Welcome to our CaringBridge website for my mama, Carlota Antonia Bennett. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place.
At the end of 2014, my mother was diagnosed with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer. With an amazing oncologist, we found that she had an EGFR gene mutation that allowed her to do targeted immunotherapy (
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/cancer-news/news-report/2012-05-10-nice-recommends-new-targeted-lung-cancer-treatment?_ga=2.127167813.95438098.1517804955-1610562824.1517804955). Unfortunately, it does not cure the cancer and the cancer eventually becomes resistant to it, with a median of 9-13 months. She has been on this therapy for 28 months.
On January 20th, my mother was taken to the emergency room for stomach pain. They found that she had a new tumor in her abdomen and it was filling with fluid (
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/fluid-abdomen-ascites/about) and causing the nausea and pain. On January 24, they told us she has 3-6 months. She was discharged and was at home for 4 days but she was unable to eat and continued to be sick, so she returned to Providence Saint John's Health Center (
https://california.providence.org/saint-johns/#llaid=6009) via paramedics. She is presently in room 2102. The pain and medication make visits and phone calls very difficult.
On February 2 they inserted a drain to manage the fluid accumulation. She continues to be overwhelmed with the pain and nausea and still cannot eat or get out of bed and she needs constant care and observation. My brother (Duncan), my cousin (Curtis) and I (Xochitl) are in the midst of making big decisions and suitable arrangements.
We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
