Happy Easter!

It has been a long time between updates although my mom has been wanting to send one for a while.  Just to bring you up to speed: shortly after my mom's Nano procedure last year, she started experiencing severe pain in her shoulder area. After a month of unrelenting pain and a CA 19 marker that continued to rise, doctors administered more tests and discovered that her pancreatic cancer had metastasized. The official diagnosis: secondary malignant neoplasm of bone and bone marrow.  The doctors decided my mom's course of treatment should first include radiation to attack the cancer in the bone and then chemotherapy to target the cancer in the pancreas which was spreading to the bone. She did not suffer too many side effects during her ten days of radiation, however, during the first month of chemo, she suffered a setback in that her vena cava became occluded, causing major swelling of her face and upper torso. This has been very uncomfortable and painful; the doctors eventually removed the port since medications were not alleviating the problem and they inserted a temporary picc line; they hope that over time the swelling will be completely reduced. The good news is that during these painful months of treatment, her CA number has been decreasing, from a high in the 100's to currently in the 40's. My mom is very pleased since the normal range for her should be from zero to the high 30's.

My mom asks "How much can the body take?"

                                                    radiation mask

                                        CTO (cervical thoracic orthosis) brace

                                       24 hour chemotherapy  

Although she has been greatly weakened by these recent treatments, my mom continues to check her email and messages and is so thankful for all of the support and prayers showered upon her; she really appreciates the thoughtful gestures. She is hoping to have restored energy soon so that she can make it to Puerto Rico and visit family and friends and have some of their delicious food she has been craving. Since my mom continues to be a "pata caliente" throughout these challenging times, she plans to travel to Tampa for a triple birthday celebration this weekend, pictures to come! xoxo

PurpleStride 2013

This was our fourth year participating in the Pancreatic Cancer PurpleStride 5k.  All of the family came together for the weekend, even Angie flew in from Brooklyn to participate. On Saturday we got to the Albert Whitted Park bright and early to pick up our numbers and t-shirts. As we looked at the sky we saw huge dark clouds which didn't look too good. Suddenly, the skies opened and we all ran for cover under the tents. Nevertheless, the spirits of the Pan Can people are amazing because nobody left, everybody walked or ran despite the pouring rain. Although it dampened some of the scheduled activities, it didn't dampen the spirits of everyone there for this important cause. Our team raised $905, thank you so much to everyone who donated; it really means so much to have all of your support, thoughts, and prayers during this cancer fight.

The night before, cargo loading!

Posing with almost all of the grandkids, outside the Dali Museum

It starts to rain...

Then it pours!

PanCanners are the best,  running in the rain!

Finished the race!

Some of us didn't mind the rain.

Triple birthday celebration later that afternoon.

Good job Mimi's Milers!