Update on Mom

Alrighty first I just want to say that in my previous post, I wasn't pointing that at any one person.  We are all just angry in general.  Not at anyone.  Just angry at cancer.  :-)

We (Mom, my brother, my uncle, two aunts, and myself) came up yesterday morning for Moms appointment with Dr. Huh.  We were planning on meeting with him and getting the "scoop" about the type of treatment she would be getting and then a treatment.

Our plans were changed when he decided to admit her back into the hospital and postpone the chemo.  We all had it in the back of our minds that that was a possibility, but yet none of us packed a bag ;-).  Go figure.  I wanted to stay with her, and Kyle really wanted to be with me, so he came up and brought Mom and I clothes.  We will go home today and my brother will come up to stay.... Shift change :)! 

The pain she has in her stomach is a pain that none of us can even begin to comprehend.  I honestly cannot imagine.  He wanted to keep her here at UAB and hopefully give her some additional relief and then start chemo either today or tomorrow.

The chemo she will be on as of now will be a treatment once a week for two weeks, then off a week, treatment for 2 weeks then off a week and so forth.  He is trying to get her insurance company to approve a weekly treatment.  That treatment is $8,000/month.  Mind boggling to me!  Either treatment she will do for at least 6 months.  So if weekly that's a total of 24+ treatments.  With every 3rd week off, that is still roughly 20+ treatments.

I have had several people ask me about surgically removing it.  He said he could do that, but he would have to remove several vital organs and her quality of life would not be very good.  He doesn't recommend doing that and she nor any of us want that.  We want quality and quantity, but if we can't have both then definitely quality.   He did give us a sense of hope.  I know God is the ultimate healer, but just being transparent with you all  it is getting really hard to hold on to hope right now.  Dr. Huh said that he does not see "the end" in our future and doesn't want to talk about that.  PRAISE THE LORD that was good news. 

Right now we just have got to get this pain under control.  Our night here last night was one of the worst ones yet.  She was up ALL NIGHT LONG.  Hurting.  Crying.  In excruciating pain.  I finally went and found the nurse in the wee hours of the morning and told her we had to do something different.  She contacted the doctors again and about an hour and forty-five minutes later she was able to have a different type of pain medicine and that helped ease the pain.  On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the worse), her pain level averages a 7.  Throughout the night it was a 10 15.  It is one of the hardest things any of us have had to do to watch her suffer.  We feel so helpless.

I have a ton of people constantly facebook messaging me, texting me, calling me, hugging me, etc.  and I can honestly say I cannot thank you all enough.  Your encouraging words and Bible verses are extremely helpful and uplifting.  Please remember to pray for my brother too.  He is hurting the same way I am.  As are Moms brother and sisters.

Some verses I have been given:

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  
James 1:3

Rejoice in The Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil. 4:4-7

He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6

But cling to the Lord your God as you have done to this day.
Joshua 23:8

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10