Home, Week 20.5

Mom got her CA-125 measured again. After three full sessions of chemo, she's down to 670!

Home, Week 20 (Dragonfly Story)

Mom and I (and Brooke) have been talking about getting dragonfly tattoos when Mom has kicked this cancer's butt. Mom loves dragonflies, and has wanted a tattoo for awhile. I was looking up different pictures of dragonflies, and found this story, which totally applies. The dragon fly is symbolic for change and rebirth. The story is called "The Dragonfly":

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads, there lived a little water beetle in a community of water beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond with few disturbances and interruptions. Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their friend was dead, gone forever. Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what he had found at the top. When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful blue tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body designed for flying. So, fly he did! And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never known existed. Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking by now he was dead. He wanted to go back to tell them, and explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended. But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he understood that their time would come, when they, too, would know what he now knew. So, he raised his wings and flew off into his joyous new life!

Home, Week 19.5

Mom was able to have her second dose of chemo on time! She's been using a new medication that's been helping with her ostomy output (she had been leaking almost every day, sometimes two or three times a day), getting things to thicken up and lessen the output. Well this has been keeping her nutrients and electrolytes in her system as well, so she didn't need as much outside help, which is wonderful. Her ostomy is also cooperating more. =)

Home, Week 18.5, Chemo Round 3

Mom's changed her chemo days to Mondays so that when she needs to get shots or hydration afterwards, we don't have to go up to Walnut Creek for those things. Today was the first dose of round three. She's doing great, keeping her levels up with a little help, so things are positive.

Home, Week 18

*happy dance* Mom's CA-125 dropped down to 773!!! We cried with relief today when we saw the lab report, it was so wonderful to see a number below 1000, not to mention so far below 1000. This confirms that all this stuff that Mom is going through is worth it. Keep her in your prayers, they're definitely working! Oh, and Mom has now been home as long as she was in the hospital, so the rest is all gravy.

Home, Week 16.5

Mom had a looooooooong day yesterday. She and her sister-in-law were at the hospital until midnight last night getting all sorts of infusions. Blood, platelets, electrolytes, you name it. But she's in good spirits, and her strength is up. Things are looking good. =)

Home, Week 16

Mom's white count wasn't high enough on Monday for her to get chemo, and then her hemoglobin wasn't high enough on Wednesday for her to get chemo, but chemo was able to happen today. Mom's a little tired, but happy. The new anti-nausea pills are still working, so that's a blessing.

I pick up the moving truck tomorrow to move my things into storage. Moving is soooo not fun. Luckily, I have wonderful friends in Florida that will be helping me move things into the RV and the moving truck.

Brooke and Joel packed up her things, as well as the things they got from his family members up here, and will be heading out early tomorrow morning to get to San Diego.

Mom is going to her niece's wedding tomorrow (congratulations Shelly!), so she's looking forward to that. She's on her break now from chemo, so time will tell if she just needs the one week off, or if her body needs more time to recover. Round two down. God bless.