Many of you already know what’s going on here in Missoula, Montana with Mom. Some may know bits and pieces of it, but are not sure of any details. As we go from day-to-day from test to doctor visit to another test to another doctor visit, I am discovering it is almost impossible to keep up with sharing information because it is ever-changing. So, with Mom’s permission, I have started this blog to keep family and friends informed. I will also apologize in advance for any error on my part in conveying information. I will do my level best to be as informative as possible and accurate in sharing information from doctors, but those guys are way smarter than me and speak a different language.

On September 15, Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer.

This was discovered during a colonoscopy. Mom had gone to see her primary care physician, Dr. Hubbard, because she had lost quite a bit of weight, but it seemed inexplicable. She started losing weight last January and like many of us would have been, she was quite pleased with the weight loss. However, by the time September rolled around, she was less pleased and more curious. Other than this weight loss, there were no other symptoms. Dr. Hubbard, along with Suzy and Marie, was quite insistent that she have the colonoscopy and so it was scheduled for September 15 and off go Mom and Marie to the colonoscopy. Neither one really thought it was going to reveal anything, but they thought it would be good to have it done to rule out the possibility of cancer.

Marie describes waiting with Mom for Dr. Trevaline to come back in the room and discuss possible findings with them. Mom had been given a drug to sedate her and we understood that it would also create amnesia for the period of time she was under it’s influence. What a great idea. Who would really want to remember a colonoscopy?

Mom is actually very entertaining when she is “on drugs”. So, Marie and Mom had been laughing and talking when Dr. Trevaline came back in the room. He very simply stated that Mom had colon cancer. I believe Mom asked him if he was kidding and he said he never kidded about things like that. She then said, “Wouldn’t that just frost you?”

Since that day, things have moved very quickly. A CT Scan was immediately ordered and an appointment made with Dr. Patrick Archie, an Oncologist. The CT Scan showed additional information about the colon cancer. However, it also showed “a worrisome spot on the pancreas” and “bile duct enlargement”. So, the CT Scan led to an Endoscopy. During the Endoscopy a biopsy was performed and a tissue sample was sent to the Mayo Clinic to determine if it was malignant.

(This was the yummy Barium she had to drink prior to the Pet Scan. She was hoping they had Lemonade flavor, but they did not. They asked if she would like Mocha, Berry, Banana or Vanilla. She chose Berry only to have them discover they were out of Berry. She then decided upon Vanilla and said, "I will just pretend it is a Vanilla Milkshake". So, this is Mom drinking her Vanilla Barium Milkshake.)

These test results led to a PET Scan, an MRI, an appointment with a surgeon, Dr. Richards, and another appointment with Dr. Archie on September 29. The PET Scan showed activity around the pancreas that was worrisome. The MRI showed activity around the pancreas that was not worrisome. The results from the Mayo Clinic are not back yet. Apparently, those results will be the tie-breaker. (Probably, if a doctor read that last sentence, he would groan, but that’s how I understood it.)

Unfortunately, the MRI showed a probable thyroid cancer. A biopsy has been scheduled to find out more about that. Dr. Archie said that thyroid cancer grows very slowly and to try not to worry about that. That one should be dealt with last. Believe it or not, when he told Mom not to worry about it, she decided to follow his advice. She’s going to set fretting about that one aside for now. I don’t know if I could do the same.

So, the score is this:

• Colon Cancer for sure, hoping to do surgery soon – as soon as we find out more about these other 2 annoying possible cancers.
• Pancreatic Cancer – We just don’t know for sure. There is another appointment scheduled with Dr. Archie (Oncologist) for this Thursday when we should have the test results back from the Mayo Clinic.
• Thyroid Cancer – We will know for sure when we get the results of the upcoming biopsy.

Mom is worried, but peaceful. She continues to putter like always. She is very obedient about her new dietary restrictions and we will be walking every day now to better prepare for possible surgery.

I am very fortunate to be able to be here right now to help keep track of doctor appointments, tests, etc. We have kind of been like naughty children staying up ‘til all hours of the night talking and giggling about things. I know that my siblings are all wishing they could spend more time with her right now.

Mom is looking forward to Mark, Laurie and Jacob along with Brian and Sarah and their littles coming to visit this weekend. Megan and Zeb are coming to visit from Washington on the weekend of October 10. Emily and Ella are flying out on October 24 to stay for five days.

While I was talking to Mark a week ago after the first meeting with the Oncologist, we were both discussing our frustration that the results from the Mayo Clinic had not been available. We both believed that those results would have been available and that we would know what possible treatment plans were and move along with treatment. I had said, “Well, next week we will have the test results and Mom can make a decision and we will be able to move forward.”

Mark did not agree. He felt that a pattern was being established that there was always going to be another test or another opinion or another option to hurry up and wait for results on. I would have to say, “You called it, Mark.”

For those of you who have already gone on this journey with a loved one, you probably could have “called it” too. It seems that information is only discoverable on a day-to-day, procedure-to-procedure basis.

Mom is ready to take it on, a day at a time. Thank you for sending love and support her way. She feels it and appreciates it.