She's awake, on prednisone

It's a nice morning for Mom so far. After three (or four, really) procedures the last two days, she's able to eat (last night wolfed down broth, Jell-o, and juice); the sedation has mostly cleared her system.

The port placed near her left shoulder looks really good, and she's not having any pain.

I asked the surgeon how big the node was: if you make a circle with your two hand, pointers touching each other and thumb tips touching each other, then slide right point tip down to the last joint of left pointer, and same with the thumbs, that's about the size she made.  Normal size? Touch those four finger tips together, about the size of a dried bean.

They started the steroid, prednisone, last night, to take five days. It's a pretty big dose (80) so she may become jittery.  And, the doctor said, ravenous like a bear in a campground!

Port in, biopsy node out

Mom now has a port (or "catheter port") near her left should, and as long as it doesn't give out, there is good access for fluids.  It took longer than expected as the doctors first routing choice ended up being "teeny tiny veins." But it is in.

The easier part was pulling a node.  Remember, 24-48 hours before we know anything.

She was very very sleepy this morning after the colonoscopy, and was just really starting to be alert about an hour before the port-biopsy procedures started.  I'm hoping she gets to sleep well tonight. 

If all the doctors agree, they will start a steroid tomorrow (kidney doctor wants to watch it carefully). 

Scopes Sept. 19

Yesterday's and today's scopes did not locate a source of bleeding. Docs decided the levels are not critically low; they are working to schedule her in for biopsy this afternoon. Please remember we won't have results for 24+ hours.

Poor Mom hasn't eaten in a long time.

Biopsy delayed

The biopsy is delayed. She had an endoscopy today to try to identify some blood loss, but no problem was seen from the throat to stomach. So tomorrow will be a colonoscopy; biopsy Wednesday at earliest. 

Lots of visitors yesterday, which Mom loved. Brother Bill and Joan; aunts Judy and Susan; old friend (from age 14!) Charlotte Clunas; Vicki and Bill Zurcher; Julie and John Gillette. WOW!!!

Biopsy scheduled

Biopsy will be tomorrow, Monday. I don't know how long to get results. 

Calcium better:10.8
Creatinine unchanged
In balance: potassium, magnesium, phosphorous

Cardiac okay; calcitonin - September 16

Fairly quiet day with two items of note!

Cardiac clearance for surgery won't be a problem.  I forgot she had a stress test just two weeks ago, but in my defense we had never been told the results. Which are good, clear!

Mom is starting on calcitonin for four days; it is a hormone that acts to reduce blood calcium.   No more calcitonin for our young lady, it made her sickly. 👎

So: after surgery (probably Monday) to get a lymph node for biopsy, Mom can be started on a steroid to help the kidneys PLUS provide some action against the alleged lymphoma. They can't start the steroid now because it would interfere with the biopsy diagnosis. 

Nice visit today from cousin Jeri and her family. 

She's feeling everybody's positive vibes, thank you.

Mom (Bette Jackson) - A journey begins? 9/15/2017

The alleged lymphoma.

That's what we're calling it for now.  Mom's hospital oncologist says we do not diagnose based on the radiology report. We look for the pathologist's report.

Based on a CAT scan today, Mom has multiple enlarged lymph nodes: arm pit, mid-torso, abdomen, groin areas. It does NOT appear to be a recurrence of the "easy" colon cancer she had several years ago, which would show up differently.

So now the task is to determine which of the many kinds of (alleged) lymphoma she's facing. But let me just relay her words, "Let's kick it."

The oncologist's preference is to have a surgeon remove a node from under the armpit. Yes it is a surgery but he is looking at this as being the better diagnostic over a needle biopsy, to get a better sample.  First she has to get clearances from cardiology.  Now that it's the weekend, we're also looking at Monday at the earliest (in my words, to get the "A Team" back in the building). I am very okay with a few more days to get the stress on her kidneys down to an even better level.

I was satisfied with Dr. Scott.   He may have already spent more face time with Mom than Mike got with Dr. Bud Pierce during Mike's entire treatment time.

BACKGROUND
Mom had shingles in May and just never seemed to get her strength back. By mid-August she hit a low when she fell (no injury) and did not have the strength to get herself up.  August 26 I took her to the emergency room for severe weakness, confusion, loss of appetite, thirst, plus the beginnings of some odd Neuro issues (slight tremor, couldn't hold her phone, couldn't hit the correct buttons). They rehydrated her for a couple of days and sent her home. The following weekend was Labor Day Weekend and we repeated another two-night stay. Ten days later the doctor didn't like the follow-up blood work so ordered her to admit to the hospital again through ER. So she is on her third night's stay as I type. 

There are a few more details, but not important to repeat here.  

UPDATE PLAN
I will post updates here.  Feel free to call/text/email if you have questions (no calls after 9pm or before 7am please). I may post the answer in this blog, as other people may have the same question. 

The last time I used the blog it seems the "comments" section wasn't working. I'll see if I can fix that, but not a big priority right now, sorry.