The First Week

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I'm writing this on Thursday, but things seem to have started a week ago.

Friday Sept 8

Mom hadn't been sleeping well. Mike & Mom went to the local clinic, met some doctors that Mom seems to be comfortable with.

Saturday Sept 9

Mike & Mom went to the new local clinic for chest x-ray. As Mom was complaining of lower pains, the doctors guessed at either a back sprain or intestinal congestion.

Sunday Sept 10

Mike, Cathy, John & Mom went to the N.Y.General for the abdominal cat-scan.  Mom was given laxatives (for the stools)

Monday Sept 11

Mike got a call from the hospital to say that they wanted another cat-scan, there was something suspicious in Mom's lungs.

Tuesday Sept 12


Wednesday Sept 13

Mike & Mom went back to N.Y.General for the chest cat-scan.

Thursday Sept 14

Mike and Mom went back to the clinic and were given the possibility of lung cancer. Mom continues with the medication for the back pain, just in case.

We've been introduced to our Nurse Navigator who is kind of a patient advocate. Zameera will guide us through making appointments, explaining treatments and arranging home care. She is also willing to help the family (us) with explainations, guidance and counselling.

Medications

Mom was prescribed
Naproxet 500mg as needed, max 2/day; recommend 1am & 1pm; with food & water
    for pain and/or inflamation
Baclofen 10mg 1@now, 1@bedtime, 1@Friday-aft.; may cause drowsiness
    muscle relaxant; may take several days to cut in

By Monday there will be a medical diary on the dining room table. In there we should record every medication that Mom gets. As the medical team gets more involved, they may want us to record more things, but for right now we can just record the meds.

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