6/24/10 - Update

Another update from Dad, with some edits for privacy and content. . .

Anne was on call over the last few days while I dashed to Washington for a few days.

Mom and I will leave for Sanderling later this morning. Anne left last evening soon after I returned from DC and after Mom's appointments with doctors and nurses and others concluded. Mom slept quite well last night, good news in light of our determination to make the trip to the coast.

Last Friday morning I noticed a small infection along the line of the incision remaining from brain surgery last winter. The infection grew rapidly, and a rash spread down the side of Mom's face. When the medical community opened for business we contacted Mom's quarterbacking doctor, and her marvelous assistant swung into action. By mid-day we were at the surgeon's office, where Mom was issued a strong prescription to counter the infection. (But to my surprise we were told not to cover the infection or apply topical medicine; later we came to realize that was probably bad advice.) The infection receded a bit over the week-end. Anne and Josh arrived Saturday, and on Sunday afternoon I left for Washington under the universal impression that Mom would have chemo prep on Monday and chemo on Tuesday.

Not so quick! On Monday morning Anne noted that the infection had opened wide and that the plate installed over the brain cavity was exposed (titanium plate, I think). At the surgeon's office the wound was cleaned, topical medicine applied, test done (as previously scheduled). The tests revealed (thankfully) that the infection did not involve the bone (per se). Mid-morning in Washington I got a call from Duke saying that because the wound was open no chemo would be administered on Tuesday. Mom was of course distressed because no word of this had surfaced when we got involved with the infection treatment the previous Friday. The doctor's assistant weighed in to provide a level of comfort: Avastin's properties fight against healing and thus chemo had to be suspended, and the problem Mom faced was not all that uncommon. This calmed Mom down a bit, and with Anne as hall monitor Mom's attitude focused more clearly.

On Tuesday we were told that Mom would require plastic surgery to fill the gap, but that this would be scheduled for next week. Meanwhile the appointment at Duke was confirmed (we think) for next Tuesday, June 29th. Mom saw the surgeon's associate yesterday (Wednesday) and more medicine was prescribed and topical treatment as well (which perhaps could have been started the previous Friday). Mom now sports a large bandage which we will change again this morning.

The game plan is to get ourselves in gear and to head for the beach in easy stages and to join Anne and Josh and Asher late today. Mom really wants to go and I think it will help a great deal.

Chemo will resume, we assume, when the current infection is contained and the wound is closed.

Love to all. (We will go from the beach right to Duke on Tuesday, and then right home, because Mom has appointments scheduled for next Wednesday here in Charlotte.

Dad