weeks to keep her ferritin levels up. Recently she had a test where she swallowed a pill (about the size of large vitamin) that had a camera built into it. The pictures showed old blood in her small intestine. So, another endoscopy was ordered. The results to that test were immediate. And my mom was informed shortly after that she had stomach cancer. Which we now know is causing her anemia and some other symptoms she has been exhibiting, including fullness, stomach pains, and unexplained weight loss. Truth be told, none of us exspected this, least of all my mom.