Thought I would let everyone know that Mom has to have a mammogram and ultra sound of her right breast, as she has a small cyst. When she saw Dr. Wilson, he noticed it, but said it was soft and he would make Dr. Simon aware of it.
Apparently he didn't because when Dr. Simon examined Mom last Friday she found it right away and told mom that further action would need to be taken. She is going to Cranberry today to Dr. Simon's office (her surgeon) to have the tests done. Hopefully, it is nothing to worry about, but with this damn cancer, you just never know. If they think the cyst is suspicious, they will do a biopsy quickly.
Let's all pray that it is a benign cyst and she can have a lumpectomy. And be done with it!
She still has not gained much weight back. Dr. Simon did not seem to be too concerned about that, though. Mom's blood count was down and her throid was low, but Dr. Simon said that radiation can cause both of those issues.
I will keep everyone posted.
Mo
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Britt's Graduation
My daughter, Brittany graduated from the University of Pittsburgh this past weekend. We had beautiful weather for both Saturday and Sunday. Her graduation ceremony for the School of Business was on Saturday. The School of Psychology graduation ceremony was on Sunday morning at 9:00 AM and the main ceremony for all graduates was at 1:00 PM at the Peterson Events Center.
1st I would like to say how extremely proud I am of Brittany. I am also proud of my mom for making it through both days, as she tires so easily now. I am proud of Dad, as well. Only a little over a week after emergency hernia surgery, he made all 3 ceremonies.
We were completely exhausted on Sunday, as we had been up since 5:00 AM. But we had a beautiful day and had dinner with Brittany's dad and his family.
On Saturday we had dinner with Brittany's boyfriend and his parents. All of the ceremonies were very nice. On Sunday, we were tired before the 1:00 ceremony even began. I marched Mom & Dad into the Peterson and sat in section 124, which was right past the escalators. It turned out the the Arts & Science grads would be sitting on the opposite side of us; however, the good Lord was with us, as Brittany ended up sitting directly below us and was visible to us the entire ceremony! She even left us a video message, which the University played on the TV screeens, while we were waiting for the festivities to begin. :)
Mom leaves for Florida on June 6th to spend some much needed time with her 96 year old Mom. She will then visit with my brother and sister-in-law in Orlando before coming back to PA. She needs this vacation badly.
She has been feeling good, with the exception of fatigue, as I have stated before. Please keep her in your prayers. We see her chemotherapy oncologist in May....................we will be asking about the cyst in her right breast as well as her lingering cough.
I will keep everyone updated.
Mo
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thursday
Dad had to have emergency hernia surgery yesterday morning. Everything went well and he will be in the hospital tonight again and come home tomorrow.
After a long night at the ER and long day at the hospital yesterday, Mom was extremely tired. And stressed. I took her home around 4:00 so she could get some rest. I went back to the hospital, but Dad was sleeping most of the time, which is what he needs to do.
Mom napped most of the evening and went to bed early. She tires easily these days.
I am at work, so I will update tomorrow.
Mo
After a long night at the ER and long day at the hospital yesterday, Mom was extremely tired. And stressed. I took her home around 4:00 so she could get some rest. I went back to the hospital, but Dad was sleeping most of the time, which is what he needs to do.
Mom napped most of the evening and went to bed early. She tires easily these days.
I am at work, so I will update tomorrow.
Mo
Friday, April 10, 2009
I must say thank you to Susan and Moe for the kind words they have provided me. Susan, I have added your email address to my contact list and Moe, I have updated yours.
As I have said, once you have been touched by cancer, (being diagnosed yourself or having a friend or family member diagnosed), you truly see the world in a different light and only those who have been in the same circumstance understand.
Working tomorrow 12-8. Off to bed I go.
Happy Easter to everyone.
Mo
As I have said, once you have been touched by cancer, (being diagnosed yourself or having a friend or family member diagnosed), you truly see the world in a different light and only those who have been in the same circumstance understand.
Working tomorrow 12-8. Off to bed I go.
Happy Easter to everyone.
Mo
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Conflicting Emotions
Hello all. As usual, I have not kept to my word of blogging on a consistent basis. Again, I will try and do better. I received an email from Jane's sister Moe who is struggling with the fact that Jane's husband has chosen to close Jane's blog.
I must admit that it brought tears to my eyes when I read Barry's post. However, I can understand why he has chosen to do that. When I spoke to him at the funeral home, I told him I was a daily reader of her blog; hence the reason for Mom even reaching out to Jane when she saw her at Dr. Simon's office the 1st time. Barry responded that he did not read the blog. That was Jane's "thing". He had tears in his eyes when my mom told him what an inspiration Jane was to her.
Barry was with Jane each and every day and knew firsthand what she went through on a daily basis. There was really no need for him to read the blog. However, in reading the blog, each and every one of us were able to know Jane even if we had never met her. We learned about the daily grind of cancer and what meds worked and what meds didn't. Her sister Moe searched Jane's blog for me one day attempting to find what cream worked for Jane when she was getting radiationand had a rash. My mom had a bad burn from radiation and I had mentioned it on the blog. Moe was right there for us, as Jane was in the hospital at the time. She did not hesitate to help Mom out when she needed answers. Thank you, Moe! I really hope to be able to meet Moe in person when she is here for Tim's graduation.
And Jane. Each and every time I blogged about Mom struggling or being tired and hurting, she always offered positive words. And she prayed. Not just for Mom but for each and every indiviudal who has to experience the awful world of cancer. Her faith was amazing to me.
I am in awe that, although I never met Jane, I could tell you what made her happy. So many posts of the turkeys and deer in the backyard and how much she loved "God's country" as she referred to New Wilmington. A simple thing such as Moe baking chocolate chip cookies when she was in town to visit and receiving so many flowers and cards for her birthday. She loved her church and loved the hymn "An Awesome God". She was thrilled when the congregation sang happy birthday to her.
She always had a kind word. Always. And I will love her for that. Always.
My mom is doing well. Her one year anniversary of being diagnosed with cancer will be here soon. She has survived the journey, but still suffers from the treatment. It takes a long while to recover from the chemotherapy and radiation. She struggles with the fact that she has only one breast. She does not yet have her energy back. The most important thing is that Jane still inspires my mom. Every day.
I printed out the last few entries to Jane's blog for mom. She had tears in her eyes. It is something that none of us thought would ever be. When I checked the blog 1st thing each morning, I knew there were others doing the same thing and I felt like part of a huge team.
And now we are facing uncertainty with one of my brother's high school friends. John Patton is 48 years old. Young like Jane. We must do something to try and eradicate this awful disease.
Prayers for John will be appreciated. And please continue to pray for my mom's good health.
Mo
I must admit that it brought tears to my eyes when I read Barry's post. However, I can understand why he has chosen to do that. When I spoke to him at the funeral home, I told him I was a daily reader of her blog; hence the reason for Mom even reaching out to Jane when she saw her at Dr. Simon's office the 1st time. Barry responded that he did not read the blog. That was Jane's "thing". He had tears in his eyes when my mom told him what an inspiration Jane was to her.
Barry was with Jane each and every day and knew firsthand what she went through on a daily basis. There was really no need for him to read the blog. However, in reading the blog, each and every one of us were able to know Jane even if we had never met her. We learned about the daily grind of cancer and what meds worked and what meds didn't. Her sister Moe searched Jane's blog for me one day attempting to find what cream worked for Jane when she was getting radiationand had a rash. My mom had a bad burn from radiation and I had mentioned it on the blog. Moe was right there for us, as Jane was in the hospital at the time. She did not hesitate to help Mom out when she needed answers. Thank you, Moe! I really hope to be able to meet Moe in person when she is here for Tim's graduation.
And Jane. Each and every time I blogged about Mom struggling or being tired and hurting, she always offered positive words. And she prayed. Not just for Mom but for each and every indiviudal who has to experience the awful world of cancer. Her faith was amazing to me.
I am in awe that, although I never met Jane, I could tell you what made her happy. So many posts of the turkeys and deer in the backyard and how much she loved "God's country" as she referred to New Wilmington. A simple thing such as Moe baking chocolate chip cookies when she was in town to visit and receiving so many flowers and cards for her birthday. She loved her church and loved the hymn "An Awesome God". She was thrilled when the congregation sang happy birthday to her.
She always had a kind word. Always. And I will love her for that. Always.
My mom is doing well. Her one year anniversary of being diagnosed with cancer will be here soon. She has survived the journey, but still suffers from the treatment. It takes a long while to recover from the chemotherapy and radiation. She struggles with the fact that she has only one breast. She does not yet have her energy back. The most important thing is that Jane still inspires my mom. Every day.
I printed out the last few entries to Jane's blog for mom. She had tears in her eyes. It is something that none of us thought would ever be. When I checked the blog 1st thing each morning, I knew there were others doing the same thing and I felt like part of a huge team.
And now we are facing uncertainty with one of my brother's high school friends. John Patton is 48 years old. Young like Jane. We must do something to try and eradicate this awful disease.
Prayers for John will be appreciated. And please continue to pray for my mom's good health.
Mo
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Prayers, Prayers and more Prayers
Another of Mom's chemo buddies, as she affectionately calls them, has passed. He had stomach cancer.
And we now need prayers for John Patton, a childhood friend of my brothers, who has been fighting cancer for far too long. He is 48 years old. The cancer began in his tongue, spread to lymph nodes and was just found in one of his leg bones. Because of the cancer, his bone cracked and he just underwent surgery to have a rod placed in his leg. They are watching him carefully due to his low red blood cell count. As all cancer patients, John has been through so much. He has two young daughters and the family needs our prayers.
Mom is hanging in there. Emotionally she is a little down, due to the recent deaths. Additionally, a woman she worked with at Westminster died suddenly.
As Jane would have said, "it is what it is" and we have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Enjoy each and every day, as you never know when your last day will come." We are thinking of you today, as your family celebrates your life back in the Cape. We know you are smiling down on them, Jane.
And yes, everyone. Cancer does, indeed, suck!
Mo
And we now need prayers for John Patton, a childhood friend of my brothers, who has been fighting cancer for far too long. He is 48 years old. The cancer began in his tongue, spread to lymph nodes and was just found in one of his leg bones. Because of the cancer, his bone cracked and he just underwent surgery to have a rod placed in his leg. They are watching him carefully due to his low red blood cell count. As all cancer patients, John has been through so much. He has two young daughters and the family needs our prayers.
Mom is hanging in there. Emotionally she is a little down, due to the recent deaths. Additionally, a woman she worked with at Westminster died suddenly.
As Jane would have said, "it is what it is" and we have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Enjoy each and every day, as you never know when your last day will come." We are thinking of you today, as your family celebrates your life back in the Cape. We know you are smiling down on them, Jane.
And yes, everyone. Cancer does, indeed, suck!
Mo
Sunday, March 29, 2009
RIP Jane Kaminske
Sadly, our blogging friend Jane Kaminske passed yesterday morning. Her husband son and father were by her side during her final moments. Please continue to pray for Jane's family during this diffucult time.
Mom is taking this badly. Jane inspired her to fight and stay strong throughtout her own battle.
I am getting Mom out of the house for a little bit today.
Love all of you.
Maureen
Mom is taking this badly. Jane inspired her to fight and stay strong throughtout her own battle.
I am getting Mom out of the house for a little bit today.
Love all of you.
Maureen
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