Robin's Breast Cancer Blog

This collection of messages was written as we've been dealing with Robin's breast cancer for several reasons: (1) To keep our friends ("extended family") up-to-date. (2) To educate folks about "the cancer trip". (3) To help us absorb what was happening, and purge any negativity that might affect Robin. Robin must maintain a positive, hopeful attitude, but with realistic understanding. We follow the mantra, "One day at a time", and trust that God will make good come from difficulty.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Update on Robin---August 28th, 2010


We have waited all day in the hope that Robin would get to go home today, but alas, it was not meant to be. Apparently, the hospital could not get the necessary approval for the IV antibiotics over the weekend, so she will stay until tomorrow (Sunday), with the expectation that they can be delivered on Monday.

It turns out that the infection is a repeat of the bug that got her in July. She will have to get three weeks of IV antibiotics again, but this time, they are sending her home with her foley (catheter) so that her bladder will empty. With a little luck (and a lot of prayer), this combination will help her to avoid reinfection.

This has been a pretty big setback for Robin’s cancer treatment. They cannot start any new treatment until the antibiotics are finished. We are hopeful that we can reschedule all her scans and get them done before the antibiotics are done so that the treatments can begin ASAP. We are concerned that the study will be filled before Robin is at a point where she can join it. I guess there will be other options at that time, but it sounded so perfect for Robin. Maybe there is another plan?

I’ll try to update the blog again if/when Robin gets home.

Please keep Robin’s father (Hal) and mother (Johnnie) in your prayers. Robin’s Dad has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells (plasma cells) crucial to the immune system response. The disease causes bone lesions (damage), elevated Calcium levels, Renal (kidney) failure, and Anemia. In Hal’s case, the bone damage to his vertebrae is causing great pain, especially when he is upright. Multiple Myeloma is considered incurable. It is driving Robin crazy that she is not able to go to North Carolina to see her father. I identify with Robin’s mother, who is trying to take care of Hal, but I know that his advanced cancer and their advanced ages make her job much more difficult than mine. Thank God she has family to assist her. Please pray for them.

Once again, I will try to send another message when we get her home (TOMORROW???).

Please keep Robin in your thoughts and prayers.

                  --- Larry

posted by Larry Burns @ 9:10 PM