Cancer Support and Caregivers Who Are Trail Blazers!

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by Debby

I wouldn't be so nervous about the results, even with him saying all 3 are precancerous, if he hadn't tagged one site and after everything else that has happened in the last year.

Here's to the good stuff and out with the yucky stuff..Big hugs sent your way Debby...


from another tree hugger, Tommi

[starryeyes]

My grandma has stage 4 colon cancer. She didn't know about it until the tumor "erupted" and she had emergency surgery and most of her colon was removed. The cancer has also spread to her abdomen and liver. They suspect brain also. She has a pet(?) scan this week. U saw her over Christmas and she looks good. Way better than before her surgery. She was not responding to Chemo, so she just started a new anti body treatment. It is extremely expensive, and she is on a very fixed income and Medicare. Not sure how many more treatments it will cover.

It's been a seriously hard journey with my grandma. She is an alcoholic, so we were dealing with that before this. She tried to commit suicide.... Now this. I want to be there for her and support her but I am so scared I tend to just look away. It feels horrible saying that. I am tying to be stronger and be there for her. I told myself I was going to call her once a week... I'm going to try to stick to that.

Grieving sucks :-(

[Novelafemme]

{{{{{Debby}}}}}} Big hugs for you. Isn't tagging normal protocol? They did that with all of my precancerous polyps as well. But, you sure have had a full year, so I understand the fear. My mom will keep your nana company in heaven. Hang in there, love!

[deb_U_taunt]

Hugs to you starryeyes.

Please, call her and you don't need to talk about her cancer. I called my grandma everyday and most of the time we didn't talk about either of us having cancer.

Originally Posted by starryeyes

My grandma has stage 4 colon cancer. She didn't know about it until the tumor "erupted" and she had emergency surgery and most of her colon was removed. The cancer has also spread to her abdomen and liver. They suspect brain also. She has a pet(?) scan this week. U saw her over Christmas and she looks good. Way better than before her surgery. She was not responding to Chemo, so she just started a new anti body treatment. It is extremely expensive, and she is on a very fixed income and Medicare. Not sure how many more treatments it will cover.

It's been a seriously hard journey with my grandma. She is an alcoholic, so we were dealing with that before this. She tried to commit suicide.... Now this. I want to be there for her and support her but I am so scared I tend to just look away. It feels horrible saying that. I am tying to be stronger and be there for her. I told myself I was going to call her once a week... I'm going to try to stick to that.

Grieving sucks :-(

[deb_U_taunt]

I don't know if it is. lol They only tagged the one and the Dr said it was so a surgeon could find it, if needed. I am just a bundle of nerves anymore. I do feel better about it now, then I did this morning.

Let your mom know, my nana will be the little old lady cracking the whip in the corner with everyone's to-do lists.

Originally Posted by Novelafemme

{{{{{Debby}}}}}} Big hugs for you. Isn't tagging normal protocol? They did that with all of my precancerous polyps as well. But, you sure have had a full year, so I understand the fear. My mom will keep your nana company in heaven. Hang in there, love!

[deb_U_taunt]

Love the tree huggers lol

thank you...its gonna get better here on out!

Originally Posted by Tommi

Here's to the good stuff and out with the yucky stuff..Big hugs sent your way Debby...


from another tree hugger, Tommi

[clay]

Originally Posted by Debby

I don't know if it is. lol They only tagged the one and the Dr said it was so a surgeon could find it, if needed. I am just a bundle of nerves anymore. I do feel better about it now, then I did this morning.

Let your mom know, my nana will be the little old lady cracking the whip in the corner with everyone's to-do lists.

((((((Debby)))))))))...it is all good, honey! Tagging is usually done as an identification marker....so when a CT is done, they have something to identify where to start looking. My gastro "tattooed" my tumor in front of and behind, and put a metal clip in it..so the CT would show it, help identify exact place it (tumor) was and to see the parameters of the tumor. When the surgeon went in, he was able to see the blue tattoo ink marks in front of and behind, so he knew where to cut and anastomose ends back...as a wise and sagely friend told me.."don't worry about what ain't spilled" yet...so....sexy...smile....be happy...YOU have climbed, conquered, and made a stone pile out of that last mountain.....you CAN do it again!! Big hugs my friend...Clay

[DapperButch]

Ok, so am I to assume that my tumor wasn't marked in any way b/c it was so big no one could miss it?

Seriously, though, it was. It was very visible to a layperson (me, partner, mother) when the surgeon pulled up the film on the computer.

[deb_U_taunt]

It was the initial shock of hearing the damn 'C' word. The dr removed all three, so the marker was to find where he removed it.

This made me crazier:

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012...ore/?mobile=nc

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Ok, so am I to assume that my tumor wasn't marked in any way b/c it was so big no one could miss it?

Seriously, though, it was. It was very visible to a layperson (me, partner, mother) when the surgeon pulled up the film on the computer.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Debby

It was the initial shock of hearing the damn 'C' word. The dr removed all three, so the marker was to find where he removed it.


Ahhh. I see, thanks for explaining.

This made me crazier:

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012...ore/?mobile=nc

Scary stuff.

------------

[DapperButch]

I just wanted to share with you guys that tantalizingfemme and I got some wonderful new yesterday.

Her son made it into the college of his choice! We are especially thrilled for him because we were not certain he would get in, so it is especially sweet.

He wasn't Mr. Studious so we (and he) are really thanking his lucky stars!!!!!

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

I just wanted to share with you guys that tantalizingfemme and I got some wonderful new yesterday.

Her son made it into the college of his choice! We are especially thrilled for him because we were not certain he would get in, so it is especially sweet.

He wasn't Mr. Studious so we (and he) are really thanking his lucky stars!!!!!

Yeahh..

[JustJo]

What a difference a month makes....

A month ago my mother arrived....about 105 lbs., shaky, barely walking, pale as death, dehydrated, unable to tolerate cold, exhausted, able to eat 1 or maybe 2 cartons of yogurt and nothing else in a day, taking morphine 4 or 5 times a day, and essentially waiting to die.

Today...she weighs 117, is not at all dehydrated, her color is good, goes for a walk every day with my son, walked 3500 steps with me on the beach on Sunday, eats normal meals (and then some), and is antsy to go home and dig in her garden. She is off morphine, and takes a single Lortab a day for pain...before bed, so her sleep is not disturbed.

Today was an eye opener....her menu....

Breakfast....two slices toast with butter and peanut butter, cup of tea
Mid-morning snack...carton of yogurt, juice with pedialyte
Lunch....salad bar at Ruby Tuesday's, iced tea
Mid-afternoon snack...can of Campbell's brand canned spaghetti, juice with pedialyte
Late-afternoon snack...Dove ice cream bar
Dinner...Chicken leg (big one, from a roasting hen), corn, broccoli, and juice with pedialyte
Evening snack....who knows....but there has been one every night lately
Overnight....12 hours of TPN

Is it any wonder she's gaining half a pound a day?

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by JustJo

What a difference a month makes....

A month ago my mother arrived....about 105 lbs., shaky, barely walking, pale as death, dehydrated, unable to tolerate cold, exhausted, able to eat 1 or maybe 2 cartons of yogurt and nothing else in a day, taking morphine 4 or 5 times a day, and essentially waiting to die.

Today...she weighs 117, is not at all dehydrated, her color is good, goes for a walk every day with my son, walked 3500 steps with me on the beach on Sunday, eats normal meals (and then some), and is antsy to go home and dig in her garden. She is off morphine, and takes a single Lortab a day for pain...before bed, so her sleep is not disturbed.

Today was an eye opener....her menu....

Breakfast....two slices toast with butter and peanut butter, cup of tea
Mid-morning snack...carton of yogurt, juice with pedialyte
Lunch....salad bar at Ruby Tuesday's, iced tea
Mid-afternoon snack...can of Campbell's brand canned spaghetti, juice with pedialyte
Late-afternoon snack...Dove ice cream bar
Dinner...Chicken leg (big one, from a roasting hen), corn, broccoli, and juice with pedialyte
Evening snack....who knows....but there has been one every night lately
Overnight....12 hours of TPN

Is it any wonder she's gaining half a pound a day?

It is amazing.. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Just maybe JustJo you and yours are a sweet spoonful for your Mom.

[mustangjeano]

Originally Posted by Tommi

It is amazing.. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Just maybe JustJo you and yours are a sweet spoonful for your Mom.

Just piggy-bagging on Tommi's post. Jo, thanks for sharing this joyfull news.

[deb_U_taunt]

Another piggy back...amazing how some love makes things better.

Originally Posted by mustangjeano

Just piggy-bagging on Tommi's post. Jo, thanks for sharing this joyfull news.

[deb_U_taunt]

YEEHAW...all the biopsies came back benign!!!! I cried out of joy. I am not ready to do this crap again. So, surgery next month or so to even out my tits and then its just playing 'where's waldo' for the next 5 years, but as long I take ownership of my body (get tests and eat right), there is NO reason I can't live as long as my grandma did.

Jagg, thank you for sending your angels.

[JAGG]

Originally Posted by Debby

YEEHAW...all the biopsies came back benign!!!! I cried out of joy. I am not ready to do this crap again. So, surgery next month or so to even out my tits and then its just playing 'where's waldo' for the next 5 years, but as long I take ownership of my body (get tests and eat right), there is NO reason I can't live as long as my grandma did.

Jagg, thank you for sending your angels.

My angels said you are one awesome and incredible woman. And that cancer knows not to mess with you, they don't ever want to face your wrath again! :-) I'm so happy, that 2 peeps in a row now. I'm shooting for 1000 in a row. Its my year !

[deb_U_taunt]

It is your year! I truly feel this this is going to be a great year.


Cancer must know it wasn't on my to-do list for this year.

1. siding and painting house
2. plant hummingbird garden for nana
3. go to burning man - new decorations for the bike for the trip
4. add to raised garden beds
5. mosaic front porch

Nope, not on the list. lol.

Originally Posted by JAGG

My angels said you are one awesome and incredible woman. And that cancer knows not to mess with you, they don't ever want to face your wrath again! :-) I'm so happy, that 2 peeps in a row now. I'm shooting for 1000 in a row. Its my year !

[julieisafemme]

Hello All! I spent the day with my Mom today. It was the last day of her second round of chemo. She is doing well. Next week she is preparing for radiation. She has a small lesion in the frontal cortex of her brain. It has shrunk from the chemo but they want to try to get rid of it with radiation. She is a little scared about that and so am I.

They will be tapering her off the steroids they have had her on for the brain lesion. She is very worried about this and thinks that it means she will then experience some side effects from the chemo. She has not talked to the doctor about this so she does not have any real facts. Does anyone know about this? I don't know what the results will be of her going off the steroids. The main thing I worry about is the pain coming back.

She has to have 6 rounds of chemo instead of the 3 she initially thought. She is not super happy about that. She will be done in May.

In general she is doing really well and is in good spirits. We just don't know what is coming next and that is anxiety producing!!

I am sending refuah shelimah (complete healing) to you all.