Introduction

Welcome to my blog about my mom, Loretta, and our journey through learning of her cancer and treatment.

Just a little background. Mom is 61 and hadn't been to a doctor in about 18 years until this past June 2011. The reason for this is due to the surmountable cost of insurance, even when your spouse has insurance it can be cost prohibitive.
So, Mom finally got approved by JPS in June and it was a good thing too, she had Basil cell carcinoma on the bridge of her nose. She underwent surgery to remove the tumor and plastic surgery reconstruction. She also has high blood pressure and Thyroid problems. We thought she was finally getting the attention she was missing and was going to be OK. Boy were we mistaken.
Mom started having some abdominal pain the first of January 2012. After talking with her and the pain getting worse, she finally agreed that she needed to go to the clinic or ER.
The following blog posts chronicle the events since then. Future posts will continue to explain treatment, issues concerning her condition and general comments.
I appreciate you taking the time to learn about what it means to be diagnosed and this type of cancer. Mom has been a trooper so far, she says "I'll beat this".

Monday, February 27, 2012

2/27/12 - UT San Antonio - Cancer Therapy & Research Center

6am - picked up Mom and we are on the road to San Antonio!!
It's a dreary, cloudy day, at least we won't have to fight the bright sun.
We made it to San Antonio at 11am and ate lunch at Denny's. Mom ate well, but doesn't feel well today. Her jaundice is back and she's a yellow smurf again.
At our appt now. They just took her vitals and blood samples for a CBC.
More to come as we meet with the dr's.

Update: so we met with 2 doctor's. They did a through hands on exam and completely reviewed her scans. There was a surgeon reviewing scans and he consulted with the doctors and confirmed that the tumor is inoperable. The reason for this is that the cancer probably started in the left bile duct and then traveled up to her liver (where the tumor is). It's completely covering the entire left lobe of her liver. To remove it they would have to cut the bike ducts (both of them) just below the junction of the 2 and then resect the left lobe. There wouldn't be any bike duct to reconnect to the right side. Ugh
So, the doctor did say that his course of treatment would be much the same as what St John's had proposed.
Mom is all yellow again from the bilirubin. UTSA dr said she needed to be admitted to resolve the issue with her bile ducts and the stents.
I got a copy of the blood labs they did and a picture of mom and I emailed it to Dr Isa's nurse, Michelle. Michelle called at 8am 2/28/12 and said she received the info and pic and that Dr Isa wants her in the ER when we get home. She also asked about the 2 opinions outcome and their treatment plan. I read her the chemo drug names and she said she will review these with the doctor and we will start treatment soon.
2/28/12 - we are on our way home! Left SA at 9 am.

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