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famograham

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Posts posted by famograham

  1. Just wanted to pop in and let everybody know that my Mama is NED!!!!! :D:lol::)

    Now they've told her that she can wait a year for her next scan. This scares me a little, but at the moment we're just BASKING in the good news!!

  2. Exactly right Randy...lol!

    I have been confused this entire time about that very fact. If they couldn't find any cancer cells, then there never was proof that she has cancer at all, so I wonder how they decided her treatment plan without all the facts.

    Bizarre, and very perplexing.

    Mom deals with the same cancer clinic as Sandra did, in Victoria.

  3. I'm being really lazy right now, but I thought you'd want to know anyway...LOL!

    I just posted this on Dr West's site because these new developments caused some questions. Since it include the update info, I'm just going to post it for you guys as-is.

    Please share your thoughts if you can, OK?

    xoxoxoxo

    Linda

    My Mom just got home from an appointment with her Onc.- Dr Joe, in Victoria BC Canada.

    She was diagnosed with lung cancer in March of 08. After two bronchoscopies, they still could not come up with any cancer cells whatsoever to identify the type. So, they treated her as NSCLC, but without having the specific type.

    It was confined to one tumor. She was staged at T1 N0 M0, or stage 1.

    She had 20 radiation treatments in September 08 and has been clear since then.

    Last week she got results from a recent CT scan, done without contrast. It noted multiple small spiculated masses, in the upper lobes of both lungs.

    She was diagnosed at 64, and is now 66.

    She has fairly advanced emphysema

    She still smokes

    The Onc told her that she is not a candidate for more radiation, or surgery (we knew about this one), and she is also not a candidate for any chemo.

    He told her that he is not convinced that this is lung cancer progression, that it may be scarring from the emphysema.

    He told her to go home, love life, and smoke all she wants. Then come back in 3 months, have a new CT scan, and go from there. He said that if it is still stable in 3 months, then he will do everything in his power to help her stop smoking once and for all.

    So, I have two questions.

    1 - Why was her CT done without contrast, and could this affect the results being interpreted?

    2 - Why might he tell her that she's not a candidate for any chemo?

    My Mom has an amazing attitude, and a great quality of life. She is still able to go for long (slow) walks, and do tons of gardening, she does ceramics and goes bowling every week.

    She is fine with doing nothing. She just lost her sister to lung cancer before Christmas. I think that if it is progression, she'll be content to just let it happen...but the idea that she's not a candidate for chemo is really irking me.

    Thanks so much for any insight you can offer (anyone!)

    xoxo

    Linda

  4. Oh Nick...this made me cry!!!

    I CANNOT read that book without losing it. When one of our kids have wanted to hear it, I've had to get my husband to read it.

    I'm still lucky enough to have my Mama, but this is one book that touches me so deeply both as a mother and as a daughter...that I just can't read it unless I have a long time to devote to bawling my eyes out.

    (((((HUG)))))

    Linda

  5. It's truly beautiful here...I would encourage anyone to visit.

    All of Vancouver Island is recommended. I live in Parksville, about 2 hours north of Sandra's home. It's my home and I couldn't live anywhere else!

  6. Auntie Aggie went to heaven, to be with her Mom, Dad, and many brothers, sisters, and loved ones on December 23rd at 4:20 am.

    She was VERY ready, and dismayed every time she woke up, for weeks on end. She had an amazing sense of humour, and was a wonderful woman, who gave my Mom so much support during my Mom's own diagnosis.

    The irony of Aggie's stage 4 diagnosis after my Mom's stage 1, is a lot to bear.

    Throughout this holiday season, my Mom and I have envisioned her sitting down to an amazing Christmas celebration with the family members she has missed so much. All of them free from pain and anguish, and together at last! It's a blessing in a way, because we could think of her there..and happy...instead of laying in her hospice bed, just waiting...

    We will miss you Aggie, but I'm so glad that you are in the comfort of the arms of so many who love you!

    All my love,

    I feel you here with us,

    Linda

  7. Prayers from the deepest part of my heart for you Sandra!!!!

    My goodness, I HATE this!

    Sandra was one of the very first people who welcomed me when I came here. We actually only live about 2 hours apart, she is in Victoria and I'm in Parksville. We almost managed to meet last summer, but missed eachother :(

    I'm not here much because at the moment we are very much enjoying time with NED....but my heart is here, and I do check in now and then. I just feel so terrible. I have this strange sense of guilt..that Mom is doing so well at the moment. I know that Sandra wouldn't want me to feel this way, but it is what it is.

    I'm sending LOVE, and my deepest prayers, for comfort, for healing and for peace.

    With all my heart,

    Linda

  8. Thank you SO MUCH everyone!!!!

    And Carleen, you're right! She does say that, and I always try... but not always successfully :)

    I'm the one who does all the worrying (lol), Mom has this magical ability to accept anything that comes her way...she blows my mind, and I love her SO much. Actually, I think her mindset has had a great deal to do with how well she's done so far! I believe that she truly believes she can will it away :)

    xoxoxo

    Linda

  9. So tomorrow is 6 months since Mom's last stable scan.

    I'm scared!

    BUT she has been feeling SO great, and been so busy that I do have a deep down feeling that it will be good news again.

    She's even put back on all the weight she had lost, and is complaining about being fat again...LOL!

    PLEASE send prayers for great news!

    I'll let you know as soon as we get the results...not sure how long.

    xoxoxox

    Linda

  10. Sandra :D

    I'm sorry it took me so long to post this! I just wanted to let you know that I'm SO thrilled that you're getting some VERY well deserved relief! You've fought through so much..I admire you completely and I'm just so happy for you.

    You've been such a wonderful friend to me through all of this, and I want you to know I'm thinking about you every day

    (((((HUG)))))

    Linda

  11. Pheeewww...this has been a long time coming! Our entire group of family and friends are ecstatic tonight!

    Mom had her CT last week, and got her results today. I'll write a little here...because you guys understand the lingo.. :lol:

    After all the technical jargon, we have...

    IMPRESSION: Almost complete resolution of the pulmonary lesions in left hilar mass is seen since the previous exam of march 8th '08. No new mass lesion is identified. No destructive bone lesion is seen. Spiculated mass previously seen in upper left lobe is not identified. Focal scarring is also seen at the site of the posterior right mid lung lesion. No residual mass is seen in that area either.

    Report also states that liver, kidneys, adrenals, lymph nodes are clear.

    So basically, some things that were there, are gone entirely, and if it's not gone entirely, it's only scar tissue...can you get better news than that??

    I suppose it's not the elusive NED, but not all pathologists use that term, right?

    I'm stunned, and in awe, and all welled up inside!

    Next scan in August

    Thank you to anyone who has prayed for us, and thanks to God for giving me more time with my Mama!!!

    I'm just overwhelmed with this reprieve...no matter how short lived it may be :D

    xoxoxoxo

    Linda

    (Mods- if you feel this is better placed in Good News, I understand :) )

  12. WOW! I'm SO glad you're OK! And also that you have such a great sense of humor :lol:

    But my goodness....the chemo taking the finish off a watch...that right there is a VERY serious tribute to anyone who has ever had chemo, and their bravery. It creates a very clear picture of the guts/balls/mojo it takes to have chemo!

    You GO girl! Your story made me laugh and blew my mind at the same time!

    xoxox

    Linda

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