Mom is home from the hospital

Mom is home from the hospital and it is so nice to have her here. Yet it can still be worrisome for me because the care that she received in the hospital was perfect the room was clean and it was quiet for her. I worry that my kids are bugging her a lot and that it is just to loud for her. I wish she did not have to go through this because she is such a wonderful mom and so strong. I guess that is why she is going through this because Heavenly Father has given her the strength that she needs to get through this one last trial here on earth.

She has a lot of swelling which puts pressure on the tumors that she has inside, Which makes me glad for the pain meds so she can be comfortable.I know that she will make it and that there will peace when she sees her family on the other side. We as a family are hoping for the best which is the Lords will and the peace and comfort that we need to accept the Lords will no matter how the end results we know that Our Mother will fight to the end and receive a great reward in Heaven.

I have grown close to my mom in the last 10 years and call her on a daily bases. Oh how I will miss those moments with her but know that those days will come again sometime in the future and we will live next to each other and have fun and laugh and cry and all those things that we have already experienced here. I love my mom and will now be calling all of my other friends more often to talk to help pass the time because it will be hard. Yet knowing the out come and where she will go and that she will again be reunited with her Mother and Father that left her when she young will be a peace and comfrot to me that she is happy.

Thank you for every thing that you have ever done for me in getting me ready for life. I love you mom!!!

It is time for another update

This week has been a long week indeed. On Monday Mom had a CT scan because her 2nd drain stopped working. What they found was not exactly what we had expected. The masses on her liver had grown a bit. The fluid in her abdomen had started turning into masses along the lining of her wall. Which would explain the hardness and firmness of her abdomen. There was also some fluid around her lungs. This changed her prognosis which blew all of us away. Now instead of having months she has weeks. To me every moment I have with her counts!!! Having this new prognosis and because of the aggressiveness of the melanoma she is not eligible for the trial drugs. So they went ahead and started just regular chemo to help her buy some time. She started I think Tuesday and did her last round Friday and then she will have a break for 3 weeks. She said that the chemo was not to bad and her side affects were feeling full and heavy after treatment. Also she said it seemed to take a long time and it was boring.

I feel so bad for what she has to endure. The pain the sickness is not anyone's strengths and she has to go through this. It has been nice to take care of her, to serve her and do anything and everything I can to help out with her.

One Monday night we gathered around her bed with all of us brothers and sisters exepet my oldest brother he had to go back to Africa for the military. All of our kids were there too. We sang primary songs and cried and laughed and loved each other. I never imagined I would have to face death at such a young age. But as I face it head on with my own mother i find myself wanting to tell her every time I talk to her or see her that I love her. I have tried to get to see her everyday that she feels like having company!!! One Thursday we were able to go up as sisters and just sit and laugh and have fun with her we did her nails and shaved her legs and shared of course on video our most memorable times we have had with each other. We got mom on video doing the big wide mouth frog and then we had worn her out so next time which we are hoping for tonight to get her to sing the little blue man and the dancing shoes!!! We love all that she has ever done with us and am grateful to know that she has had the opprotunity to be our mother we feel honored.

I worte this post the other day but better late then never.

Mom's Update

This week has been a long week. Last Friday Mom had a drain put into her abdomen so that she would not have to go into the hospital every other day to get fluid drained caused and produced by the cancer cells that are producing. The drain worked great Friday Saturday and then it just did not work right on Sunday. We drained about 1000ml of fluid both days and then Sunday the fluid was a cranberry color and there was only 100ml of fluid. Mom developed on her right side from the abdomen down swelling all the way to her feet and toes. She had a hard time bending and needed to lay down quite a bit. We called the Surgeon on call to see if there was a malfunction and made an appointment for Monday morning. Going in and seeing the Dr did not do anything other then comfort us in know that her Liver function was just fine and that she had not developed any blood clots. We also found out Monday that she was excepted into the clinical trial for her treatment which is a huge blessing for her. She will be on a drug called ipomomab not sure how to spell it but it is a research drug that is suppose to shrink the cancer that is growing and reduce the producing of fluid being produced by the cancer cells. So on Monday it was good. The Dr. Called Tuesday and wanted us to try to drain Mom again and we did but to no avail there was no fluid coming out and it was just painful to watch mom in pain and get no relief. The draining hurts and she says it is like a knife stabbing her in the right side of her chest every time the drain is turned on. The Dr then said if it still does not work on Wednesday that they would like to look at it and check it out some more. So we did got to do that today. Mom had everyone up in the air as to why her drain would not work. The Dr. Nurses and a rep from the company came in to look at it tried to flush it and still nothing. So they went ahead and installed a new drain on the left side of her abdomen, and when they took the other one out there was nothing wrong with it. They then tested the new one and drained 3000 ml of fluid and hopefully her swelling will now resolve it's self and she will feel better soon. She is supposed to start her treatment on Monday and we can hardly wait to see how she responds to this treatment.

As to the mood of the family we are all holding up ok and we all have our moments and feelings and thoughts of our mother and her future. It is hard at times but the peace that comes when I think of my Savior Jesus Christ and his Resurrection.I know that I will be able to see my Mom after she dies and that our Family will be together forever. I know that the Savior would not leave us alone and let us wonder about this he taught it to us and still teaches it to my heart every day. I believe that we are Spirits having an earthly experience and when Father in Heaven calls us home we will rejoice. One thing that my Moms Bishop shared with us as a thought is that before we lived on earth we lived in heaven as spirits and we were so excited when it was our turn to come to earth yet sad to leave behind our family that would soon come to us. I think of that often and know that now as we are facing the challenge of death with our mother that we are sad to see her leave us but our spirits are rejoicing for her to return and report her life to her Father and continue to help and serve on the other side. She loves the Savior Jesus Christ and I know that she will do what ever is asked of her by him. Also she will not be alone her Parents and Sister are waiting for her and I know that she will be met with open arms and a wonderful family reunion.

So to wrap things up we are making memories with her each day. Today the kids and I and Aunt Kate and her kids gathered round her bed and she read the kids a story and laughed because anyone that knows my mom knows that she likes to act and has a good story reading voice!!! It has been hot here in Kansas so we have been inside lots but hope to be able to go to the lake tomorrow night for a picnic and swim. I hope Mom feels up to it. We have a lounge chair that we can take for her to lay in and enjoy the moments that now are limited to us. We love you Mom and are prayers and thoughts our with you always:)

Update

After 2 weeks we finally got the pathology reports back. Mom has Melanoma cancer that has matastized to her liver and lungs and stomach. We are cherishing every moment that we have with her. Making memories with her and easing her pain and laughing all at once. I will come home for a few weeks to get the kids in school and then head back. I am not sure what I will be doing with the kids while David works(at home) but it will work out somehow. I will bring Michael and Sammie back or something to that effect. Mom has months instead of years and we are going to make the best of them.!!!!!