Update – my mom had her bowel surgery

An update.  My mom had the resection on her small bowel.  My mom's surgeon told us that the tumor was the size of an apple and three pathologists (or three labs – not sure which) were fighting over it.  He said they were going to see if there was anything they could do for her based on the tumor.  I'm hoping he means looking to make a tumor vaccine, since we already know my mom doesn't have any of the "good" mutations.  I didn't exactly press for this info, though, because thinking that there's a bunch of paths out there looki

An update.  My mom had the resection on her small bowel.  My mom's surgeon told us that the tumor was the size of an apple and three pathologists (or three labs – not sure which) were fighting over it.  He said they were going to see if there was anything they could do for her based on the tumor.  I'm hoping he means looking to make a tumor vaccine, since we already know my mom doesn't have any of the "good" mutations.  I didn't exactly press for this info, though, because thinking that there's a bunch of paths out there looking to help us leaves the door of hope open in an otherwise grim situation. 

So my mom is trying to get back on her feet – surgery was four days ago.  She felt great Day One after surgery (all the pain meds, probably), and like hell days 2 and 3.  She looked a little better yesterday, and I did not get to see her today.  Her kidneys were apparently being stubborn, however, and she put on like 10 pounds of water weight that they are giving her Lasix to take off.  She was only like 104 lbs prior to surgery (and 5'2" – teeny tiny, but about 20 lbs short of her usual plump self). 

My dad said she slept most of today because the Lasix makes her tired.

Anyway, my mom's nausea and vomiting is gone, and the bleeding from the tumor has stoped.  Her bowels are starting up again.  Her hematocrit is stable, which means no internal bleeding.  All very good things. She's on an unrestricted clear fluids diet, and hopefully will advance (and put some of that weight back on – I can't help but see how skeletal her face looks).

I found out my mom had cancer in July 2011 and went shopping with her then.  I didn't get back to see her until October, at which time she was too sick from the bowel tumor to do much of anything. 

I just want to go shopping with her again – just one time.  Please, let this be the trick.  She has to get a little luck.  Her tumors did not shrink on ipi, the brain mets make her ineligible for the trials, and she doesn't have any mutations that anyone's studying, apparently.  I'm encouraged that the surgeon apparently thought she had enough left in her to make this rather difficult surgery worthwhile.  the melanoma specialist, however, told her not to do it and, basically, to keep being miserable, nauseous, vomiting, tired, bleeding internally and taking 2 units of blood each week just to keep her head above water blood-wise until she died.  Sorry, but that's the long and short of it.  He recommended Temodar instead of surgery.  he said it had a 10% chance of reducing the tumors and a 50% chance of keeping them stable.  that's worse than a coin toss.  But, the surgeon said he recommended the surgery, and deep-down, we felt it was right.  Maybe it's just a "cut it out" mentality, but I don't see how removing a tumor the size of an apple can NOT improve the situation.  bulk-wise, it's literally removing probably 2/3 of the cancer from her body.

My thoughts are with everyone tonight.  I see that some people have lost loved ones around the holidays.  I'm grateful i got to spend christmas with my mom and i'm hoping for another.