Dietary restrictions

For now, the nausea is controlled. She's been constantly taking the reglan so it's better. The nutritionist suggested to Apu that she eat clear liquids, juices, gatorade, jello. I was surprised to hear that she cannot drink ensure yet. It is probably because of the milk in it and milk is hard to digest anyway.
She cannot drink soda either. Basically a liquid diet.

I will update this blog in the evening, hopefully I'll have no vomiting to report.

first full day home

Mom had breakfast...took the nausea medication. We are trying to keep the dose at a constant every 6 hours at 10 mg. Last night she threw up four times, I don't know if we'll have to return to the hospital.

She ate and tried very hard all day but she just couldn't keep anything down last night.
I hope that today is better.

Home

We are back from the hospital. Mom's vomiting is under control with the use of a drug called Reglan. She did vomit a bit after we brought her home so that probably means that she needs a steady stream of the anti-nausea medication rather than just before meals.

Apu and I have had to devise a charting system for when she takes her meds.

Upon discharge we talked about a home nurse aid that would come periodically to check on mom. The family meeting was good, constructive.

The doctor feels that the experimental therapy described by Dr. Stephen Cantrell is not optimal for my mother because the interferon is a very harsh, toxic drug. She just overcame this hump in the road, and that's the last thing we need right now. (http://spotlight.vitals.com/2009/10/dr-stephen-cantrells-melanoma-self-cure-helps-his-patients/)

He wanted to start on chemo as soon as this week but I think we should wait so that she can regain her strength then start the chemo 1 a week for 3 weeks then off one week.

After a cycle or two of the treatment he wants to get another CT scan to see how the cancer is responding. The goal is to contain the cancer in the pancreas, and to improve the quality of life, decrease the pain and symptoms due to the cancer.

This is excellent news for now. It hasn't spread to any of the other organs, it is not metastatic.

Eating, walking around

This morning I spoke to a doctor from the Dana Farber about mom. She isn't on IV still, she is one anti-vomiting medication instead of two. She's been eating, going to the bathroom, she's steady on her feet and can walk around.

I will write more, aunt and I are going to the hospital now and will be back around 7 tonight I think.

==========================================================================
Back from the hospital, it's around 8:30 here. She was doing well all day, a little restless to come home. I think she tired herself out. She had a little pain so they gave her medicine for that and she took her nausea medication, had very little soup. Still it's better than the alternative.

She is eager to come home because in the hospital she gets no rest. They wake her up every 4 hours for vitals and such, so it's a little disorienting.

Will update you all on what the family meeting consists of tomorrow.