LolasDaughter Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Hi All, I've not been actively posting as much, but still lurking some. I am so pleased to see Connie B's post! I wanted to give a quick update on Mom, since it's been a while (and more importantly, to give an SCLC update, since there aren't as many of those around, it seems). Mom completed her fourth and final round of cisplatin/etoposide chemo yesterday! Yahoo! While there of course are mixed emotions, I commemorated the event by giving her a mug that says 'I have Chemo Brain - What's your excuse'?! Yesterday she also started twice a day radiation, which she will continue until 1/30. She and Dad have decided to just get a hotel room in Cleveland (she's treated at The Clinic) and she's looking forward to having that final step of this round of treatment completed. She will then be 'off' much of February, with scans planned for near the end of the month. (She had a cat scan this week that showed 43% shrinkage of the tumor and at this point that's primarily from the chemo - Yeah!) If they see (and we're praying they will!) a complete irradication of the tumor in those scans, then she will begin PCI (prophylactic brain radiation, or as Mom calls it 'putting a rubber on my brain'!) in March. And so she continues on her treatment plan with fatigue really being her only side effect. While the concurrent chemo/radiation has exacerbated the fatigue, she is still doing extremely well considering her rigorous treatment plan. We are so extremely grateful. And true to form, Mom even got her chemo onc to laugh OUT LOUD this week, when I took her on Wednesday (not something he does easily). She's had a bit of a cough, so he prescribed a cough med with Codiene (Mom said, 'oh, that sounds good!' ). He explained a side effect is constipation and that she should call if she goes two days w/o a BM. He said she wouldn't want to let it go any longer than that. She replied with, 'Oh, I know - I've done that before. It's like sh*tting a brick!! Literally!!' So the doc laughs and walks away and says 'Maybe we shouldn't radiate the brain.' We all had a good laugh over that one!!! Prayers for all of you wherever you are in your LC journey - Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I'm glad that things are shrinking. If fatigue is most of her problem you might want to ask about Ritalin or Concerta. We have other members taking these for fatigue. It might help her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lc46 Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Great news on the shrinkage....your Mom is funny!! Dar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce u Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Great news on the shrinkage. I hope your Mom's progress continue's and the fatigue is not too bad. It obviously hasn't affected her sense of humour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchurchi Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Nicole, This is wonderful news about your mom. My husband is a 3 year survivor of ext.sclc and keeps on fighting, sounds like your mom is a heck of a fighter also. Prayers are sent your Mom's way that radiation finishes off any remaining tumor and that she can have a "rubber" over her brain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Oh Nicole, This is GREAT NEWS about Mom! I'm so glad she's got her sense of humor with her still, because that's 9/10ths of this battle. (IMO) She sounds like she's doing very well through out her treatments. I'm so happy to read this good news! Give Mom(Lola) a big hug from one lung cancer survivor to another! Tell her I'm cheering her on and she can beat this! Way to go LOLA!! ((((((NICOLE))))))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Glad to hear your mom is doing well with her treatments. I'll be praying for good news! Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Thanks for sharing the good news, Nicole. Your mom's a trooper! Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leela Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Woohoo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatlemike Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 IM glad this finds you both in good spirts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovesLife Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Nicole - Glad your mom has February "off" from treatment. The mug you gave her was funny. It sounds as though you and your mom both have a good sense of humor! It is nice that she can make her onc laugh out loud -I think their job is so depressing sometimes that she is just the medicine that he needs some days. Bless her heart. What wonderful news about the shrinkage and I will pray with you for complete irradication of the tumor so she can get the PCI. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Hi Nicole: I hope your mom;s tumor continues to shrink and disappear. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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