Oops, another lie...

(This is the most recent picture of her at the Bender Wedding)
So, last month I said my mom didn't have to undergo the final two treatments, which actually turned out to be untrue. Don't blame me, though. It's been very difficult to get both of her doctors on the same page about this (especially when one is vacationing in Italy). This week she found out that before she starts the stem cell transplant process she has to finish out her two rounds of chemo. She had the first one yesterday and it looks like the final one will be the week of Christmas. Needless to say, we will be having a very mellow holiday season this year. Luckily, Ashley and Damian are hosting Thanksgiving so she wont have to worry about anything other than whether or not Ashley has enough Fall decorations up :)
During the time in between treatments they will harvest her stem cells and then the transplant will take place in January. I say this all very loosely because it seems to change daily. Her schedule has been one big question mark lately and luckily she's become quite flexible and just takes it as it comes.
She has been studying the book that prepares her for the stem cell transplant and is really dreading that month she's going to have to spend in the hospital, so if anyone knows of some good hobbies to keep her hands busy she'd appreciate them! I personally think smocking baby clothes or knitting baby blankets are her best bets (which will then maybe pressure Ash and Damian to have a baby--just kidding, guys!)
I'll keep you all updated as we find more out (assumming that you guys haven't given up on me--I know I haven't been an active blogger lately).

My mom came home from the doctor today with some pretty fabulous news! She doesn't have to go through chemo next week...she is officially done!! Now she just has a stem cell transplant to look forward to! Thank you so much for all your support! It has been really amazing to see how everyone has stepped up and helped our family out- we owe you all!

There's not much to update you all on, but my mom had her treatment last week. It's interesting how it effects her differently every cycle, and she seemed to feel a little worse this time around. She's been busy going to acupuncture and on Thursday we get to go to a taping of Ellen (thank you, Joleen!)

My mom has been going stir crazy at home these past couple of weeks, so much so that she has begun remodeling various rooms in our house, so Ash and Damian very generously got her and my dad a hotel room in Santa Monica for Saturday night. She told us that she may as well have been going to Europe because she was so excited for this mini-vacation and even woke up at 3:30 Saturday morning cause she just couldn't wait to go.
She and my dad went to lunch at Shutters and watched some football and then Ash, D, and I met them to go to dinner. We went to a great restaurant on the Santa Monica Pier called Lobster and after, we headed to Westwood to go to this place called Diddy Riese that Ash and D knew about. Oh. My. Goodness. I have never tasted anything so delicious! You can choose any kind of cookie and any kind of ice cream and they make you an incredibly yummy cookie sandwich! We were in heaven.
This morning I picked them up at their hotel and we drove through Brentwood looking at houses (our favorite thing to do) and then walked around Santa Monica. It was a great weekend and we're all so happy we have a wonderful new member of the family who just happens to accrue a gazillion Starwood points thanks to his job and was able to get our mama out of town :) Thanks Damian!!!

We did the math...

and we were wrong. Her last treatment isn't Decemeber 22nd and we aren't sure how we came up with that date. I think my mom just didn't want to buy Christmas gifts so she started spreading it around ;)
It's actually the beginning of Novemeber, so we're feeling pretty lucky!

Yesterday my mom spent her birthday hooked up to an IV, of course without a single complaint. Today she has the chemo and I'm so sad I can't be there with her. School is back in session so I'm no longer able to sit through her insanely long treatments with her. I'm going home tomorrow to relieve my dad from nurse duty for a little, so I will let you know how she is doing then.
We got a little prematurely excited by her doctor's appointment last week and were brought back to reality the following day. Her other doctor at UCSD said that she would in fact finish the 6 rounds of treatment, bringing the chemo to a close the week of Christmas. We were really liking her other doctor's plan of only one more round after today, but the UCSD doc said that she is handling the treatment so well that she may as well go to Decemeber. Handling it well?? I think my mom would argue otherwise :)

Happy Birthday!!!

This is a day late (blame it on my 6am flight back from NYC and exhaustion), but my wonderful mom celebrated her birthday yesterday!

This picture is from our trip to Italy a couple of years ago. The whole family went to Positano and my mom and I stayed longer and drove around Tuscany and toured Rome. She is my favorite travel companion and one of the most FUN people to explore new places with! We all agree that it was the best vacation we ever went on and we're looking forward to a time in the near future when my mom is healthy enough to travel again.

Happy (belated) Birthday to the most beautiful, funny, generous, loving, and creative woman I know! You are so incredibly strong and your positive attitude amazes so many of us every single day. We love you!!!