Well, my Mother-in-law got as far with the Induction Chemo that her body would allow her. She got through the 2nd and then to the first does of round 3 (there are 5 doses, one day after another) when her heart and kidney started to fail, so to speak. So they pulled her off of the chemo and gave her a day for her heart and kidneys to rest. The next day, they were reading normal (as normal as somebody flushing terrible toxins out of their body can be) and her heart seemed fine.
She took it as a sign that her body was just done with chemo, that it had had enough.
Now we are waiting until the first week in January to decide further treatment. As far as we know, there are only 2 options:
1.) Surgically remove the tumors (there are 3, not 1 as I had been led to believe and Zack (her own son) and I have just been informed last week that there were really 3 tumors) from her tongue and then proceed with radiation to kill any left over cancer cells.
2.) Proceed with radiation to shrink the tumors more and save more of her tongue (with each tumor, 50% of the size of the tumor will need to be removed from her tongue as well to ensure that they get any straggling cells) but then that is it. Radiation is so powerful that there won't be another shot to receive it. If any of the cancer cells are left behind... then who knows what the options are.
After she receives her treatment,they will take a skin graph off her leg and use it to reconstruct her tongue.
I really can't wait to begin blogging regularly. I have so many ideas but life has been so rough recently. I went to a really thorough doctor and she did some blood testing and other testing and actually found why I have been feeling so terrible and now we have a treatment plan to get my body back in shape! I am super excited to start feeling better! I start all my treatment tomorrow!
Hope everybody is having a merry, wonderful, family-filled Christmas!
Enjoy you family and presents but always, always, always keep in mind the reason for the season: Our desperate need for the Savior, Jesus Christ!
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Seasons
I've not felt well and life has been hard. I'm on a supplement that is suppose to help level out my progesterone and balance out my adrenal glands. This week I am feeling amazing! I am feeling normal!
My sister-in-law confessed her exhaustion for being primary caregiver to our Mother-in-law and now all three able sister-in-laws (there are 5 of us. One lives in Minnesota and the other has three children and 2 are school aged and she needs to be present with them and their school work/activities) are going to be rotating taking care of her.
She received her 3rd induction chemo and is currently in the hospital. It is so life threatening the first week after chemo that she must be in the arms of skilled, life-saving professionals, so she spends close to a week in the hospital. She is then pretty sick and in pain for the next two weeks and that is where the three of us will rotate. All three of us live in Northern Arizona, so being away from our husbands and homes deems way, way too difficult so we will need to take our child/ren down to Phoenix and go on 4 day shifts.
I begin my first shift this Tuesday.
I am scared beyond measure. I've memorized their address and will likely need to call 911 often.
When somebody has a trachea and a feeding tube, it makes the already hard and challenging nature of chemotherapy that much more difficult. When vomiting must come through a small trachea opening and food must be administered slowly, every 3 hours... it pretty much means that she will vomit every 3 or so hours.
But God is good. He gives strength to the weary and gives power to the powerless. These are the days where I will have to release my own capabilities and strengths to God so that He can make my weaknesses build up in strength.
My sister-in-law confessed her exhaustion for being primary caregiver to our Mother-in-law and now all three able sister-in-laws (there are 5 of us. One lives in Minnesota and the other has three children and 2 are school aged and she needs to be present with them and their school work/activities) are going to be rotating taking care of her.
She received her 3rd induction chemo and is currently in the hospital. It is so life threatening the first week after chemo that she must be in the arms of skilled, life-saving professionals, so she spends close to a week in the hospital. She is then pretty sick and in pain for the next two weeks and that is where the three of us will rotate. All three of us live in Northern Arizona, so being away from our husbands and homes deems way, way too difficult so we will need to take our child/ren down to Phoenix and go on 4 day shifts.
I begin my first shift this Tuesday.
I am scared beyond measure. I've memorized their address and will likely need to call 911 often.
When somebody has a trachea and a feeding tube, it makes the already hard and challenging nature of chemotherapy that much more difficult. When vomiting must come through a small trachea opening and food must be administered slowly, every 3 hours... it pretty much means that she will vomit every 3 or so hours.
But God is good. He gives strength to the weary and gives power to the powerless. These are the days where I will have to release my own capabilities and strengths to God so that He can make my weaknesses build up in strength.
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