Cancer Support and Caregivers Who Are Trail Blazers!

[mustangjeano]

Originally Posted by Debby

Wow I had some reading to catch up on.

Jo and Julie - so glad to hear your mom's are doing so well! They are blessed to have you.

So glad to hear everyone is doing so great.

So far 2012 has sucked. My grandma lost her battle with lung cancer Jan 1. I went to the Dr on Tuesday. He sent me Wednesday for a endoscopy and colonoscopy. He was worried about some issues I am having and stomach cancer. The Dr took a biopsy from my esophagus and removed 3 polyps and now the 7-10 day wait begins. On a good note: I have lost 16 pds since Thanksgiving.

Debby, Keeping you in my bestest thoughts and prayers--I know how agonizing it is to wait for results. Jean

[deb_U_taunt]

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.

[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]

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!

[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

[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]

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

[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.