Update On Mom

Hopefully you all have been able to tell lately from my posts and pictures that my mom is doing more AMAZING than ever. As a family we have really been trying to focus on celebrating LIFE and not living in fear of her cancer. But I figured it was time to update everyone on her treatment progress.

We celebrated another clear MRI scan in May and this week she is undergoing her 5th round of chemotherapy and another IV infusion of the clinical trial for Avastin. The chemotherapy is still going excellent and thanks to her weekly accupuncture therapies her nausea has resolved and her appetite has returned. Its great to see her cooking her favorite foods and have a desire to eat yummy stuff again. She has had some slightly new symptoms show up recently that she passed on to her oncology nurse Cheryl. All of these symptoms are associated with Avastin treatment so now we REALLY think she was given the real medicine in this double blind clinical trial. Her weight has gone up slightly and her weekly blood counts continue to look perfect. She is most excited about her hair growing back after radiation. Her doctors were starting to think that the hair cuticle had been permanently damaged and would never regrow, but now half of her head is fully covered in thick new hair and the area around her incision line is starting to grow too.

The thing that makes me feel the most reassured about how my mom is doing is by just looking at her and feeling her energy again when I'm around her. In nursing school they teach you that the best way to assess your patient is well, by just looking at them! Everyone that sees my mom can tell how wonderful she's doing these days. She was very focused these last few months to be healthy for my sister's wedding at the end of May. She told me she is already looking to the future and had a peptalk with her doctors to keep her her in top shape for my wedding next August. Praise God for incredible medicine and more importantly for my mom's determined spirit!