Hello all!
Mom is eating. Her inspired nurse Mary had the genius idea to get mom some seasickness patches to help with the nausea! They work like a charm! She was able to start keeping food down. Mom currently has more energy then she has since last fall! She is slowing expanding her stomach, which has shrunk from the lack of food and the energy she is getting from eating is helping her at physical therapy. Mom goes to PT three times a week and does an aquatic program. She is so cute in the pool. The temperature is 94° and she walks back and forth and does leg exercises. We were wondering if it would help and goodness, we see a difference after just three weeks! She can now stay in the pool for up to 45 minutes, she started out at 20. Her physical therapist started her in the pool because her current physical ability was classified as 'overall deconditioned.' Yep, we knew that! She loves the pool too and could hang out in it all day.
She still has lots of nausea and stomach pain and we had another scope at the hospital yesterday to see if there has been any progress in healing and she still has gastritis in her esophagus and stomach lining. Her doctors think that the chemo is causing all the ruckus. Mom has just finished her second round of maintenance chemo, where she takes a high dosage of Temodar (chemo) for five days and then gets a three week break. During those three weeks her stomach can recuperate some before it gets torn up again with the Temodar. So we won't see her tummy return to normal for a while. BUT we are so grateful she is eating! She did get to have a few bites of pizza the other night, and though it tasted good, it made her nice and sick. So we are sticking to the basic bland foods for awhile longer. :)
France was able to come up for the weekend (three day weekends are amazing!) and hang out with us. He's so amazing and mom and I just love him (me especially!).
FAQ's: We have been getting a lot of the same questions asked to us in emails, texts and phone calls and I will attempt to answer them here,
1. When will she be done with chemo?
Mom's maintenance chemo is determined by her oncologist. We don't know how long she will be on it. We just follow orders. :)
2. Can I come visit?
Mom's white blood cell count has been compromised by the chemo and therefore her immune system is very weak and we have been cautioned about having visitors. Plus, it tires her out very quickly as most people want to know 'exactly how she is doing' and rehashing her cancer battle isn't an easy conversation to have. :)
3. (For lack of a better phrase) Are you ignoring me?
Ok, we are HORRIBLE at getting back to people. Yes we do screen phone calls, we turn phones off and send you away when you come to the door sometimes. Mom sleeps a lot. Sorry. We couldn't appreciate your support more, and we have needed it every step of the way...and still do! It's simply the fact that moms health is the priority.
4. Is there anything I can do to help?
Yes. Pray! Also, Kelsey is a little bored with us (as I am sure you can imagine) and he loves spending time with anyone! If anybody wants to have him over for dinner or family night or anything it makes his day! He loves it and mom loves hearing about all the fun he is having! He is a good kid and his Aspergers can be difficult to understand at times, but he means well and is very polite. :)
5. How are YOU doing Lindsay?
I get asked this one a lot. It's true. Being a caretaker is one of the most difficult things to go through. Watching someone that you love go from perfectly happy and spunky to having a life threatening disease and watch them suffer is horrible. I am being blunt here. I am here every step of the way with her, yet I can't make it better, I can't fix her. I can only help get her to the people who can and make sure she is taking any one of the 10 medications she is on properly and I can be her cheerleader. That being said, I tell her all the time that this is the place I want to be, at her side and fighting with her. France and I are on the same page and I couldn't do this without him. Also, as many of you know, I am 6 months pregnant, which makes things a bit more interesting and emotional. :). I will be having our little boy down in California and that does make my time here limited as I need to be going to the doctor in CA for at least 6 weeks before he comes. This has given us the motivation she needs to get better so she can be there when he is born. We sure are trying. So, all in all, I am doing great.
Ok, if I have offended anyone, I am so sorry! The last thing we want you to think is we are devoid of gratitude. We are not. We talk daily about the miracles of prayer and fasting and how thankful we are to have the most amazing friends and family in the world. We still love all your cards and emails and notes of encouragement!!!! Seriously! They brighten her day in ways that you wouldn't believe! We love you all SOOO much! And mom can't wait to have you all over to party someday. :) Again, we are just so grateful. You'll never know what you mean to us.
All our love,
Lindsay (& Sheri)
