Fighting The Beast

Your Mother Is Always With You.....

2010-09-12T18:56:00.006-04:00

I visited this blog last night and realized three things.
1. That it has been a very long time since I've been here
2. I really wish I would have done a better job keeping up with updates...there is so much that I wish i would have wrote down and
3. that there has never been an update letting everyone know that my mom passed away. Most of you already know this but I know there are alot of people that randomly stumple upon this board and they may or may not wonder how my mom did with this awful disease.
I am very sad to say that she passed away November 19th 2009. Ironically, during the month of lung cancer awareness.
She is missed greatly. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her and wish that she were still here with.

Jo-Anne Lawrie Gardner
8/10/51-11/19/09

I found this poem online. I love it.....

Your Mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street.
She's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and
perfume that she wore.
She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well.
She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day.
She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a
rainbow. She is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter.
She's crystallized in every teardrop.
A mother shows every emotion - happiness, sadness, fear,
jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy,
sorrow... and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take.
She's your first love; your first friend, even your first enemy, but
nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space...not even death!
~author unknown

Its been awhile

2009-06-08T14:04:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone . It sure has been awhile since I have been here. I just thought I'd drop in and let everyone know whats up
Since I was here last I believe I had had 2 out of 3 chemo's for that cycle , Welllllll It turned into a really rough 3 weeks . From May 5 th my body just went to hell . Chemo 5th , 6th , & 7th . I had to go back in on the 7th for my shot & a few hours of fluids . I was sick as hell all week-end , lost 13 pounds ( & didn't want to lol ) Went back in Monday & Tuesday for fluids . Well on Wendsday my fever went up really fast so it was to the ER for me . Of course I was admitted for a week . I had a .5 white cell count , so basically none . I got out on the 20th & I was ready . I was suppose to start chemo back again on the 26th BUT they postponed it a week because I had been so sick . It did give me a GOOD week tho so YAY !!!!!!!!
I started cycle 2 on June 2nd . They cut the Cisplatin down some which really seems to have helped . If I have to go an extra cycle thats ok with me . I just do not want to get that sick again.
The week was pretty good fluids w/ the chemo , then back in on Friday for the shot & fluids . I got to bring a weekend back pack home with me . 2 - 10 hour bags . It kept my weight up good & hydrated really well ( along with a bag of popsicles lol)
Today I went back in for labs EVERYTHING is GOOD. I did not have to have fluids , They say what I am doing is really good. : ) I have to watch my weight daily tho for any great loss, if it happens I have to go back for fluids .
This is the biggest fight of my life & its not easy . My family & friends are the greatest. People who don't even know me are such a big part of my fight . My husband is WOW !!!!! My daughter is my best friend, she is a terrific person . A beautiful woman , a great momma, I love her sooooo much . My grandkids are such a blessing to me . I just love looking at them , hugging them , kissing them , & can ya tell I'm granny , gigee. My nieces are super special too. I just LOVE the little people in my life , that come to visit & show me UNCONDITIONAL love . There hugs and kisses mean so very very much to me .
I'm sure I have a bunch of goofs on here BUT I wanted to just say hey !!!!!
Thank-you again to everyone for all the thoughts , prayers , loves & hugs .
My love & hugs back to you all

Can't sleep !!

2009-05-07T03:49:00.002-04:00

Good Morning every one. Its 3:50 A.M., I can't sleep . I have been up & down since 12:30.
This new chemo is kicking my butt. Its called Cisplatin, along with it I'm getting Toposar ((VP-16), which I was on before.
The 1st day went into about 7 hours ,2nd day almost 5 hours .We'll see what today brings .
There is a real good chance ( the hair I did grow back ) could be leaving me again. ( boohoo)
He told me he may only have to do 3 rounds of chemo , but the infusion lab has me down for 6, , but thats ok , All long as it gets this BEAST back out of me . Because of the cisplatin, even on my 2 weeks off from chemo ,I still have to go in on those Tuesdays because I have to have blood work done . Cisplatin can mess with your kidneys ,and other things , I'm glad of it tho because it will keep a constant watch on my white cell count , platelets , & so on & so on .
Thank - You everyone for still keeping up with my blog . I love hearing from everyone & REALLY do appreciate , all the loves and prayers

Its chemo again not radiation !!!!! & some pics

2009-05-01T07:42:00.005-04:00

Good Morning to everyone .

I just wanted to add a bit to Jeannies awesome blog on my doc appt. I FINALLY heard from them yesterday & he chose the chemo. I feel better about 3 rounds of chemo then I do 1 zap of radiation.

He said hopefully 3 rounds will take care of it .

He had to change up on 1 of the meds from the last chemo, so I pray my body accepts it as well as it did before .

I will get a call back today, with what my appts. will be for the 1st round .

I love each and everyone of you's that have kept me in your prayers, I feel it sure worked last time & hoping for the same this time . I'm adding some pics ranging from 8-10-08 ( 2 months b-4 diagnosis) then being on predisone for 0ver 5 months till just a couple weeks ago.

Recent CT results and some ramblings.....

2009-04-27T21:26:00.004-04:00

It's been WAY too long since I came to update here. Things have been going really well....mom has been in remission for the last 2 months and doing just what the doctor ordered. Living each day to the fullest! We took a trip to the beach a few weeks ago and I'll tell ya....that was one of the very best trips I've ever taken to the beach....we had an absolute BLAST! I just love spending time with her....she is SO fun!

Last week was CT week....just a routine CT to make sure everything is staying in check, Dr. Madden wants to stay on top of things and is doing just as he said. Today we went in for the results and he had good and bad news. The good news is that the CT of the abdomen still looks excellent. He's been very concerned about her liver since day one and so far so good. It looks great!

The bad news is that there is some change in her lung/chest area. There is some recurrance of the cancer in the left hilar region of her lungs....pretty much in her middle chest area. It is very small at this point and he thinks they are cancerous lymph nodes and again, they are very small. The largest being around a half an inch. He mentioned doing radiation to zap the one area but of course there is always the concern of other areas being involved and just not showing up on the scan yet so chemo is definately an option because of the systemic benefits. He is going to talk with the radiologist, think over how he wants to tackle this and then contact her back int he next day or two. Right now it is leaning more toward a couple or three more rounds of chemo to nip this right in the butt.

Dr. Madden is concerned about this but as he said....it is not a great concern at this point. Mom's body responds well to chemo and he has no doubt that this will react the same way. He will switch up her chemo drugs a bit (if that is the route he chooses to take with her) to make sure that the cancer doesn't become resistant to the chemotherapy.

Anyway....that is all the update for now. I will keep everyone informed on what he decided to do, as soon as we hear something.

Until next time!

Love to all!

Jeannie

Here is a pic of me and mom during our beach trip! :) Fun times!!!!

Miracles DO happen!

2009-02-27T15:58:00.004-05:00

Mom got the results today from her CT done on February 24th, 2008.

Findings: No clinical evidence of ANY metastatic disease is present. This includes, lungs, mediastinum, liver....everywhere!

She is officially in complete remission! After 5 years in remission, she will be considered cured!

Keep them prayers coming for her!

Dr. Madden will be keeping a very close eye on her, appointments every month and very frequent CT scans. We asked about prophalactic chemo treatments and unfortunately there are no chemo's developed for maintanance of this type of cancer. Dr. Madden is very pleased with how well she has responded to chemo and appears very optimistic. He told mom that she needs to live each day like she was given a second chance at life. He mentioned that there is only a handful of people with this type of cancer that he gets the opportunity to give such good news to.

I think we can all agree that this is nothing short of a miracle....looking back at where she was at her first doctors appointment on October 28th, to where she is today...only 4 months later. Amazing!

Here is a picture of mom and me on the way home from the doctors appointment.

Add on to Movie Day

2009-02-27T08:28:00.003-05:00

I tried to edit Movie Day at my house but I couldn;t figure it out . So I'll do a new post.

I realized after I posted it , that I had said nothing about the movie lol.
I bought Mary Poppins & with Jeannies help we put it together for the girls . ( Derrick was not interested). Anyways we had drinks , popcorn . scoops, cheese , & Denise done up a plate of cheese sticks w/ sauce ( ohhhhhhhhhh yummy ). The girls stayed interested for a good while then they started goofing off . That was ok tho we just goofed off with them . We had a ball. They had fun trying on my wigs , dancing around & of course making a mess. Best mess I ever had to clean up .
Jeannie or I one will be back in a day or so with my results from my CTScan done Tuesday . My appointment is with Dr. Madden at11:30 today. I'm scared , I don't know really how to explain it because it seems no matter whatI hear I'm scared . Be back soon hope you all have a great T.G.I.F. !!!!!@

Movie Day at my house

2009-02-19T15:08:00.003-05:00

This is a pic of my 3 granddaughters & my 3 nieces ( my younger brothers girls who passed away 3-02 will be 1 year ) & of coure me .

LOL Jeannie is taking the pic so she don't see her.

This is what I call making memory's .

On 1-29 I went to the ER by ambulance I had a very severe pain shoot from my lower right back up to my shoulder . Well I happen to have been on the phone with Jeannie when it happened , next thing I knew it her & Emmy Belle were here and she called 911. Well it turned out to be really nothing , said I may have just turned the wrong way or something but called it a pulled muscle . Then on 2-04 I had a fever of 101.8. Carlos checks me every morning before he goes to work .So E.R. again ( 2x in 6 days ) I was admitted pneumonia both lungs but the left had more but it was still not alot. Spent 1 week in the " Big House"

I had had a head cold for a couple weeks , I thought I could get rid of it on my own. Carlos and Jeannie both were on me to go to the doctors but I told them 1 more day . Well I will never do that again . I have to realize with cancer you do not treat anything on your own. Besides $25.00 co-pay sure would have been cheaper then 7 days in the hospital.

Now for what may be some good news . I just finished cycle 6 of chemo today . So I am set up for a CTscan on 2-24 results with Dr. Madden on 2-27 and this could very well be the appointment that he puts me as stable . They will have to watch me closely ( not sure how that will be done but I quarentee I will know on the 27 th lol ) Wow it just seems to have gone so fast . By the time I get these results , It will only be 4 months since I was diagnoised . To go back and read the beginning of this blog to now . WOW I have come 1 helluva long way .

Thank- you everyone for keeping up with this and again and always thankyou all so much for all the thoughts and prayers I love you all

Did you know.....

2009-01-19T17:11:00.002-05:00

That November was National Lung Cancer Awareness month? I just found that out today.
Ironically Mom spent the whole month of November in the hospital after just being diagnosed with Lung Cancer.

CT Update - Friday January 16th 2009

2009-01-16T13:06:00.002-05:00

GREAT NEWS!
Mom went to see Dr. Madden today for the results of her CT scan earlier this week. I am pleased to announce the the results were beyond amazing! The report shows "significant to near complete resolution of previous mediastinal (chest) and hilar (lung) adenopathy. Lungs are completely clear. She still has seven tiny subcentimeter low density lesions on her liver but the doctor seems very confident that with the next two chemo's those should be gone as well. He will do another scan at the end of the second chemo to see where that stands then they will just watch her very closely ....no more chemo! Woot Woot!! I asked if she would be considered in remission after the chemo is over and he said that he could almost say NOW that she is in remission (not yet though). So, she isn't quite yet in remission but so damn close I can smell it! lol
Her heart is normal sized now. The first scan she had (on 10-17-08) showed it was enlarged due to the pulmonary hypertension. Since that huge mass that was sitting on her pulmonary arteries is gone the hypertension and cardiomegaly is resolved!! YAY!
This is the best news we could have gotten (aside from having complete remission of course).
Dr. Madden mentioned that had we not gotten ahead of the cancer when we did she would not have made it. Her recovery from when she was first diagnosed until now has been miraculous!

Alot of the reason for this blog about me

2009-01-09T11:34:00.002-05:00

Yes this sign is on my back door, and not an ashtray to be seen once you are inside. Anyone who knows me knows I always said that would never happen in my home , guess the old saying is right never say never because you never know.

The other pic is just what Jeannie said it was its a reminder of my fight . I know that the good lord has given me a 2nd chance at life ,because I made it threw to Thanksgiving. I don't believe they had to much hope that I would. So ... This fight is between me and the devil ( cigarettes). In my mind I think that because I made it threw that bad time , that if I do light up a cigarette the good lord is going to say , "I gave you a chance you blew it , you let the devil win" and poof I'll be gone because I will choke to death on that puff I obviously just had to have. So what you are seeing in that pic sits on my entertainment center so I am always seeing it . I also keep an open pack with a lighter in my purse , I take it out sometimes open it smell it even have taken the lighter out , but then I put it right back again . LOL

I have had long hair for years and when I knew I had to go threw chemo I knew my braid had to be cut off . Thats what you see hanging with the beads on it , I wore it for dang near 18 years ( it hung down the left side of my head) Well Jeannie hated it was always hoping someone would cut it off me , Well I told her she had to do it of course then she didn't want to lol . Well she had Derrick and Shea with her so I told her all 3 of them could take a cut at it . Oh the gleam in Sheas eyes really scared me , she was ready . LOL Anyways Derrick had his snip and Jeannie finished it off (I believe she had the last cut , rough days back then bad memory)

Hope this was not to boring . Jeannie is much better at this stuff then me. I hope my pics come out ok . I'll find out in a minute .

I want to thank everyone again so much for all the thoughts and prayers. One of us will repost after the 16th to update Dr. Madden's visit and ct results.

Guess we were thinking about the same thing today Jeannie

2009-01-05T16:13:00.002-05:00

I do have 1 correction to make on yours tho , This is just round 4 of chemo. Yes it has been 71 days of no smoking and no 1 is more surprised then me ( after 43 years and for a long time a 2 pack a dayer.)
I do feel good , I tire pretty easily some days , but thats ok
I am set up for another ct scan on Jan. 13th . The results from it will be on that Friday the 16th . I hope my blood work being so good the last 2 times , is an indication that things are going ok . I only hope and pray .
I also have to tell about my lunch date today . Bailey invited me for a bologna sandwich awhile ago but today it came together. She made the sandwiches herself,& she served it to me with a glass of milk. It was really nice , next time I guess its my turn at my house lol lol Gotta love them !!!!

Is there anybody out there?

2009-01-05T10:17:00.002-05:00

Yikes! Looks like I've been neglecting the blog! The good news is that there hasn't been too much to report on. Mom has been doing so well at home! Tomorrow she'll be starting round 5 of her chemo. She has been tolerating them so well....her bloodwork is coming back great and everything.
She is on day 71 without a cigarette. Yes, you read that correctly SEVENTY-ONE days! I am so proud of her!!!! She still keeps her cigarettes around but only to remind her of her fight. I'll let her post later to tell everyone what she's done with them lol.
Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I'm glad to be getting back to a somewhat normal routine!!

Until next time!
Jeannie

This is from Jo-Anne

2008-12-15T15:01:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone . Jeannie showed me how to come on here and make my own little notes, which I feel are long overdo. I would like to thank each and everyone of you's that have taken the time to come on here and keep up with my progress. My daughter has done an outstanding job on this blog and I can't thank her enough. I appreciate all the love and prayers that are being sent my way . Thank you all from the bottom of my heart

Doctor appointment update and some other ramblings

2008-12-12T17:32:00.004-05:00

Well, the doctor appointment went well! All of her bloodwork came back good and Paula could not believe how much better she looked then the day that they admitted her. After she went to the doctor, Me. Farrah Bailey, Emily and Mom went to our favorite shrimp place (The Harbor Inn) and had lunch. Man was it good! The last few times we went we were a bit disappointed bt they pulled through for us this time!! Yummy yum yum!!

Mom went the other day and bought her some hair! She said she doesn't mind being bald but would rather have something to cover her head when going to the store and stuff so she did and it looks fabulous!! Of course, you know I will attach a picture. ;)

Oh yea, Chemo is set up for December 17th and after that she will have another scan to see how things are progressing on the inside!

Until next time!

Jeannie

Farrah and Jo....don't they both look great???!!!

Update, Sunday December 7th

2008-12-07T10:36:00.005-05:00

Hello All!

Sorry it is taking me so long to update again.

Mom got out of the hospital on Wednesday! She has done so well since she's been out. She tells me some days that she's having an "August Day", which means she feels as good as she did in August lol. It is wonderful how quickly she is gaining her strength back. She's now able to do small tasks such as light housework etc. I know it must feel so good to her to be able to get back to doing things that would have been nearly imposible 6-8 weeks ago. Since being out of the hospital she has had an unsatiable appetite! She reported to me this morning that it is starting to slow down a bit. At her lowest weight she was down to 108 pounds and now she is back up to 120! WONDERFUL. She may kill me for posting how much she weighs though hehe.

Mom has an appiontment with Dr. Madden on Wednesday...I will report back as soon as we get home to give an update on how she is doing medically! :-)

You know I can't go this long without an update without posting at least one picture. Shea had her winter dance Friday night and we stopped by mom's house before we went. Here is a pic of Shea and Granny!

COMING HOME TODAY!

2008-12-03T11:03:00.001-05:00

More details later!! :-)

New pictures!

2008-12-02T15:43:00.004-05:00

I asked Farrah to please get a picture of her and the girls with "Jo" the next time she visited the hospital for the blog and she did!
Mom can't wait to get out of the hospital so she can start getting her daily visits from "all her kids" again! I'm positive that Kimmie and Taylor (and Farrah too) are missing their visits with her every day as well!

Here are some pics of Jo with the girls~

December 2nd Update

2008-12-02T08:30:00.003-05:00

Well, chemo effects are starting to hit but it doesn't look like it's going to keep her away from home for too much longer. She has a bit of diarrhea so she can't come home today but as soon as that clears up she is COMING HOME! What a wonderful day that will be! I'm sure that little 8x8 room (it might be bigger but it sure doesn't seem to be at times) is starting to close in on her. Especially now that she is feeling so good and wanting to be up and about more. 5 weeks is way too long to be stuck up in a little tiny hospital room.
I must say though, she has had wonderful care. The nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, and techs are so nice and caring. I know mom will miss alot of the staff.
Some of the nurses have even expressed how remarkable mom's recovery has been. It is quite amazing looking back at how sick she was.

"However long the night, the dawn will break."
Author: African Proverb

Sorry no new updates

2008-11-30T23:04:00.002-05:00

Hello all....

I'm so sorry there has been no updates on mom for a couple of days.
I've been a frequent flier at the ER, battling gallstones since Friday afternoon and haven't been able to visit. I've talked to her on the phone a couple of times.... she sounds wonderful and tells me that she is feeling great! I hope the doc sends her home soon...I know that would make her feel even better!

I promise a more informative update after the doctor visits her tomorrow morning. :-)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

~Jeannie

Thanksgiving Day.....

2008-11-28T11:28:00.008-05:00

Was Fabulous! Mom is still talking about what a wonderful day she had yesterday! We all (Matt, Debbie, Pam, Jim, Dodie, Bree, Me, Trey, Derrick, Shea, Bailey and Emily) all piled in the car(s) after dinner and headed to the hospital. We fixed Carlos and my mom up with a ton of food and then brought Thanksgiving to them. I told her that if she couldn't make it to dinner we would bring the dinner to her.

Mom had specific requests....mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, macaroni and cheese and most importantly CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE!

I'll tell you...for a woman that has barely eaten anything in the last 6 weeks she sure had no problem devouring most of her dish and most of the PIE! LMAO! The best thing about it is that everything went down and stayed down! She feels so good today. She has daily weigh in and weighed 3 pounds more today then yesterday! Carlos said he never met a woman that was so happy to put on 3 pounds in one day lol!

If she keeps on like she was yesterday and today she should be home very soon. I just know it!

I took lots of pictures yesterday. The family room was packed so we all congregated at the sitting area next to the elevators. We had a blast hanging out and munching on fruit while mom ate her dinner.

Getting ready for a group shot

Group shot of all of us!
Wheres Waldo......err, JoAnne?

Time for Meds....And Vitals...
Granny gets a picture with Derrick

And of course he doesn't get away without some good ol' Granny lovin'.

The little ones like to ride on the wheelchair

Devouring the Chocolate Cream Pie that Derrick made for her.

Mom and Carlos

Derrick taking a picture of Granny and Poppa

This is what her view is from her hospital room window! Isn't it pretty? You can see Columbia off in the distance.

Wednesday, November 26

2008-11-26T15:29:00.011-05:00

Hello all! :-)

No news on the MRI yet. They say, "No news is good news", right?
Mom is starting chemo again today and TPN.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN), is the practice of feeding a person intravenously, bypassing the usual process of eating and digestion. The person receives nutritional formulas containing salts, glucose, amino acids, lipids and added vitamins.

Hopefully that TPN can help her to gain some of her strength back. It is a temporary solution....she will continue trying to eat real food and will hopefully be getting a majority of her nutrition from food very soon.

We went to visit briefly this morning. The kids were out of school today so I took the girls with me. We had a really good visit. Mom didn't have a headache this morning. She's been wearing those terry cloth hats to bed and waking up with a headache so she decided to leave it off last night...low and behold, no headache this morning. She may have just been on to something!

Anyway, of course I got a few picture of her and the girls this morning and she told me I could share them on here with everyone.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

2008-11-25T12:22:00.003-05:00

Today is one month since they admited mom into the hospital and I am very disappointed to report that the doctor will not be releasing her before Thanksgiving. I asked him if she could at least be let out for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving day and he told me that he couldn't do that because he would have to discharge her and then re-admit her and overall he felt like she is much better off staying in the hospital for right now. I can understand that....she has been a very sick lady. He did say that she will more then likely be out for Christmas though (well, goodness...I sure hope so!).
She has been getting frequent headaches...this morning being a bad migraine so he set up another MRI of her brain today. Hopefully that comes back good. Eating is still a major concern. He said that he will probably feed her through the IV starting tomorrow...I'm assuming he meant TPN, but that is nothing more then an assumption. He wants to go ahead and start the 2nd round of Chemo asap even with the other stuff still going on. I think that will probably happen this week as well. I will continue to update as I know more.

Until next time...
Love to all!
Jeannie

Sunday , November 23rd Update

2008-11-23T22:09:00.007-05:00

Sorry to leave everyone hangin' on the scope results! Everything looked good except a bit of gastritis (inflamation of the stomach). This could be caused by either some of the medication that she is on or the fact that she hasn't eaten anything significant in weeks. I can't remember what Carlos told me they are doing for it.

I went to the hospital tonight and she was feeling a bit puny again. She was sick to her stomach and just feeling crappy. I hate to see her go from feeling really good the other day to feeling like this again. I hope she is feeling better tomorrow.

Dodie was up there and I managed to get a smile out of mom for a picture with her sis. I practically had to pull teeth (from the both of them) to get smiles but here it is lol. (sorry for all of the torture mom)

Just to show everyone what we have been doing with all the cards....here they are!! :-) We've been hanging them on the outside of her bathroom door in the room so that she can look at them all day from her bed!

And here is the shelf and mirror above her sink in the room.

BTW, she is LOVING all of the comments ya'll are leaving for her!! THANKS!!

Sleepover last night!

2008-11-22T11:15:00.003-05:00

Yep! We had a sleepover at the hospital last night! :-) I brought grapes, apples and pretzels....sounds good right? Well, I forgot that mom is on a clear liquid diet until they find out what is going on withher stomach. They are doing a gastroesophageal duodonoscopy today to try to find out why her food isn't moving the way is should. So...I was nothing more then a tease coming in last night with grapes the size of small plums. Mom's mouth was watering just at the sight of them. I left a large container of them in the freezer for her for today when she can eat again. I'm hoping that she enjoys them and they taste as good as they look.
The doctor has her on an appetite stimulant as well as prednisone and both seem to be working well on increasing her appetite. The only problem now is that the food is just sitting on her stomach and not really going anywhere. They realized this the other day when they did the radioactive eggs test. Mom said that she thought she was glowing that night after eating them things (kidding of course lol).
We are hoping to have her home by Thanksgiving. Dr. Madden says that they wont keep her in the hospital for the second round of chemo as long as she is able to eat. Keep your fingers crossed that the scope that she gets today goes well and we can pinpoint what the problem is (and of course that it is an easy fix).

Here is a pic of us from last night! Doesn't she look great?!

November 18th and 19th Update

2008-11-19T07:57:00.003-05:00

Great Update!
Me and the kids went to visit last night. Mom looked GREAT! She called this morning and sounded even better on the phone! The doctor came in this morning and said her chest x-ray from yesterday looked really good! Her liver bloodwork looked good too but her platelets are still down. They don't want to start chemo again until those are back up. She told me she is HUNGRY! lol The problem is that nothing sounds good to her. I wish I knew what she would eat because I'd have it up there to her in a skinny minute! The doctor is ordering her a portable oxygen tank so that if she wants to get someone to wheel her through the halls she can get out of the room. Things are really starting to look up!
Oh, and she slept ALL night long last night! Woot!

November 16th and 17th Update

2008-11-18T11:53:00.004-05:00

Sunday, Carla and I went up to the hospital and we gave mom a cute, sporty little haircut. She looks great with short hair! I've been trying to tell her that she would for years! Unfortunately by Monday she started having some sort of reaction and her scalp felt like it was on fire. The doctor recommended that we shave the rest of it off. I guess on rare occasion the chemo can cause the scalp to react that way and the best thing to do is to take the rest of the hair off and treat with a zinc cream.
It was really difficult shaving her head. Everyone knows how my mom is with her hair. She was actually quite relieved to have it gone so that made me feel a little bit better about it. Once the hair was gone we could get a better look at her scalp and we right away seen why it was hurting her so badly. She had red streaks going all through her head. Were not sure what it was from. I guess just the reaction. She told me today on the phone that her head feels so much better now.
We had a nice visit last night. I miss talking with her so much so it was really nice to sit and chat for a little while.
The chemo is kicking her butt as far as nausea is concerned. Smells really get to her bad. The family room is right across the hall and for the past couple of nights someone has been cooking popcorn in there...not good.
I wonder if I can put a NO POPCORN sign on the microwave for awhile lol.
Anyway, thats all I have for now. Hopefully I can report soon that she is well enough for her second round of Chemo.
Until next time....
Jeannie

Friday November 14th update

2008-11-15T07:40:00.002-05:00

A couple of new things to update on. First off, I went up to the hospital last night and mom looked great! Maybe not exactly where she wants to be in the course of treatment but she really looks good compared to even a couple of days ago. She sat up in the bed and was talking with me and Shea. She even laughed last night! It was music to my ears!
I could tell she was very tired and she told me that she would love to have just one night of uninterupted sleep. Hopefully she got just that last night. The nurse seemed to have a little plan of action so that they could try to acheive it.
Her white blood cell count is back up! She is off of the neutropenic precautions! YAY! She is still on bleeding precautions because of the low platelet count but things are definately looking up!
The physical therapist is still coming every day. They had her up walking around her room the other day. She even walked out of her room with the therapist's help. They didn't go far but what a major milestone!
All in all she is still feeling really crappy and her spirits are still down but seeing just a little improvement here and there is just wonderful.
We still need to get her eating. The doctor would like to see her stronger before the next round of chemo.
Oh, I really hate to report that it looks like her hair is starting to fall out. She showed me her giant hairball when I got there last night. I'm going to try to make her a really light and airy hat to wear just in case it all decided to turn loose. Right now it is just really thin. Not sure what will happen in the next few days so I'll have her a hat just in case. She did ask me not to make one too thick because of how hot she gets. No problem!
That is all I have to update for now. Until next time....
~Jeannie

Low White Blood Cell Count

2008-11-12T08:26:00.000-05:00

Tidbit of information on Low WBC taken from about.com

How does chemotherapy affect white blood cell count?:
Chemotherapy kills fast dividing cancer cells. It also ends up killing some fast dividing normal cells in the body, like some cells in the bone marrow that maintain the supply of white cells in the blood. White blood cell counts (WBC, also called leukocyte counts) fall temporarily with most chemotherapy drugs.

When does the white cell count fall?:
The fall in white blood cells starts a few days after chemotherapy is administered. They reach the lowest levels in the second or third week after chemotherapy. As the bone marrow cells recover from the effects of chemotherapy, the WBC counts start rising again. Before each cycle of chemotherapy, blood counts are verified to ensure that they have returned to the normal range.

Are low white blood cell counts dangerous?:
White blood cells are responsible for protecting the body from infections. When WBC counts are low, there is an increased risk of infections. These infections cannot be easily controlled by the body because of the low counts.
However, low counts do not always lead to infections. Nearly all people on chemotherapy have low counts during chemotherapy. But only a few people develop infections.

How do doctors check for low WBC counts?:
At regular intervals during chemotherapy, the doctor will advise blood tests to check cell counts. These tests are called ‘CBCs’ or ‘Hemograms.’ White blood cell counts are reported as Total Leukocyte Counts (TLCs). TLCs count the different types of white blood cells. A more specific count is the Absolute Neutrophil Count. Neutrophils are one type of WBC. They are responsible for controlling bacterial infections. When the ANC is below a particular value, doctors may delay further chemotherapy and start medications to prevent or treat infections.

What are the signs of infection during chemotherapy?:
The most tell-tale sign of infection is fever. When fever occurs in the presence of low neutrophil counts (ANC), it is called febrile neutropenia. Other signs of infection are:
cough and expectoration
loose stools
boils or abscesses
a severe sore mouth and swallowing problems

How can infections be prevented when counts are low?:
A few simple steps can reduce the chances of infections:
Avoid extremes of temperature
Make sure that the food is freshly cooked
Remember to wash hands before meals
Avoid contact with people who have any infections
Avoid crowded places with poor ventilation

Antibiotics are not routinely indicated when counts are low but no signs of infection are present. The decision to start antibiotics rests on your doctor, based on specific signs and risk factors.

How are low white blood cell counts managed?:
In the majority of cases, low counts are temporary. Counts start rising soon and reach normal levels without causing infections, and further chemotherapy may be continued.
When the blood counts are too low or there is a hint of infection in the body, doctors may:
Delay further chemotherapy until the counts are normal.
Start drugs that increase white blood cell counts. These are called colony stimulating factors (CSF). G-CSF and GM-CSF are the two types of CSF available.
Start treatment with antibiotics if there is any sign of infections in the body.

Low Platelet Count information

2008-11-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

Just a tidbit of info taken from Chemotherapy.com on platelets:

Low Platelet Count (Thrombocytopenia)
Platelets, also called thrombocytes (THROM-boh-sites), are fragments of bone marrow cells that are found in the circulating blood and are critical in stopping bleeding. Platelets, along with other blood components, rush to the site of an injury and work to form a blood clot, which is necessary to stop the bleeding. A low platelet count is referred to as thrombocytopenia.

Causes of a Low Platelet Count—Thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia is a common side effect of chemotherapy. Chemo works by destroying cells that grow rapidly, such as cells in the bone marrow that generate platelets. Normally, there are billions of platelets in the blood; however, certain chemotherapy drugs can cause thrombocytopenia. A low platelet count typically occurs 6 to 10 days following administration of chemotherapy and continues for several days before the number of platelets in the blood increases to an adequate level. Infrequently, cancer patients may also experience thrombocytopenia from other medications or as a consequence of their underlying cancer.

Monitoring Your Platelet Count
A low platelet count puts you at risk of certain side effects. Bleeding is the most important:
If you do not have enough platelets to form a clot, you will not be able to stop bleeding.
Even a small cut can cause you to lose a dangerous amount of blood.
The fewer platelets you have in your blood, the more susceptible you are to experiencing bleeding. Another reason thrombocytopenia is important is that, in some cases, it can be severe enough that chemotherapy treatments may need to be delayed or the chemotherapy dose reduced. When patients develop a low platelet count, doctors may have to delay treatment or reduce the doses of the chemotherapy until the platelet count has increased. Chemotherapy dose reductions and treatment delays may reduce some patients' chance for achieving optimal results from their treatment.
If you have a severely low platelet count, you may require treatment with platelet transfusions and, occasionally, admission to the hospital until the platelets return to sufficient levels in the blood to prevent bleeding. A platelet transfusion is the addition of platelets into your blood from another person. Platelet transfusions carry the risk of complications, which include infection and allergic reactions that may range from mild to life-threatening.

Last night's visit 11-11-08

2008-11-12T07:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I went by the hospital last night. I couldn't stay long like I usually do in the evenings because I had the kids with me and I had to get them home and ready for bed. She seemed be doing ok despite the headache that she had. The nurses were getting her some meds as I was leaving.

Not too much more to update on but I will try to again after I talk to Carlos and see how she was when he was there this morning.
~Jeannie

Update from Dodie and Carlos

2008-11-11T10:11:00.000-05:00

Dodie just called, she said she talked with Dr. Madden this morning and mom seems to be doing a bit better. Her chest x-rays show a slight bit of improvement with the pnuemonia and her liver bloodwork is looking better.
She is in a little bit better spirits this morning and was talking to Dodie. I guess the mouth sores are still pretty bad though. I took a look at them last night and whew...they look like they hurt!

The doctor said that she has to eat and build up some strength so that she can start her next round of chemo. Even if she gets just a little bit of soup in her it is better then nothing.

I'll be up there this evening so watch for another update tonight.

Carlos just called. He said her platelettes are down a bit but her WBC is back up to 1. Still low but much better then .5 and .6! He said she looks much better this morning. :-)

Late Monday Night

2008-11-11T10:08:00.001-05:00

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2008 12:05 AM, EST

Well, I just got home from the hospital. Tonight I had a good visit. Mom was worried that her hair was starting to fall out and I reassured her when I brushed it that it was still hanging in there. I powdered her back and scratched it a little and she really seemed to enjoy that too. I was afraid that the powder smell would make her nauseous but she tolerated it well. Yesterday she informed me that I was making her smell too clean with the powder lol. Gotta love her sense of humor!
I talked a bit to the nurse and she said that her temp has fallen back down into normal range. They have her on 3 different antibiotics to try to get rid of whatever type of infection she has going on. Right now it looks like the pnuemonia is the culprit. I guess her x-rays still aren't looking that great but we will see when we talk to the doc.
Her cough seemed to be under control for a couple of days but tonight she was hacking a pretty good bit again. I have a feeling it is probably all related.
She still isn't eating. I told her tonight she had to start eating something to build up her energy for the next round of chemo...whenever that may be. She just doesn't seem interested in any food. I really don't blame her but I will keep on bugging her about it. Who knows...one of these days she might say, "ok...yea, I'll eat that!".
I'll try to update more as get more info.

Welcome and Hello!

2008-11-11T10:05:00.002-05:00

Thank you all for taking the time to stop by and read JoAnne's blog. If you are visiting you this site, chances are that you already know a bit about what is going on with Jo. She was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma and metastatic disease to her liver in the beginning of October 08.

Small cell carcinoma is a fast-growing type of lung cancer that accounts for about 15 percent of all lung cancer cases. Small cell lung cancer usually starts in or near the lung’s bronchi and metastasizes quickly to nearby lumph nodes and organs. Upon diagnosis her cancer was in her left lung and had already spread to both supraclavicular lymph nodes and to the lumph nodes in her mediastinum. One lymph node in her mediatinum was 6cm x 5cm and compressing both of her pulmonary arteries. Disease was also present in her liver.

Since her diagnosis she has gone from a very lively, energetic 57 year old woman that enjoyed spending time with her family and friends to being very sickand longing to be well again and back home with her family.
Our goal is to provide her all the love and support in the world until we can beat this beast of a disease. We all feel very optimistic that we can get her cancer into complete remission so that she can continue to live her life to the fullest and get back to doing all of the things that she loves.