Hi everyone, it's been a while since I posted. Joan started proton therapy outside of Chicago at the beginning of December. it is an hour drive there and back and the time it takes for the therapy. right after she started therapy, someone hit her car while exiting a parking lot, and the insurance co. totaled it. we had a week to find her another one before the rental ran out. so her unlce and I looked here in STL for her. we found one and Joan and her cousin drove to Bloomington from Chicago and we met them to deliver the car. I had not seen her since October and she looked great. Very healthy. she is trying so hard to eat whole foods. her sunny sprit and personality had returned. it was great to see her again. She brought us the book she recieved from the cancer center and explained about her visits and the team she works with. they seem to treat her well emotionally and physically. She just left today from being in STL for a few days for Christmas. Her Aunts/Uncles and Cousins decided to adopt her as their Christmas family in need. They gave her a lot of cash to help with medical bills and gas for treatment visits. God Bless them all. So we are hoping for a better 2012. she has had 15 treatments and 16 more to go. she is just now experiencing difficulty swallowing at times and uses small dosages of ibuprofen. she has red area on her chest that looks like sunburn. and of course she still enjoys sleeping in. She had a great Christmas, with family and firends. Will update you all later. thanks, Joan's mom
Thanks for the update Joan's mom! Glad to hear Joan's spirit is up. She will need to keep strong for the remaining weeks of treatment... The chest 'sunburn" and difficulty swallowing are no fun and will probably get worse :-( Hopefully the treatment does its job and destroys the nasty cells! Keep us posted!
Good luck with the treatment and great to see the family knitting together in support.