Why this Blog?

Back in November of 2009, my mom started having stomach pains.  At first she thought it was a strain from lifting heavy objects on her own.  When she still felt pain in December, she assumed it must have been stress from work.  On my dad's advice she went through a series of tests to make sure nothing was wrong.  Based on the results, it seemed like nothing abnormal was going on.

This was a relief, but a mild pain persisted and by January, my parents decided more tests were needed.  After seeing a specialist, my mother learned that she had what appeared to be a tumor on her pancreas.  At the end of January, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The good news is that the cancer has not spread to any of her other vital organs.  The not great news is that the tumor is on an important part of the pancreas where major veins and arteries are located making it inoperable at the moment.

So, without wasting any time we are preparing for chemotherapy treatment.  My mom is incredibly positive and there are people everywhere rallying around her to kick cancer in the butt.  She's up to the challenge and if anyone can beat this thing, it's her.

In order to help out my parents while my mom undergoes treatment, I've taken a temporary leave of absence from work.  (Can you believe they finally got me to move back to Florida?!)  Also, there are so many people that want to know how she's doing that I told her I'd start a blog and make it a central place for updates on her progress.  Feel free to check back here often, subscribe to the blog, and send Mimi your love and positive thoughts.