Hi Everyone,
A combination of an extraordinarily busy schedule for me and quite a few significant changes in the treatment plan and progress has created the delay in updating this blog. I will catch everyone up here.
Mom began her treatment last Monday. Her initial treatment involves chemotherapy and radiation for the next six weeks. Her radiation is at 2:15 pm each weekday at St. Luke's Hospital on the Plaza. She takes an anti-nausea medication at 12:15 pm, followed by the chemotherapy Temodar capsule at 1:15 pm. She has reacted very well to the treatment and has had very few side effects. Sunday's Kansas City Star featured a story about brain cancer and treatment. There is a picture of a patient receiving the same or similar radiation treatment from the same office.
The doctors have reduced her steroid dose significantly. It has gone from 16 mg/day to 8 to 4 and now 2. This should help her relax and give her relief from the side effects of such a large steroid dose in a small body. Since she has always been a very high energy person running at a high rpm, the effect of the steroids could be compared to turbocharging a Ferrari!
Mom's main issue right now is some fairly serious back pain. We think this is the result of her return to exercise via elliptical machine. Fortunately, this pain is intermittent. Unfortunately, when it hits, it is pretty severe. She has stretches and pain meds to control this, and believes she's getting past this.
As always, keep the prayers and well-wishes coming. Mom's email is derek.linda@sbcglobal.net if you'd like to send her a message. She enjoys reading and responding.
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Jamey, You don't know me, but I'm an old friend of both your Mom and Dad. I basically grew up with your Dad as we lived close to one another for awhile in Mtn. Grove when we were young. We called each other best friends back then. Linda, Derek and I all knew each other well in high school. I graduated one year ahead of them, and I have not lived in Mtn. Grove or been in Missouri for any significant amount of time since high school. But I've managed to see your parents over the many years, from time to time, even if I haven't had the good fortune to be much a part of their lives.
ReplyDeleteI only heard about Linda's cancer last week from my Dad who still lives in the Mtn. Grove area. I called a mutual and old friend of ours, Mike Austin, to find out some details, and he put me onto your support blog. I will contact Derek and Linda right away, but I wanted to thank you directly for your open and frank description of the challenges my old friends have faced. I read through all your postings which brought tears to my eyes but also lifted my spirits and gave me great hope that this will turn out well. You all sound so very brave to me, especially Linda. Thank you for giving a stranger (to you) and a distant friend a chance to know the story and hope for the best.
Mike Wade
Sun Valley, Idaho