It's been awhile since I've posted an update on my mom. Here's the latest.
Becuase of her weakened immune system, she has contracted pneumonia. They have placed her on oxygen until she is better. Her last xray shows it is getting better but she still has a deep cough.
She is also back at Huntsman for her every 3 weeks Chemo treatment. We met with Dr. Glantz (World Renown Brain Cancer expert and great guy) last night and we talked to him about our options. They took her in for an MRI yesterday to see the latest with the tumor. Once they get the results back they will know more of a time frame and what our options are. Dr Glantz and his colleague want to try something else now. Her current Chemo (evastin) worked for a little while but doesn't seem to be doing much now so they want to stop that. There is a new drug, Herceptin, that has show good results fighting breast cancer as it targets only the cancer stem cells and not the good cells. Huntsman is the first Cancer center to try this drug on Brain Tumors and they are hopeful that they will have some success with it. It's strictly expiramental so we aren't sure what to expect. She had to take her current Chemo every 3 weeks for 3 days straight intraveniously. With this new treatment, she only will have to go in once a week for about 30 minutes.
Here is an article that talks more about the new drug Herceptin.
http://www.ufscc.ufl.edu/Patient/cancernews.aspx?section=cancernews&id=36779
We are still hopeful of a miracle. She has been very weak lately and can only take a few steps at a time without needing a rest. She requires a walker and a wheel chair and can't go anywhere by herself. Simple things like sitting up are extremely hard for her. She sleeps most of the day as well. We have to force her to get up on occasion so that she can eat and move around a little bit. She also has therapists that come a few times a week to help her get her strength back and work with her strength. The doctors have thought that this was a result of the chemo drug Evastin. Now that they are taking her off of this drug, they expect her energy level to increase. We will see.
4 comments:
Hey Neil! It's kindof random how I came across your blog, but I did and it made me start to cry! Please tell your mom that we are thinking about her and that we are keeping her, you and the rest of your family in our prayers! Please keep your blog updated with anything further! How long as she been sick? I hope you are all doing okay. I hope you don't mind that I took a peek at your blog! Please tell Janette and her family that I said hello and I hope all is well with her family too! Well I hope to keep in touch!
-Jamielyn
give that Grandma Lulu a big hug for me...I wish I could be there with you all!
Thinking of you and praying for you!
I was looking at a friends blog and saw Shalyse and Brian's blog and thought it was a friend from college so I took a peek. When I got looking at it I realized it was your brother. Then I saw your name, well the "nelly furtado" and was curious...ta da found you! Like I said you and your family are in our prayers!
Post a Comment