Life Changes in Seconds

A lot has happened in the past couple weeks.

On Wednesday, June 4, my mom traveled to Wausau to meet with a pulmonary doctor for a consultation as a few weeks prior to that, she had a CT scan that revealed a potential mass in her middle chest cavity. I met mom at the hospital and the doctor revealed that there was indeed a mass in her chest, but that in order to determine what the mass was, she would need a mediastenoscopy (a biopsy) of it. So, the following week, we met an old friend of mom's, her heart surgeon from 2002. Since he was intimately aware of how her heart surgery went and the mediastenoscopy is done through the chest cavity, he was the best possible person for the job so we met with him a week later on Thursday, June 12,. which he then scheduled a PET Scan Monday, June 16, followed the next day, June 17, by the mediastenoscopy. Mom made it through both procedures like a champ. While we waiting for the appointment with the surgeon to find out the results of the biopsy, Mom enjoyed getting to spend the week with Mark, Bailey and me.

On Thursday, June 19, our world as we knew it changed forever. We had the follow up visit with the heart surgeon who informed mom, that she does in fact have cancer. He made arrangements for mom to meet with the Aspirus Regional Cancer Center oncologist the very next day. So, with that news to absorb, Mom and I made the trip back to my house were we talked, cried, made lots of phone calls to family and friends and waited for the next day's visit to the oncologist.

Friday, June 20, we met with Dr. Harish Ahuja, one of the lung oncologists at the Cancer Center and he told us that Mom has cancer in her lymph nodes, lung and tail bone. The cancer is in Stage 4 and has metasticised (meaning it has spread). The first order of business is to get the pain managed since what she thought was siatic nerve pain for the past few months, is actually pinching of nerves from the tumor in her tail bone and the severe cough she's had is from the lymph nodes/lung cancer. Dr. Ahuja believes that the best course of treatment is to do 2-3 weeks of radiation therapy followed by chemotherapy. The radiation will be used to shrink the tumor in her tail bone hopefully providing some relief to the siatic nerve. The chemotherapy will be used for the lymph nodes and lungs. For now, she's enjoying the benefits of some very strong pain meds. The radiation begins tomorrow and will be done every day for at least the next 12 days. On July 1, Mom has an MRI of her brain to make sure that the cancer has not spread to that area. If all looks well, then the chemotherapy can being. One of the medications that will be given with her chemotherapy blocks blood flow to the cancer, which is why they need to be sure there is no cancer in the brain or it could have devastating effects. We meet again with Dr. Ahuja July 10 for the MRI results.

Therefore, the reason behind my blog title. Life does truly change in a matter of seconds. I would have never believed that the "allergy cough" my mom was first diagnosed with last month, and the siatic nerve pain she was being treated for with the chiropractor, would have ever turned into the reality of cancer. I just keep telling myself that God does have a purpose and a reason for everything -- after all, that is something my mom has always taught me and even now, she is the one telling me, "God will take care of me." I sure wish I had her strength and faith right now.

Everyone keeps asking me how mom is holding up. My answer to that is "well, given the circumstances" she is a very strong woman and she told me "I am not going to let this make me feel defeated because as soon as I do that, I've given up and I'm not going to do that." She has a very long road ahead of her and we're all trying to do our best right now to stay strong, believe God will take care of her and take each day as they come.

To everyone who reads our blog, please keep our family in your prayers.