Carolyn Berwick

Welcome to our CaringBridge website.


Since mom began treatment for Lymphoma it has been a rough roller coaster ride to say the least for her and our entire family.


About a week before her next chemo I placed a call into her oncologist to discuss the upcoming treatment. Mom felt she was getting worse instead of better and her veins hurt.


The weeks between the chemo treatments she had to go to the lab for blood work. We would request her to also get weighed on the same scale each time. Her clothing was basically the same each time also. She continued to lose a pound or so between chemo treatments. It didn’t seem to matter whether she was eating or not. The weight just continues to fall off. This is a sign of Lymphoma and contributes to the feeling of the chemo not working. I called the oncology nurse and told her mom’s concerns. The office called me back the next day when the doctor was back in the office. They scheduled mom for another PET/CT the very next day—Friday. Since the plan was for another chemo just 3 days later, the oncologist wanted to have the PET/CT to review with us.


Monday — the day mom was to start her 4th round of chemo — we were to discuss placing a port for chemo. The veins in her arms were staying painful and even getting hard in places. She had lost so much weight, when the nurses needed to draw blood, start an IV or hook her up for chemo, she was getting hurt. It seems a few of the “professionals” were hitting her bones or digging with the needles.


Mom felt she couldn’t continue this way.


Upon reviewing the PET/CT scan with us, different issues came to light both good and no so good. While she had only 3 chemo treatments, the oncologist felt the Lymphoma was in remission for now. The Lymphoma will never be gone as it is incurable. However, rounds of chemo can halt it in place.



When she begins to show symptoms again, chemo will be repeated to halt it. This is lifelong.



The opinion of both doctors upon reviewing her scans was that the lower

section of her colon was badly damaged by diverticulitis and suspected Lymphoma.



The pockets had become extremely thin and one spot had even ruptured but healed itself. Both the oncologist and the surgeon felt it would be best to remove the area due to the previous rupture and the pain mom was experiencing. The oncologist felt she would not get better until this section was removed. It continued to stay infected and inflamed. If left in, the only treatment was antibiotic courses over and over again. Mom refused to take the antibiotics the doctor felt would be best and what the use for others patients with these symptoms. She didn’t like some of the side effects they could cause and some she experienced. So the sight never really would be infection or pain free.




On 10/26/17, mom had major surgery on her lower colon. It was horrible and painful for her. She stayed in the hospital from Thursday to Monday night.



Four days after her release and 1 week after surgery we were in the ER.



While checking her out and running tests for the reason we brought her in, the ER doctor found a major issue on the CT with one of her kidneys. The on call surgeon

from the office of her surgeon was called in to review the CT and talk to us.

Not good news and the surgeries and hospital stays begin.



I will try to go in and fill in more past info as the days or time allows and also updates as needed. The goal is to keep family and friends updated in one place.




We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.