Friends of Linda

2010-06-22T09:57:00.001-04:00

Dear Family and Friends,
To keep you up to date on my health condition, I created a CaringBridge website. You can follow my progress and show your support.
Visit my website in two easy ways: 1. Visit my CaringBridge website by clicking the link below. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lindasauls 2. Enter my website name, lindasauls, at www.CaringBridge.org.
Show your support• Visit and keep up to date.• Leave a message in my guestbook.• Receive e-mail notifications when my journal is updated.
Thank you.
Linda

2009-11-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

Jay's 6th Bday--10-16-09

Round 1 Down!! 2 to go!!!

2009-11-05T09:12:00.002-05:00

Mom had her 1st round of the new chemo on Weds Oct 21st. To say "it made her sick" would be an understatement...It hit her HARD!! The nausea was the worst...unable to eat and barely drink, she went twice to recieve fluids at the CMH Infusion center...By the thrid or fourth day she was able to eat/ drink a very little. Now, two weeks later, she does not have good or bad days, but rather good and bad times throughout the day. Mom's hope is that the intense side effects are an indication of how intensely the chemo is working to fight her cancer! Her 2nd treatment will be on Weds Nov. 11th...pray pray pray!

2009-10-16T20:33:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends & Family-- As many of you know mom had a PET Scan last Monday...On Weds she recieved the results and it appears she has a lesion (recurrence) on her liver. She will be resuming chemotherapy next Weds 10/21. One of the chemo drugs is Gemcitibine (which she has had before) the other is Cisplatin (sp?)...For this chemo she will need to have a port put in which she will have done this Monday...She will be recieving her chemo every 3 weeks for 9 weeks...At that time it will be determined if the lesion can be removed with a procedure called "Gamma Knife"..(radiosurgery)...The Dr.s feel it is best to do 3 rounds of chemo first to treat whatever cancer cells may be in her system before more lesions form...Doing the Gamma Knife now could possibly cause damge to the tissues preventing further treatments to the liver.

So, the battle continues.....Keep the Faith...& Keep Up The Prayers! I will continue to update more frequently as mom goes through treatments...Love-Sondra

Great News!

2009-07-15T15:31:00.003-04:00

Pet Scan results are in and mom is CANCER FREE! This is such wonderful news....she will continue with her chemo treatments as well as visits with her oncologists in Baltimore and Calvert. Mom has had an eventful summer so far....As many of you know, our family and friends participated in the Calvert County Relay for Life on Fri June 19th...the night was one I think we will never forget...and sure to be an annual event! Thank you to everyone who contributed to our team...Friends of Linda raised $9,949.oo !!! Hooray! The next week, my Aunt Donna & Uncle Pete visited from Florida...it is always a great time when the 3 sisters are together...( A.Bonny, A.Donna, & mom)...Lots of Laughs!! Our family just returned from our annual trip to Bethany Beach....Fireworks, Crabcakes, boardwalks, sun, mini golf, icecream, funnel cake....it was a blast!! DANG!! Mom and Dad stayed for half of the week then back home for Chemo and PETScan...she will have another one again in 3 mos....please keep our family ( and all families of those battling cancer) in your prayers! Love-Sondra

Update on Linda

2009-05-27T19:44:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone~ Just a quick note to update you on my mom....Mom spent a very long day "at work"...Oncologist appt at UMMC 9:45 am...Chemo administered 3-3:30...Home 5:30pm...What a day! At this time she will start receiving chemo every other Weds. This has to do with the way her body is metabolizing the chemo drug...Because her blood counts were not coming up after a week, it made more sense to the Dr. to give her a week in between....The Dr explained to us that this should not be discouraging, as everyone metabolizes chemo at a different rate...She is scheduled to have chemo again on June 10th & June 24th...she will also have a CAT/PET Scan end of June or beginning of July...Mom had a very busy weekend as well...Our Relay Team held a Yard Sale on Saturday and raised another $850 towards the Friends of Linda Relay Team...On Monday (Memorial Day) the family went Bowling! Mom would have had more Strikes, but "she got ROBBED!" Keep up the PRAYERS! Luv~Sas

2009-05-07T13:46:00.002-04:00

Has it really been that long since my last post? I know so many of you are still following the blog and I will make every attempt to not let so much time lapse in between posts...Mom is doing well...she is on her 1st of 3 rounds of chemo...(3 wks on...1 wk off)...She had to start over after her blood counts were too low last month and they gave her a Nuelasta Shot ( I'm sure that is not spelled correctly). This brought her counts up enough to have treatment last Weds ( 4/29). Unfortunately, this Weds...5/6....her counts were low again and she is neutropenic...continuing to give a neulasta shot is not in her best interest, so they will continue with the same treatment plan ...give her this week off, and hope the counts are back up for trtmnt #3 next Weds....There is nothing she can do, or eat to cause the counts to go up...just has to happen naturally....
I have joked with my mom many times that fighting this illness is her "full-time" job....it seems that is now the reality....After 20 years of service, she resigned 2 weeks ago from her position with Eye Associates. The Doctor's and her co-workers have been so supportive of her and our family over the years and especially the past 6 months. In her honor, a dinner was held and she was presented with a donation to our Relay For Life Team: Friends of Linda...we can't thank you enough! Keep up the prayers! ( Specifically that mom can get her chemo next week!) ~Sondra

Great News Today

2009-04-01T21:50:00.003-04:00

PET Scan results are in....and it was negative for Cancer...YAY! The radiation & chemo are working! What a relief! This is the best news we have had in a long time!!! Mom started her chemo today! Keep up the prayers!! ~Sondra

THANK YOU!!

2009-03-31T20:25:00.002-04:00

A great big thank you to all our friends and family who came out to the Greene Turtle last Tues to raise $ for our Relay Team....Friends of Linda! It was such an exciting day! Mom looked BEAUTIFUL! She enjoyed visiting with all of you during lunch and again at dinner...We were completely overwhelmed by the turnout and generosity of everyone...your efforts raised $1000 from our raffle tix, socks, etc and an additional $670.00 from the Greene Turtle! We are so GRATEFUL!
Mom was back at UMMC today for a PET Scan...she should have results next week....please pray for good news! ~sas

Radiation Over!!!!

2009-03-14T16:09:00.002-04:00

PHEW!!!! 5 1/2 weeks....28 treatments...mom is finally finished with Radiation!! YAY! The Dr's explained that radiation is a "Cumulative" treatment so it will still be in her system for about a week, and it may take a while for her to feel herself, still she is very relieved to be finished with it and the oral chemo...YUCK! A PET/CAT scan is scheduled for March 31st...and her first round of chemo begins the next day April 1st...Mom is looking forward to a few weeks off...Our relay team is holding a fundraiser at the Prince Frederick Greene Turtle on Tues, March 24th ...they donate a portion of the days sales to our team...we hope to see you there!! Thank you to everyone who sent mom cards, care packages, emails, etc. during her stay at Hope Lodge..they truly lifted her spirits! Luv-sas

Hope Lodge Address

2009-02-22T19:48:00.006-05:00

I apologize: I made a typo on the address: the correct address to Hope Lodge is:

American Cancer Society
Hope Lodge Baltimore
636 W Lexington Street
Linda Sauls RM: 201
Baltimore, MD 21201

2009-02-06T09:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Family & Friends--- I got home a couple of hours ago from my stay with mom at Hope Lodge...If you're wondering what it's like there, I will quote Heather and say "this place is depressing and funny all at the same time"....that is so true.....So many people from so many different walks of life...each with a common goal...to get HEALTHY! I keep telling my mom "you have a full time job ,,,,and that is to do whatever you have to do to get better"...I think she is in the best place...being at Hope Lodge...everyone has been very nice and it is comforting to know that she is just a couple of blocks away from the hospital if she needed to get there....still, it is not home...and I miss her ...but, I know it is temporary...and she's home on weekends!!!

She has been handling the treatments fairly well....she is still getting pains in her lower abdomen which the doctor's are saying is healing from the surgery....her legs and back are also beginning to ache, which she thinks is from the oral chemo....she had her treatments at 1:30pm this week...so, she left for the hospital at 1pm and was back by 3PM...after the treatments she was very tired and rested for a couple of hours....they do have a library with a few computers, so, when she feels up to it she does get online....please keep sending her emails ...she looks forward to reading them....Also, she can get mail !!!...she has her own little mailbox....I'm sure she'd love to hear from you....the address is as follows:

American Cancer Society
Hope Lodge Baltimore
Linda Sauls Room: 201
Baltimore, MD 21201 Keep up the prayers!! Love-sas

Calvert County Relay for Life

2009-01-27T19:00:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to announce that our family & friends have formed a relay team to support the American Cancer Society. For more info, please visit www.calvertcountyrelayforlife.com or www.calvertcountyrelayforlife.org . Our team name is Friends of Linda. We invite anyone interested to register for our team or make a donation to a member of the team. We appreciate all the support you have shown...please help us in this fight against cancer. (My mom is looking forward to participating on June 19th. ) Hope you can join us! Love-Sondra & family

1st round of Chemo Completed

2009-01-25T19:51:00.003-05:00

Mom has finished her 1st round of chemo....thankfully, she made it through with little side effects. Because her blood count was low, she actually skipped her last infusion on Weds. This is considered a good thing as it indicates the chemo is attacking the cells and having a positive response. She has this week off, then will begin her 5 wks of radiation w/oral chemo next Mon Feb 2nd....She will spend the weekdays @ Hope Lodge and home for the weekends....not sure exactly what to expect with the radiation...there is a wide range of side effects...I will continue to update in the coming weeks, please continue to pray...Love-sondra

Chemo Update

2009-01-12T10:17:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to update to let you know that mom had her first chemo treatment on Weds 1/7... She is doing well....Being her first time, there was a bit of anxiety...you read so many different side effects, but don't know how it will affect each individual. She did have "flu like" symptoms on Friday...after having a fever for several hours, she went to the hospital that evening. Blood tests were done and infection was ruled out... Her fever actually broke at the hospital and she was sent home...Sleeping is very difficult for her... Still recovering from the surgery and now going through chemo makes it hard to get a "good nights sleep." She will have chemo again this Weds. Keep praying! Love-sondra

Date Change

2009-01-04T09:20:00.001-05:00

FYI-- Mom's chemo treatments will be on Weds 1/7, 1/14 and 1/21....

Treatment Plan

2008-12-29T09:41:00.003-05:00

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! Our family shared a wonderful holiday together. Mom continues to heal and take it easy. Just before Christmas we met with the team of Oncologists at UMMC. She is scheduled to start Chemo next Monday, Jan.5th. This will be in IV form, chemo drug is Gemcitibine. She will go 3 Mondays...1/5, 1/12, & 1/19...take off on 1/26 then start 28 days of Radiation. The Radiation is called IMRT, she will also be taking an oral form of chemo (5-FU) during that time. Radiation will be daily M-F, for this reason we are looking into having her stay in Baltimore at the Hospital's "Hope Lodge"...they house patients who live over 40 miles away while they are recieving treatment. A family member will also be staying overnight with her and she will come home on the weekends. After 28 days of radiation she will do 3-cycles of chemo....Once a week for three weeks w/ 4th week off X 3. This should take her into late May/Early June. Then, SHE'S DONE!!! Just in time for SUMMER! Mom has a long journey ahead of her...no doubt these next 5 months will be full of ups and downs... Your love, support and prayers guide us through! Happy New Year! Luv-sas

BIG DAY!!!

2008-12-19T20:52:00.002-05:00

Well, it has been a few days since my last post. Mom continues to heal ( slowly but surely). She is eating ( mostly chicken and rice)...must stay on a low-fat diet. Mornings continue to be her"best time". So, this morning instead of walking around the house we ventured out....Where did we go you ask? Where else?....WALMART! Mom lasted about an hour...which was just enough time to fill my VW bug with our bags. Then back home for some pain pills! She had lunch and pretty much rested for the rest of the day. She had some concerns about the way her incision looked, but spoke with the Dr. and was reassured that everything is normal. I will update again after our meeting Tues with the Oncology Team! Have a nice weekend! ~sas

Welcome Home, Momma!

2008-12-14T23:01:00.003-05:00

Mom returned home Sunday, late afternoon. While this news is exciting, her body is still recovering. She has only been eating solid foods for a day and a half and her digestive system is causing much discomfort. Hopefully, each day will bring more healing. Continue to PRAY! Luv-sas

Pathology Reports are in...

2008-12-13T19:36:00.002-05:00

Result were not as positive as we had hoped.... Pathology reports show the Cancer is StageIIB...T3-N1... In laymans terms, this means the cancer was not confined to the pancreatic tumor, but was also found in 8 of the 23 lymphnodes tested. Mom will meet with a team of Treatment Specialists to develop a plan for radiation and chemo, on Tues. Dec.23rd.....Treatment will start approx. 6-8 wks post surgery. On a positive note, her recovery is going well. She feels better everyday and it looks as though she could be home as early as Monday. Please continue to keep her in your prayers! Love- Our family!!!

Big Day!!

2008-12-12T11:39:00.003-05:00

Very Exciting Day! Mom is allowed to start drinking liquids today....and jello too! The doctors will then monitor to make sure everything is functioning properly as far as digestion.....more updates to follow!~sas

Recovery Update #2

2008-12-11T08:46:00.002-05:00

Thursday 12/11/08--8:45 AM--- As with any recovery, mom's has been up and down over the past 36 hours...Tues night into Weds she was running a fever.... attributed to fluid in her lungs..not an infection, but she has "upped" her walking and breathing exercises and fever has been down for 24 hrs. She has tried to have longer intervals between the "pain pump" as it makes her too "groggy" to walk, which causes her to be a bit more uncomfortable. She has had much more nausea over the past 12 hours, and back pain. Taking medication which seems to help with that. She is VERY sensitive to any smells, so if you are considering sending flowers, it would be appreciated if you waited until she is home. She is spending her time here in the hospital getting as much rest as possible so that she will be up for visitors when she returns home, sometime next week. Again, we are all so grateful for your love & prayers~Sondra

Recovery Update

2008-12-09T23:58:00.002-05:00

My mom is doing very well....She was moved out of recovery to a private room at 9:ooPM (Tues)...It is much quieter in this room and a family member is able to stay with her overnight. All of her vitals are normal... she is off of the heart monitor and oxygen, which is a sign of how well she is doing. She took a good walk this afternoon around the recovery room and has been out of bed and in the recliner twice. She has a breathing tool ( not sure of the medical term) which she must inhale from 10 times an hour. She is only able to have swabs of water to moisten her mouth. She is using these frequently. She pushes her own pain pump which she is permitted to do every 8 mins. She is still "groggy" so we sometimes remind her to push it so the meds don't wear off. My mom amazes me with the strength and determination she has shown just 24 hrs post op. She is fully committed to doing her "exercises" and whatever it takes to ensure a full recovery! LOVE HER!~sas P.S- will update again asap...

SURGERY A SUCCESS!!

2008-12-08T20:00:00.000-05:00

7:15 PM.....Dr.Alexander just came out from surgery ... He gave us very positive news... Surgery went as well as can be expected...He said success stories with this cancer begin with a surgery like hers..She did amazing! From what he could see the tumor was contained deep in the pancreas ( this is good!)... Pathology reports will show more and will be back within a week. She is still in recovery. Dad and A.Bonny just went back to see her. Heather and I will be able to see her at 10PM. She will spend most of the night in recovery then to an intermediate room (ICU) tomorrow ( still just two family members every 2 hrs). She will be in a private room possibly Thurs. Please continue to pray for our family and especially for mom's healing and recovery...your prayers, love, and support mean everything to us! ~ Love- Sas, Heather & Dusty

Surgery Update

2008-12-08T17:20:00.000-05:00

Surgery began at 2pm...Update at 5pm to tell us that tumor had been removed and everything is going smoothly. Approximately 2 hours of surgery to go.~sas

Monday 8:15 AM

2008-12-08T08:17:00.000-05:00

Surgery is a "GO"....to start around 1Pm...lasting approx 5 hours....PRAY HARD!! ~Sas

Sunday's Update

2008-12-07T14:47:00.000-05:00

My mom was admitted to UMMC today..( a day early)...She had been experiencing pain over the weekend and began running a fever last night. After speaking with Dr.Alexander this morning, he felt it may be an infection in the bile duct ( from the stint) and wanted to admit her for IV antibiotics. As of now ( 2:30 pm Sunday), we are not sure what this means for the surgery tomorrow. I will keep youu posted~ Sondra

Surgery Scheduled

2008-11-26T08:06:00.001-05:00

Well, I think reality set in yesterday as my mom, dad and I made our way through the doors of the cancer center at Univ of Md Med Ctr in Baltimore. We were there to meet, for the first time, Dr.H.Richard Alexander, the surgeon who will perform the surgery. The meeting went very well. My mom expressed how comfortable she was with him and we all agreed his expertise in the field and experience with the Whipple Surgery is reassuring. He confirmed what we had been told by Dr. Darwin, the adenocarcenoma of the pancreas is about an inch in size and does not appear to be anywhere else. He expressed how important a role surgery plays in fighting this disease and re-emphasized the advances in technology over the past few years and how that relates to patients currently undergoing this surgery. Basically, we count our blessings that surgery is possible! She must drink 2-3 Ensures a day to build up her blood protein level to be physically prepared. The surgery is extensive. She will be there for 7-10 days. The first 2 days being in an "Intermediate room"....( no overnight visitors) then to a regular room...We will meet on Friday Dec.5th for the pre-op where more questions will be answered about the recovery ...Surgery on Mon December8th....NOON. Have a Happy Thanksgiving....Keep praying~ L-sas

Welcome to Linda's Blog

2008-11-25T20:34:00.000-05:00

This is a blog for my mom. As many of you are already aware, my mom (Linda) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Thursday, November 20, 2008. This came as a shock to our entire family. I will be posting often to keep everyone up to date on her progress as we face this challenge together. Our family has already been touched by the overwhelming amount of love and support you have shown. Please keep the prayers coming! ~Sondra