Hi again everyone,
Here are the arrangements that have been made for Mom.
Monday, July 6, visitation from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Tuesday, July 7, funeral at 11:00 AM
Toon Funeral Home
109 N Cass Ave
Westmont, IL 60559
In leiu of flowers, the family would prefer donations to:
Edward Hospital Cancer Center in Naperville
or
REGAP of Illinois (greyhound rescue organization that they got their dogs from)
4107 E 3rd Rd
Mendota, IL 61342
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The last update...
Hi everyone,
Sally asked that I make another post letting you all know that Mom passed away peacefully this morning around 8:20 a.m. She was at my aunt's house surrounded by family. We were able to get her out of the hospital and bring her here (my aunt's house) for hospice care, which she had expressed as her wish.
At this point, we are planning to have visitation on Monday July 6th and funeral services on Tuesday July 7th at Toon Funeral Home in Westmont. Sally, Chad and I will be heading there this afternoon to make arrangements and will notify people if those plans change.
On behalf of myself, Chad, Sally and Mom -- thank you all for your unending support, thoughts, prayers and kind words. It truly has been a rock for all of us in continuing on. We know she is no longer suffering and that she is with those who have passed before her.
We love you all,
Abby
Sally asked that I make another post letting you all know that Mom passed away peacefully this morning around 8:20 a.m. She was at my aunt's house surrounded by family. We were able to get her out of the hospital and bring her here (my aunt's house) for hospice care, which she had expressed as her wish.
At this point, we are planning to have visitation on Monday July 6th and funeral services on Tuesday July 7th at Toon Funeral Home in Westmont. Sally, Chad and I will be heading there this afternoon to make arrangements and will notify people if those plans change.
On behalf of myself, Chad, Sally and Mom -- thank you all for your unending support, thoughts, prayers and kind words. It truly has been a rock for all of us in continuing on. We know she is no longer suffering and that she is with those who have passed before her.
We love you all,
Abby
Monday, June 29, 2009
Another Update...
Hi everyone,
Well, we made it back from Vegas safely. Mom was in the hospital there until Saturday afternoon then we flew out of Vegas at 6 am yesterday. By the time we got off the plane, she had very minimal energy left and Chad had to lift her into the wheelchair and then into the car. While she was in the hospital from Wednesday to Saturday in Vegas, none of us really feel like they did a whole lot for her.
This morning she had an appointment scheduled to see her oncologist in Plainfield at 11:45 but had to come to the Cancer Center in Naperville to have some blood drawn. Once the nurse took her in to take the blood, she went to see if Dr. Baweja had left yet for her Plainfield office. She hadn't, so they took the blood and then had us see both Dr. Baweja and her nurse, Kim. Dr. Baweja said she has thrush in her mouth and in addition to all the other symptoms - weakness, low sodium, confusion - she decided to have Mom admitted right away.
So, now she is back in the hospital and has been getting some IV fluids with dextrose - her glucose was also low this morning - and the nurse just started another IV to help regulate the amount of calcium in her blood - her calcium was increased as well. Earlier she got an IV antibiotic for the thrush. A nephrologist - or kidney doctor for those of us not in the medical field - came by earlier saying that her kidney functioning is actually pretty good. Her regular doctor, Dr. Long, also came by to see her and will be back tomorrow morning. I have to tell you all how comforting it is to be back home with Mom's own doctors -- it was such a relief to get her home yesterday if only for the night.
At this point, time is of the essence. I'm not sure how much longer we'll have with her - so keep her in your prayers, keep her in your thoughts, visit her if you can. I will do my best to keep the blog updated more...I know what you're thinking...I said that before and didn't do it. I will try to keep it updated as new information comes in. If you want to call and you're able to text message, please do that first. Phone calls have been very difficult lately for Sally, Chad and I -- so please bear with us.
I think that's it for now -- not sure how long Mom will be in the hospital yet. We are also still waiting on an MRI of her brain -- see? I actually remembered something before signing off...
As usual, if I remember anything else, I'll do my best to add it.
Abby
Well, we made it back from Vegas safely. Mom was in the hospital there until Saturday afternoon then we flew out of Vegas at 6 am yesterday. By the time we got off the plane, she had very minimal energy left and Chad had to lift her into the wheelchair and then into the car. While she was in the hospital from Wednesday to Saturday in Vegas, none of us really feel like they did a whole lot for her.
This morning she had an appointment scheduled to see her oncologist in Plainfield at 11:45 but had to come to the Cancer Center in Naperville to have some blood drawn. Once the nurse took her in to take the blood, she went to see if Dr. Baweja had left yet for her Plainfield office. She hadn't, so they took the blood and then had us see both Dr. Baweja and her nurse, Kim. Dr. Baweja said she has thrush in her mouth and in addition to all the other symptoms - weakness, low sodium, confusion - she decided to have Mom admitted right away.
So, now she is back in the hospital and has been getting some IV fluids with dextrose - her glucose was also low this morning - and the nurse just started another IV to help regulate the amount of calcium in her blood - her calcium was increased as well. Earlier she got an IV antibiotic for the thrush. A nephrologist - or kidney doctor for those of us not in the medical field - came by earlier saying that her kidney functioning is actually pretty good. Her regular doctor, Dr. Long, also came by to see her and will be back tomorrow morning. I have to tell you all how comforting it is to be back home with Mom's own doctors -- it was such a relief to get her home yesterday if only for the night.
At this point, time is of the essence. I'm not sure how much longer we'll have with her - so keep her in your prayers, keep her in your thoughts, visit her if you can. I will do my best to keep the blog updated more...I know what you're thinking...I said that before and didn't do it. I will try to keep it updated as new information comes in. If you want to call and you're able to text message, please do that first. Phone calls have been very difficult lately for Sally, Chad and I -- so please bear with us.
I think that's it for now -- not sure how long Mom will be in the hospital yet. We are also still waiting on an MRI of her brain -- see? I actually remembered something before signing off...
As usual, if I remember anything else, I'll do my best to add it.
Abby
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Another update...
Hi everyone,
Sorry it's been awhile since I was last on -- been a bit hectic and my internet still isn't working right.
I'm sorry to say that I have some not so great news. Many of you may already know that Mom and Sally are out in Las Vegas right now and that Chad, Nikki, JT and I are heading out there tomorrow for the weekend. Today Mom was admitted to a hospital there due to increased weakness and some confusion that Sally was concerned about. She called Dr. Baweja who told Sally to take Mom to the hospital to get checked out. Turns out she is slightly dehydrated and her hemoglobin count had decreased - for those of you who know what it means, it went from 9.2 on June 11 to 8.7 today. Her appetite has also decreased lately which could also be contributing to the problem.
They are giving her 2 units of blood - she had a transfusion back in April that seemed to help quite a bit. They are also giving her IV fluids, taking a chest x-ray to see if she has pneumonia, starting antibiotics in case she does have pneumonia, and starting on a medication to stimulate her appetite. As of right now, that's all I know. As I said, the four of us are flying out there tomorrow and will be going from the airport to the hospital unless she has been released. Sally said she is expecting they will keep her at least overnight. I will do my best to keep the blog more updated in the future -- especially this weekend as we find out more about what's going on right now.
Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers -- they are much appreciated and mean so much to us.
Abby
Sorry it's been awhile since I was last on -- been a bit hectic and my internet still isn't working right.
I'm sorry to say that I have some not so great news. Many of you may already know that Mom and Sally are out in Las Vegas right now and that Chad, Nikki, JT and I are heading out there tomorrow for the weekend. Today Mom was admitted to a hospital there due to increased weakness and some confusion that Sally was concerned about. She called Dr. Baweja who told Sally to take Mom to the hospital to get checked out. Turns out she is slightly dehydrated and her hemoglobin count had decreased - for those of you who know what it means, it went from 9.2 on June 11 to 8.7 today. Her appetite has also decreased lately which could also be contributing to the problem.
They are giving her 2 units of blood - she had a transfusion back in April that seemed to help quite a bit. They are also giving her IV fluids, taking a chest x-ray to see if she has pneumonia, starting antibiotics in case she does have pneumonia, and starting on a medication to stimulate her appetite. As of right now, that's all I know. As I said, the four of us are flying out there tomorrow and will be going from the airport to the hospital unless she has been released. Sally said she is expecting they will keep her at least overnight. I will do my best to keep the blog more updated in the future -- especially this weekend as we find out more about what's going on right now.
Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers -- they are much appreciated and mean so much to us.
Abby
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Another Update...
Hi everyone,
First off, sorry about the delay since my last posting. My internet at home has not been working and I haven't had much opportunity to get online elsewhere. Hopefully we'll be getting new internet service soon so we won't have to worry about that.
Mom is starting her 3rd week of the 2nd cycle of Sutent and she's doing pretty well. The lowered dosage has decreased some of the side effects she had last time but she says she feels more tired this time around. She will be going back to Dr. Baweja this Thursday for another round of blood tests and check up.
We have planned a trip to Las Vegas coming up at the end of the month. Mom wanted to go there for "one last trip" so she and Sally will be going out there on June 21st and staying until the 28th. Chad, Nikki (his wife), JT and I will be joining them on the 25th. We've gone out there before as a family and had a great time, so we're hoping we'll be able to enjoy it again...and winning some money wouldn't be bad either.
We're also planning a big bash for 4th of July at Mom and Sally's -- I know many of you will be joining us so it should be a lot of fun. Sally was talking yesterday about getting some good fireworks to shoot off. Since their house is in the middle of nowhere I think we should be pretty safe and not having to worry about getting in trouble.
Well, I think that's about it for now...as usual, if I forgot anything I'll add it later.
Abby
First off, sorry about the delay since my last posting. My internet at home has not been working and I haven't had much opportunity to get online elsewhere. Hopefully we'll be getting new internet service soon so we won't have to worry about that.
Mom is starting her 3rd week of the 2nd cycle of Sutent and she's doing pretty well. The lowered dosage has decreased some of the side effects she had last time but she says she feels more tired this time around. She will be going back to Dr. Baweja this Thursday for another round of blood tests and check up.
We have planned a trip to Las Vegas coming up at the end of the month. Mom wanted to go there for "one last trip" so she and Sally will be going out there on June 21st and staying until the 28th. Chad, Nikki (his wife), JT and I will be joining them on the 25th. We've gone out there before as a family and had a great time, so we're hoping we'll be able to enjoy it again...and winning some money wouldn't be bad either.
We're also planning a big bash for 4th of July at Mom and Sally's -- I know many of you will be joining us so it should be a lot of fun. Sally was talking yesterday about getting some good fireworks to shoot off. Since their house is in the middle of nowhere I think we should be pretty safe and not having to worry about getting in trouble.
Well, I think that's about it for now...as usual, if I forgot anything I'll add it later.
Abby
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Another update...
Hi everyone,
Mom started her second cycle of Sutent yesterday. As I said before, she is now taking 37.5 mg daily instead of 50 mg. Her weight has gone down almost 8 pounds since last Thursday which is great -- this means the diuretic is working and her legs have reduced in size. Now she will probably decrease the dosage on that as well -- I believe that she is now in the weight range Dr. Baweja wanted her to get to before reducing the dosage.
I also got a chance to read the reports from her most recent CT scan which was a few weeks ago. Several of the larger tumors/nodules in her lungs have decreased in size. Also, the tumor on her kidney has not grown (I think it may have also decreased in size, but I can't remember exactly right now). In addition to that, the lesions on her liver have also decreased in size. This is great news as it means that the Sutent is doing its job.
The weekend was pretty good considering she wasn't feeling as well as she would have liked for a weekend of camping. She ended up spending a lot of time in the camper because it was too chilly for her outside but she was still able to enjoy the party and the great food. (For those of you who may not know, we had a camping weekend for JT's 30th birthday.)
I don't think there's anything else new right now...but as usual, if I forgot anything I will add it later.
One more thing....on behalf of my mom, Sally and Chad -- thank you all for your ongoing support, thoughts and prayers. Knowing you're all out there supporting us is amazing...gives me goosebumps in fact. Thank you so much.
Abby
Mom started her second cycle of Sutent yesterday. As I said before, she is now taking 37.5 mg daily instead of 50 mg. Her weight has gone down almost 8 pounds since last Thursday which is great -- this means the diuretic is working and her legs have reduced in size. Now she will probably decrease the dosage on that as well -- I believe that she is now in the weight range Dr. Baweja wanted her to get to before reducing the dosage.
I also got a chance to read the reports from her most recent CT scan which was a few weeks ago. Several of the larger tumors/nodules in her lungs have decreased in size. Also, the tumor on her kidney has not grown (I think it may have also decreased in size, but I can't remember exactly right now). In addition to that, the lesions on her liver have also decreased in size. This is great news as it means that the Sutent is doing its job.
The weekend was pretty good considering she wasn't feeling as well as she would have liked for a weekend of camping. She ended up spending a lot of time in the camper because it was too chilly for her outside but she was still able to enjoy the party and the great food. (For those of you who may not know, we had a camping weekend for JT's 30th birthday.)
I don't think there's anything else new right now...but as usual, if I forgot anything I will add it later.
One more thing....on behalf of my mom, Sally and Chad -- thank you all for your ongoing support, thoughts and prayers. Knowing you're all out there supporting us is amazing...gives me goosebumps in fact. Thank you so much.
Abby
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Update...
Hi everyone,
Mom went to see Dr. Baweja today and here are the changes. Overall, things are going well other than the excessive swelling related to water retention. So, the Dr. changed the diuretic she is on from Lasix to Bumex. She was also given an IV of Lasix before she left the doctor's office to speed up the reduction in water retention. Apparently the swelling had gotten so bad that her thighs and butt were swollen and she wasn't able to bend her knees very well -- so that's the biggest concern right now. The Dr. also gave her a Procrit injection which is supposed to help her body produce more red blood cells (hemoglobin) which will help her feel better as well.
She will be starting the next cycle of Sutent on Tuesday 5/19 and the Dr. lowered that dosage from 50 mg daily to 37.5 mg daily. Hopefully this will also decrease the side effects while still giving her the benefits. I think that's it for now -- after I talked to her earlier she was going to be getting some lunch then heading home to take a nap.
As usual...if I've forgotten something, I'll add it later...
Abby
Mom went to see Dr. Baweja today and here are the changes. Overall, things are going well other than the excessive swelling related to water retention. So, the Dr. changed the diuretic she is on from Lasix to Bumex. She was also given an IV of Lasix before she left the doctor's office to speed up the reduction in water retention. Apparently the swelling had gotten so bad that her thighs and butt were swollen and she wasn't able to bend her knees very well -- so that's the biggest concern right now. The Dr. also gave her a Procrit injection which is supposed to help her body produce more red blood cells (hemoglobin) which will help her feel better as well.
She will be starting the next cycle of Sutent on Tuesday 5/19 and the Dr. lowered that dosage from 50 mg daily to 37.5 mg daily. Hopefully this will also decrease the side effects while still giving her the benefits. I think that's it for now -- after I talked to her earlier she was going to be getting some lunch then heading home to take a nap.
As usual...if I've forgotten something, I'll add it later...
Abby
Monday, May 11, 2009
Another quick update...
Hi everyone,
Sorry for the delay...the past week or so has been a bit hectic, so I haven't been able to get on and post anything.
A week ago yesterday (May 3rd), Mom finished her first cycle of the Sutent. She's been feeling up and down over the past week. The swelling in her legs seems to be okay if she has her feet up but once she starts walking around or standing, they swell up again. Her cough has gotten worse and she is now sleeping propped up on pillows to minimize the coughing at night so she can get more sleep. She will be going to see Dr. Baweja this Thursday 5/14 for another check up. Then she will start the next cycle of Sutent next week. Once she finishes the next cycle, she'll take 2 weeks off and then the plan will be to do another CT scan to see how things are going.
I think that's about it for the update. Chad and I made her and Sally a Mother's Day lunch yesterday -- BBQ pork chops, roasted garlic potatoes and baked/grilled asparagus. I have to say we did a pretty good job on it -- it was delicious. And, they enjoyed it...which was our goal.
As usual, if I've forgotten anything, I'll add it later...and I will update again after her appointment on Thursday.
Abby
Sorry for the delay...the past week or so has been a bit hectic, so I haven't been able to get on and post anything.
A week ago yesterday (May 3rd), Mom finished her first cycle of the Sutent. She's been feeling up and down over the past week. The swelling in her legs seems to be okay if she has her feet up but once she starts walking around or standing, they swell up again. Her cough has gotten worse and she is now sleeping propped up on pillows to minimize the coughing at night so she can get more sleep. She will be going to see Dr. Baweja this Thursday 5/14 for another check up. Then she will start the next cycle of Sutent next week. Once she finishes the next cycle, she'll take 2 weeks off and then the plan will be to do another CT scan to see how things are going.
I think that's about it for the update. Chad and I made her and Sally a Mother's Day lunch yesterday -- BBQ pork chops, roasted garlic potatoes and baked/grilled asparagus. I have to say we did a pretty good job on it -- it was delicious. And, they enjoyed it...which was our goal.
As usual, if I've forgotten anything, I'll add it later...and I will update again after her appointment on Thursday.
Abby
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Quick update...
Hi everyone,
Mom was released from the hospital this morning and should be getting home shortly. The results from all of the tests were good -- no cancer in the spine, no blod clots in her legs and it appears that the Sutent is working as the CT scan showed no growth of any of the tumors. This is great news -- and a big relief.
They kept her last night to give her an IV push of the diuretic she was put on to get rid of more of the fluid in her legs. She told me this morning that she could see her ankle bones again, so that obviously worked well. She is just finishing up her last week of the first cycle of the Sutent and will then have 2 weeks off before starting the next cycle as it appears it is working well so far.
I will talk to her more later and find out any other information I may not have put in here...and as usual, if I forgot anything I'll add that too...
Abby
Mom was released from the hospital this morning and should be getting home shortly. The results from all of the tests were good -- no cancer in the spine, no blod clots in her legs and it appears that the Sutent is working as the CT scan showed no growth of any of the tumors. This is great news -- and a big relief.
They kept her last night to give her an IV push of the diuretic she was put on to get rid of more of the fluid in her legs. She told me this morning that she could see her ankle bones again, so that obviously worked well. She is just finishing up her last week of the first cycle of the Sutent and will then have 2 weeks off before starting the next cycle as it appears it is working well so far.
I will talk to her more later and find out any other information I may not have put in here...and as usual, if I forgot anything I'll add that too...
Abby
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Treatment update...
Hi everyone,
I wanted to post this last night, but I was too tired when I got home so here it is today. Mom was admitted to the hospital yesterday following her echo cardiogram and appointment with Dr. Baweja. As some of you know, her legs had been swelling which we thought was just a side effect from the Sutent but also could have been a sign of heart problems. When she left the hospital after having the echo, she had trouble getting into their car (which is a big SUV). When she told Dr. Baweja that she had been having a lot of weakness in her legs, she decided to keep her in the hospital to run some more tests: an MRI of her spine, a CT scan of her chest, abdomen and pelvis and an ultrasound on her legs. Keeping her in the hospital for the tests would give them the ability to get all the tests done quickly instead of dragging them out for several days.
There is some concern that the thrombus, either a blod clot or a tumor, in the vena cava could be causing the weakness in her legs. (The vena cava is a major vein that provides blood flow from the extremities back to the heart and is located in the middle of the chest/abdomen.) There is also some concern that the cancer has possibly spread to her spine, thus the MRI. I went to see her last night at the hospital and she had the CT scan and the ultrasound done during the evening. She is scheduled to have the MRI this morning sometime. She is hopeful she will get to come home today, but I think that hinges on when they get the MRI done as well as the results from all of the tests.
At this point, they are looking to see if any of the tumors - especially the one in the vena cava - have grown or progressed. Unfortunately, that is all we know right now until Dr. Baweja sees the results from all of the tests. I will post more information as I get it. Sally will be taking care of some stuff at home this morning and should be back at the hospital by early afternoon. We should hopefully have some more information by then as well as have some idea about when they'll be releasing her.
As usual, if I've forgotten anything I'll add it....
Abby
I wanted to post this last night, but I was too tired when I got home so here it is today. Mom was admitted to the hospital yesterday following her echo cardiogram and appointment with Dr. Baweja. As some of you know, her legs had been swelling which we thought was just a side effect from the Sutent but also could have been a sign of heart problems. When she left the hospital after having the echo, she had trouble getting into their car (which is a big SUV). When she told Dr. Baweja that she had been having a lot of weakness in her legs, she decided to keep her in the hospital to run some more tests: an MRI of her spine, a CT scan of her chest, abdomen and pelvis and an ultrasound on her legs. Keeping her in the hospital for the tests would give them the ability to get all the tests done quickly instead of dragging them out for several days.
There is some concern that the thrombus, either a blod clot or a tumor, in the vena cava could be causing the weakness in her legs. (The vena cava is a major vein that provides blood flow from the extremities back to the heart and is located in the middle of the chest/abdomen.) There is also some concern that the cancer has possibly spread to her spine, thus the MRI. I went to see her last night at the hospital and she had the CT scan and the ultrasound done during the evening. She is scheduled to have the MRI this morning sometime. She is hopeful she will get to come home today, but I think that hinges on when they get the MRI done as well as the results from all of the tests.
At this point, they are looking to see if any of the tumors - especially the one in the vena cava - have grown or progressed. Unfortunately, that is all we know right now until Dr. Baweja sees the results from all of the tests. I will post more information as I get it. Sally will be taking care of some stuff at home this morning and should be back at the hospital by early afternoon. We should hopefully have some more information by then as well as have some idea about when they'll be releasing her.
As usual, if I've forgotten anything I'll add it....
Abby
Friday, April 24, 2009
Nasty cold...
Hi everyone,
Last weekend, most of the Teeter clan got together and Uncle Scott and Aunt Diana's house for a belated Easter celebration. It was really good to have most of us together -- Uncle Terry and John were able to be there as well as a surprise visit from my mom's Uncle Dick and Aunt Sharon from Michigan. I know it was good for the family to see Mom and be able to spend some time with her -- I know I felt better knowing she was able to spend the day with everyone.
My mom woke up with a nasty cold on Wednesday -- which Sally, Chad and I also got -- and she was put on an antibiotic right away for 7 days. She also has had some increased swelling in her legs and her face. This can be a side effect of the Sutent but it could also be indicative of heart problems. She told me today that as far as she can tell, her heart feels fine. Dr. Baweja put her on a diuretic which she will start tomorrow to help with the swelling. She is still scheduled for the echo cardiogram on Tuesday 4/28 followed by an appointment with Dr. Baweja for a check up.
Nothing else is really new I guess...She watched Sam for a few hours today which I know she enjoyed but I'm sure it also wore her out. We had our usual Friday night dinner (minus JT who is at work) tonight. Speaking of dinner...another side effect of the Sutent is changes in taste which she is now having. She says nothing tastes right which is making it harder to eat since nothing really tastes good. However, she is still eating and has been eating pretty well over the last couple of weeks -- even having a steak sandwich last week. (She wasn't able to stomach even the smell of red meat a few weeks ago...so she was excited to have a steak sandwich.)
As usual, if I've forgotten anything I'll add it as it comes to me...I will also try to add some more pictures in the coming days. If you have any pictures of Pat that you'd like to share, please feel free to email them to me and I'll be sure to post them. Most of you probably have my email, but for those of you who don't here it is: abby.maxwell@gmail.com
Hope everyone has a good weekend,
Abby
Last weekend, most of the Teeter clan got together and Uncle Scott and Aunt Diana's house for a belated Easter celebration. It was really good to have most of us together -- Uncle Terry and John were able to be there as well as a surprise visit from my mom's Uncle Dick and Aunt Sharon from Michigan. I know it was good for the family to see Mom and be able to spend some time with her -- I know I felt better knowing she was able to spend the day with everyone.
My mom woke up with a nasty cold on Wednesday -- which Sally, Chad and I also got -- and she was put on an antibiotic right away for 7 days. She also has had some increased swelling in her legs and her face. This can be a side effect of the Sutent but it could also be indicative of heart problems. She told me today that as far as she can tell, her heart feels fine. Dr. Baweja put her on a diuretic which she will start tomorrow to help with the swelling. She is still scheduled for the echo cardiogram on Tuesday 4/28 followed by an appointment with Dr. Baweja for a check up.
Nothing else is really new I guess...She watched Sam for a few hours today which I know she enjoyed but I'm sure it also wore her out. We had our usual Friday night dinner (minus JT who is at work) tonight. Speaking of dinner...another side effect of the Sutent is changes in taste which she is now having. She says nothing tastes right which is making it harder to eat since nothing really tastes good. However, she is still eating and has been eating pretty well over the last couple of weeks -- even having a steak sandwich last week. (She wasn't able to stomach even the smell of red meat a few weeks ago...so she was excited to have a steak sandwich.)
As usual, if I've forgotten anything I'll add it as it comes to me...I will also try to add some more pictures in the coming days. If you have any pictures of Pat that you'd like to share, please feel free to email them to me and I'll be sure to post them. Most of you probably have my email, but for those of you who don't here it is: abby.maxwell@gmail.com
Hope everyone has a good weekend,
Abby
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Had to post this...
Hi everyone,
I had to post this picture for you all to see...for those of you who may not get the joke, here's the story. When one of my uncle's graduated from police academy in Springfield, several of us went down for the ceremony and festivities. One of the nights we were there involved a fancier dinner which required us to dress up. At some point in the evening, my mom put her feet up and we noticed something...she was wearing two of the same footed shoes. She had two of the exact same pair of shoes and had just grabbed two shoes without checking them. Anyway, the hotel we were staying in was circular and it's a good thing since she kept walking in circles.....ha ha ha.
So this picture is from Nate's (one of my cousins) wedding in Florida this past February. Amanda (one of my other cousins) decided to label her shoes so she wouldn't get confused...So there you go -- hope you enjoy it.
Abby
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
MRI of Pat's Melon...by Chad (Pat's son)
My mom had the MRI of her head done yesterday 4/14 to see if the cancer had spread to her brain. Unfortunately, due to a couple of emergencies at the hospital, she was not able to get the results yesterday. The results did come in today and I am glad to say there was no sign of cancer in her brain. The doctor explained to us that the big concern with kidney cancer getting into the brain is that it tends to bleed more often than other forms of cancer that normally just cause lumps. We also saw the oncologist yesterday and got some promising information. Mom's hemoglobin count went up from 8 to 11.5, which is very good. The doc said that the transfusion that she received brought the hemoglobin up, but that her body is keeping it up and not allowing it to drop back down. Great news! She will be going back in for an echocardiogram in 2 weeks.
Mom is feeling and looking better. She has more energy most days and is still enjoying the lovely art of vacuuming. Tyler (her grandson) arrived last night from Georgia to spend the week with her, which was a suprise to her. She doesn't get to see him as often as she would like, so this was a special treat.
As usual, if there is anything new or that I forgot, I will let you all know.
From myself, my sister, Sally and Mom, thank you all for the love and support...It means a great deal.
Mom is feeling and looking better. She has more energy most days and is still enjoying the lovely art of vacuuming. Tyler (her grandson) arrived last night from Georgia to spend the week with her, which was a suprise to her. She doesn't get to see him as often as she would like, so this was a special treat.
As usual, if there is anything new or that I forgot, I will let you all know.
From myself, my sister, Sally and Mom, thank you all for the love and support...It means a great deal.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Another picture...
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to add this picture of my mom from last summer -- this was at Norma's 50th birthday party and the them was butterflies. So, someone had a butterfly mask that my mom decided to put on the back of her head. She ended up accentuating her already prominent Teeter satellites...oh, I meant ears. :-)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Update...
Hi everyone,
My mom got her results back from the liver biopsy today. It is confirmed that the cancer in her liver is in fact kidney cancer. They wanted to make sure it was kidney cancer because if it was liver cancer, the treatment plan would have had to change. So, in that sense, it's a good thing.
Another update today is that she ended up going to the oncologist's office due to coughing up a very small amount of blood. Turns out the Sutent aggravated her cough which then has irritated her throat which started bleeding a little bit. They said it's not uncommon with the Sutent and that it's nothing to worry about at this point. She got a prescription for a cough syrup with codeine in it - so hopefully that will help with the cough and pain.
My mom said that she has already noticed some improvements in her energy since starting the Sutent. She was able to walk around most of super Wal-Mart yesterday without having to stop for a break - which is definitely an improvement from the last couple of weeks. I think that's about it for now....but as usual, if I remember anything else I'll add it.
Abby
My mom got her results back from the liver biopsy today. It is confirmed that the cancer in her liver is in fact kidney cancer. They wanted to make sure it was kidney cancer because if it was liver cancer, the treatment plan would have had to change. So, in that sense, it's a good thing.
Another update today is that she ended up going to the oncologist's office due to coughing up a very small amount of blood. Turns out the Sutent aggravated her cough which then has irritated her throat which started bleeding a little bit. They said it's not uncommon with the Sutent and that it's nothing to worry about at this point. She got a prescription for a cough syrup with codeine in it - so hopefully that will help with the cough and pain.
My mom said that she has already noticed some improvements in her energy since starting the Sutent. She was able to walk around most of super Wal-Mart yesterday without having to stop for a break - which is definitely an improvement from the last couple of weeks. I think that's about it for now....but as usual, if I remember anything else I'll add it.
Abby
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Grandma and her girl (1/23/09)
This picture was taken at Starbucks. We (my mom, Sally, Chad, Nikki, JT and I) usually go out for dinner on Friday nights then stop at Starbucks. We started that tradition several years ago and have only missed a few in that time. Those dinners have become that much more important lately -- but really we just like to get together and have a good time.(For those of you who don't know her, this is my turkey of a niece, Samantha. She's about 7 months old here.) 
Treatment update...
Hi everyone,
My mom got her Sutent shipment today and took her first pill at 7 pm tonight. It feels like it's been forever since she was supposed to get it, so I'm glad she finally got it today. She was quite sore yesterday and didn't sleep well last night since she had to spent the time during her biopsy yesterday with her arms above her head. I talked to her earlier...well, we texted as we do quite often...and she said "Thank God for codeine and Tiger Balm." So, she's feeling better tonight than last night.
I don't know much else today I guess...well, I know other things however I guess I don't have anything else to add to the blog today. But, as usual, if I remember anything else I'll add it.
Abby
My mom got her Sutent shipment today and took her first pill at 7 pm tonight. It feels like it's been forever since she was supposed to get it, so I'm glad she finally got it today. She was quite sore yesterday and didn't sleep well last night since she had to spent the time during her biopsy yesterday with her arms above her head. I talked to her earlier...well, we texted as we do quite often...and she said "Thank God for codeine and Tiger Balm." So, she's feeling better tonight than last night.
I don't know much else today I guess...well, I know other things however I guess I don't have anything else to add to the blog today. But, as usual, if I remember anything else I'll add it.
Abby
Monday, April 6, 2009
Surgery today...
Hi everyone,
The liver biopsy today went well -- the procedure itself only took about 30 minutes but hopefully it will be helpful in her treatment. They ended up only using twilight anasthetic instead of having to put her completely out. I know she was happy about that since she hates being put under. I have to say that the waiting room at Edward's outpatient surgery area was one of the best I've been in with plenty of seating, wi-fi, TV's, blankets, pillows, and vending machines. They also had this TV screen that displayed where each patient was with a patient ID number - so we could tell once she had actually been taken in for the procedure. She should have the results within 24 - 48 hours. The oncologist will be given the results and then she will either have my mom go in to her office for the results or she'll give her the results over the phone. We won't know whether she'll have to go in for the results until later this week - again in 24 - 48 hours.
My mom said that the doctor who performed the biopsy - Dr. Hu (pronounced "who" and no, I'm not kidding) - was very nice and comforting. Chad and I have been very impressed thus far with the doctors and nurses who have been treating our mom -- most, if not all, of you know how close Chad and I are with her so feeling comfortable with those treating her is of huge importance to both of us. I know it's also important to Sally and my mom, of course, but Chad and I have talked several times in the past week and a half about this particular piece of her treatment....so I figured I'd add it. I think Chad may end up going with for her head MRI and follow up appointment with Dr. Baweja (the oncologist) next week -- mostly for support but also to meet the doctor.
Also, as far as the Sutent treatment -- of course, when my mom and Sally got home tonight there was a note saying they had tried to deliver it. Doesn't that just figure? Anyway, they should be delivering it tomorrow - it requires a signature, so they didn't just leave it on the doorstep. So, as long as they deliver it tomorrow she will begin taking the Sutent tomorrow.
Well, I think that's it for today...as usual, if I remember anything else, I'll add it.
Abby
The liver biopsy today went well -- the procedure itself only took about 30 minutes but hopefully it will be helpful in her treatment. They ended up only using twilight anasthetic instead of having to put her completely out. I know she was happy about that since she hates being put under. I have to say that the waiting room at Edward's outpatient surgery area was one of the best I've been in with plenty of seating, wi-fi, TV's, blankets, pillows, and vending machines. They also had this TV screen that displayed where each patient was with a patient ID number - so we could tell once she had actually been taken in for the procedure. She should have the results within 24 - 48 hours. The oncologist will be given the results and then she will either have my mom go in to her office for the results or she'll give her the results over the phone. We won't know whether she'll have to go in for the results until later this week - again in 24 - 48 hours.
My mom said that the doctor who performed the biopsy - Dr. Hu (pronounced "who" and no, I'm not kidding) - was very nice and comforting. Chad and I have been very impressed thus far with the doctors and nurses who have been treating our mom -- most, if not all, of you know how close Chad and I are with her so feeling comfortable with those treating her is of huge importance to both of us. I know it's also important to Sally and my mom, of course, but Chad and I have talked several times in the past week and a half about this particular piece of her treatment....so I figured I'd add it. I think Chad may end up going with for her head MRI and follow up appointment with Dr. Baweja (the oncologist) next week -- mostly for support but also to meet the doctor.
Also, as far as the Sutent treatment -- of course, when my mom and Sally got home tonight there was a note saying they had tried to deliver it. Doesn't that just figure? Anyway, they should be delivering it tomorrow - it requires a signature, so they didn't just leave it on the doorstep. So, as long as they deliver it tomorrow she will begin taking the Sutent tomorrow.
Well, I think that's it for today...as usual, if I remember anything else, I'll add it.
Abby
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Delay in treatment...
Hi everyone,
My mom was supposed to start the Sutent medication yesterday however she did not receive the pills yet, thus she hasn't been able to start yet. She and Sally will obviously be gone all day tomorrow due to the liver biopsy, so hopefully the package will not be left at their house especially since the weather isn't supposed to be the greatest. So hopefully she'll get it Tuesday and be able to start the first cycle.
I also wanted to encourage everyone reading the blog to feel free to post your comments/thoughts/questions on the blog. I definitely want to give information here, but I'd also love it if others add things as well.
I think that's it for today - as usual, if I remember something later I will add it.
Abby
My mom was supposed to start the Sutent medication yesterday however she did not receive the pills yet, thus she hasn't been able to start yet. She and Sally will obviously be gone all day tomorrow due to the liver biopsy, so hopefully the package will not be left at their house especially since the weather isn't supposed to be the greatest. So hopefully she'll get it Tuesday and be able to start the first cycle.
I also wanted to encourage everyone reading the blog to feel free to post your comments/thoughts/questions on the blog. I definitely want to give information here, but I'd also love it if others add things as well.
I think that's it for today - as usual, if I remember something later I will add it.
Abby
Friday, April 3, 2009
More treatment news...
Hi everyone,
It looks like my mom will be starting the Sutent treatment tomorrow. She got a call from the pharmaceutical company (Pfizer) confirming insurance coverage for the medication and they are shipping them to her. She should have the first cycle's pills tomorrow. She talked with the oncologist today to find out when she should start taking the Sutent -- she will start as soon as she gets them. She already set up an alarm in her phone to remind her to take it everyday...I would do the same thing...but don't tell her that ; ) She also got a call from the hospital with all the details about Monday's biopsy procedure such as what time to be there and not to eat for several hours before...all the fun stuff you have to do before any type of surgery. I think that's all I wanted to add tonight...if I think of anything else, obviously I'll add it.
Abby
It looks like my mom will be starting the Sutent treatment tomorrow. She got a call from the pharmaceutical company (Pfizer) confirming insurance coverage for the medication and they are shipping them to her. She should have the first cycle's pills tomorrow. She talked with the oncologist today to find out when she should start taking the Sutent -- she will start as soon as she gets them. She already set up an alarm in her phone to remind her to take it everyday...I would do the same thing...but don't tell her that ; ) She also got a call from the hospital with all the details about Monday's biopsy procedure such as what time to be there and not to eat for several hours before...all the fun stuff you have to do before any type of surgery. I think that's all I wanted to add tonight...if I think of anything else, obviously I'll add it.
Abby
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Another test....
Hi everyone,
I heard from my mom earlier this evening that she will be going in for an MRI of her head on 4/14/09 at 9 a.m. Looks like they'll be checking to see if the cancer has spread to her brain. As for the upcoming liver biopsy, it looks like Chad, JT and I will be able to go with for support and to help keep Sally company. I think that's it for me for now. I'll continue posting as more things happen.
Abby
I heard from my mom earlier this evening that she will be going in for an MRI of her head on 4/14/09 at 9 a.m. Looks like they'll be checking to see if the cancer has spread to her brain. As for the upcoming liver biopsy, it looks like Chad, JT and I will be able to go with for support and to help keep Sally company. I think that's it for me for now. I'll continue posting as more things happen.
Abby
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Some more info...
Hi again everyone,
Apparently the liver biopsy is to see if the lesions on her liver are in fact kidney cancer or not. The procedure will be outpatient...which is good since she won't have to stay in the hospital. She is now home after having the 2 units of blood today. She told me she was still feeling pretty tired but she is confident that it will help her feel better soon. I think that's about all for now...if anything else comes to me, I'll be sure to post it.
Abby
Apparently the liver biopsy is to see if the lesions on her liver are in fact kidney cancer or not. The procedure will be outpatient...which is good since she won't have to stay in the hospital. She is now home after having the 2 units of blood today. She told me she was still feeling pretty tired but she is confident that it will help her feel better soon. I think that's about all for now...if anything else comes to me, I'll be sure to post it.
Abby
More treatment news
Hi everyone,
It looks like the oncologist will be taking a biopsy of my mom's liver on Monday 4/6/09. I just got word from Sally a bit ago as they are still at the cancer center doing the blood transfusion. I will get more information on the goal of the biopsy and add it later today, but I would assume they are probably looking at the extent of the cancer in her liver. Again, I will get more information and post it as I get it.
Abby
It looks like the oncologist will be taking a biopsy of my mom's liver on Monday 4/6/09. I just got word from Sally a bit ago as they are still at the cancer center doing the blood transfusion. I will get more information on the goal of the biopsy and add it later today, but I would assume they are probably looking at the extent of the cancer in her liver. Again, I will get more information and post it as I get it.
Abby
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
First Visit to the Oncologist
Hi everyone,
My internet has been acting goofy this evening so I couldn't get online until now. Anyway, I went with my mom and Sally to the first appointment with the oncologist today. First off, I want to say that all three of us really liked the oncologist -- she was very calming and down to earth. I got a good vibe from her and she spent a lot of time with us. She did confirm that the cancer is in Stage IV - which is the highest and most severe. She estimated that the cancer has only been there for somewhere between 4 months and 1 year. She told us that based on how the cancer cells are acting, it is a very aggressive form.
Here's the story -- kidney cancer does not typically respond well to chemotherapy and/or radiation so that won't be recommended. There is an IV treatment that has been found to be effective, however since the cancer has spread to her liver it wouldn't be safe to do that treatment. So, you may be wondering what it is that will be recommended right? Okay, so the recommendation is for what they call a "targeted therapy" which is a drug called Sutent. The treatment plan will be to take the medication - one pill a day - for 4 weeks then take 2 weeks off. The oncologist said they typically do two of those cycles and then do another CT scan. The goal of treatment at this point is to prolong her life and to keep her quality of life as high as possible.
Also, at this point, they are not recommending the removal of her left kidney - which is where the cancer started. Apparently removing it wouldn't do anything positive as far as treatmen tor prognosis goes. They would consider removing it if in the future one of two things happens: there is bleeding such as blood in her urine or if the pain gets much more severe than it is now. Again, that would only be done for comfort for her.
While she is on the Sutent treatment, she will be monitored with blood tests and such to make sure that her liver functioning is okay and that her blood counts hopefully get better. The oncologist is also having my mom go in tomorrow for a blood transfusion which should help quite a bit with energy and feeling better in general. I'm not sure if that will be recurring, but I'm sure it will be a possibility depending on how things go. If this treatment works, they will continue with it. If it works for a period of time or doesn't work or her body doesn't tolerate the drug, they will seek out other options. The other treatment options if this does not work are either an IV treatment once a week or another medication that would be taken orally.
Some of you may also be wondering about the survival rate/prognosis. At this point, the oncologist believes it is less than 15% for a 5 year survival rate due to the aggressive nature of her cancer as well as the fact that it has already spread to two other organs. She also included in that estimation some of the blood test results that might decrease survival rates because it increases the severity of the cancer - such as high calcium and low hemoglobin.
I think that's it for now....if I think of anything else I will add it as it comes to me. Feel free to call either Chad or me if you have questions and we will do our best to answer them.
We love you all and thank you for your ongoing support....it is truly priceless.
Abby
My internet has been acting goofy this evening so I couldn't get online until now. Anyway, I went with my mom and Sally to the first appointment with the oncologist today. First off, I want to say that all three of us really liked the oncologist -- she was very calming and down to earth. I got a good vibe from her and she spent a lot of time with us. She did confirm that the cancer is in Stage IV - which is the highest and most severe. She estimated that the cancer has only been there for somewhere between 4 months and 1 year. She told us that based on how the cancer cells are acting, it is a very aggressive form.
Here's the story -- kidney cancer does not typically respond well to chemotherapy and/or radiation so that won't be recommended. There is an IV treatment that has been found to be effective, however since the cancer has spread to her liver it wouldn't be safe to do that treatment. So, you may be wondering what it is that will be recommended right? Okay, so the recommendation is for what they call a "targeted therapy" which is a drug called Sutent. The treatment plan will be to take the medication - one pill a day - for 4 weeks then take 2 weeks off. The oncologist said they typically do two of those cycles and then do another CT scan. The goal of treatment at this point is to prolong her life and to keep her quality of life as high as possible.
Also, at this point, they are not recommending the removal of her left kidney - which is where the cancer started. Apparently removing it wouldn't do anything positive as far as treatmen tor prognosis goes. They would consider removing it if in the future one of two things happens: there is bleeding such as blood in her urine or if the pain gets much more severe than it is now. Again, that would only be done for comfort for her.
While she is on the Sutent treatment, she will be monitored with blood tests and such to make sure that her liver functioning is okay and that her blood counts hopefully get better. The oncologist is also having my mom go in tomorrow for a blood transfusion which should help quite a bit with energy and feeling better in general. I'm not sure if that will be recurring, but I'm sure it will be a possibility depending on how things go. If this treatment works, they will continue with it. If it works for a period of time or doesn't work or her body doesn't tolerate the drug, they will seek out other options. The other treatment options if this does not work are either an IV treatment once a week or another medication that would be taken orally.
Some of you may also be wondering about the survival rate/prognosis. At this point, the oncologist believes it is less than 15% for a 5 year survival rate due to the aggressive nature of her cancer as well as the fact that it has already spread to two other organs. She also included in that estimation some of the blood test results that might decrease survival rates because it increases the severity of the cancer - such as high calcium and low hemoglobin.
I think that's it for now....if I think of anything else I will add it as it comes to me. Feel free to call either Chad or me if you have questions and we will do our best to answer them.
We love you all and thank you for your ongoing support....it is truly priceless.
Abby
The first posting
Hi everyone,
This is my first posting about my mom's newly diagnosed cancer. At this point, all we know is that she has been diagnosed with kidney cancer which has metastisized to her lungs and liver. She went to the urologist yesterday who told her that the oncologist will be calling most of the shots. He said that at this point it would probably not be helpful to remove the kidney where the cancer started as it has spread beyond the kidney into the vein there. She sees the oncologist today and we'll see what he or she says and what kind of treatment options are available.
I'll write more after that appointment which is this afternoon.
This is my first posting about my mom's newly diagnosed cancer. At this point, all we know is that she has been diagnosed with kidney cancer which has metastisized to her lungs and liver. She went to the urologist yesterday who told her that the oncologist will be calling most of the shots. He said that at this point it would probably not be helpful to remove the kidney where the cancer started as it has spread beyond the kidney into the vein there. She sees the oncologist today and we'll see what he or she says and what kind of treatment options are available.
I'll write more after that appointment which is this afternoon.
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