There comes a time when your mom is not just your mom anymore. She is also your friend. It is such a great feeling to cross this bridge. I cannot tell you the exact time we crossed this bridge together because it was process over a period of time. It was when I graduated high school. It was when I moved out for the first time. It was when I helped her pack and move back to Louisiana. It was when she moved back to Texas and then back to Louisiana. It was when she told me she has cancer. I never said that bridge was always fun.
Despite the cancer, I have never seen my mom as happy as she is now. She is so in love with her life and it shows in her smile, her laugh and when she dances. Mom currently lives in Lake Charles, the zydeco dancing festival on every corner capital of the world. Well, maybe not officially but that is how I see it. There is no better place for mom to be.
I am not quite sure how it all began but I think it was a swollen leg that brought mom to the doctor one day. After that visit, there was a tumor found in the lower stomach and 3 small spots in her chest wall. A little later, there was a tumor found in the kidney. At this point they decided to treat the cancer as Renal Cancer. Basically she has stage 4 Clear Cell Carcinoma. Neither chemo nor radiation is an option for Renal Cancer so they prescribed her a drug that will hopefully control the growth of the tumors. Growth of the tumors seemed minimal and there appeared to be an abnormality in the urethra. The doctors want her to attend a phase 1 trial that has been going on for 2 years now. The drug is DCC2618. It is an oral inhibitor of KT (kinase switch pocket inhibitor technology platform).
So here we are now awaiting the next plan to tackle this nightmare. This blog will not only keep everyone informed in one location but will also help mom journal how she is feeling on a daily basis. Words of encouragement are welcomed here. The more the merrier!!
“Writing is medicine. It is an appropriate antidote to injury. It is an appropriate companion for any difficult change.” Julia Cameron
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