Treatment postponed

2/11/08- Monday night
I just got back from the hospital. We are getting a little snow storm and it took 2 hrs to drive 18 miles. I thought I left that kind of traffic in Houston a few years ago. Anyway, Sarah got Mom to the hospital around 9:00 AM this morning. They took her down for surgery and installed the quad-port that gives four separate lines access to her jugular vein, where the chemo enters her body. That went fine, and Mom was in great spirits as always. I arrived soon afterwards, having gone to work for a few hours because I knew it would take a while for her to get settled in before they got started with the treatment. Boy, was I right. I've figured out hospitals are like the Navy. They want you to hurry up, and wait! Mom didnt start the chemo until after 4:00pm. Earlier, she was feeling a little feverish and had a few sniffles, like she was coming down with a slight cold. Soon after the treatment started her temperature jumped to 101.3. One side effect of the chemo is an elevated temperature, but they thought her temp went up way too fast, probably even before the chemo had a chance to make an impact. Cautiously, they stopped the treatment. She only completed one bag of chemo. They feared if she continued on with an already high temp, once the chemo started to kick in more, her temp could hit a dangerously high level. They drew blood to check for infection and put her on an antibiotic. Mom was sort of down because we had been waiting anxiously all day long to get things going, the whole while getting mentally and emotionally ready, and now it all abruptly stopped as soon as it got started. She joked,"Darn, I was so looking forward to getting that extremely severe flu (that's the way the nurses kept describing the affects of chemo). One other funny thing Mom said while waiting around all day; As something or someone was being loudly wheeled down the hallway outside her room she said,"Ah Oh, sounds like here comes the pack(as in herd) of chemo." She hasnt lost her sense of humor, that's for sure. But now it looks like we are again in a waiting pattern. At least until her temperature goes down. If it is normal by the morning, they will proceed. If not, Im afraid they might cancel everything until next Monday. I pray that does not happen. I dont want to give that cancer another second to breathe. "Hit Hard, Hit Fast, Hit Often!" Some Naval hero said that and I like it (ashamed I cant remember who right this sec-the Naval Academy might call and ask for my diploma back). (2/12--It was Fleet Admiral "Bull" Halsey in WWII on his tactics against the Japanese Navy.) Pray it is a go for tomorrow. Sarah spent the night with her. I know she is a tremendous comfort to Mom. Im so glad so is home.

God bless,
Boog