Just keep swimming

Mom's continuing to fight. Easy breathing is hard to come by, but she's taking it one day at a time.
She goes in to get more fluid drained off her lung in Sioux Falls tomorrow and from there, I will be there to report from the sidelines.
She did manage to walk to the restroom by herself today - but not without some difficulty...
We love you Momma! Keep up the hard work!

Leavin on a Jet Plane

Me... I am... on Wednesday (I think).
Going to spend time with Momma and help her heal.

She had a rough day; hard time catching her breath and getting around. She got some answers from Dr. McHale though and looks like she'll be headed to Sioux Falls on Tuesday for some more fluid drainage.

Thanks for your love,
Abby

Monday = No Fun Day

Mom went into the doctor this afternoon because she was feeling under the weather.

She's been fighting of Pneumonia (again) and she has a ton of fluid on her body (again) but mostly around her heart (Boo)!

So, Dr. Horn said the dreaded words ... and off to Sioux Falls Hospital we go!

So, Mom's on her way to spend the night in Sioux Falls - Dr. McHale was hoping that they'd get to work on her right away tonight if she got down there fast enough.

I haven't heard anything - So I'm assuming that she's there and all checked in.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers as she heads in for her 3rd stay in the hospital with this.

Also, Please put on your calendar April 3rd - there are plans for a Benefit to help Mom pay off some of the hospital bills. There will be details to come, but I wanted to start getting the word out there!
♥ abby

Options

Mom went in to see Dr. Horn on Thursday (right?) Dr. Horn said "Hosptial? Or Pills" Mom opted for pills.
She's been battling the fluid retention game again. She hates it.
The pills Dr. Horn gave her seem to be working, she's losing some - she can tell it in her face.

Dr. McHale also called her this week and said that he's got a few options for her to go over when he see's her next and that the results from California came in from her tissue sample and she responds well to two different Chemos. One they've tried, the one that made her hair go away, and he said they'd talk about it when he saw her again.

Good to have options.

GO AWAY

It’s frustrating having to go back to the Doctor week after week. We were optimistic after the last visit with Dr. McHale, but this week Mom came down with Pneumonia. They didn’t hospitalize her, but she’s on antibiotics and strict instructions to stay home and rest.

Damn that Pneumonia.

But, here we go... Gunna kick this round's butt too! Right Momma?!

Say an extra prayer if you would :)

Hope...with a capital H

Mom's headed home today (INSERT HAPPY DANCE HERE)

She spent the last day (Monday) at the hospital getting Lung massages and nebulizer treatments. The Doctors saw progress they liked, and by this evening she'll be sleeping in her own bed, which is what she really wants.

Thank you for your support, love and prayers,

♥a

Not So Fast

So... This morning Mom said the doc was in and told her he wasn't quite ready to send her on her way back to Watertown. He said the x-ray they took yesterday still looked too similar to the one they took upon admitting her to the hospital.

They're going to take a look at the bronchoscopy results so they know how to best treat the beast within.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers,
I'll let you know more when I do.
♥ abby

Sunday Update

Mom's doing much MUCH better this afternoon. She's been up, showered, and walking around the halls to get a little exercise.

She fell asleep during the Vikings game but maybe it's because they were so far ahead.

She sounds good and it sounds like the Doctor's are going to give her some preventative antibiotics to keep those bad germs away.

Kathy and Grandma will be driving down to Sioux Falls tomorrow to bring her home :o).

Chemo will resume on Thursday.

♥

Saturday Morning

I spoke with Tony this morning and it sounds like Mom is doing better. She is up and has showered for the day and is feeling exponentially better than yesterday. She will be staying through the weekend on some antibiotics as they are trying to take care of that pneumonia.

She will be sent home probably on Monday with some more antibiotics.

Thanks for the prayers, She really apprecaites it
♥

She's a Fighter

Mom has had a long day. She is tired, but looks as if she'll be resting well tonight.

I came across this posted by Julie on her Facebook wall and I wanted to share it with you (a little paraphrased and personalized because I couldn't copy and paste).

Dianne is a fighter, a survivor, a woman of faith.

She is a tough opponent for any challenge.

Even the big "C" is no match for you because you belong to an even bigger "C"... Christ.

He is with you and many prayers are for you as you fight this battle.

You answer me and encourage me by giving me the strength I need. Psalm 138:3

Thanks Julie,

And thanks for the prayers everyone.

♥ abby

12:30PM Update

Mom's out of her Bronchoscopy, She also got a complimentary (not) "lung wash" while she was in there.

Shannon says she's doing good, really sleepy and kind of out of it from the drugs.
She's entertaining Shannon and Tony with her random ideas of what's going on in the world around her as her medications wear off. I won't share because I don't want to embarrass her too much, but they're kind of funny.

♥

10:00 am Update

Seems like I may be posting quite a bit today.

Shannon just let me know that Dr. Hardy her Pulmonologist was just in to see her and they're planning to do a CAT Scan and then a bronchoscopy. Dr. Hardy did her last Bronchoscopy, and hopefully we'll know even more after that.

♥

Morning Update

Mom didn't have a good night's sleep as she ended up having an anaphylactic reaction to the antibiotic they had her on last night.
She was still a little swollen this morning when I talked with Shannon, but seems to be doing okay. She will see her pulmonologist this morning, and we'll know more hopefully by this afternoon.
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers,
I'll keep you updated as much as I can!
Love,
Me.

Sioux Falls Hospital

I talked to Mom and Shannon tonight and it sounds like Mom is all tucked in ready to rest at the hospital.

They took her right over for a new lung x-ray so her oncologist Dr. McHale had a chance to look at it. He's pretty sure it's not fluid, but they aren't sure as of yet.

They're looking into doing a scope tomorrow I will keep you posted as I know more.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Love,

Me

Mom says Don’t worry…

I got a text message this afternoon from her that started out “Don’t worry but…” Sorry Mom, too late.

Shannon and Tony are taking Mom down to the hospital in Sioux Falls to be admitted. She’s been fighting this cold, but it seems as if it’s taken over most of her left lung. She is going, not quite kicking and screaming, but she hates laying around the hospital “being lazy all day”.

Her Oncologist, and cardiologist are both based in Sioux Falls and since she accidentally missed her appointment with Dr.McHale (her Oncologist) the other day, she was looking forward to talking with him again, and talking with her cardiologist to see what they can do about the fluid around her heart.

Please place her in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,

Me.

Darn Cold

After a week or so of trying to fight it off Mom woke up with a cold this morning. She feels pretty icky and is doing what she can to lay low, keep nourished, and get lots of sleep to try to fight it off.

She's been dragging a lot lately because of the fluid around her heart and the chemo at the same time. They can't drain her fluid because her platelets are low (from chemo) and they don't want to stop doing chemo so they can fight the cancer, it's a chicken and egg thing for sure.

She's frustrated, and tired of being sick. She just wants the same answer from more than one doctor instead of 3 different answers from 3 different doctors. She has an appointment on the 16th of December, so hopefully we'll get her in before that or she'll keep on keepin on until the 16th.

Please send her prayers of healing... :)
Love, A

Weight Loss Plan

Mom's procedure was successful and they've drained a liter of fluid from around her heart. Since her admittance to the hospital yesterday she's officially lost 10 pounds - all in fluid.

She seems to be doing well. Kathy & Mom have been spending time with her and as soon as they're able to go a day without pulling fluid off her heart they'll be sending her home.

She's in good hands at the May though, that's for sure.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers,

Love

Abby

Gathering Paper

Mom was relieved to see that most of the paperwork they had to gather for her trip to the Mayo was easily stored on CD. She figured if not, she might need a wagon to haul it around!

Dr. McHale's office has been really great about helping her get her files in order and her insurance approved.

It's been a relief!

Hurry Up & Wait... Hurry Up & Wait... Story of our lives.

Thanks for your support and prayers,
A

Just keep Waiting... Just keep Waiting... Waiting... Waiting

After another somewhat inconclusive PET scan we've been asked to "hang tight" for yet another two weeks.

Mom's neck pain has been flagged as "abnormal" activity, though they can't pinpoint what it is. Dr. McHale has put her on antibiotic thinking it's an infection or something along that line.

She'll see Dr. McHale again in two weeks to see how the antibiotic has worked, and weather or not he wants to send her over to the Mayo for a biopsy.

We'll just keep waiting.... and waiting... and waiting... not so patiently I might add. We are pleased to hear there's no further plans for maintenance chemo for now, and that her spot in her lung has shrank.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers,
-a

Nerves

Okay... So tomorrow is the PET scan after Mom's last round of Chemo. We've all got every appendage crossed for good news...

We won't get the results for another week, but Mom's nervous to go, and nervous for the results.

She's been experiencing some pain in her neck, which makes her even more nervous... but she's keeping strong.

Please keep her in your prayers and send her your strength and love!

Hugs,
A