It's been a little while since our last update on how Mom is doing, and for the most part things are just moving along as they should. She is recovering from the surgery, albeit with some new creeks and pangs, but still recovering. Aunt Janet and others have provides some fantastic information on a variety of treatments and helps, a number of which Mom has tried and found success with. She has found a great homeopathic physician in Idaho Falls who has helped her identify some of the things that were causing her more disturbing symptoms. I haven't talked to her about specifics, but her strength and steadiness seem much better now.
Today Mom joined the family for a Memorial Day barbecue at Code and Bart's home, following a day of moving Heather into her new home in Idaho Falls (Mom wisely did not participate in that part of the day's activities. ;) Heather is all moved into a great home that fits her family just right. New paint and carpet have made the home, which isn't that old to begin with, look like a brand new place. It will be just perfect for her and the kids.
Mom did also keep an appointment with the doctor to undergo the necessary genetic counseling so that she could sign the informed consent form and have the BRCA genetic testing done. Her blood work has been sent to the lab and we expect the receive the results any day. Once we do, and if the results confirm that she is a carrier of BRCA 1 or 2 (and everyone expects the results to come back positive), the kids will probably undergo testing as well. The Hunstman Center, which did the original study with the family to identify the presence of BRCA1 (was there any BRCA2 found in the family?) is running out of funding for that particular study, so whatever kids can get tested there, then it will be up to individuals to have the testing done through private labs. Apparently there are several labs now that can perform the test and insurance will frequently assist in the cost. Knowing which version of the gene mutation is being looked for also helps to keep the testing costs down because it allows them to only look at the DNA region of interest.
Mom and the kids did a great job decorating Dad's grave for today. We all miss him and look forward to being with him again someday. May we all remember our incredible heritage today.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Heart, Version 2
Mom went to visit the cardiologist again today to check on the progress of the heart fibrilation that has been causing her weakness and tiredness. They performed an EKG that showed heart atrial fibrillation again, and the cardiologist is concerned that there may be some blood pooling in some chambers of the heart that increases the risk of blood clots forming within the heart that can travel to other parts of the body.
The scheduled a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), which is a procedure in which a probe is placed down the throat because the esophagus lies just behind the heart and provides a clearer image of the heart than a normal sonogram or EKG can. The probe uses ultrasound to examine the heart, and the images will show the actual shape and motion of various chambers of the heart and show the blood flow through each of the chambers. Pretty amazing technology that makes diagnosing heart problems much easier and more exact.
The medication that Mom has been taking is supposed to keep the heart rhythm more regular, but it has not worked as well as anticipated, so Mom may need to go in for another heart "reset," called a cardioversion. Cardioversion is the shock treatment for the heart in which a brief low dose electric shock through pads on her chest and back is used to reset the electrical timing of the heartbeat. There is no discomfort during the procedure and she will be awake. Where the pads were connected to her skin the skin may feel slightly sore, like a mild sunburn for a day or two after the procedure, but it is considered a safe and very low-risk procedure.
Other than those pesky heart problems (and the doctors were sure to reiterate the fact that hearts are tough to live without :) ), Mom's recovery is progressing, albeit a little more slowly than normal due to the additional issues. It has now been a little over three weeks since the surgery and normal recovery time for the the of surgery she underwent can be as long as six weeks assuming no complications. She has found great use for several of the essential oils that she has tried, especially for controlling nausea and allowing her to rest peacefully.
Her home ward is still bringing in dinners every night and her good home teacher has been taking great care of the yard and outside of the house. She is in great hands and has had so many friends and acquaintances call and come to visit that her days have been very full.
Taylor has been a slacker at getting Mom's internet connection set up, so she hasn't been able to send or receive email since her surgery. We're hopeful that will be up and running in the next few days, although it may take Mom a few days after that to sort through all the messages that have come through. The upside of all that is that Mom can't see what we're posting in the blog either, so we can write whatever we want. :)
Love to all and deepest thanks for all the good love and care being sent to Mom.
The scheduled a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), which is a procedure in which a probe is placed down the throat because the esophagus lies just behind the heart and provides a clearer image of the heart than a normal sonogram or EKG can. The probe uses ultrasound to examine the heart, and the images will show the actual shape and motion of various chambers of the heart and show the blood flow through each of the chambers. Pretty amazing technology that makes diagnosing heart problems much easier and more exact.
The medication that Mom has been taking is supposed to keep the heart rhythm more regular, but it has not worked as well as anticipated, so Mom may need to go in for another heart "reset," called a cardioversion. Cardioversion is the shock treatment for the heart in which a brief low dose electric shock through pads on her chest and back is used to reset the electrical timing of the heartbeat. There is no discomfort during the procedure and she will be awake. Where the pads were connected to her skin the skin may feel slightly sore, like a mild sunburn for a day or two after the procedure, but it is considered a safe and very low-risk procedure.
Other than those pesky heart problems (and the doctors were sure to reiterate the fact that hearts are tough to live without :) ), Mom's recovery is progressing, albeit a little more slowly than normal due to the additional issues. It has now been a little over three weeks since the surgery and normal recovery time for the the of surgery she underwent can be as long as six weeks assuming no complications. She has found great use for several of the essential oils that she has tried, especially for controlling nausea and allowing her to rest peacefully.
Her home ward is still bringing in dinners every night and her good home teacher has been taking great care of the yard and outside of the house. She is in great hands and has had so many friends and acquaintances call and come to visit that her days have been very full.
Taylor has been a slacker at getting Mom's internet connection set up, so she hasn't been able to send or receive email since her surgery. We're hopeful that will be up and running in the next few days, although it may take Mom a few days after that to sort through all the messages that have come through. The upside of all that is that Mom can't see what we're posting in the blog either, so we can write whatever we want. :)
Love to all and deepest thanks for all the good love and care being sent to Mom.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Goreman, What a Name for a Doctor!
Mom is relieved today because she thinks they may have identified the source of tiredness, discomfort, and shakiness that she has been experiencing for the last several days. Her heart is apparently the culprit.
Mom went to an appointment this morning with Dr. Goreman, a cardiologist, to try to determine the cause of Mom's sustained high heart rate and irregular heart rhythm. After doing another exam and performing a fresh EKG on her heart, Dr. Goreman determined that Mom's heart has reverted to the irregular rhythm that it was manifesting while she was in the hospital. He has now doubled her dose of Amniodarone to help regulate the heartbeat, but that medication also comes with somewhat significant risks of liver or lung damage.
He also prescribed Digoxin, which is used to help treat the atrial flutter as a supplement to the Amniodarone. They will watch what the heart is doing for another week or so and then make the decision about whether to do another heart shock to get it back in rhythm again. Apparently, it is not uncommon to need to do the shock procedure two or even three times for the results to stick.
Mom went to an appointment this morning with Dr. Goreman, a cardiologist, to try to determine the cause of Mom's sustained high heart rate and irregular heart rhythm. After doing another exam and performing a fresh EKG on her heart, Dr. Goreman determined that Mom's heart has reverted to the irregular rhythm that it was manifesting while she was in the hospital. He has now doubled her dose of Amniodarone to help regulate the heartbeat, but that medication also comes with somewhat significant risks of liver or lung damage.
He also prescribed Digoxin, which is used to help treat the atrial flutter as a supplement to the Amniodarone. They will watch what the heart is doing for another week or so and then make the decision about whether to do another heart shock to get it back in rhythm again. Apparently, it is not uncommon to need to do the shock procedure two or even three times for the results to stick.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Stage Right
Mom's visit with the oncologist today was very enlightening and even a little encouraging. Dr. Shull went through the pathology report very thoroughly, line by line and explained to mom what each thing meant, then told her that based on all that was found in surgery and all that was in the pathology report, he would classify the tumor as a stage IIc, not a stage III. We had mis-read the report, thinking that it stated the tumor stage when it actually did not. A stage II tumor means that it is confined to the pelvic region. It is classified as a IIc because the cell wash results came back positive, which means there are cancerous cells that are floating in the abdominal fluid which circulates all about the abdominal cavity, which increases the possibility of tumors forming in other parts of the abdomen. If macroscopic tumors had been found in the abdominal region, the tumor would have been classified as a stage IIIc.
Dr. Shull went over some of the available conventional treatment options, so Mom has more information to work with, but she is still considering all options for treatment and will continue to gather info. She will not need to make any decisions about treatment for at least a couple more weeks to give her body enough time to heal from the surgery.
Dr. Shull went over some of the available conventional treatment options, so Mom has more information to work with, but she is still considering all options for treatment and will continue to gather info. She will not need to make any decisions about treatment for at least a couple more weeks to give her body enough time to heal from the surgery.
Friday, May 7, 2010
A Little R & R
Rest and recuperation, that is. Mom has been recovering very well and her doctors and nurses have all been impressed with how well she is able to get around and how cheery she continues to be, even when in pain. Each day she gets a little better, and we expect to have her back playing badminton in another few days. :)
The kids have been trading off time at Mom's house to help with meals, answering doorbells, general straightening, etc., but Mom will soon be to the point where she will be fine taking care of herself, although she still appreciates visits to keep any loneliness and boredom at bay. Tonight will be her first night on her own since the surgery.
Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday. A perfect time to have been reminded again what spectacular mothers we have all been blessed with.
The kids have been trading off time at Mom's house to help with meals, answering doorbells, general straightening, etc., but Mom will soon be to the point where she will be fine taking care of herself, although she still appreciates visits to keep any loneliness and boredom at bay. Tonight will be her first night on her own since the surgery.
Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday. A perfect time to have been reminded again what spectacular mothers we have all been blessed with.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Pathology Report
Mom had an appointment with Dr. Robison yesterday in which he reviewed with her the results of the pathology report on the tumor. Mom had them make a copy of the report to take home, but I don't have it in front of me, so there may be things that I miss or get completely wrong.
The tumor was identified as a probable ovarian carcenoma. It was confirmed to have been about 12 cm in diameter. The lymph nodes that were extracted tested positive for malignancy, as did the cell wash that was performed during the surgery (a cell wash is a sampling of the fluids that circulate in the abdominal cavity). The tumor was classified as a poorly differentiated "clear cell" tumor, which Dr. Robison indicated was one of the more aggressive tumor types. The size of the tumor, involvement of the lymph nodes, and results of the surrounding tissue testing for malignancy led to the cancer being identified as stage 3 of 3, which means it is in the third sub-stage of stage three cancer (i.e. Stage IIIc). There is a lot of information on the net that describes how this determination is made.
Mom has been recovering well and is up and walking for longer periods of time. In fact, she showered, and did all the necessary walking to get to the doctor, wait in the doctor's office, and visit with the doctor before returning home again. A record for life since surgery!
She has an appointment with Dr. Schoel (sp?), the oncologist, next Monday morning at 8:45 am. Dr. Robison told Mom to expect a recommendation of treatment that would involve chemotherapy, radiation, or both. Mom is going to listen to her own heart very carefully about what treatment path to take, and is very open to a variety of treatment types that have the potential to put the cancer in remission without inducing severe suffering and loss of quality of life.
The tumor was identified as a probable ovarian carcenoma. It was confirmed to have been about 12 cm in diameter. The lymph nodes that were extracted tested positive for malignancy, as did the cell wash that was performed during the surgery (a cell wash is a sampling of the fluids that circulate in the abdominal cavity). The tumor was classified as a poorly differentiated "clear cell" tumor, which Dr. Robison indicated was one of the more aggressive tumor types. The size of the tumor, involvement of the lymph nodes, and results of the surrounding tissue testing for malignancy led to the cancer being identified as stage 3 of 3, which means it is in the third sub-stage of stage three cancer (i.e. Stage IIIc). There is a lot of information on the net that describes how this determination is made.
Mom has been recovering well and is up and walking for longer periods of time. In fact, she showered, and did all the necessary walking to get to the doctor, wait in the doctor's office, and visit with the doctor before returning home again. A record for life since surgery!
She has an appointment with Dr. Schoel (sp?), the oncologist, next Monday morning at 8:45 am. Dr. Robison told Mom to expect a recommendation of treatment that would involve chemotherapy, radiation, or both. Mom is going to listen to her own heart very carefully about what treatment path to take, and is very open to a variety of treatment types that have the potential to put the cancer in remission without inducing severe suffering and loss of quality of life.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Heading Home
Mom is going home today! She will be discharged sometime early this evening and heading back to home base. Ade is staying over again tonight, so she'll get some good time with Mom tonight at home. We're planning to have someone at Mom's house to help with meals and other things full time for the next couple of days until mom regains enough strength to get around a little better. Right now, the journey to the bathroom and back is a journey of epic proportions. :) Mom really is doing great and none of us have been able to coax a complaint out of her yet. We're looking forward to getting to spend some good time with her over the next days and weeks.
A Shocking Experience
The heart doctor felt that they needed to find a way to get Mom's heart rate back down to a normal range before she goes home. They took Mom in to get a ultrasound on her heart to make sure there wasn't any pooling of blood in her heart. After finding all well there they have now taken her to shock the heart to see if that will reset things. She was put to sleep for the procedure but they say when she wakes up she will probably experience some pain. This may postpone her check out date but we have not heard yet.
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