Chemotherapy, Radiation, and other things

Mom gets some love from daughter #1

 The last 24 hours have been unlike any we've experienced before. The ICU nurses are telling Mom she has quite a fan club, between all us family here in the waiting room and crowding into her room. (We often ignore the "two visitors at a time" rule.) Last night, getting ready for a big day today, Mom had a spa treatment service equal to any you'd get at the Ritz. Jennifer and Sara pampered her with warm foot massages, peppermint lotion, hand massages, teeth brushing and flossing, and a facial. The room was a veritable aromatherapy cool sauna, very inviting and comforting, even with soft indirect lighting and a massage bed! To be honest, the massage bed is designed to prevent skin sores, so lest you think this is truly a paradise, it's not, but last night it was the absolutely best of the circumstance. I'm proud of my sisters putting aside stress and focusing on loving mom in a way that she could sink into, both physically and emotionally.

Today's emotions have been on edge; steroids and new situations can do that. We have hung pictures from the grandchildren on the wall, read her the lovely cards, letters, blog responses and Facebook messages, and we have decorated her white board (yes, she has one!) with her daughters' and grandchildren's names, pictures of a cat, hearts, smiley faces, and even a Tar Heel. She enjoys reading the names and looking at the pictures.

Speaking of reading, it's a whole lot easier now. The turban which has been protecting her incision was removed last night. I expected a careful removal, involving cutting tape and unwinding the gauze... instead, the doctor put his hand on the top, grabbed the gauze, and lifted it straight off! Kind of like removing a stocking cap after spending a day skiing. It just slid right off!

You'd be amazed to know that from looking at her, you cannot even tell Mom's had brain surgery. The staples in her scalp match the color of her hair, and you have to lift her hair to see them! The surgeon did an amazing job. Mom had two shampoos last night and will get another one tonight. It must feel great, she really enjoys the shampoo and massage.

After breakfast, Mom took her normal course of pills, and today there were three new ones. These are chemotherapy pills to help her fight her tumor. These pills will not cause Mom to lose her hair (the radiation might), and they make her nauseous, but they are far less harsh on her system than chemotherapy for non-brain treatments. Something to be thankful for, brain cancer chemotherapy doesn't make you that sick.

After lunch, Mom went for her first radiation therapy treatment. This was about a 30-minute visit to the Edwards Cancer Center (the radiology area of the hospital), so she got a nice field trip driving on that fabulous massage bed. Must have been nice to get out of the room. Sara and Mary Claire surprised her by cheering in the hallway as she was rolled by. Upon returning to her room, she got the chance to love on Catherine and Mary Claire, who took turns being carefully escorted back to her room to give her pictures, tell her about their day, and give treasured hugs and kisses.

Happy MC gave her beloved Grandma a homemade card.

This afternoon Mom was showing trouble swallowing, so her diet was changed from a very normal diet to a minced diet. The change in menu didn't get to the dietitian's office in time, so dinner was pretty fun. The nurse brought her a nice large, baked, seasoned chicken breast (good) with wax beans (not her favorite), mashed potatoes and gravy (yum!), a wheat roll (hard to eat), and what I think was cherry cobbler (mmmm). Then, as Dad was cutting up her chicken into little bite-sized pieces, the nurse brought in a second tray, the 'correct' diet! It was the exact same meal on the plate, but in mini little pieces. Even the soup was pureed. It was infinitely easier for Mom to eat. It didn't improve the taste of the wax beans (what could?), and the new menu didn't include any bread or cobbler, but the chicken and potatoes must have hit the spot; she enjoyed them.

Now dinner is done, it's non-visiting hours in the ICU, and the nurses are busy transitioning their duties to the next shift coming onboard. We'll miss Abby and hope she has a good night, she's a wonderful nurse! Hope to see her again tomorrow. As we kissed Mom goodbye for a few hours, she stopped Jennifer and waved her hand at her. She wanted to know something...and she wanted to get the words out herself...and she did.

She said San Francisco.

Our Mom's voice is in there, and today it came back a little. Thank you God, thank you chemo, thank you radiation, thank you neurosurgeons, oncologists, nurses, dads, grandchildren, sisters, families, friend families, work families, all around us.

Mom said San Francisco today.

It was a good day.

Mom's yellow roses are blooming today.