“Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength.” - Napolean Bonaparte
It has been a week of ups and downs. Mom is still achingly, overwhelmingly tired. Some days it is very hard for her to even get out of bed. The doctors determined when she went in for chemo on Wednesday that her iron levels were too low. They decided against an injection because they needed the iron levels to replenish quickly - the shot wouldn't cut it. They booked Mom in for a blood transfusion this morning (Thursday). To be clear - this is not anemia. Mom's iron is low because the chemo is killing good and bad cells. Two bags of blood were transfused over five hours. Mom says she plans on being quite "frisky" (her word, not mine) by Saturday.
Between chemo and the blood transfusion, Mom has spent the last couple days cooped up in the hospital (with her little trooper Bri for company), so she is quite looking forward to wearing pajama pants and curling up in front of her fireplace all day tomorrow. The swelling in her eyes has gone down quite a bit and she can now read, although the gel mask she has been wearing on her eyes makes her look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! (I was not permitted to take any pictures).
The swelling was concerning the doctors, so Mom went in for a CT scan. These days, we seem to prepare for the worst when it comes to getting test results, so we were not prepared for what we were told when the CT scan came back. Are you ready for this?! Not only are there no problems with Mom's eyes (the swelling is due to the drugs, and like I said, it has already started to subside with no intervention), but the spots that were on her brain have "markedly improved" and no new lesions have formed. Basically, the treatment is making a difference. The cancer in Mom's brain is getting smaller. It's a small victory, but it feels enormous! I am so proud of my Mom. She said she was going to beat this thing, and she is giving it everything she has.
It has been a little trying for Mom in that with the weather starting to warm up a bit, she is still cooped up in the house because she is just too tired to do much of anything. However, a couple good things have happened. 1) Duck Dynasty season premiered (I don't know that I have ever heard her giggle like that! Uncle Cy is a saint in my book for making my Mom so happy). 2) Mom's girlfriends have been sending cards, flowers and coming to visit. The wonderful Cec came from Texas to stay for a few days, and she kept Mom busy (with a much-enjoyed trip to Gimli, for example) while at the same time making sure she had everything she needed. Colleen, Sally, Dar and Niki make Mom's day when they come out for brunches, lunches and martinis. 3) Jason and Danielle visited Mom and made her a gourmet meal of (are you ready for this?) mini beef wellingtons, tomato watermelon salad with feta, herb and garlic rice, roasted butternut squash, vanilla butter poached asparagus with pan fried pickerel with a grapefruit berre blaunc, chocolate mousse with strawberries and balsamic vinegar. Woo! Mom hasn't been eating a lot because the chemo drugs make everything taste salty. Jason and Danielle did their research and prepared foods that counteracted the salty taste. Mom really enjoyed it and ate more than she has in a long time. Mom is very lucky to have two amazing chefs in the family. Scott and Jason are helping us find foods that Mom can enjoy eating.
Another thing that has been keeping Mom somewhat occupied is helping me prepare for my wedding! That's right, folks. You can all close your mouths now. Sean and I got engaged last month. Mom knew about the whole thing and didn't breathe a word. Sean asked her for her blessing, and now we are planning an intimate fall wedding at her place on the lake.
So, with everything that has been going on with Mom's journey to wellness, it has been a little confusing (or "transfusing," if you will). One minute we're getting good news about CT scans, the next we're hearing that the injection won't work and a transfusion is necessary, but what we have to remind ourselves is that this is working like it is supposed to. Mom is fighting everyday to get well. And that would make anyone tired.
