Chemo, Round 2

Wearing her beautiful scarf, ready to take on the world!

Yesterday was Grandma’s second round of chemo.  And once again, she felt fine after. The Benadryl didn’t make her fatigued, and her appetite was still intact!  Anjelii joined her again this session, and was enjoyable company in helping pass the time.

Everyone who has visited Grandma, in these past few weeks, have all reported that she is doing well and has been in GREAT spirits! Every time I call her, she sounds like her lively self, and has even mentioned how she’s still cooking and cleaning her own house (of course Grandpa’s helping now too). Despite her hair starting to fall out in large amounts, she isn’t letting that get her down.  Her eldest daughter, Olga brought her some remarkable headscarves made by her boyfriend’s mother, Lanette (design by LaMoon).  Grandma was so thrilled by these scarves, saying, “…and I even have one for Christmas!” She conveyed her gratitude toward everyone who has reached out to her during this time.

After her session w/Anjelii--all smiles!

Even if it’s just a phone call, any amount of support is cherished! She enjoys the videos of the kids, especially since she is limited to seeing them during her treatment. Knowing that her family is there for her, is her greatest inspiration!

Stay strong, Grandma. No one fights alone!  

Show Your Support, Part 2

More supporters for Grandma 

Mateo & Julius 

  

  

For his wife...Grandpa <3

     






In a time when nothing is more certain than change, the commitment of two people to one another has become difficult and rare.  Yet, by its scarcity, the beauty and value of this exchange have only been enhanced.  ~Robert Sexton

Show your support!

Showing support for Grandma / Great-Grandma! More to follow...

Aiden Before

Aiden After

Lucas Before

Javier Before

Lucas & Javier After

Day One

Day 1

Reading Her "Guide"

Today Grandma had her first chemotherapy session, unfortunately not at UCSF, but in Modesto, closer to home.  Cousin Anjelii and Grandpa were there today for support. 

Patient, yet nervously awaiting her first treatment, Grandma browsed through (yet again) her guide on what to expect.  This is a woman who has spent a total of 2 days (not counting her hysterectomy) in the hospital for childbirth. With that in mind, one can only imagine the anxiety she must be sensing. The kids and I sent her a few videos to help lift her spirits, since we couldn’t be there with her. Hopefully the videos, the good company, and her great TV Y Novelas Magazine helped pass the time. 

With only the feeling of nausea, and exhaustion from a long day, they were happily on their way home to rest. Anyone who knows Grandma knows how resilient of a woman she is. The next few weeks, dealing with her hair loss and physical strength, are proved to be challenging, but there isn’t a doubt in anyone’s mind that she won’t be tough and beautiful. 

All Smiles! : )

Her next treatment follows in a few weeks.  Please continue to send prayers, love, and support her way. And the meal sign up is up and running, so any help is always appreciated. 

No one fights alone….

Meal Sign Up

If you would like to show your support by sending a meal, or another service, please sign up at http://signupgenius.com/go/meals948 . Anything is appreciated.

Thank you for your support!

Endometrial Cancer

Uterine cancer, also known as endometrial cancer, is a cancer that forms in the tissue of a woman's womb (uterus), which mainly occurs after a woman has gone through menopause. There are many different theories as to what causes this type of cancer. One theory believed is that over time, women with high levels of the hormone 'estrogen', or an imbalance of hormones, increases the risk of developing uterine cancer. While every case and theory varies, there are no definite answers.

A few months ago, I was sitting at the baseball park watching my son's baseball game, when I received a call from my mom. The sobbing in her voice indicated that my day was about to take a turn for the worse. Trying to maintain her composure, she told me that my grandma, her mother, had been diagnosed with uterine cancer, but had no other information for me.

When the whirlwind of emotion came to a precipitous stop, I opened up the contact list on my phone and went directly to the “G’s”. As I dialed “G-unit” my head was flooded with questions, and my heart with emotions. No answer. I hung up and quickly dialed again. I wasn’t going to leave a voicemail; I knew she was ignoring my call. I dialed again, this time greeted with an unsettled, “Hello”.

The multitude of questions and wonder merely began at that “Hello”.

Since that phone call, my grandma has undergone a full hysterectomy, through a small incision in her stomach. University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center also performed a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, removing her fallopian tubes and ovaries. While her surgery was a success, it also delivered more dreadful news. All of the lymph nodes that were removed during her procedure indicated that her cancer was about a stage 3, and had begun to spread. With this she will have to spend the next six months undergoing chemotherapy. When I think chemotherapy, I think hair loss, but in reality there are many side effects that a chemo patient can endure, both physically and emotionally.

As a family, we have all embarked on a new chapter in our lives-- cancer supporters of a cancer survivor.

With this blog, I hope to bring love, prayer, and support to Olga on her pathway to survive uterine cancer. She is a daughter, a sister, a mother, wife…but to me she is my grandma. And no words could ever begin to describe how much she means to me, and how she is one of my greatest inspirations in my life!

No one fights alone….