The cancer started a year ago. A stage 4 mucoepidermoid carcinoma in her left parotid gland. She underwent surgery, a complete parotidectomy and neck disection to remove several lymph nodes to which the cancer had spread. Her surgery also included severing the facial nerve causing paralysis of the left side of her face, and grafting a nerve harvested from her shoulder into it’s place. She went through radiation and chemotherapy, she suffered through all of the usual side effects, sores on her mouth and tongue, vomiting and extreme weight loss.
From May until late July she was happy and healthy. She laughed, she played, she was self sufficient, taking herself to all her appointments and even going grocery shopping. She learned to bake bread and made some wonderful pizzas, cinnamon rolls, and challah.
In August after being sent to the emergency room for high fevers (up to 105F). There was much speculation as to the cause of the fevers, everything from the flu to mono to lupus. The whole time we knew, though never said aloud, that it might be her cancer recurring. After several days in the hospital she was given a PET/CT scan and would be sent home with several newly discovered malignancies. In her right parotid gland, a lesser salivary gland in her left cheek and some lymph nodes near her heart. Again she would undergo chemotherapy and the tumors in her parotid glands showed signs of remission.
It’s only been a few days she was given her terminal diagnoses. She was originally admitted to the hospital after her body became so weak that she was unable to stand up under her own power. Another PET/CT scan showed that her cancer had spread wildly in the last two months, to several more lymph nodes in her chest, to her stomach and on to her liver. There is nothing more that can be done.
