The News; The Journey; First Stop Denver

This week has felt like a year.  So much has happened.  Mom had several tests this week, from a CT scan to an Endoscopy and then minor surgery.  She has a diagnosis now.  Stage IV Stomach and Esophageal Cancer.  The cancer in her stomach is pushing against her esophagus and restricting the flow into her stomach.  A normal opening is 1-2 cm, and hers is at 6 mm.  This explains why it has been so difficult for her to eat for months.  So on Thursday she went in to have a stint placed in her esophagus.  This should make it easier for food and water to get through.

Her Dr. explained the cancer as a weed.  The source is in her stomach and all the other cancer that has spread and the other tumors are just weeds from the source.  All I could think about is a weed we had while we were in Utah, the Morning Glory.  It had one source but would spread and spread prolifically.  This image makes me ache for my sweet Mom and the fight her body has been going through for months.

Mom just after the procedure to put her stint in, sleeping peacefully.

The good news is her journey towards fighting this cancerous beast begins this week.  Dr. Gilcrease talked about this as a trip.  A journey say to Paris.  I wish she could just take the Concord to Paris, one straight shot and then Cancer will be eradicated from Mom's body and our lives forever.  However this journey doesn't work that way.  We have to look at it in segments.  This journey has many destinations a long the way.  Her first destination is getting nutrition and helping improve her quality of life which means fighting with Chemotherapy. My Dad broke it down for us visually when he said, "We have to get to Denver first."  So this first leg of her journey has begun and we are going to make it to Denver.