Gosh, it seems like the last few months took forever to get through. We waited for test results, surgery, answers to biopsies, and a treatment plan. Well, we’re here already. Maybe it all went by faster than I thought it did. We have our plan.

Tomorrow, we put it in process. Mom gets her port placed tomorrow. Next week she starts radiation and chemo. Six weeks in all. Every day – Monday through Friday – we will make a trip to the hospital; either my mom and my niece will go or my mom and I will go. She will take radiation five days a week and chemo on Tuesdays for six solid weeks. Six weeks is doable. You can easily mark that off the calendar. An intense schedule but for a short period of time.

Six weeks after her last treatment, she will head back for another PET scan. We are praying AND believing that her scan will be clear. Should it not be, she will receive six more weeks of chemo only. We are believing after the first round, she will be in remission.

Thankfully, with weekly, smaller doses of chemo, her hair shouldn’t fall out and her immune system shouldn’t plummet quite so badly. The doctor has her on a regime to hopefully curb any nausea and vomiting and another regime to stop any potential allergic reaction from the chemo. He has to be careful because antihistamines are their first line of defense in case of an allergic reaction. Well, hidey ho neighbors, guess what? Mom is allergic to antihistamines – they affect her breathing. His response… “I will only use them in case of an emergency and THEN I will worry about your breathing.“ Isn’t that awesome??? J No worries, we’re trusting God in that area too.

Our oncologist is phenomenal. His name is Dr. Shaily Lakhanpal. And although I hope no one reading my blog ever needs an oncologist, if you do, he’s the way to go. A very kind man, a very smart man, and a believer. He hugged my mom twice. He hugged her when he came in and met her and hugged her before we left. You don’t see that much out of ANY physician.

The biggest concern for mom at this point is her use of oxygen. She hasn’t been able to come off of it since her hospitalization in December. Several years ago, they wouldn’t have even come up with a treatment plan with her on oxygen. But, as Dr. Lakhanpal said, “When you’re boxed into a corner, there’s no other option other than to box back.” I like him!!!

So… off we go into the land of oncology, a lowered immune system, and chemo brain. Praying that all goes fantastic. And should you ask why I so often say “we” instead of her… well it’s not just her battle – it’s our battle. We fight with her because, well, no one with cancer fights alone.