Cancer Support and Caregivers Who Are Trail Blazers!

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by JustJo

Ugh...so many things have been discussed that she and I BOTH got this wrong. It is a stomach tube, but it is located between the stomach and what's left of the small intestine, and is to control outgoing rather than incoming.

Evidently it will help them clear blockages, and also allow her to cirucumvent the intestine entirely (at will) when she is feeling discomfort.

So...now she is hooked up to 3 bags....TPN in through the PIC line, the original ostomy bag and now the new one....that I don't even know what to call.

Her TPN is increased to about 20 hours a day, and she will never be off of it.

She is feeling like a monster....with every step of food intake and digestion being controlled by valves and clamps and bags and needles.
On the plus side, this blockage was cleared and she is no longer having any pain.

The chemo will start later this week...since the latest scan shows that the liver lesions are now 11 mm and 8 mm, respectively....when they were so small they didn't even show on a scan a few months ago.

Oh, Jo this so sucks. I feel so terrible for her.

It is this kind of stuff that worries me (about me). Yes, the CAT scan I had a month ago said there were no tumors. This was really meaningless to me due to the above. That is what my eating (most often successfully), vegan is all about. The hope is that eating in this way (plus doing some other things), will make my body less hospitable to cancer. The hope is that those small tumors don't grow. I am aware, however, that no matter what I do, it could still happen. Additionally, I am aware that there are people who have undetectable tumors that never grow no matter how they eat or what their lifestyle.

You remain in my thoughts, Jo.

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Oh, Jo this so sucks. I feel so terrible for her.

It is this kind of stuff that worries me (about me). Yes, the CAT scan I had a month ago said there were no tumors. This was really meaningless to me due to the above. That is what my eating (most often successfully), vegan is all about. The hope is that eating in this way (plus doing some other things), will make my body less hospitable to cancer. The hope is that those small tumors don't grow. I am aware, however, that no matter what I do, it could still happen. Additionally, I am aware that there are people who have undetectable tumors that never grow no matter how they eat or what their lifestyle.

You remain in my thoughts, Jo.

Thank you Dapper.

I completely hear what you're saying...and it's scary as hell.

The other part of the story though is that my mother has been a Crohn's patient for 50 years....lived on butter, bacon, and....when she was younger....Coke, donuts and chips.

She became nutrition conscious very late in life....and never took good, regular care of her Crohn's disease....starting and stopping medications randomly, skipping checkups and tests, even taking veternarian grade prednisone at one point for over a year because she was "sick of doctors."

As harsh as it sounds, I think she didn't help herself any. By contrast, you're taking the right steps...eating right, supplements, taking care of your health in general...and trust that will make a difference.

Hugs,
Jo

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by JustJo

Thank you Dapper.

I completely hear what you're saying...and it's scary as hell.

The other part of the story though is that my mother has been a Crohn's patient for 50 years....lived on butter, bacon, and....when she was younger....Coke, donuts and chips.

She became nutrition conscious very late in life....and never took good, regular care of her Crohn's disease....starting and stopping medications randomly, skipping checkups and tests, even taking veternarian grade prednisone at one point for over a year because she was "sick of doctors."

As harsh as it sounds, I think she didn't help herself any. By contrast, you're taking the right steps...eating right, supplements, taking care of your health in general...and trust that will make a difference.
Hugs,
Jo

Thanks for saying this, Jo. Recently, I have been struggling with seeing the usefulness of not eating the food (read: meat, cheese), that I love. You sharing the part of the story about your mom's tumors originally not showing up, only to show up later reminds me as to why I am doing this. Thank you.

(As an aside, I am aware that not everyone agrees with my belief that eating vegan+fish, helps fight/keep away cancer. No offense/disrespect meant to those who sees things differently.).

[Leigh]

I just wanted to show my support for everyone here; I've helped take care of 3 family members in the past who had cancer (all 3 died unfortunately) but I have seen and experienced how hard it can be to care for someone who is ill ~ I offer an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean on if anyone ever needs it :-)

[midwest chick]

Just a reminder: Please make sure that your younger family members are educated about gardasill, and the damage HPV can wreck--my niece, Meaganne, will be moving on from this world in the next 24-48 hours due to cervical cancer from HPV, she is 23 years old.


JustJo: I think the term you were looking for is gastric drain--it is frequently placed in the jejunum, but is sometimes placed in the stomach or duodenum. Placement in the areas below the stomach allow for drainage of bile salts, which can ease nausea, vomiting, and irritation.

[clay]

Just an update on the claybaby....saw my PCP Internist last week, who ordered a barrage of labs and stool for hemoccult. I have had malaise & fatigue for several weeks, all I want to do is sleep, taking frequent naps, and am exhausted just taking a shower. I am still losing weight, and my appetite sucks except for CRAVING avocados, asparagus, spinach, and Greek Yogurt. I could LIVE on all of those things...seriously...esp. the Greek Yogurt. I LOVE the honey one best of all.
My labs were all okay...except, my hgb. (hemoglobin), hct. (hematocrit), and MCHC are all low. My hgb. is 9.2 (was 11.2) My Transferritin is okay but the % sat. is low and B12 is way ow. SOOOOOO...I am now on a PreNatal Vitamin (these are high in iron) and are for pregnant ladies....grins. I KNEW it...my femme done knocked me up..so she says...I find that funny because I was menopausal and I had a complete hystero in December.....I am on a regimen of B12 shots every week for 4 weeks (3 to go) and then monthly for life my doc says..
I am due new scans and labs in May....with my surgical oncologist.
I am still just so very tired, I yawn frequently, and feel so sluggish. I know I had some major, major (double major abd sugeries) during the 6 hrs period in December...and am still re couping from it..but come on now..I hate feeling sluggish and tired all the time....
Anyway, just wanted to update all of you...
Jo...hugs to you and Rooster..and for your mom.
Take care everyone....my GF is coming to town tomorrow for the weekend, then I am going back to her place for a few days, and taking a few days to hang with my BFF who lives near my GF...I can't wait...I miss my BFF!!!I heart you all....hugs..Clay

[clay]

ohhh, Midwest, I am so very sorry. My GF & I send you a big hug and our wishes for energy and peace....Yes, you are correct..everyone needs to think about this for the younger generation...and consider the vaccine. Thanks for posting this.

Originally Posted by midwest chick

Just a reminder: Please make sure that your younger family members are educated about gardasill, and the damage HPV can wreck--my niece, Meaganne, will be moving on from this world in the next 24-48 hours due to cervical cancer from HPV, she is 23 years old.


JustJo: I think the term you were looking for is gastric drain--it is frequently placed in the jejunum, but is sometimes placed in the stomach or duodenum. Placement in the areas below the stomach allow for drainage of bile salts, which can ease nausea, vomiting, and irritation.

[midwest chick]

Originally Posted by claybaby

ohhh, Midwest, I am so very sorry. My GF & I send you a big hug and our wishes for energy and peace....Yes, you are correct..everyone needs to think about this for the younger generation...and consider the vaccine. Thanks for posting this.

Thank you....gardasill is not administered to women over 30, so it's important to get the series prior to that...forgot to mention it earlier.