I'm Still Smiling :-)

First, my deepest gratitude and thanks to each and every one of you for cheering us on, never giving up hope, and of course all your prayers and good wishes. There's definitely something to be said for positive thinking and prayers. I haven't been able to quite wipe the smile off my face all day, which of course has rubbed off on my mom. She too was thrilled with Bert's results as it eased some of her worry and concern about me.(Now isn't that just like a mom).

Anyway, with her attitude being up and my attitude being up, we went for Mom's second opinion at USC/Norris Cancer Center today concerning her recurring lung cancer and the let's wait until feels it and then we can start treatment advice of her previous onc. While well meant, not exactly my cup of tea to just sit around and wait.

Mom (Mutti...you remembered, Emily) very impressed with the Cancer Center. She absolutely
fell in love with her new oncologist. The plan is mom will continue to receive radiation to the small growth that is on her hip bone, as started by her other onc, which should take care of it completely. The first week in March, full scans again. If there is the slightest change in the 1.3
centimeter tumor now in her right upper lung lobe, or if any new developments occur, the new oncologist has recommended three different clinical trials for her to participate in, if she wishes. If not, second line lung cancer chemo treatment. Radiation to just the single nodule is not the wisest way to go for metastesized lung cancer...I forget to ask why (drat, drat, drat), but I will definitely remember to ask when I go with mom next time which will be March 10 when all results are back again and we review options. The doctor was also very quick to point out that if there is absolutely no change to
the nodule, and again, nothing else going on, then nothing will be done right now as the cancer would be considered stablized, but would
be watched on a six week to two month basis via combo PET/CAT scans.

Mom was so cute..she asks the onc, so you aren't throwing the towel in on me are you, to which the doc replies heck no, if you continue as well as you have been, then there are still options available and I intend to try as many as I can.

When we left, mom's spirits were so much higher. She knows she won't be cured but if she can get some quantity as well as quality, she asks for no more. We talked long and hard afterward and I again told her that she can stay with her current onc or decide to go ahead and become a patient with the new onc at the cancer center. Mom said she feels right about being at the cancer center and thinks that would be the best route to take. I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!

It has been several weeks of sadness, anxiety, and happiness....what a ride. And thanks to all of you for riding along with me. It's so
comforting to know you are there...even if not across the street to physical talk to and touch, but you are there and all of you will continue to be in my prayers.

Well, I rambled again and all this about lung cancer on a colon cancer board!!!! Forgive me please. I won't do this again...at least not on and on and on about it.

Emily, just as an added FYI, in the late 50's, early 60's, the economy in Germany sucked....big time. My mom's oldest sister had married a Scotsman (yah, can you believe, a German and a Scotsman together...what a fiery brew) that she met while he was visiting in Germany. She immigrated to Scotland with him and then from there, to Ottawa, Canada. She always wrote my mom, her sister, about the opportunities to be had at that time in Ottawa....and as they say, the rest is history.

((((((((((BIGGEST HUG)))))))))))
Monika