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Trawna

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Posts posted by Trawna

  1. You may want to talk to your MD about an antidepressant such as lorazipam and/or venlaflaxine. My husband was unbelieveably grouchy (not without reason for sure!) until he was prescribed both the antidepressant and also the sleep aid, since he was not sleeping well either. He still complains about being tired, etc. but at least the massive depression has gone, and now that he is getting some sleep it is really helping him to deal on a daily basis.

    Thniking of you, and hoping for all the best.

  2. Hello Allie:

    I am new here too, and just wanted to say how sorry I am for your Mum's diagnosis, but also to say that you have found a wonderful support site here. Cancer has affected so many of us in so many ways (in addition to my husband's current situation, I lost my Mom to ovarian cancer when I was 32) and we need all the support we can get -- and give -- to help each other and, ultimately to beat this disease. I hope you will find both good information and support here. Let us know how the appointment went.

    Jane

  3. Thanks to you all for the welcome, and my best to each one of you on this difficult journey. I am exploring the boards and find the posts are most helpful and supportive. I am already very glad I was led to this site, and blessings to those who founded it and support it.

    (((All)))

    Jane

  4. If it is at all encouraging to you, my brother-in-law had thyroid cancer, plus Stage 4 lc, plus mets to liver and kidney. He first had a laryngectomy and thyroidectomy, followed by lobectomy, and then followed up with radiation and chemotherapy. Needless to say, that was a very difficult year of treatments.

    The good news ... that was 7 years ago and he feels great, is still working, and most importantly is still enjoying his life. So try not to think about statistics. Think positive, be strong.

    I will hope the radiation will go as well for you as it did for him.

    Jane

  5. Hello:

    I guess I should have introduced myself a couple of weeks ago when I found this site, but I haven't got around to it until now. I am the caregiver for my husband, age 64. He had kidney cancer in 1991 and had the right kidney and that adrenal gland removed at that time, and so we thought he had the big C beat, until August 2007 when a standard chest x-ray showed a shadow ... subsequently, after the usual ritual of tests, CAT scans, lung biopsy, etc. he was diagnosed in November with stage 3a lc(involvement was given as being one lung and one nodule in mediastinal area), but subsequent tests revealed likely nodules in other lung and possible adrenal spread so that staging was upped to 3b. No identifiable mets to liver, bone or brain at this time.

    After a nightmare of three totally different treatment plans they finally decided on a six-cycle treatment plan using cisplatin and vinorelbine, (1 week both, next week cisplatin only, 3rd week rest week) and he is to be re-assessed after that to see if the tumors have shrunk enough to make radiation of the mediastinal node and one lung a realistic option. His treatment is complicated by the fact that he had a heart attack and stroke in 2001, and subsequently had a triple bypass and carotid artery replacement. He has currently completed two cycles but has come down with a high fever in the last three days, and so the start of cycle 3 has been delayed a week and he is being treated with antibiotics for the next week.

    He is very positive and says he beat cancer once and will do so again. I am up and down like a yoyo and am trying to stay positive for him. He does not want to know his prognosis or even the type of tumor he has, he just wants to do what the oncologists say and fight it with their chemicals and his mental strength. I really would be much better if I knew more details, but this is his battle and I have no option but to respect his choice not to learn more. So ... I look elsewhere for all the information I can. I stumbled across this site through a post on another one, and it appears to have a wealth of information as well as being a great support resource. I am grateful it is here, and thanks for providing it ... a support community is so very helpful for all of us, patients and caregivers alike, who are just putting one foot in front of the other and trying to get on with our lives day by day as best we can while dealing with this rotten disease.

    Jane

  6. Dear Carrie:

    I agree with Bobby that the most important thing you can do now is to try to get her comfortable. My Mom refused chemo for her late-stage ovarian cancer, but we were fortunate enough to have an understanding MD who was willing to provide medications in sufficent dosage that controlled virtually all of her pain during her last few weeks. Frankly, it may have shortened her life, but it definitely gave her a better quality of life through that last period. The downside was that she slept a lot, but at least when she was awake she was able to be without that awful pain.

    My thoughts are with you all in this very difficult time, may you all find relief from all of the different types of pain you are feeling now. Peace to you, you are in my thoughts.

    Jane

  7. I am so very sorry for your Mom's situation, and I hope she can get some help to deal with the bowel problem.

    My husband recently had terrible urgency and loose stools, which Immodium did absolutely nothing for. After 3 days his MD prescribed Lomotil + atropine sulphate, which cleared it up. Maybe you could ask her doctor about this?

    In addition, the BRAT diet is commonly recommended for loose stools ... that's banana, rice, applesauce, and toast. It is supposedly constipating.

    Hopefully your Mom may find some relief from one or both of the above.

  8. Dear Hawkeye:

    I am so sorry that Mary and you have to travel this road. Courage to you, may you be blessed in the knowledge that you are doing your utmost. It is grat that her son and daughter-in-law are there for you both. My thoughts are with you, may you all feel the warm thoughts we all send to you, and may you all find some peace in such a difficult time.

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