fuji,

I agree with DonnaJean. You must find out all you can about this disease and the treatment options available. Just because your mother hasn't responded yet doesn't mean she won't. There are other chemo regimens. But you will need to be her advocate and ask the doctors what else is available. There are biological agents being tested. Recently there have been good results with adding Paclitaxel to Cisplatin and 5FU. Your mother may not qualify for some of the treatments, but you need to at least discuss it with her doctors.

And never lose hope! If you have read any of my posts, you probably already know that about 6 weeks ago, we were told that my daughter would never make it home. We were told to be prepared for her to die in the hospital. Well, the tumors are shrinking and she will be coming home soon! Granted, she is not in remission, but she has had a miraculous turn-a-round so far. The doctors are amazed because they didn't expect the chemo to work at all. It just goes to show that the docs don't know everything. And it shows the power of knowledge. Not to toot my own horn, but I researched extensively, insisted on a consultation at Johns Hopkins, asked hundreds of questions, brought new treatment regimens to the doctors' attention, etc., etc. And Heather's surgeon just said the other day that it is important for me to continue to keep abreast of new developments. There is so much new information every week that it is hard for the docs to be aware of everything, so it is sometimes up to the patients and caregivers to bring new treatments to their attention.

I realize that with 2 young children you probably don't have a lot of free time, but try to become as involved as you can. I'm not saying that in your research you are going to find a miracle cure for your mom, but you can be a positive influence and possibly make a difference in the outcome. Good luck.

Rainbows & hugs,
Rosie