Tuesday, February 19 - My sister and niece took Mom to her Sonogram appointment in St. Joseph on Monday. They ate at Mom's favorite steak house, 54th Street, and Mom ordered that steak that she had been craving for weeks. She said it was delicious. Surely the craving for meat comes from the lack of red blood cells and her body's desire to fight back and get stronger. Steak is one of the things that she still can taste. Usually Mom has a strong metallic taste in her mouth and says that she can't taste most food. Her cooking is definitely suffering...way to much salt in everything! I honestly have never known someone who misses the taste of good food as much as my Mom. Another one of those things that is so different about us. I swear I don't even really taste food. For me it just fills up the empty void until I have to do it again. Mom sure misses it though and I love the fact that she gets so much enjoyment out of the time she shares with her family over a great meal.
Tuesday my mom once again drove herself to her chemotherapy appointment. The doctor said that the sonogram shows that the masses have shrunk considerably. Next week her regimen will change. She will go down for an appointment on Tuesday to check her blood levels and then she will have a different form of Chemotherapy. This chemo will require 1 time every three weeks for twelve weeks. Only four treatments (which Mom says will be a breeze considering the last 13 weeks)! I fear that this treatment must be really severe since it requires so much time between treatments and such close monitoring of the blood. The doctor has forewarned her that many patients on this therapy require additional blood transfusions.
I am trying to be positive and feel that the blessing lies in the fact that the daily radiation treatments will not begin right away. Twelve more weeks will take us into the summer...through track season and to the end of school. Then I can go with her and help with the driving or anything else that she needs. I just pray that the next twelve weeks and this new regimen of treatment won't make her so sick and weak that she isn't able to function. I have never seen my mom in that state; thank God, but have seen many other cancer patients who are.
My Mom's biggest concern continues to be that she won't be able to work. Visiting with the customers who shop at the store helps keep her positive and gives her something to look forward to each day. There is no way my Mom could make it without the income from her part-time job. I can not imagine how elderly people survive to pay their medical bills and drug therapies on the money from their retirements and social security. I am not a politically minded person, but there has to be some better way to help the people who have worked their entire lives only to suffer in old age. I hope that everyone will keep her in their prayers.
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