Mom is currently in the hospital at Upper Chesapeake. She was extremely dizzy and was vomiting on Tuesday morning, called the doctor and he sent her to the emergency room. Aunt Felicia has been with her (she had planned to spend the week with Mom anyway) and giving us updates as information comes in.
Mom did have a fever yesterday-blood culture results to come sometime today-and they gave her some Tylenol and low-dose antibiotics to reduce the fever. The doctor was telling her that if she has no fever she can go home today. When I talked to her last night, her temperature was 99 (better than the 102 is was earlier in the day!).
Mom sounds good and positive, although a bit frustrated at her roommate who is a bit loud...so loud that it was hard to hear Mom on the phone last night. I did put the speakerphone on so that Mom and DJP could "talk" to each other. DJP recognized his grandma's voice and smiled at the phone. Of course, he wanted to "hold" the phone so he could chew on it with his four new top teeth! (Mommy said no-what a surprise!)
16 December 2010
09 December 2010
Latest on Mom
Since my last post, Mom has had two doctor's appointments-one to meet the surgical oncologist and the other to meet the entire team that will be working with her at UMMC.
The plan is to start with radiation and chemotherapy for about 5-6 weeks. Mom will go to UMMC Monday through Friday for radiation and the team is undecided about whether she will have IV or pill form of chemo. If they decide on IV, she will go once a week to the Cancer Center at UMMC for chemo. If they decide on pills, she will take those twice a day. The pills would be easier for her, since she wouldn't have to spend extra time at the hospital.
Once the radiation and chemo treatments are finished, Mom will have a month break, during which time she will have another CT scan to see if the tumor has responded to the radiation and chemotherapy. If it has, the team will schedule her surgery. After surgery, she will be in the hospital for up to 2 weeks since this is MAJOR surgery. Then have about 6 more weeks of recovery at home.
The final step will be to continue chemotherapy for 6 months after the surgery to make sure that there is no recurrence of the cancer.
The doctors are all optimistic and the plan is for this to be finished by this time next year.
The plan is to start with radiation and chemotherapy for about 5-6 weeks. Mom will go to UMMC Monday through Friday for radiation and the team is undecided about whether she will have IV or pill form of chemo. If they decide on IV, she will go once a week to the Cancer Center at UMMC for chemo. If they decide on pills, she will take those twice a day. The pills would be easier for her, since she wouldn't have to spend extra time at the hospital.
Once the radiation and chemo treatments are finished, Mom will have a month break, during which time she will have another CT scan to see if the tumor has responded to the radiation and chemotherapy. If it has, the team will schedule her surgery. After surgery, she will be in the hospital for up to 2 weeks since this is MAJOR surgery. Then have about 6 more weeks of recovery at home.
The final step will be to continue chemotherapy for 6 months after the surgery to make sure that there is no recurrence of the cancer.
The doctors are all optimistic and the plan is for this to be finished by this time next year.
30 November 2010
News
Before we left on the cruise, Mom went to the doctor and he said that she was jaundiced. He sent her to see a gastroenterologist. After some additional tests, he sent her to have an endoscopy done at UMMC. I went with Mom for the procedure. We got the results right there at the hospital-Mom has a walnut sized mass in her pancreas that is cancer. The doctor said that he thought we caught it early and that Mom is probably a candidate for the Whipple procedure.
Mom goes back to UMMC to have a CT Scan tomorrow and then we have an appointment to talk with the surgical oncologist on Friday. I will continue to update Mom's condition and progress here as soon as we have new information.
Mom goes back to UMMC to have a CT Scan tomorrow and then we have an appointment to talk with the surgical oncologist on Friday. I will continue to update Mom's condition and progress here as soon as we have new information.
Eight month birthday
For DJP's eight month (plus) birthday he got a special present-he got to go on a cruise! Actually, we had planned this cruise before DJP was even a thought in our minds and now that we cannot imagine life without him, OF COURSE we took him along.
He enjoyed being on the ship, people watching and meeting so many new people, especially his two "girlfriends" from the main dining room, Monika and Precious:
DJP made friends young and old, so many that he has learned how to wave within a week and as we were waiting for Aunt Niki to pick us up, people that Jason and I had not met were saying "Bye DJP!"
While on board ship, DJP continued his teething and two new teeth broke through-a top incisor and a top front tooth! We could also feel the other front tooth and incisor which have started to poke through as well. Two of DJP's favorite "toys" in our cabin were the door stop and the metallic trashcan. (Yes, we wiped them down before he started chewing on them!)
Another "skill" that DJP worked on while we were away was his fearlessness. When DJP was on the bed, he would crawl around then look at us and then crawl to the edge and even attempt to crawl right off without seeing there was no where to go!
We're definitely going to have to watch out for our little daredevil!
DJP has also gotten brave enough to start hanging onto various pieces of furniture (and fingers too!) and walk! We are amazed at DJP's progress every day. He learns so quickly!
He enjoyed being on the ship, people watching and meeting so many new people, especially his two "girlfriends" from the main dining room, Monika and Precious:
DJP made friends young and old, so many that he has learned how to wave within a week and as we were waiting for Aunt Niki to pick us up, people that Jason and I had not met were saying "Bye DJP!"
While on board ship, DJP continued his teething and two new teeth broke through-a top incisor and a top front tooth! We could also feel the other front tooth and incisor which have started to poke through as well. Two of DJP's favorite "toys" in our cabin were the door stop and the metallic trashcan. (Yes, we wiped them down before he started chewing on them!)
Another "skill" that DJP worked on while we were away was his fearlessness. When DJP was on the bed, he would crawl around then look at us and then crawl to the edge and even attempt to crawl right off without seeing there was no where to go!
We're definitely going to have to watch out for our little daredevil!
DJP has also gotten brave enough to start hanging onto various pieces of furniture (and fingers too!) and walk! We are amazed at DJP's progress every day. He learns so quickly!
01 November 2010
Seven Plus Months
I'm a bit behind...as usual!
DJP is seven months plus a week or two and has changed so much in the last month.
DJP now has TWO (yes, they came in together!)bottom teeth which we avoid since they are super sharp and he likes to gnaw on various items. He has chewed on his Halloween book from Nina & Papa so much that he has put a hole in it (he liked it that much!) and we now look at that book from a distance. DJP is still teething-top gums are super swollen and have widened even more than the bottom gums did. Still no obvious signs of teeth yet, however the ear tugging and chewing on everything in sight (including Grandma's arm and thumb) has commenced once again. With the teething in full swing, there's been little sleep the last few days. We were very lucky last week that we had five FULL nights of sleep (well, DJP did!).
DJP is also not just rolling everywhere but he is crawling! He took the first few tentative crawls on his 7 month birthday then nothing for a couple of days. He moves around like a pro now! He's even been able to catch up with Ophelia lately-she'll learn to move faster when he grabs her tail and won't let go!
Our little boy is growing up so quickly!
19 September 2010
Six months ago...
Six months ago today, Jason and I went to the hospital very early to have a baby. DJP arrived at 9:58pm weighing 8 lbs, 3 ozs. We haven't had our official weigh in at the pediatrician's office, but we're guessing he weighs at least 17lbs. and has grown an inch or two more since our last visit.
DJP can sit up (once we put him there)and stay that way for quite some time (probably about 10 minutes) before he decides that he's had enough and falls over to be either on his back or his belly. He also rolls from belly to back and back to belly-today he did both while watching football with Jason. Apparently he wanted to go somewhere!
He's still teething-not so much drool but pulling on his ears. There's no sign of teeth other than his gums have widened a bit more and are definitely bumpy. DJP has become more vocal with lots of sounds and has different facial expressions to go with them. My favorite is when he gets this serious look and he raises one eyebrow! (Neither Jason nor I can do this...) He also can form his mouth into an "ooh" which is fun when we do it first and then he mimics us. Whenever we do something new, DJP is observant and taking it all in so that he can do it later!
DJP's favorite thing to do is watching Ophelia (aka "Kitty") whenever she's brave enough to come into the living room. He will squeal and his little legs go (this is while in the exersaucer) and Kitty avoids the little hands as much as possible. She came a bit close on Friday and DJP was able to grab her tail and didn't really want to let go! I had to pry his fingers off-he had a hand full of cat hair...
The biggest change has been that DJP has been pushing himself up with his hands-lifting his belly off the floor. If he can get his legs coordinated, he'll be mobile shortly!
ETA: DJP is 27 3/4 inches long and weighs 17 3/4 lbs. WOW!
DJP can sit up (once we put him there)and stay that way for quite some time (probably about 10 minutes) before he decides that he's had enough and falls over to be either on his back or his belly. He also rolls from belly to back and back to belly-today he did both while watching football with Jason. Apparently he wanted to go somewhere!
He's still teething-not so much drool but pulling on his ears. There's no sign of teeth other than his gums have widened a bit more and are definitely bumpy. DJP has become more vocal with lots of sounds and has different facial expressions to go with them. My favorite is when he gets this serious look and he raises one eyebrow! (Neither Jason nor I can do this...) He also can form his mouth into an "ooh" which is fun when we do it first and then he mimics us. Whenever we do something new, DJP is observant and taking it all in so that he can do it later!
DJP's favorite thing to do is watching Ophelia (aka "Kitty") whenever she's brave enough to come into the living room. He will squeal and his little legs go (this is while in the exersaucer) and Kitty avoids the little hands as much as possible. She came a bit close on Friday and DJP was able to grab her tail and didn't really want to let go! I had to pry his fingers off-he had a hand full of cat hair...
The biggest change has been that DJP has been pushing himself up with his hands-lifting his belly off the floor. If he can get his legs coordinated, he'll be mobile shortly!
ETA: DJP is 27 3/4 inches long and weighs 17 3/4 lbs. WOW!
08 September 2010
First Pool Party
DJP attended his first pool party a few weeks ago (only blogging about it now due to the "bday flu" which will be discussed in a few sentences). The pool party was in celebration of DJP's cousin's 2nd birthday. (Happy Birthday, KJP!) The little guy got into his bathing suit and Del Sol t-shirt along with his hat and went in the water with his daddy.
There was also a visit in the pool by Harley, my aunt and uncle's puppy! (who did get on the raft all by himself!)
DJP also got to try his own raft. He enjoyed lounging quite a bit!
Fun was had by all until the next day...when the "bday flu" hit about half the people who attended the party. A family who parties together also gets sick together...talk about family love! (It will definitely be something we all talk about for YEARS to come...)
There was also a visit in the pool by Harley, my aunt and uncle's puppy! (who did get on the raft all by himself!)
DJP also got to try his own raft. He enjoyed lounging quite a bit!
Fun was had by all until the next day...when the "bday flu" hit about half the people who attended the party. A family who parties together also gets sick together...talk about family love! (It will definitely be something we all talk about for YEARS to come...)
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