Mom

My mother is indestructable. I have always known this. She turns 92 on August 28th and her years have been filled with busy activities. Her favorite is working in her yard. She has always been very proud of her flowers and spent much time each year planting her annuals in and around the perenials. Something was in bloom all from spring until fall. She was very proud of her yard and it was always beautiful. She adorned her front and back patio with hanging baskets. We always bought one for her for Mother's day and so did the other siblings. Along with the ones we got, she planted others she saved from year to year, with petunias. So she had a veritable blooming garden hanging from her porch and spilling out of the flower box under her kitchen window.

Mom began complaining about problems with her arm and left breast one winter while she was working on a quilt she was making for my daughter, Jamelah. She breathed a sigh of relief when it was finally finished, and figured the soreness would go away. It did not. She had trouble and complained and the doctor sent her off for a mamogram. The test showed everything was fine and Mom was told again that she was in great shape for her age and should take it easy and try not doing so much. So, we let it go at that.

As the year went on, Mom complained of easy fatigue, of sleeping afternoons and not "feeling like anything." Her breast still bothered her and she began wanting to have it looked at again. On a routine visit to her doctor he examined her breast; although he felt the lump there, he felt since the mamogram showed no irregularity, that she need not worry. But just to be safe as soon as a year had passed, she would go in for a 2nd mamogram. She did.

This was the beginning of out nightmare. The technician was concerned because this time the test showed there was definitely a mass in her breast. She would be scheduled for biopsy immediately. They tried to do a "needle biopsy" which doesn't amount to much, but were unsuccessful in doing this procedure. She was immediately scheduled with a surgeon to have the old time biopsy done. During her pre-op testing they found her blood platelet level to be very low. They were going to have to give her a transfusion of platelets prior to the biopsy. It wasn't going to amount to much, we were told. She was admitted to out-patient surgery bright and early so the platelets could be infused. Well, nothing runs easily and I won't go into the details. So to speed it up, the pint of platelets did not do the job and late that night the surgeon said they would keep Mom overnight and begin bright and early the next day. More platelets were ordered for her (they don't keep them in stock, I guess). So the next morning Mom got her 2nd transfusion. A check showed her blood still low. She got another pint. Her blood count was now high enough, and although the day was late that night she was wheeled into surgery.

Phyllis, my sister and I sat and waited. Phyllis had been with Mom all day. I had come in after I got out of work at 1pm. We were both tired but feeling relief that Mom was finally in good hands and getting this taken care of. I was determined that all would come out with positive reports. 91 year old women don't get cancer. If they were going to get it... they would have years ago. I lost my sister, Vonnie, to cancer when she was just in her 40's, so the thought that Mom might be diagnosed with this disease at her age was an impossibility to me.

The doctor came out and said everything had gone well. Mom had quite a bit of bleeding due to her low platelet count, so she was unable to remove the entire mass, but had removed what she could. It would be sent off for analysis and we would have the report in a couple days. She said Mom had done fine and would be sleeping soundly and advised we go home and do the same... so, we did.

The next day early, Phyllis called me from the hospital. Mom was not doing all that well. She had lost a lot of blood and her blood count way exceptinally low (7, 14 is good, 12 is acceptable). She would have to have a transfusion. Her heart rate had slowed during the night to almost nothing. She had been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. She was resting and her heart rate had leveled off. They felt she would be fine as soon as they could get some blood into her.

The blood from the transfusion seemed to dissapate into thin air (actually under her skin, since she was still bleeding), but finally after 3 pints of blood, she was pronouced good enough to go home. Her out-patient visit had extended to 5 days. She would not be able to stay alone: Her diagnosis was cancer. She would have to have a radical mastectomy as soon as her body could tolerate it.

My sister and I switched off with her staying days and me staying nights. My brother had already planned a visit (Family Reunion time) and arrived. So James and Martha stayed with Mom and took great care of her during their vacation. By the end of this time she had gained some strength and was taking short walks around the house.

Family Reunion week Royce and Bonnie (my older brother) came for the weekend. His family also arrived, his sons Royce and Greg with their families. So Mom's house was filled with family. Her sister Josie from Tennessee also came in to visit. They were in Lansing for a funeral. So we got to see Aunt Josie and cousins Angie and Arvemia. It was a fun week with people coming and going but all too soon everyone headed home and Phyllis and I were once again staying with Mom.

Mom is now stronger. She likes staying by herself some during the day and having a sense of independence that she is still able to take care of herself. She still needs someone to stay during the night. Phyllis is still doing the daytrime drill and I come over in the evenings to help with supper... and then spend the night.

We have learned this past week that Mom is a high risk patient because her heart sometime slows down and almost quits beating. She is being sheduled for a pacemaker and they are thinking that will take place Thursday, maybe. We go see the doctor this afternoon.

So, this is how it is right now this morning. Will keep you updated. Bookmark the page so you can check in. I'll keep you posted on future information given us by the doctors, test results and procedures that are taking place.

Keep Mom in your prayers. She has a long way to go.