After further review, the doctors have decided to put a full "port" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-a-Cath) into mom's chest as opposed to a "sub-clavicle" port that won't last as long. She will have surgery today and it will last about 30 minutes and recovery about 2 hours. Anesthesia makes her sick, so pray that she doesn't get nauseated and that this "minor" surgery is just that.
Mom and dad went out to look at the bay there on the Pacific Ocean last night and they saw up on the hill about a 100 foot statue of Jesus that has been put up within the last three years there that they didn't know existed. They said it is a great physical reminder of the spiritual truth that the Lord is looking over them and comforting them during this time.
Mom's nausea went away yesterday after we prayed! She ate a little at lunch and then a lot at dinner. She is hungry this morning again, but has the port procedure so she can't eat!
They did an ultrasound and checked for lymph nodes and found them in her left side. They are not gone as previously had been thought, but are very swollen and non-functioning. They think that they can get them going and flowing again which will reduce the lymph fluid that has built up. They are also considering injections directly into the nodes themselves. Swelling continues to be reduced from the lymph fluid build up through other means and treatment. The ultrasound revealed that her circulation is very good in her legs which is positive.
Red blood cell counts are WAY up in her latest blood test. Praise God for that.
Dr. McGee (the consultant in the states focused on mom's case) is looking for a doctor in the Atlanta area to work with him on mom's case and is starting at Emory of course. Please pray for this, that God would open a door at Emory with a doctor that will work with Dr. McGee and Dr. Perez in continued treatment. Dr. Perez told mom and dad that it is an honor that Dr. McGee is working on this case. Mom and dad LOVE Dr. Perez and hold him in very high regard, so to hear that Dr. Perez holds Dr. McGee in that high of regard is encouraging.
The Ondamed treatment is working great on relaxing nerves and reducing pain. It also is separating her "clumped" cells. Dad wants one of those machines for himself. He said that it is really cool.
Dad wants everybody to know that mom's really fighting. She is taking 40-45 pills a day, plus six injections, and various "vile" tasting drinks that are treatment oriented. When she gets nauseated she gets down from time to time (and was yesterday), but living for her grandbabies and wanting to watch them grow up is her biggest motivation. She starts thinking about them when she feels like giving up.
She is fighting to walk more and more. She walked more yesterday than since she arrived. They have found that she has scar tissue that has built up in her abdomen that is causing her pain and the inability to stand up straight. If they do a surgical procedure it would kill three birds with one stone: 1. Remove scar tissue, 2. Get a biopsy of a cancerous spot for testing and, 3. Suppress a nerve that is causing pain. Dad said that a surgery option for these three things is 50/50 at this point. They'll decide on this very soon.
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