A little distraction

upsofloating
upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member
Got a little distraction this week following PET scan while waiting for results tomorrow. My daughter had an emergency c-section yesterday, over 7 weeks early, and I've joined the 'grandma' ranks! Little guy is 4.5 lbs. and already off ventilator, in the NICU of course, but doing well. Mom had a difficult pregnancy thru-out so relieved it's over. Stress with the health issues had led to deterioration of placenta so c-section was none too soon. A little off topic, just wanted to share.
--Annie

Comments

  • kkstef
    kkstef Member Posts: 688 Member
    Congratulations Annie
    How exciting to be a Grandma! I am so happy to hear that your daughter and thew Grandson are doing well. Such a nice, happy diversion for this board!!

    Know you will have many years of happiness spoiling that little guy!

    Karen
  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    Thanks for Sharing!
    Annie,

    Thanks for sharing your joyous news. Blessings to your new grandchild and to your daughter. Prayers for a quick recovery for both!

    It is always nice to hear good news! Thanks for sharing!

    Kathy
  • jazzy1
    jazzy1 Member Posts: 1,379
    Kaleena said:

    Thanks for Sharing!
    Annie,

    Thanks for sharing your joyous news. Blessings to your new grandchild and to your daughter. Prayers for a quick recovery for both!

    It is always nice to hear good news! Thanks for sharing!

    Kathy

    Congrats Annie!
    That's the best news we can have....new life! The distraction is just what any doctor would order and know you'll be busy.

    Enjoy the new bundle of joy!!
    Jan

    What's the name?
  • faith316
    faith316 Member Posts: 25
    jazzy1 said:

    Congrats Annie!
    That's the best news we can have....new life! The distraction is just what any doctor would order and know you'll be busy.

    Enjoy the new bundle of joy!!
    Jan

    What's the name?

    What a Blessing!
    There are few things in life more joyous than being a Grandma. Congratulations!!
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    faith316 said:

    What a Blessing!
    There are few things in life more joyous than being a Grandma. Congratulations!!

    Is this your first
    Is this your first grandchild? Your life will never be the same! Congratulations. Glad it's over and all went well for both mother and baby.
    Suzanne
  • Ro10
    Ro10 Member Posts: 1,561 Member
    Congratulations Annie
    A new Grandma. How wonderful for you. Hope you daughter continues to do well. Enjoy that new grandson. It should be such fun being a grandma. Thanks for sharing the good news. What a great distraction. In peace and caring.
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    Ro10 said:

    Congratulations Annie
    A new Grandma. How wonderful for you. Hope you daughter continues to do well. Enjoy that new grandson. It should be such fun being a grandma. Thanks for sharing the good news. What a great distraction. In peace and caring.

    Congrats! being 'Grammy' is my life's highest calling!! :D
    I tell this to all new grandmas. When my youngest went to kindergarden, I cried so hard, curled up in bed sobbing because I thought that chapter of my life was over. Why didn't someone TELL me that I'd be a grandma one day and have all that JOY and WONDER of being in love with a tiny new person ALL OVER AGAIN??! HA! & being grandma is soooooo much better than being a new mother!! All the GOOD stuff; none of the responsibility! My grandchildren are the sunshine of my days. Even when they are sulky or crabby or fighting with each other, their glowing skin and silken hair and the wonderfully original things they say and do never cease to delight me. I can 'jolly' them out of any bad mood. A child reminds you ever day how simple and pure JOY is.

    I am sooooo happy for you to have this new distraction, as 'distraction' is an understatement! OBSESSION maybe! HA! Prepare to be captivated! Congratulations!
  • TiggersDoBounce
    TiggersDoBounce Member Posts: 408
    Congratulations Annie & Family
    Wow a new addition!!!

    What a wonderful distraction...hope they are all on the mend and home soon!!

    Laurie
  • california_artist
    california_artist Member Posts: 816 Member
    Grandchildren are the best
    Grandchildren are the best thing since pecan pie and ice cream.

    Enjoy the wonderful experience.

    is this your first?

    Claudia
  • lociee
    lociee Member Posts: 102

    Grandchildren are the best
    Grandchildren are the best thing since pecan pie and ice cream.

    Enjoy the wonderful experience.

    is this your first?

    Claudia

    grandchildren
    I want a grandchild sooooo bad. A friend of my daughter's lived with us for a few years when they were growing up - so she's like a daughter. Her son will be 2 in November. I get to be a grandma - sort of. I wish my daughter would have a baby. She's lost in the New York City scene - and still running around spending most of the summer in the hamptons - when will she grow up and settle down? She just turned 36! Can I tell her that time is running out? Okay, I know I can't, but still....... I want some of that pecan pie and ice cream.
  • maggie_wilson
    maggie_wilson Member Posts: 596
    definitely NOT off topic--the best love connection ever!


    mazel tov, annie, on your new grandson. sorry it was a difficult birth and delivery, and so glad the little one is now off the ventilator, and mom is doing well. nothing is "off topic" here, especially wonderful news re: grandchildren. i never knew i'd be able to fall in love all over again with the little ones, and in fact thought i'd probably never be a grandmother. then my daughter at age 39 and single decided to have a baby on her own (well, with a little help from the grandmas) and she did almost immediately. never underestimate the power of sibling rivalry, because right after our granddaughter's birth, my son, age 43 and single got married to a woman with an 8 year old daughter (who we love dearly) and then he and his wife had their own 1 1/2 year old son. so 0 to 60 in a year or so! truly nothing more lovable than a grandchild, and i had thought i could do well without them. who knew???? in fact, my son brought his new family here from africa right after my surgery, so my grandson would lay sleeeping on my stomach while i dozed off and on on the lving room couch and everyone just worked around us. it was bliss, and i truly believe, healing. so enjoy your new little one and being a grandma, annie, it's the best.

    yours in grandmahood,
    maggie
  • maggie_wilson
    maggie_wilson Member Posts: 596
    p.s. annie

    if you've gotten the results of your pet scan, i hope they were good ones. thinking of you.
    sisterhood,
    maggie
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member
    Thank you all for the
    Thank you all for the comments. It has been a most wonderful experience, I am sooo thrilled to be able to experience this. Actually it is more wonderful than becoming a parent - i'm older, wiser, and the experience has so much more depth. I just spent a couple of days at their home (& with much NICU time as well) to be supportive after my daughter was discharged and I'll be heading back shortly to continue to provide support. What an experience!

    As for me, PET scan was essentially negative as was the CT, however ca125 up a tad. It could be from virus I had for couple of weeks just prior (an upper respiratory infection) but I'm planning to do a couple of rounds of Gemzar to be sure we keep things at bay.

    Life's good!
    Annie
  • susafina
    susafina Member Posts: 131

    p.s. annie

    if you've gotten the results of your pet scan, i hope they were good ones. thinking of you.
    sisterhood,
    maggie

    CONGRATULSTIONS GRANDMA
    Annie-
    What wonderful news! Congratulations on your new grandson! Many blessings to you and your daughter and whole family. Thanks for this happy diversion. Keep us posted on your PET scan and that new little guy!!
    SUE
  • maggie_wilson
    maggie_wilson Member Posts: 596

    Thank you all for the
    Thank you all for the comments. It has been a most wonderful experience, I am sooo thrilled to be able to experience this. Actually it is more wonderful than becoming a parent - i'm older, wiser, and the experience has so much more depth. I just spent a couple of days at their home (& with much NICU time as well) to be supportive after my daughter was discharged and I'll be heading back shortly to continue to provide support. What an experience!

    As for me, PET scan was essentially negative as was the CT, however ca125 up a tad. It could be from virus I had for couple of weeks just prior (an upper respiratory infection) but I'm planning to do a couple of rounds of Gemzar to be sure we keep things at bay.

    Life's good!
    Annie

    annie

    so glad you are having such a wonderful experience with grandson and daughter. also glad pet scan essentially negative, may i ask how high your ca 125 was that you are having more rounds of gemzar? are you on continuous chemo right now? sorry, i don't know your story, you might have posted all this already.
    thanx and sisterhood,
    maggie
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member

    annie

    so glad you are having such a wonderful experience with grandson and daughter. also glad pet scan essentially negative, may i ask how high your ca 125 was that you are having more rounds of gemzar? are you on continuous chemo right now? sorry, i don't know your story, you might have posted all this already.
    thanx and sisterhood,
    maggie

    My ca125 at end of July was
    My ca125 at end of July was 15, at end of Aug it was 65 . Previously recurrence issues had spikes from 20s to 200s, so the 65 doesn't seem that high given that I had just had a Upper Respiratory Infection for about 3 weeks. It had been up to 650s at end of April but rapidly dropped with Gemzar - to 100s, 30s, then 15. I had decided to take a break in Aug after hearing the 15 number. I was not seen at that time by gyn-onc as he was unavailable, just saw his NP. When i saw him he said he normally does 2 - 3 rounds following signs of remission. I had only had one(July) of these. We decided to do PET scan and revisit planning. I decided to go with the additional and we'll see how ca125 does as well. With clear CT scan and then last week's PET scan not showing any hot spots, I actually feel pretty good, but a little extra shouldn't hurt and I have now had a 2 month break. As it is I only get a reduced dose of 600 mg/m2 weekly three out of four weeks (normal is 1000 mg/m2 weekly three out of four weeks). I never made the three doses either as neutrophils were always too low for either second or third dose. Once again, I do feel some of these 'standards' are just too generic. I've always taken less than recommended dosages for many drugs. I just seem more sensitive to these chemicals.
  • maggie_wilson
    maggie_wilson Member Posts: 596

    My ca125 at end of July was
    My ca125 at end of July was 15, at end of Aug it was 65 . Previously recurrence issues had spikes from 20s to 200s, so the 65 doesn't seem that high given that I had just had a Upper Respiratory Infection for about 3 weeks. It had been up to 650s at end of April but rapidly dropped with Gemzar - to 100s, 30s, then 15. I had decided to take a break in Aug after hearing the 15 number. I was not seen at that time by gyn-onc as he was unavailable, just saw his NP. When i saw him he said he normally does 2 - 3 rounds following signs of remission. I had only had one(July) of these. We decided to do PET scan and revisit planning. I decided to go with the additional and we'll see how ca125 does as well. With clear CT scan and then last week's PET scan not showing any hot spots, I actually feel pretty good, but a little extra shouldn't hurt and I have now had a 2 month break. As it is I only get a reduced dose of 600 mg/m2 weekly three out of four weeks (normal is 1000 mg/m2 weekly three out of four weeks). I never made the three doses either as neutrophils were always too low for either second or third dose. Once again, I do feel some of these 'standards' are just too generic. I've always taken less than recommended dosages for many drugs. I just seem more sensitive to these chemicals.

    annie, thanx for your response

    it's always so interesting how different doctors recommend different protocals. i agree, 65 doesn't seem that high a ca 125 especially given previous spikes, and i can imagine it would be affected by an infection. it's great that gemzar works so well for you. you said your doctor "normally does 2-3 rounds following signs of remission." i'm not sure i understand this. did you mean recurrence, or your doctor really does a few more rounds of chemo following signs of remission? just to be on the safe side? in any case, i'd be interested in learning of the thinking behind the decisions. i also agree, doctors tend to use "standards" rather than custom-made protocals. still, seems like you're doing pretty darn good, so something is working.

    sisterhood,
    maggie
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member

    annie, thanx for your response

    it's always so interesting how different doctors recommend different protocals. i agree, 65 doesn't seem that high a ca 125 especially given previous spikes, and i can imagine it would be affected by an infection. it's great that gemzar works so well for you. you said your doctor "normally does 2-3 rounds following signs of remission." i'm not sure i understand this. did you mean recurrence, or your doctor really does a few more rounds of chemo following signs of remission? just to be on the safe side? in any case, i'd be interested in learning of the thinking behind the decisions. i also agree, doctors tend to use "standards" rather than custom-made protocals. still, seems like you're doing pretty darn good, so something is working.

    sisterhood,
    maggie

    Maggie, I guess my comment
    Maggie, I guess my comment was a little vague. He considered me to have been in remission when ca125 hit 30 (less than lab norm of <35). Then CT scan showing nodes resolved to normal size, was added confirmation. His thinking is could be some random cells hanging around and and an extra 2 - 3 treatments would provide extra insurance that we get those if needed. I likened this to continuing antibiotics after symptoms have resolved to be sure all the 'bad bugs' are killed off (full course of therapy). My ca 125 had dropped to normal after first round of carb/taxol in '08, but continued for all 6 rounds.