amylea
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Thank you for all of your responses. It was so funny, today while we were at the dr we ran into another cancer patient who had recently been to the Cancer Treatment Center of American near Chicago. Mom asked her what her thoughts were. She said that they made her feel very “special,” in that they pampered her, but they weren’t able to help her cancer. She doesn’t have cc, but she has another rare form. I can’t remember the name, but it had to do with her bones. Her husband said that they felt like it was an assembly line. They feel like an actual person at the hospital we go to. Think that we should stick with what we have.
Thank you again for all of your honest responses. What would we do if we didn’t have each other to ask????
AmyHi everyone,
Thank you for all of your honest responses. I wish that there was a “miracle” cure out there where we could just snap our fingers and things be fixed. So many decisions…….
Amy
Thank you for all of the responses. I can always depend on your help!
Well, they sent Mom home this afternoon. I personally wish that they would have kept her one more day, but they wanted to get her out of the “germ house.” The dr said that she could get so many more germs at the hospital than at home. I have a terrible sore throat, and Maddy hasn’t been feeling great but he wasn’t too concerned about that.
Her stool culture (who would have ever thought that we would be talking about this?!?!?!) showed that it isn’t a bug, it is either an infection or from the xeloda. The only way to know if it is from the chemo is to see how she reacts next time… she isn’t too crazy about that idea. She was supposed to start again this next week, but the dr wants her to wait a little while. She will probably start back on March 17th.Marion, Moms fever does go down with meds and they gave her antibiotics.
Tess, I am sure that it is true the sooner you get things taken care of the less likely it is to turn into a huge problem.
Big hugs to everyone!
AmyKris,
You are such an inspiration. I KNOW that this isn’t easy for you, but you are so upbeat and postive. That makes such a difference in your recovery. I am proud of you.
Mom is on the exact same “cell poison” that you will start. Although she takes 3 xeloda 2 times a day for a total of 3000 mg a day. Xeloda sould also have a nurse call you every once in a while to check on you.
Good luck to you!! Big hugs!
AmyLisa, Mom is on oxaliplatin. Like everyone has said, her main side effect was the cold. She is also quite tired.
Sending lots of love your way,
Amyhopeandgrace, The first thing that I want to say about your post is, “thank you!” Mom and I have often talked about the fact that this disease will probably be what will take her life and it gives me comfort to think that I could possibly feel as you do when her journey here on earth comes to an end. I have been so frightened and at times angry about what Mom has to go through, and I know that I have to get a grasp on that. I can’t change what has happened, and spending time being upset about it doesn’t help any of us.
Going through this journey with mom has been such a growing experience for many of us in my family. Like you, I have been raised as a Christian, but after this journey my faith has changed. I know that there is more than our lives here on earth and know that Mom will go there, and I want to join her someday. Of course I hope that it is a long time before either one of us have to leave. I can see how at peace Mom is about her prognosis and that gives all of us so much peace and strength.
I have been touched by so many posts that I have read on this site, but I must say that yours REALLY touched my heart.
Sending lots of prayers and hugs to your family during this time. Thank you again.
Much love,
AmyHi everyone,
Just a short update… I asked the oncologist yesterday about if there is anything that I should watch out for if I get pregnant. She said that the chemo is quickly saturated into a body, and there is no harm possible to others. So, hopefully Mom will have a grandbaby sometime in the next year or so
.Amy
Hi
Went to the dr yesterday. Mom will start Oxaliplatin next week and also Xeloda, which she can do at home. She will then go in for Oxaliplatin every 3 weeks for 9 weeks. The dr said that the tumors didn’t grow, but they also didn’t shrink before, so please keep your fingers crossed. Today has been really hard for me, I feel sort of defeated. I feel selfish saying that, since I am not even the patient, I am just so sad. I am just so worried. I have to get a handle on this and be strong for Mom. Surgery is pretty much out of the option, since there are three different spots. They would have to break her breastbone to get to one of the lymph nodes, so Mom was totally against that idea. The dr also didn’t feel liky Cyber Knife would be beneficial since the lymph nodes are in different spots, so that meant that there are probably other spots which aren’t showing up yet. She said that chemo is the best route. She was positive about things though, saying that she treats cancer as a chronic illness, like any other illness that you have to treat with medication. I am trying to keep my spirits up.
Thanks for reading. Big hugs to everyone!
AmyHans and Kris,
I am so sorry to hear about your recent setback. I am sending you lots of prayers and positive thoughts. As everyone else has said, there are so many possible treatments out there. Please try and stay positive. We are all here for you. Big hugs to you.
AmyLainy, Another question… I am checking into CyberKnife for Mom. There is a location close to us. Is there a trick to getting insurance to pay for it? She is 67, so she is on Medicare. She also has a supplemental insurance. She hasn’t had to pay for much of anything yet. I read on the CyberKnife website that most insurances are accepted, but just wanted to check.
Thanks!
AmyHi everyone,
The dr. called yesterday and wants to start another round of chemo. She said that the spots had not shrunk any
. She said that they are so small that they are hard to measure, but she believes that they are the same size. The dr. doesn’t seem at all suprised by having to do more chemo, but we are disappointed. Of course we wanted her to say that they disappeared! Mom has been feeling so good since being off of chemo, so I guess at least she will be feeling good when she gets started again. Thank you for all of your prayers, and please keep them coming .Love, Amy
Lainy,
I am so glad to hear that Teddy is doing great!!!!!
I have a question about Cyber Knife; Mom has three lymph nodes which the pet scan shows cancerous. They are in different spots, but they run in a line. Would Cyber Knife be an appropriate procedure for something like that? She has had two months chemo and we are waiting on the results of the latest PET scan to show what the next step is. The surgeon said that he believes that he can remove them, but I am just wondering about Cyber Knife as a back up if the surgery isn’t possible? The hospital we go to doesn’t offer Cyber Knife, but there is a hospital close which does it. Mom’s oncologist didn’t seem too sure about it, but it sounds like it worked for Teddy!
Thanks!
AmyMy mom has mentioned quite a few times that she wonders if her sweet and low drinking has anything to do with her cc. She has drunk sweet and low in coffee and tea for years!!!!!!!!!
Barbara,
Waiting is the longest part, isn’t it? I am praying that you get good results on Monday.
Mom didn’t have her biopsy in her lungs. Hers was in the lymph nodes in the pera aorta area. They are treating her for three cancerous lymph nodes they have found. My mother-in-law who does have lung cancer had needly biopsy to her lungs. Sounds like there is discomfort no matter where they do it.
I hope that you are able to have a nice Thanksgiving. Big hugs to you.
Amy
