Surgery Went Well

Just a quick update on my grandmother: She had surgery this morning and did very well. Her next step is rehabilitation. Thanks so much for your prayers.

Call for Prayer

While I want everyone to keep praying for Mom's continued recovery, we have a new prayer request. My grandmother, Mom's Mom, who just turned 90, fell yesterday and broke her hip. She is in Houston and transferred to St. Lukes, where they can take better care of her. She will be having surgery at 8:00 tomorrow (Sunday) morning. As I understand it, the surgery will not be as complex as a hip replacement, and she should be up and walking within 24 hours.

Brenda and Jeff have both flown to Houston to be with Mamo. As you can imagine, Mom would really like to be there, but that is simply not an option at this time.

Please pray that surgery goes well, and Mamo recovers quickly. Pray also for peace for Mom.

I'm certain those of you in Houston will be busy but if you happen to read this and have any updates, please leave a comment and let us know the latest news.

Flashback Friday

Just checking in with this flashback, circa.... well, I'm not sure of the date but considering that I'm exposing my belly button in this photo, we can be well assured it was long, long, long ago. This picture shows the family working in the yard which makes me think of two things... First, I dont' recall ever working in the yard. I'm fairly sure Mom and Dad worked in the yard. Mark and Mike were probably coerced into helping but not without whining and moaning. And I am fairly certain that I merely flitted and danced about practicing cartwheels and such. (To get a better look just click on the picture. It will allow you to see it in all it's vivid 70's detail.. on second thought, maybe you don't want to click on it.)

But this yardwork image also reminds me of just how difficult it is to watch grass grow. And according to Mom's doctor, that is what we are doing right now... watching and waiting and waiting and watching while grass grows. Let me explain. Mom came home from the hospital several days ago, and we were looking forward to her feeling better and stronger everyday. It hasn't really happened that way. She is pretty much as week and fatigued as when she left the hospital. And the chemo really did a number on her tastebuds this time and absolutely nothing tastes good to her. She's just really not been feeling well.

She has been going back to see the doctor twice a week. Everything is going according to plan and she is getting better, but it's just as a pace that is something like "watching grass grow".

But here's the thing about grass growing... You may not be able to actually see it grow, but it does, and my front lawn is sprouting with proof right now. When you look at the picture above, although you might be able to actually watch Mark's hair grow, the grass is still a bit, ummm.. still. But I'm sure it wasn't longafter this picture was taken, before Daddy started up the mower, Mom put on her head scarf, the boys started complaining and I began skipping. Because even though you can't see it.. it does grow, and it grows and it grows.

And just like that grass, Mom IS getting better everyday. We may not see it yet, but it's happening.. and just like a beautiful batch of bermuda on a dewy morning, mom will soon find her energy and her strength. And then maybe she will even feel like mowing the lawn.

Where the deer and the antelope play.....

Ok, so maybe there aren't any antelope, and it might not be on a range.. but I have seen deer prancing about and more importantly ... It's HOME! And that is where Mom is!

Yep, Mom's home! She will have to go back to the hospital daily for a few days, but she gets to come home and rest in her recliner and sleep in her bed. She is a little weak and her mouth still burns a bit, but she says she's feeling pretty good!

More later... It's a busy day for me, but I wanted to let you know that Mom is home!

Chemo is still bad, but white blood cells are better...

Mom has been having a bit of a hard time with the chemo this go around. They gave her a huge dose, larger than the last time, so it is not uncommon to see some effects we didn't see before. Her main complication this time is stomatitis.

Here's the scoop. Cancer is a rapidly multiplying cell and the chemo is designed to kill cancer. Unfortunately is can't differentiate between bad rapidly multiplying cells such as cancer, and good rapidly multiplying cells, such as the lining of your mouth and digestive tract. So while the chemo is doing it's job on the nasty myeloma cells, mom's mouth lining is making the ultimate sacrifice. And this is called stomatitis. And mom has it bad. Grade 3.

To make it bearable she has been on a morphine drip IV. And that is helping. In fact, it's helping her escape her room. Apparently she has been playing a little golf (she told daddy all she needed was three birdies) Maybe now that she's playing golf in her drug induced dreams, she will take up golf with daddy when she is healthy again. How fun will that be!

The morphine has a few side effects of it's own.. besides the whole golf thing, that is. She is retaining some fluid and that in turn has caused some breathing issues, so she has been on oxygen. Her blood pressure has been a little on the low side as well.

BUT, as bad as all that sounds.. here is the good news. These are only problems till the heroic white blood cells return. The chemo killed them off, and while those white blood cells are gone, all hell breaks loose. But once the white blood cells come back, everything will return to order once again... and guess what..... THEY'RE BACK!

Mom's white count went from readings like .1 and .2 in the past couple of days to 2.9 today! So, we expect those white cells to start whomping some stomatitis butt soon, and mom should be feeling much better. In fact, the doctor even insinuated that she would be back in her own bed at her own home in about 48 hours.

You just can't get a much better report than that!

Stem Cells Good - Chemo Bad

While we are thrilled Mom has new healthy stem cells, we hate that she has to deal with the effects of chemotherapy.

The good news is there is no C. Diff. although she is having tummy troubles. They have been watching her closely for this but all tests continue to be negative. For that we are so thankful!

The bad news is Mom has developed a new symptom that she didn't have to deal with the first go around, but we are told it is quite common when recieving stem cells. Her mouth hurts. Bad. So bad, in fact, morphine is only taking the edge off. It hurts to talk, eat or swallow. This is a complication that will go away soon but we want soon to be sooner!

Continue to pray that there will be no C. Diff and that the lining of Mom's mouth and entire digestive track will heal quickly.

Speaking of Birthdays...

I just want to interrupt this blog to wish my Mamo a very happy birthday. My mom's mom, Trellis, is 90 years old today. Since Mom has been ill, Mamo has been traveling. She spent several months with Aunt Brenda in California and is staying with Aunt Joyce in Texas right now.

Mamo, all of us here in Oklahoma wish you a wonderful 90th Birthday! We love you and we miss you.