In early Sept 2020, Irene was brought to the hospital after experiencing neurological symptoms including difficulty with word finding, memory, confusion, and right sided weakness. A scan of her head revealed a mass in the left side of her brain and after undergoing a brain biopsy the mass was diagnosed “aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”
In the following weeks she underwent more tests and procedures to gather more details about her cancer and get her ready for treatment. This included a PET scan, bone marrow biopsy, colon biopsy, port placement, and ECHO cardiogram. The PET scan showed abnormal activity in her colon which is still be investigated.
While some of the treatment details are still being determined, she starts her chemotherapy Oct 2nd. Because the cancer is in her brain, she requires a high dose chemotherapy that has to be administered in the hospital for 5-7 days every 3 weeks. She will also be getting another type of chemotherapy as an outpatient treatment every 3 weeks. Her symptoms have gotten worse in the weeks leading up to treatment so we are very happy that treatment is starting and her road to recovery is underway.
It’s going to be a marathon of a journey ahead but we are hopeful and Irene is a fighter! The amount of support we’ve received from family and friends has been amazing. From meal deliveries, restaurant gift cards, flowers, money, phone calls, texts, and other supportive supplies it has all showed us the amount of love people have for Irene. Jodi and Kodi (& Yogi) have been staying with her to help her with managing all her appointments and care.
We are using this site to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting..
It has been a roller coaster. I finished all my chemo treatments in March, 2022. Went back to work Apr 2021. Then decided July to move to Washington with Jodi n Kodi. Was a busy summer. Fell and broke my Lt wrist in Sept. then cancer returned end of year. Started radiation treatments to the whole head-out patient. That was all finished end of Feb 2022. Went to hospital with breathing problems in Mar, spent 4 days in hospital on oxygen. Had 2 more MRI’s, CT, found spot on lung. Now I take a blood thinner every day. So now I’m on a 3month watch w MRI testing. Next scan is Oct 2022. I’ll keep you posted. We’ll, MRI scan was clear but now the cancer is in both eyes. I have a chemo injection , both eyes, Oct 21, 2022. Wish me luck. Ok. It’s Oct 24th & I survived the chemo shots in both eyes. What a traumatic episode. But now the Dr said every month for 4 months. Hopefully my eyesight gets better. We’ll see……
