and Sprinkles on Top

My Mother

Posted on 20. Mar, 2010 by Deb in Observations, The Girl

Today I realized that I have been twittering about being at the hospital, but I haven’t put the pieces together for those who aren’t cursed (blessed?) with me having their phone number programmed into my handy-dandy droid.

Last week, my mother went to the ER last Thursday (March 11th)  because she had a shortness of breath and was pretty sure she had pneumonia (again).  She has previously been diagnosed with emphysema as well as COPD.  She last had pneumonia in early December and her doctor asked her to come back after the first of the year to get a  CT scan – she didn’t go.  After reviewing the X-Rays, the doctors told her that there was a very large mass in her lungs.  They had compared her X-Rays to those taken at the same hospital in late 2008.

By Saturday, the doctors concluded that it was cancerous, though a biopsy would be required for an “official” diagnosis.  A biopsy was scheduled for Monday and on Monday, she had a panic attack, so the biopsy was done on Tuesday.  On Wednesday, we were told it was officially Cancer and either a 3 or a 4.  She has had a complication with the procedures being done.  As a result of the biopsy, a  pneumothorax developed (basically an air pocket in the chest cavity outside the lung) and she has had fluid build-up.  She was in ICU on Wednesday, and then they drained the fluid and did a bone scan.  On Thursday, she was moved to a regular room again.

Cancer was diagnosed as a 3b, bordering on 4.  Oncology wants to treat with a combination of radiation with chemo.  In order for treatment to begin, she has to be stabilized with her breathing.  More fluid had built up in the short time since the drain and the Pulmonary doctor wants to put in a small catheter that will allow her (or us) to drain it for her.  This was scheduled for Monday.

Friday was her worst night – even worse than when she came into the hospital.

Today she was moved back to ICU.  The Pneumothorax that had stabilized yesterday grew substantially overnight.    Her right lung was in danger of collapsing as the bulk of her chest cavity was filling with air outside her lungs and the pressure had to be relived, so a chest tube was inserted by the Pulmonary doc today.  And she will be in ICU until Monday.  The chest tube is painful, so today she has been put on morphine, too.

On Monday, the doctor will decide if the tube can be removed and when the catheter (drain) can be installed.  The theory is that the fluid a by-product of the tumor, but they don’t know for sure.

We are in a perpetual cycle.  The tumor needs to be reduced as soon as possible, so the oncologists want her to start radiation as early as possible, preferably next week.  However, if she cannot breathe due to fluid buildup, she can’t tolerate treatment.

She doesn’t want to be at the hospital by herself.  We are all spending as much time as we can up there, but we are all getting a little weary.  And she is exhausted.

And on that note, I am heading to bed.  Sweet Dreams…