What Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It's still raining! It started back this afternoon and has been raining on and off ever since. My tomatoes are loving it! They are getting bigger every day with more and more blooms. Hopefully (cross your fingers!), they will all grow into pretty big tomatoes!
Today was a little busy! Spent a lot of time on the phone with doctor's offices. Sweet Mama's eye came unsewn last Friday (of course...holiday weekend!) It is sewn in two places...the inside lid and the outside lid. We tried to hold off calling hoping that the outside stitches would hold. But last night she complained of her eye bothering her. So I called the radiation people to see what the latest appointment would be (we usually go in the early afternoon). Then I called Atlanta to the Emory Eye Clinic to see when they could see her. Turns out that it's tomorrow afternoon. Also trying to see the surgeon about her ear that is bothering her. We are thinking that maybe she will have to have a tube put in. They have to call back tomorrow...he's been on vacation...we will see about that later. So it is off to Atlanta after an early treatment with the radiologist. Should be nice and rainy on the way home... Pop up shows are predicted between here and there for the late afternoon. That will make for fun driving...Well, at least it's not a Friday afternoon!
Sweet Mama began her journey through radiation this morning. Like this picture, she is standing on the rocks getting ready to start across the river. Preparing to make this journey, she went to the radiologist today.
She had to be fitted with a mesh mask that fits over and molds to her face. It is used to keep her head still and to mark the guides for the rays of radiation needed for her treatment. She also had to have a CT scan while in this mask. Because her cancer in in her head, she had to have an appliance made by the prosthodontist in Atlanta. This will be worn everytime she has treatment. Our appointment only lasted about 30 minutes and was over before she knew it. The people there were so nice! She felt very relieved in the process and reassured that it would be easier than she thought!
So today was a good day! Tomorrow we will get a call telling us when the radiation will begin, some time next week. It is to last 28 visits, 5 days a week to equal 6 weeks. We feel ready, willing and able!
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.
This was given to Sweet Mama when she was going through radiation last summer. It helped her make it through this hard time and gave her strength. I hope it helps whoever needs it most. ♥
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Latest update on Sweet Mama
Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. We are down to the final 6 days of Sweet Mama's radiation treatments! We are all so glad! As many of you know (and some of you don't) Sweet Mama had a rare sinus cancer 4 years ago which was treated with surgery only. It reoccurred this past January and she had more surgery (2) in May at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. This time, after the surgeries, it was decided that she had to have radiation treatments...33 to be exact! The past week it has been harder on Sweet Mama. Radiation drains all of your strength and makes you very tired. It gets worse as the days go on. Yesterday she tried to have a fainting spell. That was scary! She has lost about 10+ pounds since we started the treatments around the first of July, almost 30 total since the surgeries...she doesn't need to lose any more. The good news is that once the treatments end, she will regain her strength and appetite. Because she is having radiation to her head, her tongue and throat are sore and a little swollen. It is very hard to eat and to get calories! Hopefully, when this is all over, we will eat ice cream and drink milkshakes every day!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Still Raining
It's still raining! It started back this afternoon and has been raining on and off ever since. My tomatoes are loving it! They are getting bigger every day with more and more blooms. Hopefully (cross your fingers!), they will all grow into pretty big tomatoes!
Today was a little busy! Spent a lot of time on the phone with doctor's offices. Sweet Mama's eye came unsewn last Friday (of course...holiday weekend!) It is sewn in two places...the inside lid and the outside lid. We tried to hold off calling hoping that the outside stitches would hold. But last night she complained of her eye bothering her. So I called the radiation people to see what the latest appointment would be (we usually go in the early afternoon). Then I called Atlanta to the Emory Eye Clinic to see when they could see her. Turns out that it's tomorrow afternoon. Also trying to see the surgeon about her ear that is bothering her. We are thinking that maybe she will have to have a tube put in. They have to call back tomorrow...he's been on vacation...we will see about that later. So it is off to Atlanta after an early treatment with the radiologist. Should be nice and rainy on the way home... Pop up shows are predicted between here and there for the late afternoon. That will make for fun driving...Well, at least it's not a Friday afternoon!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Pre-Radiation Visit
Sweet Mama began her journey through radiation this morning. Like this picture, she is standing on the rocks getting ready to start across the river. Preparing to make this journey, she went to the radiologist today.
She had to be fitted with a mesh mask that fits over and molds to her face. It is used to keep her head still and to mark the guides for the rays of radiation needed for her treatment. She also had to have a CT scan while in this mask. Because her cancer in in her head, she had to have an appliance made by the prosthodontist in Atlanta. This will be worn everytime she has treatment. Our appointment only lasted about 30 minutes and was over before she knew it. The people there were so nice! She felt very relieved in the process and reassured that it would be easier than she thought!
So today was a good day! Tomorrow we will get a call telling us when the radiation will begin, some time next week. It is to last 28 visits, 5 days a week to equal 6 weeks. We feel ready, willing and able!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Surgery Delayed!
More rain today and wind! I think that we are going to get washed away!!
Sweet Mama's surgery has been pushed back to Tuesday @ 11:00a.m. The surgeon called this morning and said that Tuesday would be better. It is to last about an hour. We are still going to spend the night afterwards and probably the night before! They want her to be there at 7:00 a.m. so in order to make that we have to get there Monday afternoon.
The good news is that it won't be raining (well, maybe)!! Today felt like hurricane weather...squally bands...hope we aren't being prepared for something!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Today's Appointment
Just got back from Atlanta and Emory. Sweet Mama had the packing removed from her mouth. It was quite a chore to get it out. It was sewn in so well that it took some effort to get it out! The Surgeon also went over the pathology report. It showed that there was cancer in the bone of the cheekbone. He thought that he had removed more than enough of the bone for it to be cancer-free, but the report said otherwise. We had to have more surgery either end of this week or next. He said that it is hard to detect cancer in bone just by looking at it. We still won't know if it is all gone until we get the next path report. She seems to be in ok spirits...just glad that the packing is gone and she can swallow again. Tonight she gets REAL FOOD!
After a windblown ride and back to Atlanta, I am glad to be home. I checked my Esty Shop and found out that I have been listed in another Treasurty list! That makes 4 in 4 months!!
The address is http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25221127 (This is the apron that made it on!) treasury:http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=54432 It expires Thursday May 21 @ 10:52 pm! Check it out and click on my apron! It is a cute Tropical themed Treasury. Lots of cute and different things!!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sweet Mama's Follow-up Appointment
Sweet Mama's follow-up appointment is tomorrow at Emory. We see the Surgeon and the Prosthodontist. She is having the packing removed so hopefully she will be feeling a little better! She still has not had any pain, just itching of her bad eye. If that goes away she will be a lot happier. She can't rub it because she has still has stitches below the eye. It also gets a little goopy now and then (that's just the healing process). These little annoyances are a bit trying to her but will soon work themselves out! We will know more tomorrow...It's just going to be a long day!!
Beau woke up this a.m. at 5:03...only because Bella threw up a hairball in the hall at 4:30. I tell you, if it is not one it is the other!! He stayed up until 7ish then came back and got it the bed and stayed there until 9:30! I had to get up at 8!! It is just not fair!! Yawn....Who knows what the morning will bring... I plan on sleeping through the night! I hope he heard me...
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