Post 5

This has been another good week for Mom.

Monday the 1st she had blood work taken at the Oncologist’s office. Dr. Gowda has decided to change Mom’s treatment schedule after doing a little more research on Mom’s behalf as well as talking to a few of her colleagues. The is going to give Mom intrathecals every two weeks for 4 cycles and give her chemo every three weeks for 6 cycles. To give Mom a better chance of warding off any change of brain cancer.

She lost 10 pounds already. It just may be that Mom lost the weight in fluids. Some patients lose weight one week and gain it back the next. Her white blood cells are half of what the doctor wants them to be (.7 instead of 1.5 minimum). Mom has to protect herself, so it is thumbs down for any public places (including the swimming pool at the YMCA).

Mom, Dad and I went to our family doctor on Wednesday the 3rd and he took blood. Her blood pressure is too low (66/80), so she had to stop taking her blood pressure medicine. Hopefully, by the end of the week she won’t get so dizzy when she stands up. Her thyroid numbers are off, so he had to write her a new prescription for that. Maybe she won’t be so anxious when she gets the next round of steroids if her thyroid gets back in normal range. Her blood sugars are too high from the steroids so the doctor wants her to try and keep them below 250 if and any time she can. The nurses said that for some chemo patients their blood sugars spike to the 400’s. I do not think Mom will have that problem as her blood sugars are in the 100’s and 200’s after this first cycle.

We feel that all the bases are being covered. It does not surprise us that all of these little adjustments are being made to keep her regulated during this process. We are so fortunate that so many doctors are monitoring her from different angles.

Tomorrow, Mom will be going in for her second intrathecal spinal procedure. Michael used to play this video game called Street Fighter and before the player would start each round, the game announcer would say “Round one. Ready fight.” Mom says that’s what she feels like going into with this new intrathecal treatment as “Round two,” she’s ready to fight the cancer. One of the doctors said that this experience will be a marathon so she is supposed to be prepared for the long haul.

Mom will have to lie down all day Monday and probably for the next couple of days after her treatment so she does not get bad headaches. But hopefully she won’t have to take any steroids until the following week with her 2^nd chemo treatment.

Beautiful Prayer Quilt from Aunt Yjordis and Aunt Mitzy

Flowers for Mom from Daddy

Love,

 Keah and the Ohio Gang