LolasDaughter
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Posts posted by LolasDaughter
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Thank you, dear friends! Nick, she was amazing - just like your Mom.
I was able to put together a picture tribute put to video, spanning her life. I thought I'd post for anyone interested. Turn on your speakers - some of her favorite music is in the background! -
My mom passed away last Monday, 1/10/11, 3.5 years after her SCLC diagnosis. As I continue to grieve, I am so comforted by a number of experiences I had with Mom in her last days. Eight days before she passed, she told me 'I am done fighting. I cannot fight anymore!' and then later 'You need to go on ahead without me and leave me behind. It's okay; you need to leave me behind.' This in the same night when the dr asked where she was she said 'at a summer camp with my daughter'. So at the time, I reasoned Mom was confused and feeling the effects of her pain meds. But then her condition continued to go down hill and two days later she was under hospice care. Suddenly her works took on a whole new meaning. And the brought me comfort!
In addition, days before she went to the hospital, during the night, she woke my Dad in the middle of the night, asking him where Beulah Land was. He didn't know what she was talking about and told her to go back to sleep. Neither had ever heard of it before and so they decided to Google it the next day. It means 'Heaven'. That evening Dad followed an ambulance as they took Mom to the ER for her last trip to the hospital.
I guess you can logically explain these events away, but I find such comfort in knowing Mom, at some level, knew what was happening and even in death, mothered me and let me know she was ready and I needed to just deal!
What I am amazed by is I'd never heard 'positive' stories of death and dying. I know it isn't always, but I found it can be peaceful, beautiful and awesome! Why don't people talk about that part of it? I believe we were given special gifts in these events (and there are others I won't bore you with) but I can't believe we're the only ones. What stories do you have that brought you peace, comfort any maybe even joy in your loved one's last days?
Nicole
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Mom assured me a week before she passed that she was ready and that I needed to carry on. Even in her last days, she continued to mother and guide me. I will miss her so! But I find such comfort know she is now face to face with Jesus, and standing straight and strong!
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Thank you all for your continued thoughts, prayers and support. Mom passed on to her eternal reward early Monday morning. I had the honor of being by her side and it was very peaceful. Mom is now face to face with her Savior, Christ Jesus! I will miss her terribly but am so thankful for the mother she was and the legacy she has left for us to carry on. I will post more details in the obituaries, but wanted you all to know how much I appreciate you.
Love,
Nicole
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Hello All -
Mom was admitted to the hospital Saturday evening with pneumonia and a UTI. Just prior we'd received word that her original tumor was growing again. Unfortunately, due to the tumor 'blocking in' the pneumonia and the cancer continuing to spread (it is now in her liver) we received word there is nothing more they can do for her medically. Hospice has been brought in and she seems to be going quickly now.
I will provide the final update but wanted to take this opportunity to thank Katie and all here for the support, advice and wise counsel through the 3+ years we had with Mom since her diagnosis. We are so thankful for that time!
Nicole
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Mom had scans last week which showed potential growth in her lung, and they did a PET scan Monday to determine if it was scar tissue or new growth. Unfortunately the PET scan indicated the original lung tumor is growing.
Since Mom's original tumor was a mixed histology of Adenocarcinoma (NSCLC) and SCLC, they will be doing a broncoscopy Monday to determine the type. Her Onc has said they will do six rounds of chemo and the cocktail will be determined once they know the type of cancer they are dealing with.
She has also been dealing with recovery from a hip fracture this summer and is have a filter put in today for blood clots they've found in her leg. With this and long term effects of her previous, rigorous treatment, Mom is certainly not as strong as she had been for her initial round.
And so we enter this next phase of the journey! As I recently posted, we remain thankful for how well she has done and will continue as we have - with faith in God and one day at a time.
Nicole
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Hello Everyone! It has been some time since I last visited but wanted to share with the SCLC group especially that my mom is now THREE YEARS past her dx with SCLC as of this month! Her next scan is scheduled for next month. For those of you who may be recently dx'd or are currently battling through chemo and radiation - know there is hope!
Mom is currently in a rehab center due to a broken hip from taking a fall at home two months ago. Her physical therapy is going well and we're hoping she will be home soon.
God bless you all!
Nicole
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Test results
in HOPE
Celebrating with you tonight with a Captain & Diet! I am not on much any more, but wanted to post my mom's most recent scan results on the SCLC board - CLEAR! Loved reading your good news - we both entered this journey about the same time. Two years goes by FAST, doesn't it!
So happy for you, my friend,
Nicole
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Dear Friends,
I see there has been some good news of late on the SCLC board. That is wonderful! And I'll keep it going with the latest update on my Mom. She is two years from original dx and her scans yesterday were CLEAR! We are praising God for his goodness.
They said six more months for her next scans, so she and Dad will be spending this winter in FL again. Yahoo! Dad was dx with colon cancer last month which was successfully removed (no need for chemo!) a few weeks ago. His next CT and colonoscopy are in six months as well. So, they're on the same schedule!
Wishing the all of you (or your loved ones) much success in your treatments and much love and peace in your life!
Love,
Nicole
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Hello Everyone,
The last time I was on, I had updated that Mom had clean scans and the Cleveland Clinic docs didn't want to see her for 4 months - her longest 'break' ever! I am so grateful for that, please don't get me wrong. My folks are in Florida and have been since early January. I was so pleased they could 'go south' this year, as last winter was spent in chemo and radiation.
However, I just got a message from my Dad that my mom's energy is at best sustaining and on days, lessening. She has been trying to walk each day to build her strength but today she tried to push herself a bit (walking at a faster pace). She came in bent over and walking crooked and said she would never try that again. She continues to nap everyday and was unable to buy a gift for my son's birthday (this is a BIG deal - buying the perfect gift for the grandkids is especially important to my mom).
To you on this board only, I must admit I am discouraged! I had hoped this time in FL would be rejouvenating and she would make great strides in strength and stamina. She fought the beast and won, but the beast is still taking the mom I know and love. And so my question is - do you have experience with loved ones (or yourself) that life just simply isn't the same, even after successful treatment? Or (and I would only even breath this to you all) is this a possible indication that the beast is back?
I don't know if I've said it before, but I hate cancer.
Love,
Nicole
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Just love her!
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Great News!
in HOPE
Hello Everyone!
Mom had her CT scan last week which showed the original tumor site in her lung appears to be all scar tissue! This is the best news we could have received and we are all praising God. This along with the great response of her brain tumor to the gamma knife means they now don't want to see her until mid-April!
She and Dad plan to leave for Florida after the new year - these are the longest range plans they've been able to make for over a year and we are all THRILLED! I had to come share the good news with all of my friends here.
Merry Christmas!
Nicole
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Scan Result
in HOPE
Bruce - Great news! Congratulations!! THANK YOU for sharing with us so we can celebrate with you.
Nicole
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Hi Judy,
So sorry to hear of this latest development. My mom had WBR for a single met and had gamma knife also when the radiation had not effectively irradicated the tumor. My mom has experienced some memory loss, but it's more the ability to recall names/specific words (which is really frustrating for her, but certainly not debilitating in any way - and it's not extreme but enough that SHE notices it). But the better news is it appeared to have worked! At her latest scans the tumor had shrunk significantly (details in my profile below). Praying for successful treatment!
Love,
Nicole
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Don,
A thank you for your willingness to share your wisdom and experience with all of us. Wishing you peace and happiness -
Love,
Nicole
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Hello Jackie -
Welcome! Likewise, so sorry you have a need for LCSC, but so glad you found us. My mom, too, has LC and we just passed one year since her diagnosis (a timeline of our journey is below). I'm sure others here will add more, but here are my initial thoughts (in a succinct, bullet point list, no less!):
- This uncertain, trying to get your feet on the ground and figure out what's going on and what is going to happen was the worst time in this journey for me, to date. Once you get started on the treatment plan, it becomes more of a 'one foot in front of the other' focus ("one day at a time" is popular with us) which can feel much more manageable.
- As far as chemo - you can find lots of information on this site by doing a search. I will tell you, it seems chemo is typically not as difficult these days as it used to be. My mom took a 'barf bucket' to every treatment and never needed it. She went through a rigorous treatment plan and her main side effect was fatigue. (She too went into treatments a bit 'worn down' and thin as she had what I believe was a paraneoplastic syndrome of face pain and had not been eating well and had been in horrible pain for many months prior to her dx.)
- Radiation - they say to stay on top of the sore throat pain. So if she has it, let docs know as soon as it starts. My mom's docs said that if you wait until it's 'bad', it's too late for them to really help with the pain. It's better to let them know as soon as she feels something and they can work to stay ahead of it. My mom did not experience that, so again, it doesn't happen every time.
- As a caregiver (especially an expectant mom!) take care of yourself! Your mom needs you to be healthy and strong.
- Any time you need support, come HERE! This is a great group of folks that have been there. And we REALLY care.
Keep us posted on how things are going for you and your mom.
Love,
Nicole
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Wonderful news! Congratulations!!
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Hi Steven,
Welcome! So sorry you have a need to be here, but so glad you found us! My mom too has SCLC (we're at one year since dx) and you'll see her story below. She's been through some intensive treatments but is doing well. This can be beat!
Prayers & best wishes to you and your mom!
Love,
Nicole
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Thanks, everyone. I sure enjoy celebrating with all of you. I know you really 'get it' and that's such a good feeling!
Bruce U mentioned my Mom's humor. (He's seen all of her smart alec remarks, I think!) I neglected to share the 'funny' from this visit! (There's always at least one.) She was in with her radiation onc who asked her 'So how are your ears? And your hearing and fingers and toes?"
Mom answers, with an innocently bewildered look on her face 'Well, I don't hear with my fingers and toes.' What a smart a**! Even the doc chuckled some on that one!
Love,
Nicole
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Hello All,
I've been lurking and reading but not posting much. Glad to read the good news updates and stay up to date with everyone.
Mom had her MRI Thursday to see the effect of the gamma knife and we have positive response! The brain tumor shrunk from 13 mm to 3 mm, which is fabulous. (The Dr said they consider even no growth a 'positive response'.) Mom's energy is beginning to come back, her hair is coming in slowly but surely and if her next scans in December are clear, she and Dad plan to go to their place in Florida in Jan-March.
It was a year ago yesterday that she and dad were in the ER and this whole journey started. It's been quite a year but God has been with us through it all and we're in a very good place right now. Today is a good day!
Soooo, drinks in the pub are on me! Let's celebrate!!
Love,
Nicole
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Hi Wattle,
My mom also has SCLC and has a brain met which was first treated with radiation and then gamma knife (same as cyber knife). The procedure itself was simple for brain surgery (you can do a search here and probably find more) - we actually went to lunch afterwards! We go tomorrow for her next set of scans, but you can see our journey below.
There is always hope and the one thing that I've learned is to take this journey one day at a time. And today... it's a good day! Wishing the same for you there.
Love,
Nicole
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Hi Marianne,
First of all, congratulations on finishing PCI. You've earned that mask and whatever you choose to do with it!! Mom kept hers too - it was on their mantle for a little while. The grandsons all got a BIG kick out of that.
I had to check my profile, but Mom's hair did fall out again after her WBR - it looks like a little less than a week after she'd finished. She was pretty bummed as it was just coming back after the chemo, of course. But it's coming back in again now, although she had a bit of a reverse mohawk as she has a very, very thin patch right down the middle of her head, starting in the back.
Have a great Halloween and can't wait to see pictures!
Nicole
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Hi Everyone,
I am delayed in posting an update on Mom's scans last week as it's been a hectic transition to the fall schedule over here. But since you've always all been so wonderful, I wanted to give an upate.
Mom went in last Monday (8/18) for her CT scan and MRI to check on the lung tumor as well as the brain met (size of a nickle). They found that there were no new mets, the lung tumor was stable (yahoo!) but it appeared the tumor in the brain had grown. The change was so slight that the onc brought in a number of specialists and they agreed it showed growth of the tumor. Mom's onc was able to pull some strings and on Thursday she had a meeting with the doc who would perform the surgery along with Dr. V and on Friday she was at the Gamma Knife center at 6:15 AM! Whew - what a whirlwind week.
While Mom admitted the gamma knife was the most 'nerve racking' of the treatments she's received so far (and she's run the gammet, that's for sure) the procedure itself was relatively simple. The most difficult part was waiting for the surgery with the 'halo' on. (At one point when getting up to get coffee she put her arms straight out in front of her and said, 'I could scare little children with this thing. I look like Frankenstein!' You know she always adds humor in at some point!) They took her back around 11:50 and she was out by 12:40. I think they said the actual 'surgery' took 21 minutes. Amazing. We are praising God for the technology!
Mom was really worn out for the couple of days following, but she's getting more energy as each day passes. Now she gets another break until October 16th when they'll take a look and see how the Gamma Knife did.
We are praising God for his goodness, trusting Him because he is in control and taking this journey one day at a time!
Hugs to all of you!
Nicole
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That is wonderful news! And what a beautiful, generational picture you have there. So happy for ALL of you!
Nicole
I was able to put together a picture tribute put to video, spanning her life. I thought I'd post for anyone interested. Turn on your speakers - some of her favorite music is in the background!
Should my Mom have PCI?
in SCLC GROUP
Posted
Hello and welcome! As has been said already, it's definitely an individual decision and could mean different things for different people. As I'm sure you already know, SCLC can be an aggressive, sneaky bugger and my mom decided to have it done. We wanted to take full advantage of everything in our 'arsenal' so to speak. She did end up having one pesky met that was successfully treated with gamma knife, but we'll never know how many more there may have been without the PCI.
We never saw any side affects attributed to the PCI. From my personal experience, I would recommend it. Mom called it a 'rubber for her brain'!