Susan Earl Sue Earl

September 8, 2020, after so many months of us hating life because of the Covid lockdowns, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer...because 2020 didn't suck enough.    10 months has gone by since that dreadful day and I'm just now remembering this site and starting it in order to help keep our friends and family up to date instead of sending private messages to each person.  I'm sure I'll be all over with this initial post so please bear with me.  


As many know, in 2008 mom fought and won the fight against anal cancer.  She has made every appointment and diagnostic procedure as a follow up.  Sep 8, 2020 I took her to her follow up colonoscopy and she told me along the way that she just had a breast biopsy for a lump..   Along the drive mom and I were talking and I couldn't help but let my eyes wander....I saw THE lump. It wasn't her breast, it was her upper chest. Having worked medical in the military, the minute I saw it, I knew.  I knew we'd be helping my mom fight for her life.  My mom, the one who gave birth to Kris and me. The woman who was a single mom until I was 11.  The woman who wore suits and busted her ass working in Chicago for years and working overtime because someone sucked at paying child support. The woman who went through HELL and back with my sister, the woman who married an amazing man who IS my Dad, the woman fighting and kicking Multiple Sclerosis' butt for  2 decades.... she may drive me nuts, but she's my mom and she is an amazing woman.  WE WILL FIGHT THIS and she IS FIGHTING THIS.  My mom, SUE, is a warrior, Sue is a fighter!  
After I dropped mom off at home on Sep 8, 2020 after her colonoscopy, I got home and she called me and told me they called her with the results of her "breast" biopsy.... Stage 4 lung cancer. My heart left my body. I knew after seeing the lump that morning it was bad, but oh my gosh, absolutely not, I'm not losing my mom!I


Initially mom was given a year which would bring us to this Sep, 2021.  She has been responding pretty well to chemo  so the oncologist added another 6 months onto that "estimation." Wait. Another anniversary with  Dad and another Christmas together!!!!! We  will take it!  Mom underwent radiation the last week week of Feb for a metastatic lesion on her skull (NOT in her brain) .  She has chemo every 3 weeks and I take her to all her appointments so Dad can continue to work and maintain health insurance; he's busting his butt working and caring for her at home at night.   Mom had several episodes of falling and cognitive issues which were later to be diagnosed as seizures and she has started meds to control that.  The seizures, per her neuro oncologist, are believed to actually be caused by old Multiple Sclerosis lesions, which isn't uncommon.   Since the new med has been started, Mom has been doing much better.


This past weekend, I coordinated their 28??? annual pool party and both Mom and Dad had an amazing time visiting with all their friends!!!  This Wed mom has chemo and I will update from there.