pak001

Tiff
How are you handling all of those medications? Lot of side effects? I wish you all the best!

For my mom, they usually focus on WBC. HEMOGLOBIN/HCT. PLT COUNT. ABSOLUTE NEUT.
They really don’t check the tumor markers often. What chemo will she be receiving? I hope she does well. If she has side effects, please let the MD know, they have good medications they premedicate prior to the chemo.

Anna

My mom is 72. She was diagnosed Nov. 2011. She is stage 3, but inoperable due to involvement of portal vein. 9 years ago my mom had kidney cancer and they removed 1/3 of her kidney. She was followed by an oncologist for over 6 years with CT scans every 6 months and everything was clear until Sept 2011. It is really devastating…
It’s great that they found the tumor at an early stage. From everything that I have read on the net as well as this great site is that majority of the time, it is not found until the later stages. I think my mom would have been able to have surgery if it was not for the vein involvement. Too risky of a surgery.
I very much hope everything works out for your mom, I really do. You sound like you’re in the same situation like me. I know you hear it all the time, but stay strong for your mom. Several times during my mom’s numerous hospitalizations I kind of lost it and I cried in front of her and it just makes her too sad. She asked me to promise her that when it is her time to go that I not cry because she was blessed to have her family and a good life. Of course that made me cry even more. It’s hard to see your mom ill and the thought of losing her not being here is unbearable.
I just pray that the treatments she is going through will keep her here with us longer.
The last scan she had in May, her tumor size was approx 4.5 cm x 3 cm. The radiation treatments she received did decrease the size of the tumor by approx 1 to 1.5 cm. Where is the location of your mom’s tumor and the size?
I wish your mom all the best. Moms are irreplaceable.

Anna

My mom has been on Gemzar for 6 months. In addition to Gemzar she received 28 sessions of radiation treatments (IMRT).
She is has only 2 treatments of Gemzar remaining. She received Gemzar once a week for 3 weeks, then one week off.
As far as the hair loss, her hair thinned, but she did not lose all. Nausea was an issue for her, but they premedicated her prior to the infusion with IV Aloxi, dexamethasone and oral compazine. They switched her from IV Zofran to IV Aloxi because Aloxi lasts longer. Medications did work for her. She had good three days after the chemo, but then by the 4th and 5th day after, symptoms returned, but not as bad.
Chemo is tough, but I think my mom felt worse when she was receiving both chemo and radiation. That radiation, especially after the 3rd week was very tough on my mom. But, she pulled through it.

Dear Wilma,
My 72 year old mom was diagnosed last year and she will complete 6 months of chemo in the next 2 weeks. I understand what you’re going through as do all of the wonderful men and women on this site. No one else knows more than these great people here.
Realistically, it is not going to be easy. My mom has been admitted to the hospital four times in the last 4 months for issues related to CC. She now has a blood clot in the portal vein, currently on coumadin. She also has GI bleeds due to the pressure caused by the clot. It seems one thing causes another problem… There are days that I want to just want to scream…
I can’t imagine what my mom is going through. The best that I can do is to love her, be there for her, spend time with her. I really am trying to stay strong for her. Sometimes it’s hard, but you have to.
I am a nurse too and this gives you a different perspective on what our patients and the family members go through and I do believe I am a better nurse because of it.
I know you hear it all of the time… ‘stay strong’, we’re praying for you, etc…’
I have learned that prayer is something powerful and staying strong will get you through tough times like this. I think it’s hard for our loved ones to see us crying and falling apart. When my mom sees me crying, she loses hope. And hope and faith is soooo important to battle thru the treatments for this damn cancer.

That is great news. My mother is also currently on Gemzar alone. Here’s hoping for good scans!!!!

Dear Mommysgirl
I am so sorry…I completely understand what you and your family must be going through. My mom who is now 72 was diagnosed after two biopsies on November 2011. She has gone through 28 radiation treatments and is in the 6th month of chemotherapy. She has been only receiving Gemzar. Chemo was really tough for her because she’s needed so many blood transfusions. She developed a large blood clot in the portal vein which is now causing problems. She is on coumadin to try to reduce the clot size and prevent it from growing. It’s not an easy road. But, what we have learned that is helping us is that we take it a day at a time. We try not to think about what will happen in the future. One day at a time. She has good days and bad days. We’re hoping after her chemo treatments are done, that first of all it will shrink the tumor, but that she will recover from the long months of treatments, feel better and have some normalcy back. She is depressed and anxious, especially at night. She has been through a lot. Some people tolerate treatments better than others.
I do have to say one thing and that is that for my mom, quality of life has become very important. There has been numerous times when she was sick and after er visits after another, she told me that if this was how she would have to live the rest of her life, going in and out of the hospital and being sick, she told me she would rather stop all treatments.
I can go on and on about all of the issues and complications my mom has had…but it’s too long to list. But she manages to recover. But is it taking a toll on her. I just wish there were more that I can do for her.