The lives of our family drastically changed a year ago when our 91-year-old father died in October. After a 65 year marriage, my mother was understandably inconsolable. Trying to salvage our first Christmas without Daddy, our family met at my daughter's home in Scottsdale for the holidays. We had hoped that getting Mother away from her home would make her first Christmas without Daddy more bearable. We kept her busy and it helped some, but the overwhelming sorrow remained.
When Mother returned to her home in Alabama, she mentioned that her right leg had began swell, and because of the long plane trip, we immediately suspected that she may have developed a blood clot. Unfortunately for Mother, her doctor was out of town for the New Year holiday, so on the afternoon of December 31st when the swelling grew worse, my sister-in-law took Mother to a nearby hospital; not the hospital in her hometown, but a dozen miles away, because she had heard of an amazing Pakistani doctor there. This was truly fate!
Upon my mother's initial exam, the doctor also expected to find a blood clot, but after numerous tests, he solemnly informed us that he had found a large mass on my mother's ovary instead. He that the mass appeared to him to be ovarian cancer and the swollen leg was likely caused by ascites, which meant the cancer was likely in the the late stages. The doctor told us to immediately find a gynecology oncologist. We were devastated.
Thus our journey began to save our mother. It began with prayer and prayer requests. And throughout the journey we have prayed without ceasing. Since Daddy had died, my mother felt it was her time to go and she announced that she did not want to fight the cancer. Having lost our father tragically, we persuaded Mother that we children, the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren could not cope with losing her too.
Finally, she gave permission for my brother to set up an appointment with a surgeon for a biopsy followed by surgery hospital at this hospital, while my sister and I researched the best possible treatment options. I found a impressive group, South East Gynecology Oncologists (SEGO) in Atlanta. I read where a doctor in the group had an ovarian cancer research lab at Georgia Tech, funded by one of the Home Depot founders. But because our family has a history with Emory University, my sister wanted to get Mother admitted there, but the head of ovarian cancer was retiring and was not taking on new patients, and his replacement was not arriving for another month and a half. The search continued. My sister called a friend, who worked at a hospital in Atlanta and she also recommended the group I had discovered, but they had no immediate openings. And then fate intervened, the day before the biopsy, SEGO had a cancelation, and said they could see Mother the following day!
We canceled the biopsy, and on January 9th, Mother had her first appointment with a doctor at SEGO, who is a great part of our miracle!
At the first visit, the oncologist gave Mother some hope, explaining the many advances in ovarian cancer treatment. He agreed with the Pakistani doctor that because of the ascites that she was likely in Stage 3(c). Also, he determined that she was in no condition for surgery, or she would likely end up in ICU. He ordered a C.A.T. scan and then removal of the fluid from her abdomen. The fluid was tested and it was determined that Mother's CA 125 was 379; normal is 1-35. Next he ordered 9 chemo treatments.
By February during Mother's monthly exam, the tumor could not be felt at all. Had prayer and the few chemo treatments dissolved it? We would not know until surgery. After Mother completed the 9 chemo treatments, she was at last scheduled for surgery. The oncologist had hoped to do robotic surgery, but because he wanted to do exploratory surgery so he could investigate if the cancer has spread to other sites. Because of the ascites he suspected that it had spread to the omentum but it had not. Mother's tumor was confined to one ovary, so instead of STAGE 3(c) or worse, the oncologist staged Mother's cancer at Stage 1(a)! We were overjoyed!
After Mother's surgery, her CA-125 had dropped to 88. The oncologist then ordered 9 more chemo treatments. For the first time Mother had problems with her platelets, so chemo was delayed a couple of times. By the end of the second 9 chemo treatments, the results of the C.A.T. scan were clean, and the CA 125 was normal at 27. Hallelujah!
The first of September, after 9 long months away from home, we packed up the car to take Mother back home and headed for the doctor's appointment for what we thought would be her last regular appointment, and that we would only return once a month for check-ups for a while. We were praising God!
You can imagine our shock and disappointment when we heard the doctor wanted Mother to undergo 9 more chemo treatments. He explained that she had responded so well to the chemo that he wanted her to continue, but at a lower dosage, for at least 6 more, and then, he would reevaluate. The oncologist explained that he wanted to make sure that Mother's cancer would not reoccur in her lifetime. Mother has the advantage of having been diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 81, and she has since turned 82. The doctor said based upon Mother's excellent health for a woman her age she could live to be 95! We were shocked and disappointed he wanted her to continue the treatments, but we had committed to follow doctor's orders, so we readjusted our attitude, especially since he predicted that her cancer would not likely reoccur in her lifetime.
Next week, Mother will complete her 6th treatment, (She couldn't have chemo last week because of a low platelet count, but she has had an injection to elevate the count so she can have it next week.
And then, Mother will begin a new round of chemo. The oncologist changed her chemo protocol to different drugs, and instead of every week, Mother will have chemo every other week. We aren't sure how long these treatments of every other week will last, but we will find out more at her doctor's appointment in mid-November. Mother is hoping to be home by Thanksgiving!
If the oncologist continues to order her chemo for every other week, we are hoping that she can have the treatments at the Emory Hospital in LaGrange, Georgia, only twenty miles from home, so she can return to living home. Mother will continue to see her wonderful oncologist once per month for a while and then he will reduce her visits to every 3 months.
God has guided Mother's treatment every step of the way. He, along with the help of the doctors, nurses and prayer has healed her. Mother is cancer free, and we believe and pray that she will remain so! The oncologist also added that the love we had surrounded her with has been so healing for her. It's one day at a time.
For now, the beat goes on . . . .
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