Lassie

Kasey, You have lots of prayers and a ton of support from everyone here. I look forward to getting to know you. Warm Hugs, Val

Thank you Donna for the lovely train ride. Val

Thanks Christine, I am sending my hubby to the grocery store to find the purest pomegranite juice he can find. Val

The gals in here might Boo me however here goes! Take it from someone who had 3 children.....quitting smoking for me was tougher then giving childbirth!! Your on the 6 th day so the worse is over and the government isn't getting any more taxes from the smokes to boot!! Whoo Who!! Congrats Kevin, Val

This is a tough time for sure for both you and your family. I think in some cases we just know when it is time and we make peace. Your Mom has obviously reached that point. I truly will pray that this time you all have to together is one which is special to you all and your Mom is very comfortable. You have many friends here and you are in our thoughts. Val

Kasey, Big warm hugs and special prayers for you. Val

Dear Heather, I think the other members all raise very good points. I am very sorry for your situation and the emotional exhaustion as well as the physcial exhaustion you are going through. You are strong, dignified and have grace already, calling in family and outside agencies to assist will not change that. You can always tell your Mom you are calling in folks to help as you are a bit tired and need further support temporarily until things improve. Heather, the reality of the situation is that you have got to take care of You so you are alright to take care of your parents. Please explore palliative care assistance, community services, talk to a social worker maybe from the hospital from where your Mom was discharged. If your Dad was a veteran, there might be something there, etc. Your in my thoughts. Val

Wow!! Are you reading my mind or what??? Warm, warm welcomes. You know some of the emotions and feelings expressed in your post are exactly how I feel at times. Glad you finally posted and even more happy you were quite frank with your feelings.You know I think some of us can read your story and think that is how we felt too at times. Please do not be a stranger. It is just wonderful you are doing so well. Val

Warm Welcomes Danielle, I am so glad you posted. Like you I spent some time (more even) reading, digesting and processing evertything before I posted. You know once I started treatment I found this to be the best place on the net. This is the place where those you have gone through it and those you are going through it share their experiences and knowledge. Please don't be a stranger. We are here for you. Val

Dear Msjenfa, Warm Welcomes and even more so Warm Hugs. Thank you for your kind words. So sorry you and your Dad are going through this. I had a massive tumor of my liver and actually another one again that developed between one cat scan to the next just prior to starting chemo. They are gone now and the quality of my life has improved immensely. Hang in there ad please do not be a stranger here. We are here for you. Val[/img]

Sarah, I am so sorry this happening to your Mom, you and family. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Val

Please accept my sincere condolences. We are here for you. Val

Hello Robin and Happy New Year. So sorry you are having a sore mouth. Mouth care during chemo is so important to prevent developing thrush which is a fungal infection. Chemotherapy can cause the lining of the mouth to become very sore, and small ulcers may form. These ulcers may become infected and thus lead to thrush. Using a very soft bristled toothbrush which will not irritate your gums, always rinse your mouth after you have vomited to prevent the acid from damaging your teeth, avoid food that are rough on the lining of your mouth such as spices, hot foods and raw veggies and crunchy foods and juices with a high acid content such as orange and grapefruit juices. When I first complained to palliative care of my mouth being sore, they immediately prescribed Magic Mouthwash with a ton of refills. It became a dear friend to me throughout my chemo. It is a mixture of different things made by the pharmacy department. At one point later in my chemo my sores turned into full blown thrush and I was provided with liquid Nystatin which is an antifungal. It did the job immediately. Please let your doctor know as soon as possible about your sore mouth and get some magic mouthwash to prevent the sores from becoming worse. Hope this helps and please let us know how you got along. Val

Hi Mary Colleen, It was after my 4th chemo cycle that my counts were really down. I was so SOB that I found it difficult to just get to my car to go for chemo. My chest was so heavy that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. By the time I finished the 5th cycle, I was started on Neulasta for low WBC's and on blood transfusions for the low hemoglobin. By the end of the 6 cycle I ended up taking multiple blood transfusions and an additional Neulasta. Please address this with your oncologist as your hubby will need to get those counts as good as possible to get through the reamining cycles. Good Luck! Val

Happy New Year to you too Cindy! Your profile is also an inspiration to me as well. I look forward to getting to know you better over the upcoming year. Val