mlepp0416
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Kris: So sorry to hear about the ‘lesion’ on your liver. My husband Tom had lesions and his oncologist was not worried at all about the lesions because they were not tumors.
Tom was on Xleoda, pill form and tolerated it very well. He never had any reactions to it. After that he was on Gemzar and Cisplatin and also tolerated that very well. It wasn’t until he started on 5-FU that he experienced any reaction and that could be because he was already so worn down from the cancer itself and all the other issues he was dealing with, along with a large weight loss.
The radiation treatments actually were worse for him then the chemo.
He never ‘lost’ his hair, it only thinned out a bit. I thought it was rather funny that all he was worried about was loosing his hair from the chemo. I never realized that he was so vain and he said “I spent 63 years growing this hair and I’m kinda partial to it”….
Hope all goes well with your treatment and that you tolerate it as well as my Tom did.
Hugs,
MargaretI’m so sorry to hear about your dad’s passing. He is in peace now. Words cannot express. My heart goes out to your family.
Hugs,
MargaretHi Sti:
My husband Tom was always cold as well. He would run the gas fireplace all day in our 4 season room and I could barely stand to be in there with him as it was so hot! And in the car, he would blast the heater at full bore, and would sit there shivering while the sweat was running off me!
I know he was thin, with no body fat and that is probably why he was always so cold! I know that body fat insulates you somewhat from the cold. Is your wife a thin lady?
Buy her a heated blanket that she can turn off and have her cuddle under it. I would cover Tom at night with the heated blanket so he would stay warm.
Not sure why, but apparently people with cancer tend to always feel cold.
Hugs,
MargaretI think everyone has scananexity before a scan! My husband Tom never did, but I certainly did! After his re-occurance I was devastated but the fact that he made it another 2 years was awesome. We lived, laughed and loved and I would never give that up for anything!
Good luck on the scan and tons of love and support coming your dad’s way from Wisconsin!
Hugs,
MargartTom:
Tell Ben to continue to keep KICKIN’ THAT cancer! Everything sounds pretty good for him right now and I hope and pray that trend continues.
Hugs,
MargaretDear Les:
I’m so sorry to hear about your Sarah. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. My husband had ‘in home’ hospice for his last 3 days with a 4 day hospital stay just prior to that. He wanted to be at home when he passed. I do have to say that the hospice team was wonderful with him.
Hugs,
MargaretAwww Kerryn:
This is not what I anticipated at all. I was hoping for a better outcome. I feel your pain. I know that words cannot express or help what you are going through. I recently went through the same thing when my husband passed from CC.My thoughts and prayers and love are coming to you and your family!
Hugs,
MargaretPercy:
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and with your family.
Hugs,
MargaretDeb: I lost my husband just over 4 months ago and I know exactly where you are coming from. It’s hard to say the least. Your husband passed so quickly that I know it has to be hard for you. My husband was diagnosed at age 61 and passed at age 64. No matter what, a short time from diagnosis or a long time, it’s just plain hard.
You will carry on, for your children as they need you more now than anything.
Keep your husband alive in your heart and mind. He is now your angel in heaven watching over all of you.
Hugs,
MargaretLaddie,
My husband Tom was also 61 when he was diagnosed. He did go through a resection and 18 months later was diagnosed with a new tumor. His then oncologist told us there was nothing more they could do and gave him less than 6 months. We got 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinoins. Everyone agreed that with radiation and chemo he could have a chance. He went through radiation, then started on Xleoda (oral form)…the radiation basically killed that tumor. It was inoperable because of it’s location and it involved the hepatic artery. Later after another tumor (or so they thought) they put him on IV chemo with Gemzar and Cisplation. When another ctscan revealed that it was not a tumor (in the bladder region) they discontinued the chemo. Then later they discovered another tumor in the liver that was growing at an alarming rate. They started him on 5 – FU which is very similar to Xleoda, only in IV form. He did not tolerate this well at all. Tom passed away on 11/20/2011 after his kidneys started shutting down.
Doctors are only ‘practicing’ medicine and many do not know a lot about CC. The fact that one of his oncologist said that they was nothing more they could do and he had less than 6 months is a good indication to me that he did NOT know much about CC. Tom lived another 2 years almost to the day from when that oncologist said those words.
Tell your dad not to give up! Live his life to the fullest! Ask questions and make sure they give you an answer that you can understand! If you feel something is wrong – question it! Build those memories for you never know when a loved one will be called by the Lord.
Hugs,
MargaretLourdes:
From what I know about high bili levels, there really isn’t anything ‘naturally’ that one can do to lower it. The body’s kidneys will filter some of it out, therefore resulting in very dark urine. If they can place a stent internally in the liver where the stricture, tumor or blockage is that should relieve the jaundice. If they cannot place an internal stent, then the next step would be to place an external drain. My Tom had an external drain for the last two years of his life. It’s a bit of a bother as it has to be flushed and the wound cleaned every day…but it did do the job to relieve the jaundice. Tom was very lucky that he never had any of the itching that so many people experience with high bili levels.
I hope they can figure it out!
Hugs,
MargaretMedicare generally has a $250 deductible, then covers 80%. I would also suggest a good supplemental insurance. You can do a search on the internet and find sites that will explain what Medicare covers and what it does not cover and how a supplemental plan will cover what Medicare does not. In the long run with both medicare and a supplement insurance will be cheaper than paying the 20%. Talk to insurance agents and they will help you figure it out.
And yes, if you do not take Medicare part B when you are eligible you will pay a penalty for the rest of your life. Many people do not know this or are not aware of it. Unless you have a ‘group’ insurance from an employer that they can use as creditable coverage, you will pay a penalty.
Hope this helps.
Margaret
I agree with Liz on the exercise. Don’t call it exercise though! Just offer to help the CC patient get outside for some sun, to walk to see the flowers, etc.
Margaret
Tonya: Having just gone through this with my husband, all I can say is that you will know when it’s time to call hospice. My husband Tom started to go ‘downhill’ on the Monday before he passed. First I noticed that his urine output was way down and he just did not look good and was very weak. I called his doc and got him in for an appointment that day. He was hospitalized and his doc didn’t like his color. He said he looked ‘gray’ or ‘ashen’. On Tuesday Tom said it was time to call all the kids. On Wed he said “I want to go home, I will NOT die in this hospital”. He came home on Thursday and ‘Pallative care’ people were here by 2pm. I told them that he didn’t need Pallative care, he needed Hospice. They agreed and sent the hospice team in. Tom’s kidney’s had basically stopped working and he passed away peacefully at home on Sunday. The time frame is exactly what they say when the kidney’s fail, 7 days.
I’m glad that he was at home when he passed. Alebit it was very sad, but very peaceful as well. He knew he ws with the person that meant the most to him. Two of my daughters, my son in law and three of my grandchildren were here with him when he passed. (His own children were not here).
It’s always a hard decision to make. Tom and I could have had hospice coming in much earlier, but in Tom’s mind it was ‘giving up’ and he never wanted to give up. In the end, I made the call. The last 3 times he was hospitalized, we had a DNR on him. He did not want to live if he could not have his quality of life. I’m the same way and all my children know that.
Hospice can be a wonderful experience and it was for me. The ladies were very caring, came within a 1/2 hour if I called them.
My heart goes out to you and your family. I know this is not easy to go through.
Love and Hugs,
Margaret
