Mom Home From Rehab 2016

Mom is home from rehab. She's moving too so her wonderful friends are over helping her pack up.

Mom in rehab 7/9

Bob hanging out with her in rehab 7/12

Girls helping her pack up 7/15

Mom in Rehab 2016

My mother was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in August 2013, the same kind of cancer my dad had. It was Stage I or II because it was contained in the kidney, She had surgery to remove the kidney in October 2013. She got a specialist oncologist at Hackensack hospital. She had normal follow-up scans in June 2014. In January 2015 CT-scans showed that her cancer had returned.

Spoiling the kids with plantain chips and cookies in rehab

She tried several treatments: #1- In February 2015, sunitinib malate (Sutent). She had bad side effects and it didn't do much. #2- In mid-June, she did a Phase II study of axitinib (Inlyta) + Dalantercept (or the placebo for Dalantercept). She had really bad side effects from the treatment. Her August scans showed a cancer increase. #3- In September, they put her on a IV drug combo of temsirolimus (Torisel) and bevacizumab (Avastin). She had mild side effects compared to her reactions to the other drugs. Her November scan showed no progression and some shrinking of the tumors.

In mid-March 2016 her scans returned that the bigger tumor on her side had grown though the other little ones hadn't. Doctor suggested she try something else. A week later she went on Drug #4- nivolumab (Opdivo). Nivolumab is a type of immunotherapy, which stimulates the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. Nivolumab blocks a signal that cancer sends to prevent your body's activated T-cells from attacking the cancer. It's purpose is to stop the cancer from blocking your immune system.

In June scan showed a lot of growth so she was changed to a combo drug #5- Lenvatinib (Lenvima), which targets VEGF,  combined with everolimus (Afinitor), which targets mTOR. (As I explained in an earlier post, VEGF is a protein which helps cancer grow blood vessels, and MTOR is a protein that makes cells divide and grow.)

On Sunday, June 24, she checked into the emergency room with stomach pain. The doctors in consultation with her doctor decided she had an infection, treated the infection, and tried to figure out what it was. Though she got over the infection they didn't know what it was nor did they solve the issue of her pain directly, instead opting to put her on more pain medication. With Zelmy's assistance, she moved to a rehab on Thursday. Rehab is going well, and hopefully she's getting out next week.

With Zelmy who is awesome.

Dad Progressing in Rehab 2010

October 24, 2010:

Dad took a walk outside and enjoyed the sun

Dad and Mom

Dad Back in Rehab 2010

Dad finally moved to rehab yesterday, now that the doctors are comfortable that his kidney is back to functioning well on its own. Dad was transferred to a different facility than before, because his on-going leg pain in his right leg prevents him from returning to aggressive rehab.

He no longer needs speech therapy because his ability to speak has now fully returned thanks to the second brain surgery. Though as result of that surgery, his hairdo is still very punk. He started being able to read on his own again about two days ago. And now he can sit up for an hour or two which he couldn't do in rehab before. He still can't walk much or without assistance. He worked on his left leg today, and will be working on upper body strength.

Because his kidney is working again he can also metabolize the kidney cancer drug Sutent. The lower dose had no effect and his tumors got larger. He will start on a higher dose today or tomorrow, and hopefully that will take effect.

Mom continues to be a superhero and helps care for dad 12 hours a day every day. That's a more rigorous schedule than even Big Law attorneys have.

Dad in Rehab 2010

We took dad to rehab on Saturday, and he's making some progress speaking.