So Hubby did indeed make it home (though late). We spent a good deal of yesterday cleaning and organizing but we still have a lot to do. With the chaos our life has been for the past several months cleaning (other than the basics) has been a very low priority. CT scan revealed that the mass in her shoulder is non-homogenous, there is definitely infection and the other parts could be abscess, live tumor and/or dead tumor cells. Plan is to do a CT-guided needle biopsy of all the different masses today. She should also get her stomach tube. The battles raging in her body have taken a toll on her in many ways. Probably the most difficult one right now is that she is easily confused and agitated and has no short-term memory. We have to explain to her multiple times where she is and why she's there and what is happening. They put her on oxygen last night (she has developed apnea and shallow breathing due in large part to the meds) and you could see it was really helping her but she kept wanting to take the cannula off. Hubby is at the hospital now hoping to catch up with the oncologist. I suspect he's going to be gone all day. We're still nowhere near ready. Adding to the stress, we came home some time after 11 pm (having spent the evening at the hospital) to discover the newly-vacuumed living room full of garbage and three very dirty and guily chihuahuas. My fault - I had left the (nearly full) garbage can where they could get at it. With a ham bone and other tasties in there it was just too tempting. So we spent our evening scrubbing floors and puppies. At least we hadn't shampooed the carpet yet.

Thank you, everyone, for all the kind thoughts, prayer and support and emails. I am sorry for not getting back sooner. It has been a long week, but my mom is settling down just a little bit but so very unhappy to be where she is. As it stands now, she will be going into assisted living right here in my town. It didn't take long for my sister and I to realize that it would not be wise to try and take her to my sisters home. Like jannie's DH, my mom doesn't think there is anything wrong enough to warrant medication, etc. Yesterday they tweaked her anxiety meds just a little bit. This could explain why she was a little better today. I think she only cussed a half dozen times and wished the place would burn down only once or twice. I have to smile just a little bit because there is a smidgen of humor to her behavior. I'm hoping the weekend will go as smoothly as today did because at the moment she believes she is going home next week. The staff tried to talk with her about going into assisted living but she wouldn't hear about it. Next week, making the move to AL is going to be the worst for her, I think. The AL administrator asked that we not visit for 5 to 7 days. That is going to be hard on all of us and I'm not sure that's the right thing to do. How do we know what kind of care my mother will get? Yes, this is in my town and I do know people that have been in there but we have no firsthand experiences. In the long run, I just hope that she will find some kind of joy in life again and maybe even make some friends in there.

Kathy....GREAT NEWS!!! I'm so happy for you and your Mom. I hope and pray you get a good result from the blood and PET scans. If I could , I would do a cartwheel with you, but I've always been a klutz. Love, Dottie

Oh Nancy...my heart aches for your mom & you & yours. It is such a battle but with all of your love, encouragement and attention for her, the Drs' wisdom & meds to ease her pain and your mom's optimism..it's through all of our prayers that she find healing & comfort!