Days 84 & 83

This was the family on "transplant" day. How do you like the get ups? Let me tell you, they get hot and I can't stand to have that thing on my face!

Friday: unfortunately I don't remember what the whiteblood count was but it continued its uphill climb. That was about the only good news for Friday. Mom had a really bad day. It took her a long time to wake up and then she still wasn't really with me. She was supposed to go in for an MRI to check and make sure that everything was ok. Doctors don't think there is anything wrong but they just want to make sure. The MRI was scheduled for 4:30 pm and at 6:20 pm they finally postponed until Monday because one doctor said that she had a filter for her blood clot although I assured them that she did not. Anyway, it was postponed until later. Dad and my honey finally got there and I think that they were a little shocked at how bad Mom was doing. She wasn't waking up, couldn't really talk where you could understand her or make much sense. I have to say, I was ready for the break. Tonight my honey and I are staying at the apartment we have to stay in once Mom is released. Below are some pictures.

Looking into the living room from the front door/dining room area

Looking into the bedroom from the hall.

The bathroom

Looking into the kitchen
The dining room table and area

Saturday: Wow, it was so nice to get to sleep in a real bed!! The apartment is awesome and I think that Mom will be very comfortable there when she gets released. The grounds are really nice and it is quiet. After my honey and I bought some supplies for the apartment and ate some lunch, we headed over to the hospital for a short visit before heading home. Mom seemed better today than yesterday. She was drinking water off of a sponge and that is a HUGE step! Her speech is still slurred but she talked to me on the phone earlier in the day and made better sense and I could understand her for the most part. Her white blood count today was 1.8. UP, UP, UP! Hopefully we are on the upward swing.

Day 85

Not much to report today. Got platelets twice today and blood. MRI scheduled for tomorrow. Still sleeping a lot but talked to Aunt D and Dad on the phone today.

I found that the white sheet cake from the cafeteria is very good!

Day 86

We FINALLY had a change in the white blood count. We are up to .1! So excited about that. Other than that there wasn't much change. It is very frustrating. Please continue praying for us.

Day 87

Not much to report tonight. Not much change. She did get platelets, blood, magnesium and potassium today. Hoping that tomorrow is the day we start moving uphill.

Day 88

Well, not much has changed today. We didn't get much sleep last night due to the continued stomach problems. I think we both finally fell asleep around 6 this morning and we were up before 9. Today has been a long day! Still waiting for the white blood cells to start doing their thing. So. . . .that is all for tonight. I am going to start getting ready for bed.

Keep praying.

Weekend Wrap Up - Days 91, 90, 89

I don't really know what to say about this weekend. It seems to have gone pretty much the same as last week. They took Mom off of the pain medication but I am not sure how much more alert she is. When I ask her a question, she usually just stares at me and doesn't answer. This is not new, it is the same response I was getting last week. I don't know if it was like that for Dad and Rae. I guess it is still getting out of her system. She is now having some tummy problems and those aren't fun to deal with when you are feeling ok but even worse when you feel bad. She still has sores in the back of her mouth that are hurting so she isn't drinking or eating.

She has a new doctor starting tomorrow (I don't know if I mentioned this before but the doctors change every two weeks). I think that I am going to have to start asking lots of questions. Tomorrow will be day 12 after the transplant and we still haven't seen any increase in white blood cells. I know that there is a range of days for that to happen but I want it to happen NOW. Ok, well tomorrow will be fine too. And yes, we are still in the two week very scary time where anything can happen. The doctor has said that she should start feeling better in a few days.

As you can see, we are not out of the woods yet. We still need your prayers like crazy to get Mom over this hump. Please pray that we are doing the things that we need to do to help her get over the hump. And please pray for the doctors and nurses.

I can't remember if I mentioned this before but we did get an apartment. Yippee!

That is all I have for tonight. Please keep the prayers coming.

Day 92

Oh my what a day this has been. Mom has had a very rough day. She has been very confused and anxious this morning and did not want me to leave. They think that maybe it was too much pain medication so they have cut back on that. Her blood pressure has still been high and they are still working on getting that corrected. She has still been having some pain in her throat and mouth so she is still not eating or drinking. Today she spent the day in bed a sleep or when she was awake, very confused. I am really hoping that tomorrow will be better for all of that. My dad drove down tonight to see her and to spend a little time with her. I pray that he makes it home safely.

He did get a phone call while he was here and we have gotten an apartment for when she is released. What a blessing, now we don't have to worry about what to do. Well, that is all for tonight. I am sure that I have forgotten something about today but this was the main part. I know that she is looking forward to the weekend when Dad will be here. I miss my husband and can't wait to see him!

Love you all:)

Please pray for quick healing of her throat and mouth. It is so hard to see her in pain, scared and confused and I know it is so hard for Dad because he can't be here and he can't fix it.

Day 93

One week ago today we began the 100 days in H-town journey. I have to say, it seems like a lot longer than one week. It seems like a month or longer. Today has not been a really good day but it hasn't really been a bad day either I guess. We woke up about 7:45 or so and after waking up, mom was pretty out of it. Meaning, she has slept most of the day. She is sleeping because of the pain medication they have her on. She has excruciating pain from the throat sores so she has to keep on top of the self medication button. I think at first she was afraid to use it but I think she is getting over that. One thing that has really posed a problem today is her heart rate and blood pressure. Both have been elevated since the transplant and today more than usual I think. They are having to make all of her regular meds that they can liquid. They are having to find a blood pressure med that they can use that will not cause the heart rate to go up so they have had to do a lot of research today. I think that the combination of meds is making her a little anxious. Today I left for a few minutes while she was asleep to go to the restroom, when I came back she was awake and I could tell that she was upset. I ask her what was wrong and she said that she was anxious because she didn't know where I was. That hasn't been a problem until today. She has started her neupogen shots which increase your white blood count.

Everyone of the nurses have been wonderful but the young lady who has been with us yesterday and today is OUTSTANDING. She is so caring and patient and doesn't mind answering questions or concerns. It takes a very special person to be a nurse and she has the specialness.

Well, Mom got a surprise tonight. Dad and Rae came to visit her since she had been having such a tough week. Don't know if she will remember tomorrow! Rae and I went to eat at the Black Eyed Pea. It was yummy.

Thanks for all your prayers and notes. We love you all.

Day 94

Well, not much to report today. Mom has slept most of the day but we did get her up to take a shower which is a very big thing for her. She is worn out from that but she is squeaky clean now! Hopefully tomorrow we will have more to report!

Day 95

Today has been a tough day for Mom. Her throat hurts, she has mouth sores and she hasn't been able to eat anything today. They put her on a pump that automatically gives her pain medication every 20 minutes and she has a button to push if she needs more. A side effect of the medicine is that it makes her drowsy. She has slept pretty much all day. Hopefully she will be able to sleep tonight.
She is down because she feels so bad, she misses my dad, and she is ready to go home. I wish there was something that I could do to help her. She ask me today what do you do when you can't eat and you are supposed to do? Of course I have no answer for her.
Please pray that this part of our journey is over quickly and that she starts to feel better quickly so that she can really kick it into overdrive on her M&M earnings!

I hope you all have a great week. Send a note or leave us a comment when you have a chance.

Day 96

I made it to MDA with no problems. Mom is doing ok. She is having problems with her throat being real sore (from the chemo) and has a couple of mouth sores so eating isn't much fun. Her white blood count is getting way down so she is pretty weak. She is still in contact isolation so I must wear a gown, gloves and mask this week when I am in her room and she has to wear one when she leaves the room. Other than that I guess everything is how it is supposed to be right now. She looks good. I brought my camera with me so maybe I can get some pics when she is feeling good. I will try to take a picture of my styling outfit also.

Well, I guess that is all for now. Hope everyone has a good week.

Day 97

Nothing new to report. Feeling the same as yesterday.

Day 98

Not much to report today. Mom is still feeling ok. Having a little trouble keeping food down but I think she and B are figuring out how to keep that from happening. Dad headed down tonight and B is finally heading home to see her kids and hubby.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Day 99

Well, I talked to Mom twice today and she sounded pretty good both times. She said that she was feeling ok but still kind of weak. She didn't sleep well last night because she slept so much during the day. Dad will go down tomorrow and B will be going back home. I will head down on Sunday. That is all for today.

Sending Notes

If you would like to send my mom a message, go to www.mdanderson.org, go to the Contact Us tab, look at the section labeled Patients, Friends, & Family, select send a message to a patient, then complete the rest of the info. Mom's patient # is 796664 and her birthdate is 04/27/1951. The message will be printed and taken to her room.

Today is the Day - Day 100

Excited that the day is finally here but also anxious that everything works as it should. God is so good to have given doctors the knowledge to find treatments that work so well. More later.

~~~~UPDATE~~~~

When we left this evening Mom was feeling the effects of the meds and the transplant. She had gotten sick and the medication for nausea makes her jittery so then she has to have more meds to relax her. She was dozing right before we left so hopefully after we were gone she got some sleep.

The transplant took less than one hour. It seems that now will be the hard part. They say that you can be sick from this for up to two weeks. That the transplant and the meds you have to take are rough on your body. Thank goodness she was feeling so much better before she had it done. We hope and pray that she is one of those people who don't have as much yuckiness as others. Some of the things she could encounter are bad mouth sores, very sore throat, vomiting, etc. Please pray for comfort should these happen. This is also a very critical time. This is the time when things can go terribly wrong.

Some of you are probably wondering how the the transplant is done. . . .well, they give it to you like you receive blood or platelets, etc. Just a drip. It looks kind of like tomato pasta sauce.

Although it seems like we have crossed a major hurdle, which we have, we still have many more to cross so we are still asking for your prayers. I will be going to H-town on Sunday and will spend the next two weeks with her. Please pray for both of us as I don't think that I handle other people being sick very well and she could be very sick.

I hope this makes sense. As you know my mind gets tangled sometimes when I am trying to get a lot of stuff out of my head and onto the blog.

Don't forget to send her a note at the hospital if you have a chance. They take her the notes every day. If you don't know how, let me know and I will get you the instructions.

Tomorrow is the Day

Well, Dad, Rae and I are leaving in the morning to go be with Mom during her transplant. I think it is safe to say that we are all pretty anxious about this. More than likely she will feel much, much worse before she starts feeling better. Hopefully the better will be swift and she will be back on her feet soon. Please pray for her tomorrow whenever you have a minute and I will update as soon as I can (I haven't decided if I am going to lug my computer around tomorrow or not!).

Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers.

Day -4

Talked to Mom this evening and she still sounded good. She said that she is starting to feel some of the effects of the chemo. . . .shaky hands. She is off of chemo tomorrow but has the bad stuff on Monday and Tuesday before the transplant on Wednesday. She said that she spoke with two women in her exercise class who had stemcell transplants for breast cancer and that one has 1 attached stemcell and the other has 2 and that they can already tell that they are gaining their strength back. Hope that works for Mom. She has most of the family with her this weekend so I am sure that she is having a good weekend.
Please pray that next week goes smoothly.

Day -5

I talked to Mom this morning but we didn't really talk about her or how she was feeling. She said that they come in at 4:30 am to give her take vitals, come in a little later to give her some meds before the chemo and around 6:00 they come in and start the chemo. I think she is about finished with the chemo.
Bec sent Rae and e-mail later in the day and said that she is tiring more easily and she is starting to lose her taste a little. She is also in contact isolation which means that we have to wear gloves and a mask while in her room and she has to wear that when she is out of her room. I don't understand all the reasons for this but hopefully this isolation will be over in a week or two.
Maybe Bec can clear up some of the fuzziness of this blog. Dad and Rae will be there this weekend so they may be able to help too.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Ooops! I'm Off!

Today is really day -7. I got off at the very beginning. Today was an AWESOME day! My Mom called me this evening before we left for church and she sounded FANTASTIC!! She walked three times, has been to an exercise class, was up all day, ate a Mr. Goodbar (and she said that it tasted like a Mr. Goodbar not cardboard) and was feeling really good. She sounded like Mom. It made me so happy! I know it has made my evening so much happier as I am sure it did for Bec, Rae and Dad. It has been a long time since she has sounded so chipper and so like herself. Bec visited with a lady and her husband who are there from Ohio I think. She had a stemcell transplant approximately 6 days ago and was doing well. It is so encouraging when you see others who are going through what you will soon be dealing with and see that they are doing well. This couple is a long way from home and their two young children ages 13 and 10 (I think) so say a quick prayer for them and their family that everything continues to go well and they can be reunited as a family. Well, that is all I have for tonight. My heart is bursting because Mom is feeling great. She is back on her chemo which is supposed to the worst she has had so that is a downer but hopefully it won't keep her down for long. I am really missing my Mom! She's the best and I love her bunches! It has been nice to have Dad at home even though I haven't seen much of him!

Have a great rest of the week.

Day -7

Well, last night Mom got moved up to the 11th floor where we wanted her to be. Now she needs to start earning those M&Ms! Bec got there Monday afternoon and Dad came on home. Today was her "free" day. No chemo, just walking and relaxing. Tomorrow she will begin her chemo treatment again at 6:00 am (I think). Oh, they are saying that she will be released on November 4th from the hospital. We hope that with some sort of date, the apartment situation will clear up. Well, that is all I know for now. Hopefully Bec will have more to write about later.

If you want to send her a card, please just sent it to the house right now. You can send her messages off of the MDA website too.

Day -9

Well, Mom and Dad headed down to H-town for Mom to be admitted. I just got off of the phone with my Dad and he said that although they are not on the floor we want her to be on, the room is very nice and she should hopefully get moved to the 11th floor where we want her. Today was a hard day for everyone. Although we will be going to see her and all, it is tough knowing that Mom, the keeper of us all is not here. I can't wait until she is feeling better. I miss my Mom who is so full of life!

Bec is going down there tomorrow so hopefully she will be updating this some so the news is straight from MDA.

Good night all. Have a great week.

Leaving on Sunday

Mom will be checking into MDA Sunday evening. The date for the transplant is October 14th which means that she (we) will be in H-town until January 21, 2010 (that is if I counted correctly). This will be hard for her because she doesn't like to be a way from home and my Dad. It will be hard on the rest of us because we are going to miss her when we aren't there and our families when we are with her. I know that we will make it but if you see us with a tear in our eye, you will know why.
The holidays are going to be very different (difficult) for us this year. I am not sure what we are going to do but I know that Bec, Rae and I will figure something out. It will be strange not seeing Mom and Dad's house all lit up for Christmas. The neighbors may think that Mom and Dad have moved!
Well, I thought that I would have more to write today but I don't. I ask that you continue to keep Mom (and the rest of us) in your prayers and the rest of us as we travel from here to the hospital and from FW to here to the hospital. If you want to send cards, continue to send them to the house until I find out something different or you can always send her a note through the hospital. I will try to get the instructions posted for that soon. Thank you for the prayers that you have already said, the kind words expressed, and the offers of help. We really appreciate everything.

Ch ch ch changes!

Well, I had intended to write yesterday but by the time I got home from church last night I was too tired!
When Aunt D and I got finished on Tuesday, we had our schedule set for Wednesday. She had to go back "sometime" during the day on Wednesday and Mom had a echocardiogram scheduled for 1:00 pm so we were all going to go back to MDA together. Well, about 9:00 that night, my dad called me to let me know that Aunt D now had to be there at 7:15 to do her bloodwork. That meant that she was going to have to drive down there by herself and find her way around the parking garage, etc by herself. She was going to have to leave at 5:00 am to get there on time. I made sure I had my phone beside me in case she called needed some help but she found everything without any problem!!
Mom and I left their house at 10:30 to head down there ourselves for the last time this week. We stopped at the school to take Dad a drink and while we were talking to him, Mom's phone rang and it was the hospital once again changing the schedule. Her appointment was moved to Friday. Hopefully we will get a more definite (hahahahahaha) schedule for next week at their appointment tomorrow.
Aunt D has finally gotten to go home (I know she was so ready to go home) and I know that I am really going to miss her! I have enjoyed getting to spend so much time with her!
Well, that is all for tonight. Hopefully I will have more news tomorrow.