utahLisa

Thank you for your response. I know it is difficult to know what to expect in the last stages. I have gotten some responses from mesothelioma patients at http://www.mesothelioma-care-community. ... oard=share I hope this site is helpful to anyone suffering from this disease. It is difficult to find support as there aren't many dealing with this disease. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers and hope that there are better days ahead for all of you! Never lose hope and know that miracles happen every day! Take care, Lisa

...what to expect? My mom is coming up on her year from being diagnosed. She has completed her Alimta/Cisplain treatments and an additional three treatments of Alimta. Her tumor has not spread much and is still confined to the chest cavity with a few roots into the lower lobe of the lung. She is having severe chest pain, which she was hospitalized for last week, and was put on oxygen. We just wonder if the pain is normal or if these are signs of her lung not being able to expand and the last stages?? Any info is so appreciated. I know there aren't many who are battling this disease but to those battling any type of cancer, my thoughts and prayers are with you! Keep fighting and live like you've never been diagnosed! There is always hope and miracles happen every day! Take care, Lisa

Hi, I was just wondering how your father is doing? My mom has started her second rounds of Alimta treatment, this time without the Cisplatin. Her tumor didn't shrink any but they are trying to keep it at bay. She is having a lot of chest pain and weakness and depression. Just thinking of you and hoping that your father is doing well as well as your family. Take care, Lisa

Hi, I know exactly how you feel and understand all the thoughts that are going through your family's minds. Even though this cancer is incurable, the chemo can prevent it from spreading so quickly and give your dad many more months/years of quality life. My mom did not suffer much with her treatments. She was fatigued and had some problems with anxiety but other than that, she really did okay. She did the best in the beginning and it wasn't until the end of treatment that she was so weak that she wasn't able to do anything but rest in bed. I guess it just depends on whether your dad just wants it to take its course and use palliative care with pain meds, etc. We heard that it would be more painful to not take the chemo. There are many stories of patients who have come a long, long way while doing chemo. They were given six months and it's been almost two years for some. If your dad is healthy, I'd say extend his life and do all you can to keep him with you. I know the surgery would be hard on him but he would do well with the chemo, I'm certain of it. I'm thinking of you and will check in to answer any questions...sorry if I'm not much help. I'll send up prayers to cover myself Lisa

Hi, I am so very sorry to hear about your dad's diagnosis. His story sounds very similar to my mom's. My mom completed her treatments with Alimta/Cisplatin. Her tumor is confined to the right chest cavity. It did not shrink any but the chemo kept it from metastisizing. She will begin another round of Alimta week after next. She was in perfect health prior to this diagnosis. She had a thoracotomy and pleurodesis in April. She did fairly well with chemo but she is extremely fatigued. I just happened to check this site, which I haven't done in quite a while since there aren't many mesothelioma patients. I will include another site that is so helpful. There are a few women that I correspond with who have a parent suffering this same disease. It's so helpful to share your story and find out as much info as possible. Here it is: http://www.mesothelioma-care-community. ... oard=share Please e-mail me with any more detailed questions: utahungers@yahoo.com Keeping you and your family in my prayers. Continue to have hope and believe in miracles...they do happen and we've heard many stories of them!! Take care, Lisa

Dr. West, Thank you so very much for taking the time to respond. I appreciate the hopefulness of your success story. It is needed right now since my mom is suffering the terrible side-effects of her final treatment. She did amazingly well through it all and just this last treatment has got her extremely fatigued. We are hoping for the same success as your patient. Thank you, again, for sharing your knowledge and experience. You are doing an incredible job here and giving so many the help they need to cope with cancer. Many sincere thanks, Lisa

...out there?? Just wondering if there are any of you dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis?? My mom just finished her last treatment of Alimta and we are wondering what the next step is and what to expect?? Any info is so much appreciated. Thank you, Lisa

me again...so sorry, I thought I was posting a new message and had responded to you, Lisa, and Stephanie in the last post. I am so new to this forum...please forgive my oopsies!!!

You both have made my day! I haven't checked this site for a while since I didn't hear any replies from any mesothelioma patients. I know that this is so rare and just knowing that there are others out there going through the same thing helps more than words can say. I will keep you both and your families in my prayers. I, too, have been wondering what is next after Alimta/Cisplatin. My mom has gone through her first two rounds and is doing amazingly well. She's fatigued but has done great. She is determined to make it through the next six treatments and hopes she will be cancer free. My mom didn't want to know the prognosis of this disease. She deals better with just doing what she's told and holding onto hope. She thinks this will be curable and we've decided that it's best for her to handle it this way because she's fighting so hard. I beleive she is probably in stage III since they found some cancer in a few small lymph nodes. Her cancer is surrounding her entire chest cavity and a bit into the lung. She is not a candidate for surgery, or so they say, and radiation is not an option. We are fearful but holding onto hope and know that God's will is perfect. Any information is sooo appreciated. Thank you with all my heart...it helps immensely to know that someone else is carrying this same burden. Please e-mail my any time...utahungers@yahoo.com...I will check out the site you mentioned, Stephanie, and e-mail you directly...thank you for that so very much!!!! Take care, Lisa

Hi, My mom just completed her first round of Alimta/Cisplatin for stage II mesothelioma. She is recovering from her thoracotomy and what a double whammy to have to have chemo on top of already being weak from surgery. The oncologist says that radiation isn't an option due to her cancer circling her chest cavity and the proximity to her lung and heart. We are hopeful that chemo will be successful but just wondering the reality of what's next if this doesn't work. Mom did great and is feeling well so far. A bit of tingling in her hands and feet but no nausea yet. She is trying to be so strong and fight this battle with grace! I am so very proud of her! Lisa

Hi, I posted three months ago looking for information about pleural effusion for my mom. Well, it was a perfect three months and doctors were certain there was no cancer as her CT scans were normal and blood work was normal. She had the fluid drained and she was hopeful it wouldn't recur. Last week, she started having chest pain and was admitted to the hospital. After discovering some abnormal tissue on the chest cavity, they decided it was time to do a thoracotomy. They diagnosed her with mesothelioma, second stage. She will get to go home next week and begin chemotherapy. We are all so shocked by this news as mom was perfectly healthy all of her 66 years. I am thankful for this site and am begging for any information you can give me as to how to be there for my mom, what to expect from chemo, what eases the side effects of chemo and what new treatments are out there. I know that is a lot to ask but if anyone has some time, we would be so grateful. I am so sorry for all of you suffering from this disease and those watching loved ones suffer. I guess God doesn't promise us a comfortable journey, just a safe landing! Thank you so very much, Lisa