Sunday With Lots Of Company 11.15.09

When I arrived this morning mom was eating breakfast and chatting with her nurse Stephanie. Around 10:00 we had some excitement when transport arrived to take mom to nuclear xray for a CT scan. The exciting thing was no one knew that one had been ordered. Turned out ortho ordered it, but since no paperwork was available it didn't happen. Her doctor will check with oncology tomorrow to determine necessity of that test and discuss the possibility of radiation to shrink the tumor which may help enable her to sit up and maybe even get out of bed.

Starting with Colleen & her sister Nancy, mom had a steady supply of visitors most of the day. Shortly after Col & Nancy left, her brother Art and his son Ben came to visit. Along with them were Ben's wife Julia and their children Tim & Anna. They all had a great visit, took a break for lunch and cider at the Franklin Cider Mill, and then returned for a while before heading back to Cleveland. Mom really enjoyed their visit, reminisced with Art and enjoyed talking with Ben & Julia and their children. Priscilla Krippendorf and her daughter Denise also came for a visit.

Timing is everything and shortly after Byron arrived, a Dr from oncology came in for a consult. We reviewed the events leading up to this hospitalization and then he asked us to leave the room so he could perform a brief physical exam. While waiting, Tara & Andrea East arrived and the meeting resumed with them present. After explaining that the family needed a diagnosis and prognosis to determine what's next for her continuing care, the oncologist recommended a needle biopsy to determine where the cancer originated, what type of cancer it is and also provide a prognosis. He didn't feel that it was necessary to do a bone scan at this point since all the information needed could be obtained from the biopsy.

Dr East and Dr C talked Dr talk for a while and some additional blood work was ordered, but the plan did not change, biopsy, then possibly radiation.

Sounds like a plan to me so I left around 8 p.m. with Byron & Colleen in the room

Sorry this is late getting out, I was unable to access any unsecured networks last night.