2 down, 2 to go

Round 2 came and went but not before it took an exponential toll on mom's health. Dr. Smith had said the first round of chemo is typically the worst. This was most definitely not the case this time.

Mom was incredibly nauseous all last week as her body took the beating of its life. Luckily, Dr. Smith ordered for the chemo to be administered in the hospital. A lot of cancer patients will get chemo at an outpatient center where they stay for a matter of hours. Dr. Smith has deemed mom too weak to be a candidate for that method, opting for a cautious approach to her treatment. Both her and I are very thankful for this. In the hospital, she is quick to receive anti-nausea medication when necessary and this alone eases her recovery.

Unfortunately for her, this round of chemo decimated her strength, her energy, and for a few days, her spirit. I can only imagine what must have been going through her head as she faced a level of hell she had never before felt. Her weight dropped 10 pounds, back down to 100, where it was at the end of the first round of treatments.

That seems to be the pattern. Chemo leads to weight loss, recovery puts the pounds back on, and then chemo zaps them away again. I consider it to be training for her own personal marathon. Get the body to an acceptable state of relative wellness and let 'er rip again. This whole experience has been an emotional rollercoaster for her, but she now knows the physical ups and downs as well. It is my hope she can prepare herself mentally for another round like the last and hold on to the courage that has got her this far.

She will have plenty of time to recuperate at the Adult Foster Home that she is in. Jenny and I visited her there this weekend. She was doing well in her air-conditioned abode. She is gaining her strength back little by little. Her hair really came out this time so Jenny and I brought her a couple scarves. She still has enough up top for a mohawk, but despite my best efforts, she wasn't keen on that 'do. Her spirits are improving and hopefully the next few days will see some weight come back as well.

It sounds like Dr. Smith wants a CT scan within the next two weeks. We are looking forward to knowing what is going on in her war on cancer. Mom knows that I do this blog and told me to send her love to all of you. She is so thankful for the support and the prayers. We all are. Keep 'em coming.

Pat