Steph74
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Posts posted by Steph74
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I haven't read anyone's posts on success with this chemo? Concerned, since my mom is on it, and she doesn't seem to be getting any better either.
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I haven't read anyone's posts on success with this chemo? Concerned, since my mom is on it, and she doesn't seem to be getting any better either.
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Beth - hopefully the hospital you go too has a Pallitative Clinic (it's not hospice) - you know my story, my mom is in about as much pain as yours, she's been on the oxycodene for weeks now, and it barely helps. A REAL doctor from the Pallitative Clinic at Northwestern comes every two weeks and prescribes patches/pills for the pain, and does a health check up at our home. She sees her oncologist once a month for chemo, but this guy will see her weekly if she needed it. Check into this option, Insurance pays for it.
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Holidays and Birthdays probably really are awful, thank god for your little one to hold on too during these rough times. We are all here for you.
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Thinking of you at this sad time, so sorry for everything your going through.
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Prayers are with you and your family, so sorry for your loss
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Donna - I'm so sorry for your loss.
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Welthy - I'm so sorry for your loss and my heart aches for you. You've been such as asset to this board, please know that we are all thinking of you.
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Teresa - I feel the same way, constantly thinking - will this be her last b'day we celebrate? will my baby remember her? will we make it to christmas? She lives with me, and I'm constantly wondering if she will wake up in the morning. I'm Queen of Worrying as well. I've actually went to the extreme of getting a CT Scan last year since I'm so freaked about getting lung cancer as well, I smoked in my 20's, and my mom never smoked or has lived with smoking - so I feel my risk is super high. I'll quit rambling - but my point is that you shouldn't feel ashamed, we all have similiar doubts and fears. Just some more extreme than others!
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I can't begin to count how many times I've broken down when someone asks me "how is your mom?" - especially at work. It is SO normal. As time has gone by, I've gotten better though, I did see a counselor which helped and did take Zoloft for a few months. Hope you feel better soon.
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My mom had WBR and it seemed to do the trick - good luck to you and welcome!
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thank you all - it means so much that your in my corner - I'm on this site daily, I just don't post very much.
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Need I say more? As the malignant fluid was running through her body, it decided to make two new pit stops - mom has a met on her liver and now some areas in the "healthy" lung. Also the pleurodesis surgery that was 95% effective was not effective, and the fluid is back, and to top it off - while they were scanning her they noticed a blood clot near her heart. Looks like good old Tarceva has run it's course after 19 months. So, she's back in the hospital. I'm kind of numb today - since the last year and a half has been so good, I think I tricked myself into believing she would beat this. I still have hope, that's the only way I can continue without breaking down - but I'm so sad & angry, and feel like god has really screwed us over, she does not deserve ANY of this - no one does. I feel like I'm reliving the emotions I had in the first few months of diagnosis. Thanks for listening.
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That's a GREAT way of looking at it, keeping your family in my thoughts
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I agree, I almost forgot about the cancer over the last few months, mom was fine - even went to Mexico on vacation until a few weeks ago - she celebrates her 56th b'day today, and guess where she is? The hospital - she had severe dizziness and numbness last night, and can't stop coughing.
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My mom has been on Tarceva for 19 months and has tolerated it well. It has done it's job (except in the brain) and kept her cancer at bay. A few weeks ago we had to take her to the ER - her lung had collapsed and was almost entirely filled with malignant fluid. She just had Pleurodesis surgery, she's in a lot of pain now and recovering slowly. Doc says this fluid is one of the side effects of Tarceva. The doctor is still keeping her on Tarceva, but is now adding ALIMTA to her treatment - has anyone had a loved one that has had Alimta or has had this malignant fluid? This was a really scary situation and I want to make sure this isn't a end of life stage - I want to make sure my mom is around for a long time!
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Carleen - I feel for you, you have been through SO much in such a short time, sending good thoughts your way.
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So sorry as well.
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I've been dealing with this for 16 + months and hope to continue dealing with it - but's it exhausting! I've gotten to the point were I actually forget she has it, and then SLAM! something comes out of nowhere. I've noticed that this disease hits me at points of Joy in my life - got married, 6 months later, stage IV lung cancer. Had baby - 1 week later - multiple brain mets found. I've realized that I've changed as a person since the diagnosis, and I "miss" the old me - I tend to think about the future constantly, and everytime I see my mom do something (i.e. - hold my child) - I get teary eyed wondering if it will be the last. I'm a mess! So, I will say from a "semi-normal" individual - your ok in thinking the way you do....
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Thanks for your kind words and advice - Kelly, Katie, Mendy. Don't know what I'd do without this board!
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Finally, the docs said the spots we've been seeing on the MRIs are numerous brain tumors, after 3 months of waiting to hear what they were. The good news is that they are shrinking according to the most recent Brain MRI due to the WBR she had done back in Feb. Doctor was amazed that the Tarceva is still working and keeping my mom stable within the rest of her body (she's been on it for 18 months). Unfortunetly Tarceva does not protect the brain - so that is why she's having issues there. Having so many tumors in the brain sounds really scary, but he seems optimistic since they are shrinking, so I'm hoping it is really "OK". Next scan - Sept 2007, so we wait, and start the roller coaster of emotions again. Ug - I don't know how much more I can handle!
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I read this 2006 MD Anderson study - I'm confused and wonder if anyone can explain to me. I know the regular risk of lung cancer in women is 1 in 16 - so about 6%, does this article state that my risk is now 68% (being a first degree relative to a lung cancer never smoker)?!? I'm not sure if this is relative or absolute risk. I pray I'm not reading this correctly. Any insight would be helpful..(link to article is below)
Study Demonstrates Lung Cancer Susceptibility Runs in Families of Patients that never smoked
They discovered:
* First-degree relatives of cases had a 25 percent increased risk of developing any type of cancer, compared to controls. Cancers diagnosed in the relatives include melanoma, colorectal, head and neck cancer, lung, prostate and breast cancers.
* Case relatives were about 10 years younger when they were diagnosed with cancer, compared to control relatives.
* A 44 percent excess risk of young onset cancers - those diagnosed before age 50 - among case relatives.
* More than a six-fold risk of developing young onset lung cancer in the case families compared to control families.
* Relatives of case patients had a 68 percent increased risk of developing lung cancer.* Mothers of case patients had more than a two-fold risk of developing breast cancer.
Caregivers - What did/do you do about work?
in CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER
Posted
my office let me go part time - 20 hrs a week, and once I couldn't afford that anymore, let me work from home twice a week, they should be flexible - she moved in with me, so that's was a little easier, my husband is around to help as well.