About 3 weeks ago, my mom had another PET Scan to see if the chemo is affecting the tumors in her lungs. My sister and I went with her to get the results when my sister was here visiting a couple of weeks ago. The chemo did work to stop the tumors from growing and it even shrunk the big one slightly. So, her oncologist is going to keep on doing the chemo, two weeks on, one week off.
Last week, they did her blood work and her white cells were low, which is happening frequently this go around. BUT they also told her that her potassium is elevated, which concerns me. Elevated potassium can lead to a heart attack, and it can indicate poor or reduced kidney function, even renal failure. Her smoking and drinking doesn't help things, and the fact that she takes pain pills freely is a hindrance to this condition. It really worries me, but I can't change her "habits." I understand that her doctor doesn't want her to be in pain, so he readily prescribes percocet, but I wish he could recognize that she wants it more than she needs it.
She was supposed to have chemo on Monday, but her platelets were too low, so her chemo was held.
On top of everything else, she told me last night that she now weighs 78 pounds!!! My 7 year old nephew weighs 83 pounds.
Her doctor isn't saying much to her about it, and I know it's because they are only trying to buy her time with her treatments. When she was first diagnosed two years ago, we went to a chemo class for newly diagnosed patients and their families, and they explained that part of the weight loss for cancer patients is that cancer cells take the calories from your body before your body can use them because cancer cells have such a high metabolic rate. Two years ago, Mom weighed 108 and that scared my sister and me because she was so thin. Can y'all imagine how she looks now that she has lost 30 pounds?
It really worries me.
Last week, they did her blood work and her white cells were low, which is happening frequently this go around. BUT they also told her that her potassium is elevated, which concerns me. Elevated potassium can lead to a heart attack, and it can indicate poor or reduced kidney function, even renal failure. Her smoking and drinking doesn't help things, and the fact that she takes pain pills freely is a hindrance to this condition. It really worries me, but I can't change her "habits." I understand that her doctor doesn't want her to be in pain, so he readily prescribes percocet, but I wish he could recognize that she wants it more than she needs it.
She was supposed to have chemo on Monday, but her platelets were too low, so her chemo was held.
On top of everything else, she told me last night that she now weighs 78 pounds!!! My 7 year old nephew weighs 83 pounds.
Her doctor isn't saying much to her about it, and I know it's because they are only trying to buy her time with her treatments. When she was first diagnosed two years ago, we went to a chemo class for newly diagnosed patients and their families, and they explained that part of the weight loss for cancer patients is that cancer cells take the calories from your body before your body can use them because cancer cells have such a high metabolic rate. Two years ago, Mom weighed 108 and that scared my sister and me because she was so thin. Can y'all imagine how she looks now that she has lost 30 pounds?It really worries me.
