Back on track

Last Monday's appointments went very well, better than what we could have hoped for!

10:30am > Dr. Strike: Infectious Disease Specialist
"Mycobacterium Avium" seems to be the culprit of the suspicious spots on mom's lungs.  Normally, this bacteria would not be discovered since it causes little issues in humans (but apparently is a real issue for birds, hence the name Avium) and is not normally treated when found.  But, given that these spots grew in size while mom was undergoing chemo the last time and she is getting ready to jump back onto the chemo train the likelihood is that we'll end up treating with a course of antibiotics.

Dr. Strike was very interested in mom's story and glad to be added to her team of doctors. Next steps were to ensure testing was underway at the lab to find out what drug the bacteria is sensitive to and then start mom on that specific drug.  A delay in the chemo schedule did not seem likely but Dr. Strike would follow-up with Dr. Blaes, mom's oncologist, to confirm.

11:30am > Lab Appointment
Protein level jumped from 3.0 two weeks ago to 3.5, which was the magic number needed to get the dreaded G-tube out!

We had some time between the morning appointments and the afternoon appointment so we headed to lunch at Punch Pizza!  After that we decided to try the new frozen yogurt place on campus and enjoyed a yummy treat before heading back to the clinic.

1:15pm > Dr. Vickers: Surgical Follow-up
Dr. Vickers and his team were very impressed with how mom was recovering.  With her lab values looking good and her wound healing very nicely they decided to remove not only the G-tube but also the J-tube (feeding tube)!  Mom was ecstatic!  In addition they took a close look at the wound, removed a few sutures which seemed to be hindering the healing process, and declared mom ready for chemo.  Next follow-up was scheduled for one month's time.

All-in-all, the day was a complete success.  Mom was feeling more "normal" than ever and we discussed how we might get her back in the driver's seat (literally speaking) by tapering her from the Oxycodone.  When we got home, we changed her medication schedule to only include the Oxy at bedtime, leaving her free to drive during the day.

Since that day mom has been driving regularly, allowing her to gain back the independence she was so missing.  She has been meeting friends for lunch, running errands and going to the gym to catch up with her workout buddies while enjoying a protein shake!

Chemo will start on Tuesday, 8/13.  The likely regimen is Gemcitabine, which is much less toxic than the Folfirinox that mom was on previously.  This means we can hope that she has even fewer side effects and continues to feel as "normal" as possible.  We are hoping to schedule a trip to visit her dad and stepmom in Vegas in September if all continues to go well.

Friends and family have been so important and your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated!