Update

Mom said it was my job to post till I leave tomorrow morning, then she will take over...I've been so busy this week getting ready to go out of town. My mom is doing better. Her main complaint still is fatigue and total lack of energy. She can get up and do a few things, but gets worn out very easily. She will most likely get the remaining 2 surgical tubes taken out tomorrow by Dr. Tan. She had a good appt. with Dr. Kruper on Wed. morning, and found out more details about the cancer. I honestly can't remember everything she told me, but she'll fill in more when she posts again. Turns out they took out 9 lymph nodes. Two of them tested positive for cancer, so it had spread on one side, but we already knew that. One breast is considered stage 1, the other breast is considered stage 2, but the lowest level within stage 2 (the one closest to stage 1), so that was decently good news. She has a bone scan and CT scan scheduled in 2 weeks, and from those results we will know the extent of how much the cancer has spread, if any beyond those 2 lymph nodes. Dr. Kruper was very positive and optimistic--she's really hoping that because the pathology indicated that the tumors were small, and the lymph node cancer was small, that it hasn't gone beyond the lymph nodes. How's that for a professional explanation? She has a referral to talk to the oncology people about starting chemo, and will know more about when it will start and how long it will take after she talks to them.

My dad, my brother and I are leaving in the morning for a 2 week trip to Europe--my mom was supposed to go. Now I'm going. Before you judge, she is insisting that the trip not be canceled, and that we go and have a good time :). She has been in very good hands all week long with Deanne Syphus, and my grandmother got in town this afternoon and will take over for Deanne, and then my sister comes in another week to take over from there. We get home on May 8th, late at night. Hopefully the care giving will get easier, and will mostly be for taking her to medical appointments.

Thank you to everyone for your love, concern, prayers, flowers and meals--she appreciates all of it. The next post will be by the lady of the hour (or year)--my mom.