scragots
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I knew I had to answer your post as soon as I saw it. Today is my 50th birthday, and I am pleased as all get-out to have made it to this milestone. I have thought of such things as funerals and death recently, and I do know that I would want my funeral to be one that celebrates my life, not mourns my death. I have enjoyed my life and I have done many things I am very proud of and there is absolutely no reason not to celebrate your mum’s life and all that she accomplished.
Laughter, humor and love…how can that be bad? Yes, I know your mum is gone, but only physically from this earth. Spiritually, she will be in your heart forever. She would want you to remember all the good things that have happened and the reason for her life…YOU.
Family pressure and disagreement is always hard to deal with. Just be strong and remember your mum and all the joy she brought to your life and you will know what to do.
And what a wonderful way to tell her you love her still!
I have to add my two cents here, finally. I have been blessed with a fantastic oncologist. I fell into her lap thru a referral from a GI I met only once during the time we were finding out what my liver problems were (intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, stage 2, 6×5 cm tumor). The GI offered little realistic hope, but told us he would refer me down to IU Medical Center at IUPUI in Indianapolis in the hopes that they could help me. The moment I met my oncologist was the moment she walked into the room and immediately told me
My dear thecdr,
In another life, I think we could have been very good friends. You make me smile every time I read one of your posts. My children may all be grown and gone from home, but that doesn’t mean I can’t remember those days. I love your usage of “Suck the life right out of me”!!! As a young divorced mom of three, I had many days where all I wanted to do was get back in bed and pull the covers up over my head. I can’t imagine how I could have survived those days while managing a disease like this at the same time. You are one courageous woman!
I am so sorry that you are having to go thru this and wish there was a miracle cure out there that would “fix” you and the others on this website who are fighting this disease. If prayers help, then you are getting lots of help!!!
Take care of yourself. You are very important to many people, including yourself!
Sue
Hello,
I didn’t have any drainage tubes, so I’m afraid I can’t help you with that question. But, I too had the gassy “bubble” feeling. It has certainly gotten better, but I still have my days. I have been on Aciphex for my stomach acids and it really has helped me. If I do not take it, I have a lot of abdominal “bubbly” sounds and a lot of gas. You might ask the doctor about some form of acid-reducer.
It sounds like your mom is doing well. I was in the hospital for 9 days, home for 9 days and back in for four days, so at the end of 2 weeks, I was actually only just getting home. I hope she feels better everyday.
We are all thinking about both of you.
Sue
Lisa,
Your tumor is about the size mine was. You definitely need to get a second opinion. When I spoke with my oncologist earlier this week, she had a few minutes and we talked about a lot of different subjects. One of them was about the tumors that she has resected for this disease. She actually called mine “fairly small” (5.7x4x3.5 centimeters) and said she has resected tumors of at least 10 centimeters. Now maybe I missed something in your posts. I do not remember there being any specific reason for calling yours “unresectible”, and I am definitely not saying that it is…I just want you to make sure that you get enough opinions to feel comfortable with that decision by your doctors. Exhaust all your resources, just as others have said.
I wish you lots of good luck on this journey and always remember that there are many people on this website with tons of knowledge on this disease. That doesn’t mean we are doctor’s, but we have all had our fair share of experience with this cancer and want more than anything to see another survivor.
Good luck! Keep us posted.
SueThis is GREAT news! Just try to enjoy every day with him and accept it as a gift. My doctor told me that the cancer will either come back, or it won’t and you can’t sit around waiting for it. Please just try to do all the things you always wanted to do together. It’s isn’t as if, when you get them done, you can’t do them again when you have even more time together! Good luck, best wishes and lots of prayers!
Sue
I have to say, in the midst of all that you are going thru, you managed to bring back something that made me chuckle…”making air” was what my days in the hospital were all about after surgery. EVERY person who walked in to see me, medical or not, always asked if I had passed gas yet. Some called it “passing gas”, but some just put it out there…”have you farted yet?” Oh the times I had to roll my eyes at them.
I hope your Mom continues to heal and gets home before too long. She is in all of our thoughts and prayers.
Find the humor where you can!!! (I think that may be my new byline…)
Sue
Kris,
New Years sounds great! So, are you actually from the states? I was an Army brat and have traveled extensively, but have never been to Sweden. I can
Kris,
You have definitely been on my mind as we are on such a close schedule. I do not have my next MRI scan scheduled yet (not for wont of trying, I have made 4 phone calls but have finally put my wonderful SIL (see previous entries) on the job and hope to have one scheduled very soon). I am THRILLED to hear your scan is clear, clear, clear!!! I have been having the same problems…a very tender area in my abdomen and queasiness, tho no back pain. Luckily, I see my doctor a couple hours after the scan (at least that is how it worked last time) and she will be able to at least glance at it while I am still there, although it won’t be “officially” read for a few days after that. I am just as worried as you were and will be extremely happy (I hope) when I am done with it and I get that “all clear”.
Try to relax now for a couple months and enjoy your life!!! Give me a few weeks, and I’ll be doing it too!!!
Take care of yourself,
SueThank you all so much for your emails and words of wisdom. I do appreciate everything you have told me and I want you to know that it has really made me think over the last day or two.
glightfoot: It definitely helps to know that others understand what I am saying. I am very lucky to have the husband and family that I do, but unless you have actually been diagnosed with cancer, or are extremely close to someone who has, I just do not believe it is possible to understand how deeply this affects you. There are still days when I say to myself “I have cancer? I mean, I HAD cancer? WHat? ME???” It just seems like it must be happening to someone else.
amylea: Yes, we live in Indiana, just north of Indy. We are so lucky to live near such an amazing medical center with exactly the right doctors to take care of us. I love my doctor. She is a real smartie, coming from Cornell, Sloan-Kettering and Northwest Presbyterian and has a wonderful sense of humor and a great sense of optimism. I am sorry your mom and you and your family are having to deal with this nasty disease and I will add you both to my prayers. I don’t believe that I have a single relative who has been diagnosed with cancer, which makes THIS diagnosis that much more, mmmm…disheartening, I guess.
devoncat: Thank you, thank you, thank, your words meant so much to me. You are so right…if I only had 3 months to live, I need to spend it living, not waiting to die. I know I spend a lot of time researching this disease, hoping to find some kind of answer. I work with numbers all day and I want facts and figures. I want to know…what are the odds of recurrence? Will I die of this disease? Will the docs be able to help me next time? And on and on and on… I haven’t found any reliable answers yet, and of course, I won’t. At least, not answers that make me happy. This whole thing is up to God and life and the only thing I can do is try to enjoy it while I have it. OK, I talk BIG, but I am going to try hard to make that effort, full well knowing that it ain’t gonna be easy every day.
We are leaving town for the weekend just to get away. We are only driving to Louisville which is about two hours away, but we are going to tour some of the mansions in town and then we are going to take a dinner cruise on the river! So romantic!
And, I am making my hubby plan a real vacation in September. You know, a week away from home when you see the sights, eat good food and relax as much as possible. At least, I think that’s what a vacation is for.
There must be a better way to vacation than to spend it in a hospital!!! It’ll be after my next MRI and hopefully we will be celebrating.Thank you all for being here to listen to my long-winded whining. You have no idea how much I appreciate the understanding and the kind words.
Thanks,
Sue
