The diagnosis

So Mom has colon cancer. It wasn’t unexpected news, but hearing it from the doctor makes it very real. The good news is that they were able to surgically remove the tumor, and it had only spread to one lymph node. And right now, Mom has a major surgery recovery to focus on. The cancer will do what it must until Mom is strong enough to fight it.

Mom is tougher than she looks!

As one gets older, it seems that life often comes down to one diagnosis or another. I remember worrying so much about Dad when he had to be whisked away in the ambulance with stomach issues not so different from my mom’s. His turned out to be a fairly benign gallstone. But there was no surgery or cure for the disease robbing him of his mind. Over the course of the last year of his life, he was diagnosed with a medley of infections, and taken on numerous ER visits for falls. Like many elderly, it was the pneumonia that put him closest to death’s door. His body, weakened by the infection, eventually shut down.

The doctors are keeping a close eye on Mom and are trying to help her avoid pneumonia at all costs. Of course I see her weakened, frail body and can’t help but be reminded of Dad. But Mom still has her spirit, and her sense of humor, which sadly Dad lost due to his dementia. I hope this means Mom will have a better chance at getting and staying on the road to recovery.