Hello Friends and Family, I am hopeful this will be a good way to keep you all informed about what's happening with my mom, and also for you to send your Well Wishes. As I write this from my home in Minneapolis, there are still many unanswered questions that we all hope to get answered later this week.
Many of you know that my mom has not been feeling well for a good part of this year. It's true that it can sometimes be a nuanced discerning of what's 'aging body' aches and pains, and what is a health matter that needs attention. So the investigation has been a slow and progressive. Her health team has explored all of the major bodily functions, including her heart, to understand what's happening. Earlier this fall she was having discomfort breathing combined with exhaustion; it was first thought to be pneumonia. She had very minimal improvement in response to multiple antibiotic treatments which led to further labs, tests, scans, etc., and then the discovery of a 4.5cm malignant mass on her left lung. Her medical team has used various scans (CT, MRI, PET, etc.) to conduct a thorough assessment of other compromised places in the body. Most recently, on 10/25, she had a bone marrow biopsy on cancer cells discovered in her left hip, which she had complaints of pain in for some time. On Halloween morning, my mother will have surgery to remove a malignant mass from her left lung (yes, she finally quit smoking this summer). We will know more about the treatment direction for the hip after the surgery. I will be arriving on Wednesday and hope to get a fuller sense of my mother's health status.
At present, she has requested no visitors at the hospital on Thursday. She has also requested, carrot cake, banana pudding and bread pudding. I will let you know when visits or desserts are in order.
With deep deep gratitude for all your prayers and loving care. Stacy McClendon
