The bloodwork came back late yesterday. The swelling is NOT caused from kidney failure; which is what we feared. The upcoming scans will help determine if the swelling is caused from the cancer spreading. The doctor did say that she needed to sit more in a recliner and thanks to Vic, Jr. who once again pulled through and delivered one to Mom yesterday at lunchtime. She said this morning that the chair has already started to reduce the pain in her back and the swelling is starting to go down around her knees. The pain in her areas that are swollen are no longer sensitive to the touch. These are all huge steps in making her comfortable again.
The bloodwork did show that her calcium and protein levels were low, but she is taking meds for her calcium. Protein levels were slightly low, but could be a cause for swelling of the legs along with not using them. Nothing she can really do about these - diet and physical therapy should help keep it consistently low. Mom's tumor marker count has decreased from 450 in November to less than 250. The Tumor Marker is a count performed during each blood test. "The tumor markers are substances, usually proteins, that are produced by the body in response to cancer growth or by the cancer tissue itself. Some tumor markers are specific, while others are seen in several cancer types. Many of the well-known markers are also seen in non-cancerous conditions. Consequently, these tumor markers are not diagnostic for cancer."
In the next couple of weeks, we will be going back and forth to the doctor for rescans and follow-ups with the oncologist and radiologist oncologist.
The bloodwork did show that her calcium and protein levels were low, but she is taking meds for her calcium. Protein levels were slightly low, but could be a cause for swelling of the legs along with not using them. Nothing she can really do about these - diet and physical therapy should help keep it consistently low. Mom's tumor marker count has decreased from 450 in November to less than 250. The Tumor Marker is a count performed during each blood test. "The tumor markers are substances, usually proteins, that are produced by the body in response to cancer growth or by the cancer tissue itself. Some tumor markers are specific, while others are seen in several cancer types. Many of the well-known markers are also seen in non-cancerous conditions. Consequently, these tumor markers are not diagnostic for cancer."
In the next couple of weeks, we will be going back and forth to the doctor for rescans and follow-ups with the oncologist and radiologist oncologist.
1 comments:
DEAR KIM JUST READ YOUR UPDATE! LOOKS LIKE THE CHAIR VIC BROUGHT IS WORKING FOR YOUR MOM- SO NICE OF HIM TO DO THIS. DID AUNT MARY HAVE BACK SURGERY [ I DID NOT KNOW THIS]. A FRIEND JUST SENT THIS THOUGHT FOR THE DAY--PEOPLE WHO SUFFER HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER TO GOD. WHEN THEY SUCCEED IN ENDURING THEIR SUFFERING, THAT IS A DAILY MIRACLE.- BLESSED BROTHER ANDRE BESSETTE[1845-1937] MY PRAYERS & LOVE TO YOU, YOUR MOM & FAMILY-LOVE YOUR COUSIN JUDY.
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