some good news and some bad news, 7/22
Hi Folks,
So, today Mom got her shunt into the liver capped, and she tolerated that quite well, her color is better, and we hope that she will be coming home tomorrow. She looked good, though her appetite could be better. That was the good news.
The bad news is the cancer is not what we had hoped it would be. We got the biopsy results around 3:00 pm today. Rather than being metastatic breast cancer, this is a new primary adenocarcinoma.
We were all pretty down, but Mom is being really brave about the whole thing, and so is Dad. What can we do but go on from here the best as is possible?
We are going to start on the radiation hopefully on Monday. The oncologist said that he would like to see her again in 4 weeks after the radiation to evaluate her situation. Even if she is strong enough for chemotherapy, after the radiation, that there is only about a 20% chance of recovery with chemo and this type of cancer, and about a 20% chance of toxicity. Of course what happens after the radiation is going to be up to Mom. We have all decided to support Mom in whatever her decisions are about what the treatment should be. What ever happens with Mom's treatment is up to Mom, in other words.
This situation sucks, but I guess we just have to do the best we can given the situation. At times like these, one almost wishes one was British, just for those stiff upper lips. Do you think they sell British Upper Lip Stiffners as a spray-on? That might come in handy right about now.
So, today Mom got her shunt into the liver capped, and she tolerated that quite well, her color is better, and we hope that she will be coming home tomorrow. She looked good, though her appetite could be better. That was the good news.
The bad news is the cancer is not what we had hoped it would be. We got the biopsy results around 3:00 pm today. Rather than being metastatic breast cancer, this is a new primary adenocarcinoma.
We were all pretty down, but Mom is being really brave about the whole thing, and so is Dad. What can we do but go on from here the best as is possible?
We are going to start on the radiation hopefully on Monday. The oncologist said that he would like to see her again in 4 weeks after the radiation to evaluate her situation. Even if she is strong enough for chemotherapy, after the radiation, that there is only about a 20% chance of recovery with chemo and this type of cancer, and about a 20% chance of toxicity. Of course what happens after the radiation is going to be up to Mom. We have all decided to support Mom in whatever her decisions are about what the treatment should be. What ever happens with Mom's treatment is up to Mom, in other words.
This situation sucks, but I guess we just have to do the best we can given the situation. At times like these, one almost wishes one was British, just for those stiff upper lips. Do you think they sell British Upper Lip Stiffners as a spray-on? That might come in handy right about now.
Comments
Your dad..well, we all know how persistent he is (I keep visualizing him when I see that infamous scene in the Movie "And Justice for All", as Al Pacino yelling at the judge "You're out of order! This whole system's out of order!")
If anyone can do it those two will do it! Hang in there, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as always.
Glen