Visit to Oncology

We took Mom to her oncology appointment yesterday morning. Her blood work was all within normal ranges, except her bilirubin which was a little high. Lori, Mom's favorite nurse practitioner, noted Mom's mental changes and her weakness. The Tarceva is doing its work; Mom's cancer is stable. Lori said she'd try to get the neurologist to take Mom off the Keppra over the phone rather than wait for an appointment, and she would try to get an appointment with a urologist for the same day.


We went to lunch while we waited to hear from Lori. After an unsuccessful visit to Mom's favorite, KFC (they're relocating to join with Taco Bell - wish we'd known that before getting Mom out of the car!), we went to Pizza Hut. While in the bathroom there, Mom vomited a lot of fluid. After we cleaned up, we took her back to the hospital. Lori told the Emergency Department to expect us. We checked in at 3:00 p.m.


ED didn't seem busy, but for some reason Mom wasn't taken to her room until 10:30 p.m. Suzy and I didn't leave her room until after 1:00 a.m. It was a very long day. They took blood samples, urine samples and xrays. We ate our pizza in the ED.

If you were praying since Tuesday, here are the results:

• The neurologist agreed to wean Mom off the Keppra. Her cognitive changes are coincidental to the time she began Keppra, and her symptoms are consistent with Keppra's common adverse effects. Her dosage will be reduced by 50 percent over the next three days, then discontinued. We should know shortly afterward whether her mental changes were the result of the Keppra or of the progression of disease.
• Mom's chest congestion began to improve on Tuesday evening. She still has a cough, but it is much better.
• Mom is dehydrated, which is the cause of her low urine output and the vomiting episode. She is receiving fluids. She also has a bladder infection, which is probably related to the increased frequency of her bladder spasms. She is on Cipro, which will clear up the bladder infection and help with her chest congestion. A urologist will visit Mom while she is in the hospital, and she has an internal medicine doctor assigned to her during the hospital stay.

Mom will be at NMRH for at least several days. We don't know at this time whether she'll be home for Easter. I'm packing a bag this morning so I can stay in the room with her tonight. Thanks for your prayers - we know that God hears them.