It's shrinking!!!

Hello! Yes, it's me finally! I'm sure you've all been waiting on the exact findings of my mom's latest CT scan. WE HAVE GREAT NEWS!!! So, since I don't understand medical reports so well, I'll just give it to you straight up. I mainly focus on the decreasing in mm (size).

Findings: Interval improvement in left perihilar adenopathy. Currently soft tissue adjacent to the left lower lobe basilar truck measuring 5mm thick; this had previously measured 20 mm thick. Soft tissue adjacent to the lingula bronchus measures only 3 mm thick, previously 12 mm thick. A few station 5/6 nodes are also decreased in conspicuity, the largest measuring 5 to 6 mm nodes are also decreased in conspicuity, the largest measuring 5 to 6 mm in short axis previously 7 mm. Station 4 R nodes are smaller and more discrete currently measuring only 4 mm and previously at least 8 mm. The only nodes which appear a little larger 2-e in close proximity to the upper thor2-ic esophagus and measure 3 mm and less.

The nodule in the lingula has also decreased in size now measuring 6mm greatest transaxial diameter previously 18 mm!! A nodular opacity previously seen in the left lower lobe has decreased in size from 6 mm to 3 mm. No other significant change appreciated in the lungs.

Gall bladder is contracted. The adrenal glands are stable.

Marked internal improvement in left pulmonary nodules and left perihilar adenopathy. Most mediastinal nodes are either stable or decreased in size.


So with that said, we're doing the happy dance!! Mom is doing great, but tired from time to time. Still some trouble swallowing due to diffuse thickening of the thoracic esophageal wall, likely scar tissue from radiation. She just completed another round of chemo this week and she'll go in next week for labs. Following that next month is another round of chemo.

THANK YOU ALL so much for your prayers, help, donations, love, and support. GOD IS GOOD. We are so blessed to have you in our lives and can't say it enough.

Remember the Garage sale for a purpose is this Saturday in Bedford!! Come out and support us just so we can see your face!

Much love,
Christy

Prayer Request

Mario, Marshall and I went to a new church on Sunday as a family. My friend Sabrina who I've known since Jr. High invited us to come . We loved it! Marshall especially...as you can tell by the cheesy grin with his new necklace he got! God loves me.

During the service the pastor gives an opportunity for anyone to come down to the alter, light a candle, and pray. So I did just that...for my momma. Such an emotional rush of comforted tears were hard to maintain. Anyone who knows me probably knows I'm crying as I type this. :-)

So with that, we're in need of major prayers this week. My mom has had a small break in between treatments and is resting at home. She's having some side effects, being tired it the main one, but also some swallowing problems. Hurts to eat a burger basically, so it's peaches and yogurt. Mainly soups, and soft stuff.

On Thursday she'll go in for a CT scan to see how the treatment is responding. And on Friday I will be with her as we review results with Oncologist and hear what the next steps are. We do know she's got 2 more rounds of chemo. So...SAY PRAYERS...LOTS. I believe in miracles and I know we've done the work. Now God needs to work his plan.

Much love,
Christy

Last day!

Today is my mom's last day of radiation. WOOT!! I know she's looking forward to a little break. Last week was the hardest week she's had to face. She had 3 days of chemo and 5 days of radiation (2 appointment daily). She stayed comfortably in Dallas so she didn't have to drive. She took naps when she needed to and really listened to her body and not over do things.

Marshall and I took her out to the Iron Cactus in Dallas for dinner one night and my brother took her to Papa's BBQ another night. We are making sure she's surrounded by support and love and getting some good grub in the process.

Next week on Thursday she'll go in for a CT scan to see how the treatment is working. My guess it's doing a fabulous job! Then Friday we'll go in to see the Oncologist to hopefully review those results and also talk about lab results. The oncologist will also tell us when her next chemo treatment will be. I believe in a couple of weeks she'll have another round....followed by another round.

I'm just so in awe of my mother right now. She is so strong and makes me strong. Everyone should be so proud of her. I cry with happy tears because she has more strength than I've even known in a person. She makes me a better person and mom. I hope I can grow up to be just like her. Love you so much momma! Keep on truckin' and smilin'......XOXO

Our Scentsy fund raising party was a success and very fun for all!! We raised $150 for my mom! Thank you all sooooo much!! Hugs to the following attendees...

Rachel, Buffy, Anna, Aunt Kathy, Cousin Alicia, Crystal, Debi, Janis, Michele, Stephen, Theresa L, Monica, Michelle, Theresa C, Aunt Sue, Granny, Kristen, Randy, and of course all the kiddos!

Beautiful Debrah

LOOK at that smile!! My mom is so beautiful! She's a woman on a mission! Stand up to Cancer!!

I apologize I've been MIA with my blog. I've had a kleenex in both hands for about 2 weeks. Foggy head, sneezing, and just keeping all my strength for my mom and my family. I'm finally on the downside of being sick, which I feel so weird to say since my mom is kickin' some tumors butt! My allergies or cold do not compare one bit!

Last Friday we had her check up with the Oncologist. We got record breaking news with her sodium levels! 137! WOW, we haven't seen that # in a long time! In the beginning when she was passing out we found out it was because her sodium level was low. They said it was due to the tumor and a hormone it was releasing to confuse her kidney. With this high #, could it be the treatment is working!

Please continue to keep my mom in your prayers. Today she begins a new journey with her treatment. For the next 3 days this week, she'll undergo 6 hours of chemo daily and 2 radiation treatments. This will make for long days, but she's mentally prepared and ready to fight! Mom will be staying in Dallas at Studio 6 Extended Stay With the help of my friend Chris he was able to reserve rooms at this hotel at no cost. We thank him, from the bottom and top of our hearts! You ROCK Chris!

Next week, she'll undergo the same treatment plan and she will be staying at the same place Monday through Friday. If you're in the area and would like to visit with my mom, take her out to dinner, or just have something delivered to the hotel, please contact me. She would love that and we appreciate it very much!

Our donation efforts are still going. Saturday I'm hosting a Scentsy Party and 20% of the sales will go to my mom. Everyone is encouraged to attend and if you can't, please visit www.alwayswickless.com and look for my name, Christina Calderon on the left of the web page. If you are local, I can deliver your product to you!

October 30th, sets the date for our Team Deb Garage Sale! If you have things you'd like to donate, please contact me at christinakay33@sbcglobal.net or call my cell at 817-713-6851

Many THANKS to those who continue to pray, live, laugh & love! Our family feels lifted up by your thoughts and prayers. Much love, Christy

MY NANA!

NANA!!! One thing for sure is Marshall loves his Nana! He's been talking to her over the phone in the evenings. I think he might be a doctor one day. He's very infatuated with blood pressure machines since my mom started having issues with her sodium levels. He now likes to stop at the sit down machine in Kroger and have his #'s checked. He of course is on the 'NORMAL' scale of BP.

Mom is finishing up this weeks Radiation. She's gone daily at 2:45, and getting back home around 5:00 or so. She's been a real trooper with making that commute. She says she wants to drive herself until her white flag starts waving. My Granny, myself, and my brother are all on call for getting her to and from appointment when that flag does go up! She'll rest this weekend to begin once again next week.

Next Friday we'll have an ongologist appointment to check her sodium and get her geared up for another round of chemo. I say "we'll", because I'll be there with her. She is not alone in this process by any means. And we have so many people praying for her.

We've got a couple things coming up to help with donations. Of course donations..even just $5..can be made directly on this blog. We also still have Nicole offering her Mary Kay services, donating 25% of sales to my mom. I'm also hosting a Scentsy party through my friend Rachel on Oct 2, at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome and Rachel is donating 20% of sales also. And any photo shoots scheduled with me I'll be donating 100% to my mom. We're still working on a garage sale date, leaning towards the end of October. Stay tuned for that!

Where do the donations go? Because of your donations, my mom will be able to stay in the downtown area during one of her intense weeks coming up. I contacted Parkland through facebook asking if there were any hotels were my mom could stay and receive a discounted rate. They contacted me with a list!! So awesome....visit Parkland's facebook page here PARKLAND
If you are in need of this information, please let me a comment with your email address and I will email the list to you.

Thanks for staying tuned, texting me for updates, calling, emailing, etc... You are all very special and we appreciate you so very much!

Have a great weekend!!

Good morning! Today is Monday, Sept 13th and my mom is about to embark on her 2nd week of radiation. Please continue to keep her in your prayers and thoughts and also remember there's are ways to help by donating or participating in any fund raising opportunities that I list. Ideas always welcome!!

This past Friday I went with my mom to her Oncologist appointment at Parkland to meet her administrating doctor as well as her personal nurse. Even though we're first greeted with a room full of about 60 to 100 people and a woman who handed us a number and said "just wait for your # to be called and then go to the 2nd window". Wow, I figured we'd better pitch our tent and that we were going to be there for awhile. Surely it's not going to be like this every time my mom goes for a check-up and chemo treatment. Why...yes it sure is, but you know what it really didn't take too long. Parkland really has their processes down and again I'm impressed. Yes, Debrah's daughter who is easy to fly off the handle when it comes to her care is 'impressed again'. So we spent some time with the Ongologist, going over her current medications and what she's going to add to the mix. As we talked to the doctor and woman walked in quietly and stood to the side. She looked like a nurse in training (lots of students at this hospital). The doctor asked if she, the nurse, wanted to introduce herself and she kindly replied.."when you're done doctor".

As I'm trying to keep everything straight in my head for my mom I'm still a bit confused on the chemo process since the IV is out of stock. The doctor did say we could 'hope' that they'll have it back in before her next chemo treatment. Until then, it's pills and I believe it's 4 treatments with 3 weeks in between each treatment. Which makes it a pretty long drawn out process vs. the Clinical trail which was 5 weeks long. Mom will still get radiation on a daily basis, and I'll update you on how long that will go on as well. For now...we meet our BFF during this journey, mom's nurse who kindly waited for the doctor to finish.

"I'm Julie Moore, RN, the Nurse Navigator for Lung Cancer" "I am your go to person for care, questions, concerns, cries, etc." FOR REALS? I put her name and direct line (214-590-4258) in my cell phone right way and was already lining up my future questions. Thank goodness!! Turns out Julie has now replaced Sharon whom was our first contact into Parkland. A woman who I cried to and called all the time, now she's moved on which would have scared me, but Julie eased that pain. She hugged mom and said she would be here for her..and us. (She's still talking and I'm memorizing her phone #!)

So, the Friday appointment was very informative. We were also able to move up my mom's radiation appointment that day due to a cancellation. She goes to radiation at UT Southwestern which is down the street from Parkland. She arrives in the front to be greeted by FREE Valet service (patients only), beautiful art work in the lobby and through-out, and marble counter tops. Pretty nice, which gives me comfort with her being there since treatment is every day.

Right now, she's doing ok. She had some restless nights over the weekend and tried to rest as much as possible (had no choice really). Sunday she was feeling a little better and ready to get her game on again for today. More updates to follow soon... thank for taking the time to read this blog and hold out your heart to my mom. She will one day be a guest on this blog and she can tell you her story.

WE LOVE YOU MOM!!!