You Know Mom's Feeling Good When

1. She calls me when I'm still an hour away to suggest I meet her at Toshi instead of coming straight home.

2. When she has a "paper project" to get home to, but ends up browsing at Marshall's with me instead.

3. Wants to stay up at watch the latest installment of "The Complete Jane Austen," and will probably try to hold my hand.

4. Acts like a kid on Christmas when she finds food in the cooler outside, and can't wait to heat it up.

5. Can't wait to heat it up so much so that she kills a few handfuls of Trader Joe's veggie chips while doing laundry, tackling the "paper project", returning phone calls, and planning a girls weekend to Kripalu in May.

Chemo- hit us with your best shot. We had our appointment with Dr. D this afternoon and Mom is scheduled to start chemo on Monday, providing all her blood work and kidney function tests look okay. If we don't hear otherwise from Dr. D tomorrow, we are to assume that Monday is a go.

We've weighed the pros and the cons, we know what she has to do to keep healthy throughout this process, and Mom's ready. We addressed a few concerns in our meeting, such as ways to boost her immune system, to which Dr. D said, "good sleep, healthy diet, stay away from sick people, and HAND WASHING!" All those products out there- gimmicks. She said Mom could spend a fortune on products that claim to boost the immune system, but there's no proof to any of them. So that was reassuring because Mom is already doing exactly what she should be.

We spent some time with Judy (who's body products aren't nearly as irritating to Mom as they used to be- bonus), who explained how chemo will go. We'll arrive at 8:30am, Mom will have blood drawn, vital signs taken, and be started on IV fluids. Once she's completed one bag of IV fluids, she'll get the two chemo drugs back to back with more IV fluid, taking overall about 5 hours. She can read, sleep, listen to tunes, watch TV, eat, whatever makes her happiest during this time. She'll be given anti-nausea meds prophylatically, as well as a regime to follow for when she gets home in case nausea kicks in.

Before every treatment, her blood values and kidney function will be assessed. After, she may experience some fatigue, which may or may not increase as treatments go on. She will loose her hair in a few weeks (and I don't doubt she'll look just like Demi Moore in GI Jane- another bonus), but overall this chemo regime is very well tolerated. There is no immediate need for live in help or nursing. Just as long as she's got friends close by to call on (no shortage there).

Fortunately I'll be able to be with Mom for the first four treatments she receives, providing she stays on track. After that, we'll need help with rides and such, and Susan E. will be all over coordinating that.

That's where we're at. Mom is feeling very ready, scared, but ready. I think the delicious dinner we're having tonight thanks to Lynn G. will help ease her nerves :) I know cooking for me wasn't part of the deal, but I PROMISE to make Mom a delicious lunch tomorrow in place of the second helping.

Tired of thinking about chemo for tonight, so I'll leave it there for now. Everyone responds to treatment differently, so there's no point in over thinking the "what ifs" tonight. Mom knows that whatever she needs down the road, all she has to do is ask her extraordinary network of loved ones!