First post – looking for encouragement
- This topic has 2 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 3 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Dear Tracy,
I’m very sorry to hear your sister’s diagnosis, but very glad you found us. I have two sisters and am so fortunate to have them in my life. I agree with your opinion of the doctors and diagnosis. My mother was told a year in Oct 2013 and she is still with us and feeling great. Last week she had a mammogram. Normally, not a source of celebration but early on her ONC told her not to bother since CC would kill her first. They also put her back on routine vitamins. And, she is not the only one you will hear of on this board who are having good success. It’s a lousy disease, but there is hope.
I wish you sister good results from the chemo.
Take care,
CatherineDear Tracy, welcome to the best place to be for CC support and to our wonderful family. I am so sorry to read about your Sister. One of the key points in being treated for CC is the ONC and the Hospital. It can be the best hospital in the world but if they are not experienced with CC which is so rare one needs to get another opinion. We are big believers in 2nd and 3rd opinions. We don’t like to hear “nothing we can do”. We also do not listen to time frames. My husband was told a year and that year became 5. I believe it is human nature to want to live as long as you can given a dire diagnosis. Every day counts and each day new memories are made. I know how you feel, we have all been there but you need to try to be very strong so your Sister can draw on your strength. My suggestion for now is to find out how experienced this hospital is with CC and to get a 2nd opinion. We have had so many diagnosis turn around because of another opinion. My husband got his strength and will to live because of the strength we showed him and he drew on that strength. Please keep us updated on the chemo progress and please consider a second opinion. Cleveland Clinic is one of the best in Ohio and we have had many patients do well with their care.
Hi everyone. I am so glad to have found this support group as this cancer is so rare and until now, I had trouble finding out much about it, let alone a place for support. For the past 4 years my sister has had elevated liver enzymes off and on. I cannot remember what her doctor told her was the problem, some condition I have never heard of. Recently, she started having pain all through her ribs and back and it hurt her to breath. Then the intense itching started. She had an ultrasound and they found something they “didn’t like.” The MRI showed a mass. Originally she was under the impression that it was the size of a quarter so we were hopeful it would be operable, but no, it was determined to be the size of a grapefruit and not operable at this time. It is stage 4. She began chemo a couple of weeks ago and after two months they will check again to see if the tumor has shrunk at all. I am so terrified. One minute she’s fine and next minute she is diagnosed with some cancer I didn’t even know existed. My sister is my best friend and she has really taken care of me over the years, especially during my time of crisis. She and my husband, along with my parents, are my guardian angels and I cannot even fathom life without her. It would make absolutely no sense in a world without her. She has always been a busy person, working a lot, raising her kids. Now she can barely get out of bed. One of her kids has cerebral palsy and he needs her so badly. He already lost his dad. My sister is only 45 and they said if treatment didn’t work, prognosis was a year. I hate how they give a prognosis. To me it seems like it might cause the person with the cancer to be even more terrified and depressed. I have been reading all of your stories for encouragement, as I feel hopeless and don’t know where else to turn. She is lucky in that she is under a specialist at the James Cancer Research Hospital so I know she is in excellent hands, so this gives me some comfort.
- The forum ‘Introductions!’ is closed to new topics and replies.