Friday 23 December 2011

One thing about my Mom I have always known but that has become beautifully obvious this past week is truly how loved she is.  She's the BEST mom and wife and an amazing supportive friend to so many.  Now it's her turn to receive support. This week her friends have proved to be rock solid.  The phone and doorbell have not stopped ringing and the baked goods just keep coming - we love it.  Thank you.  Mom would like to tell everyone that they are welcome to phone ANYTIME, no time is bad (except maybe in the middle of the night)  - "if she doesn't feel up to talking, she just won't answer."

Last week mom was diagnosed with esophageal cancer - esophageal cancer???? (WTF?!).  This cancer affects ~0.3% of the population and generally targets African American and Asian men, who are obese, smoke, drink or have had a long history of heart burn.  Mom is/has none of these.  She has dedicated her life to the promotion of health and fitness.  She is the poster child of preventative care.  My Mom's role model is Terry Fox.  She has worked with her school kids over the years to raise more money for cancer than anyone I know (upwards of $100 000).  She's even shaved her head. This isn't fair.  This doesn't make sense. But.... that's the thing about cancer, it doesn't discriminate.  It doesn't make sense.  It affects us all.  Mom knows this.  Our family has truly "seized the day," "lived in the moment," and we have ENJOYED life and never taken it for granted.

My mom is a little technologically challenged (sorry mom) - so I've taken the liberty to set this blog up for her.  It's a way for my mom to keep in touch with the people she holds nearest and dearest to her heart.  She has so many amazing friends who are very concerned and very eager to be kept in the loop.  Many of us understand that it can be emotionally difficult and exhausting to constantly relay every moment of treatment and every turning point in the journey to each individual friend.  Mom will keep this blog updated and the rest of the family will all fill-in if/when she is not able.

We are fired up for a fight.  A long, tough, very difficult fight.  Mom is confident she is going to beat the odds and none of us doubt this.  As Lance Armstrong said "we have two options, medically and emotionally:  give up, or fight like hell. "  Mom's a fighter - that's a no brainer.

Presently mom feels great.  She is not sick.  She is not tired.  She has not lost weight.  She can eat normally.  The only reason this cancer was found was because she had ~3 episodes of choking on food in early December that frightened her.  Her astute family physician (bless her soul) acted quickly and ordered the right test which got the ball rolling.  A series of tests were performed to make the diagnose.  Right now we are waiting the results of a PET/CT scan.  Mom's first CT scan did not show signs of cancer spread in the rest of her body.  That being said, that type of CT scan is not the most sensitive test for picking up cancer in other places.  The PET/CT scan will tell us for sure that this horrible cancer has not spread.   Assuming the PET/CT scan comes back looking good, mom will start an intense regime of chemotherapy and radiation on January 9th.  She will receive radiation (at their highest dose) every day monday-friday for 5 weeks.  Once a week she will receive the strongest chemotherapy there is.  After 5 weeks she will have about a 4-6 week recovery period.  Following that rest period she will undergo surgery to have the cancer removed.  It is a very aggressive course of action.  The doctors are acting fast and hitting her with all they got.  She is otherwise fit and healthy and not in the typical shape of the patient's that normally get this cancer.  Mom jokes that this brutal treatment is her reward for all her years of dedication to fitness.

Please enjoy the holidays with your loved ones. Life can turn inside out and upside down in the blink of an eye - don't waste a second of it.  Thank you all for your love and support during these difficult times.  It means the world to my mom and my family.  Merry Christmas to everyone!!

Kelli