Counts back up!

Since Mom's last dose of chemo her counts had been down for a few weeks.  On Monday we saw them start spiking back up!  It's always great to see that happen and we're thankful every time.  This means that Mom can start doing more and going more places without having to watch out for every tiny germ she may encounter.

We went up to Chicago for an appointment with Doctor Jessica yesterday to check in.  Mom's counts were up even more and she is officially no longer neutropenic.  Mom's been feeling better and her health has steadily been improving over the past week.  She was dealing with upset stomach, mouth sores, and other annoyances that weren't nearly as bad as she dealt with in December, but still made her feel sick and out of it.  No one likes to feel that way.

Her doctor was very pleased with how well Mom is doing.  We talked some about what would come next since they are trying so hard to keep the cancer gone this time.  There are options for more chemo treatments in the near future or there are options for infusing more stem cells (like she received with her 1st transplant over 3 years ago from her brother, Joe).  There is also the option to be happy with how she's doing now and let her body rest with no further treatment.  We have begun to pray about all of this because it's obviously not the easiest decision to make.  Mom struggled with thinking about having to go through more or not doing anything else...a decision no one should have to make.  We're leaning on God right now to clarify what the next step should be and relying on him for peace. 

Please pray with us...for Mom to wrap her mind around such an important decision and for guidance along the way.  Thanks so much for checking in.

Doing Fine

Hi there- hope you're all having a good weekend.  Mom is doing okay with her treatment.  The picture above was taken today when we went up to Chicago for Mom to get platelets and blood at Northwestern.  This is Julie (Mary's 2nd daughter), my daughter Tenley, along with my Mom.  Mom has been resting at home all week trying to get through the upset stomach feelings that come with the chemo.  She doesn't feel quite as good as she looks in this picture, but she's fighting through it.  She's had home healthcare come twice this week, along with her appointment today.  We're in the thick of her "harder days," days 10-14, but the week ahead is very important.  We pray she continues to do okay, the fevers stay gone, and her counts come back quickly!

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.