Welcome to our Caring Bridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place and to help Karen manage the overwhelming support shes personally receiving but will likely not be able to personally manage going forward. We are all so appreciative of your support and words of hope and encouragement.
Some background to get everyone caught up, it has been a whirlwind few weeks for all of us Melins.
Karen has had abdominal pain for a few months. She went in around Thanksgiving and the doctors had chalked it up to heart burn and sent her home with some anti-acids. After the first of the year, when no comfort came, she went back in and they did a CT scan on Thursday January 11th. As is rarely the case with medical results, she heard back from her doctor within hours that they had found two masses: a right mid abdominal mesenteric mass measuring 8.8 x 5.3 cm and a right mid pelvis mass encasing a part of the small intestines measuring 8.1 x 4.6 cm in length, likely consistent with abdominal lymphoma. She was then referred to oncology.
Monday January 15th, first oncology doctor appointment
Tuesday January 23rd, biopsies were taken in the mesenteric mass.
Friday January 26th, the official diagnosis came in, High Grade Follicular Non Hodgkin Lymphoma. At this point there was a chemo lesson scheduled with a nurse (Tuesday January 30th), a port procedure was scheduled, a pet scan and an echo cardiogram. After this, she was to start treatment with CHOP chemo with Rituximab treatment to start in 3 weeks, if all went well.
On Friday February 2nd, Karen was in an immense amount of pain and called the doctor. At that point, all tests were completed and results were in. The doctor shared via a phone call that the PET scan showed a significant amount of active cancer cells in the abdomin and showed a significant increase in the mesenteric mass (up to 10.4 cm in length) and thus, it was determined that she would need to start the chemo therapy treatments immediately to stave off the aggressive cancer.
All of us are leaning on all the experts in our lives (thanks to all of you), the medial experts and those who have experienced cancer first hand, to help us care and protect the ROCK of our family. We are all definitely learning this together.
Today I’m grateful Round 5 has been infused. Feeling extremely tired, weak and sick to my stomach. My doctor said #5 is usually the worst one for most people🙀. With all the love and support coming from all of you I’ll get through it❤️🩹. Only one more Round to go in May 21 - my grandson, Cameron’s, 5th birthday.
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