jennifers
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Andrea – your Dad IS amazing, and so are you. He’s lucky to have you on his side. Thank God he’s in no pain, and still doing well. I will keep praying that it continues this way for you all!!
Thinking of you and your precious Dad!!
Jen
I know CC isn’t hereditary, but I started to have panic attacks when I started having pain under my right ribs that wouldn’t go away. For over a month (just recently) I was completely convinced I had cancer. I had my doctor do blood tests, ultrasounds and X-rays, and then finally ended up having a CT scan. I’m fine, but the paranoia completely took over. I started physiotherapy on my back and hip (that have been bothering me since having my daughter), and the pain has completely gone away – it was all connected to the pain in my back
I have high blood pressure (since pregnancy) that won’t go away and I’m on meds for it. I have started doing anything and everything I can to make sure I get a handle on it so I will be around to watch Katelyn (and future children) grow up. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned from CC, as far as my own health is concerned, is that I will NEVER ignore little pains that I think “could” be something, because I don’t want to bother my doctor. I may drive him crazy, but I will not hesitate to see him if I think something is wrong. I totally understand where you are coming from – I will do anything in my power to ensure I’m as healthy as possible to be around as long as possible….
Jen
Oh Andrea, I’m so sorry you are having to deal with this. I really hope he will change his mind and allow for the tube change – it will help him feel better, and in all reality, will help keep him healthy longer! The risk of infection and so many other things will increase if he keeps a tube in that needs changing. Dad’s has always been a day case as well… in and out in a few hours, with no pain.
I hope a chat with the doctors will help your parents realize that it’s something that needs to be done. Thinking about you today… good luck with convincing him. So thankful he’s still not in any pain!!
Jen
Elmoks – I’m sorry your Mom is having a hard time. I can’t be any help in regards to the fluid, since Dad hasn’t had that issue yet. I’m sure the tattoo will turn out amazing, but I’m not sure about the ribbon….
I’m planning a tattoo for Dad as well, but don’t plan to get it any time soon. Dad has always loved birds, so my brother and I plan to each get one of the cholangio tree with a bird flying above it (free from the cancer, so to speak). It will definitely be a “memorial” tattoo, and one I hopefully won’t be getting ANY time soon. It will be my one and only tattoo.
I really have no advice to give you, I just wanted to say welcome and tell you that I SO admire your strength. Good for you for getting educated and researching – it’s definitely going to be needed for your fight against this cancer! I am sorry you lost your mother, and hope that you win the battle with your Dad… my own Dad was diagnosed almost a year ago, and although the Cisplatin and Gemcitibine have maybe helped slow the cancer down, it has not stopped it from progressing. Everyone reacts so differently to treatment, so saying it didn’t stop or shrink his tumours certainly doesn’t mean it wouldn’t for your Dad…
Thinking of you and your family….
Jen
Yes, I know Cassandra and her siblings – sweet girl, but it’s been years since I’ve seen her (since she moved to Revelstoke, in fact)! I hear she’s doing well though, which is wonderful to hear.
Your husband and I share a birthday! It really IS too bad that you don’t have a family day… we have always made sure to spend it the way it was meant to be spent (with family, and not just as another day off), and have made many wonderful memories over the yearsJen
Hi Nancy –
We DID get the bench done… we haven’t been yet since there is so much snow, but have decided to get out there for Family Day. His idea, since we have spent family day in Kananaskis every year since we were kids… also, it’s over a month away, and a great goal for Dad to make AND meet. What will make it even more special is that February 24th is his 60th birthday, which is only a few days off… it will be amazing family time, for sure.
The family I had (ex’s family) are the Federico’s (Crystal and Lorenzo, specifically). Really wonderful people. I have lost touch with them, but that happens!
My little one is wonderful – brings joy to our lives every day. I’m sure you’ll get to experience the love of a grandchild soon… I am the same age as your first born!
I hope the next trip to Salmon Arm proves to be completely uneventful… it’s miserable here, snow drifts making it impossible to drive on many of even the main roads and SO cold… I hope it doesn’t last too long!Thinking of you and your family…
Jen
YAY!! So glad to hear your Dad is feeling better Andrea – that’s wonderful! Also glad to hear he’s eating well, even if it’s only a few different things. Mom is complaining of the weight she’s gained because she’s been cooking Dad food with higher fat content to keep his weight up, and she’s eating too much because he eats so little of it… ha ha.
I hope and pray he continues to feel well, and glad your Dad is proving the doctors WRONG in their decision to give him a time frame of 3-4 months.
Jen
Nancy… glad the drive went okay – I am in Calgary but know Revelstoke very well (I had family that lived / still live there) and I know the road to Salmon Arm can be terrifying… especially with all the snow right now! Highway 1 has been closed between here and Revelstoke several times in the last month, and heard the avalanche risk is crazy right now.
I am thinking of you and Doug and hope the chemo is successful for him!!
Jen
It seems so strange to me that they didn’t want it flushed, when the majority of people who have the drains do it daily! You should get them to show your Mom and Dad how to do it and maybe they could start handling that themselves? Maybe these things are handled differently here though, I suppose… it just seems strange!
I hope that if it comes to it, your Dad is willing to go in for the tube change… as others have said it seems to normally be a day procedure.
Jen
Oh man, I think I needed a good cry, and I just had one! Beautiful poems!!
Kimmie – I am sorry your sister is having such a hard time. I know it’s totally different, but I just put my tree up on the weekend, and have had a hard time getting into the spirit knowing it will probably be Dad’s last with us. I know I have been avoiding the season with that thought in my head, and have finally realized that as hard as it is, I need to celebrate the fact that he’s here at all, since we didn’t think he would be.
I imagine it’s much the same for you sister, only she’s avoiding the first one WITHOUT your Mom. I hope she can find some peace, and feel the Christmas spirit surround her in the days to come, but I can only imagine that it’s a normal part of grieving – a first Christmas without a loved one must be a difficult milestone to get through….
I am thinking of you and your sister, and hope Christmas brings smiles to everyone faces…
Jen
Hi Andrea,
I can’t add anything to your questions, but wanted to say that I hope you are feeling well again (the flu is sure horrible this year), and are able to visit with your Dad soon. I’m so glad he’s not in any pain – I know from reading so many posts that some people have a lot of pain and others have none at all. I hope this is the case for him.
Thinking about you and your family…
Jen
