mhutch1366
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Posts posted by mhutch1366
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Hi,
Your dad may need anti depressants, because I was depressed as all get out for 15 months after surgery, and I was taking antidepressants... I shudder to think of how bad it might have been had I tried to tough it out.
I had 7 weeks off after chemo/rad and before surgery, then a month after surgery before chemo again.
Depends on what the oncologist says. Find one you can work with.
Prayers are with you,
Regards,
MaryAnn
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Cheryl,
((((((((((((((Cheryl))))))))))))))) poor kid, you must be about out of your mind with worry. I hope there are family and friends around you during this horrible ordeal.
I am sending prayers up right now, that you find strength to deal with this, and that Dick find the strength to fight. Being ventilated is rough on a person.
You know we are all with you 100%. Try to take care of yourself too.
Will continue to keep you and Dick and the rest of our "family" in my heart and prayers.
Da^^n this lousy disease....
Warmly,
XOXOXOX
MaryAnn
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CT SCAN TIME
in HOPE
Peg and Bill,
You are in my prayers. I hope your meeting with the doctors after the scan gives you some relief....
Warmly,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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WOW!! Way to go.....
I had constant battle with thrush ( fungus of the tongue and mouth). These things are around all the time but they wait until you're down, see an opportunity, and then BLAM@@!! Add some excitement to your life.
In a wierd way, all the other stuff that turns up is kind of interesting......
Anyway, Glad the scratching can stop.
Regards,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Carleen,
There are too many different types of chem for you to sweep them aside with one broad brush. They have different mechanisms of action targeted at different parts of different kinds of cancer cells. You could have a different chem every week for a year and still not be through, but then neither could you make sense of what was working.....
I'm glad to see you have gotten your resolve back. Now you need a consult with a good doctor, who will evaluate Keith properly and be able to tell you what you have and what that means, and what he would propose to do about it. I'll send you an can of Wh##pA$$, just for emergencies. Keith should look forward to finding some answers from these new doctors, and in the meantime, Keith, there's wonderful restorative power in laughter. Go rent some videos that will have you howling.
You are always in my prayers,
Warmly,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Hi Berisa,
Maybe ask the doctor if a humidifier would help, or hot shower to breathe? He may have trouble bringing up mucus, so make sure he is drinking lots of water. There's something to help with that, an over the counter called guafesin (?) which is an expectorant, ask your doctor about it. There's also something here sold over the counter good for cough in general when hard to sleep, called chloroseptic spray, which numbs the throat's tickle spots and helps quiet the coughs.
Also, perhaps sleeping in a semi-upright position might help some. I know it did help me.
WarmRegards,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Dear Jay,
Yes, write things down, or else bring someone with you to write things down. Also write down the questions you have.
I think the mets thing is pretty well assumed and they seldom do biopsies on those.
What would they do after gamma knife?
If someone would explain how the gamma knife is supposed to work, I'd be appreciative, I don't know much about it.
Jay, you're a good kid and a tough kid, so hang in there and we'll help you get through this step too. You are well regarded here, in case you haven't noticed. Let us know what goes on, please.
Warmest Regards,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Hi,
I found it best to avoid small children ( do NOT volunteer Columbus Day in first grade with the runny noses), crowds (keep away from the mall unless it is early morning and pretty empty), sit in the back in church ( or wherever the seating is really spread out and empty). Avoid parties or large gatherings, esp. indoors (like you're really going to have a garden party in November?) and use that hand foam / antiseptic stuff, it works.
Plenty handwashing. No Mass Transportation. Eat at home.
Rides in the car are good things. Occasional shopping is good. Video rental is good. Library is good. Quiet restaurants for early or late lunch is good.
It takes time to build up the energy for doing stuff that you would like to see. It took me well over a year to work up to just plain feeling bad. I was working full time, and doing my thing with the kids on alternate weekends, going for lessons etc. I wound up in the hospital twice with pneumonia from pushing it, and did the prednisone at home thing several more times ( that stuff is always awful, mood swings can be horrible when tapering down, but it is GOOD for the lungs if they're constricted at all ).
Continued good luck to your mom Judy on her recovery. Tell her from me not to worry too much about the reconstruction -- it's the least of the problem. I slept 14 hours a day for the first 8 months.
And you be good to yourself. Take a break from time to time to be your own friend, otherwise you'll burn out too.
Warm Regards,
MaryAnn
XOXOX
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Hi Dean,
Welcome aboard. Alphonse is not welcome but nothing we can do about it, is there? The little malignant pieces are what chemo is for, to take care of all the things one cannot see, and given that the tumor is obstructive, I wouldn't be surprised if they went to remove it. They may even be exahustively thorough, God bless them, and give the Alphonse's neighborhood radiation for good measure.
In any case, go in with a list of questions, and write down the answers (Or you won't remember much) or better yet, bring somebody who will write things down for you, and help you remember your questions.
Remember you are a participant, not just a subject here. Be proactive, ask questions, get involved !! Now that they know better what they're dealing with, they'll be better prepared with a plan to deal with it.
Keep your chin up, Dean, and take it one step at a time. You're in good company here.
Warm Regards,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Christy,
If they are keeping him on VP-16 and Cisplatin, it means that the tumor(s) are continuing to respond to the chemo, so they don't change it yet. Which is a good thing. I know the chemo is strong, any platinum based chemo is, but God be praised! it blasted my huge tumor into nowhere. It seems to be doing good things for Darrell also. The doctors can't commit to a next move until they see what happens with this one, so although I'm sure it makes you nuts, try to understand it's a moving target. Take good care of Darrell while he recovers from the chemo, and be gentle with yourself. It looks like things are going well at the moment. Good luck on the scans. Let us know how they turn out.
In my prayers,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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CT SCAN TIME
in HOPE
Peg,
I hope Bill's scans looked good today. Prayers for you both.
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Cindy,
Prayers for Greg, and for all those he is leaving behind....
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Howard and Bonnie --
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful news!!!
NED.... what a powerful syllable.....
XOXOXOX
God bless and keep you both.
MaryAnn
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Christy,
I know it tears you up, but chemo is good stuff. I had the chemo Darrell is on, and it is powerful. Killed my tumor completely.
Be glad the transfusions are available, he'll feel better afterward. You didn't mention, but does he have any more cycles of chemo left? I only went through four. When the chemo is finished, then take vitamins multiple plus b complex plus antioxidants, none of which should be taken with chemo, but after chemo they'll help Darrell recover faster. And don't forget lots of water.
I know chemo is rough. I find it hard to get mad at what essentially saved my life. My heart goes out to you having to watch him feel bad.
Chin up! This part too will pass...
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Cheryl,
Hang in there. Prayers for you and Dick.
XOXOXOX
MaryAnn
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Hi,
I had some wierd itching in the arm post surgery ( also post chemo ) and the doctor had indicated he was willing to try neurontin if it got too bad, because he thought the itching had to do with nerve endings also.
Hope you can stop it -- my last pregnancy I itched all over BADLY for about 3-5 weeks and there was nothing could be done. It's enough to make one crazy, the itching.
Hope you get it sorted out soon.
Otherwise I'd recommend something with an analgesic in it, like lanacaine for sunburn? Just a thought.
MaryAnn
XOXOX
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Andrea,
Really glad to hear this good news about your mom.
Hope she feels better real soon.
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!
and God bless you both!
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Hi,
I was very badly anemic as I was diagnosed, and required transfusions then and prior to starting chemo. All during chemo I received procrit, and I believe that continued for a month or so after the chemo stopped. My hemoglobin was still low, but not low enough to require procrit at that point.
Depending on the kind of cancer and what it does to your body, it is certainly not uncommon for anemia to be a problem. Every person is different. Procrit is good medicine, and works well especially if you can eat fairly well -- ie some meat, green vegetables, things like that with iron.XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Janet,
Rest as well as you are able, and feel better soon.
Prayers are with you and your family.
You are not alone -- you have all of us here.
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Hi Kim,
Welcome aboard. I too had back pain, I had a pancoast tumor (nsclc, grew into chest wall). After almost 2 years of misdiagnoses and PT and orthopedic drs and trigger point injections. somebody bothered to listen to me about an X RAY!!!!
When they found cancer, well, then they gave me PAIN meds. Funny thing about large doses of morphine and such, they can reduce peristalsis in the intestines to almost nothing, and next thing you know POOF!! perforation. I had the same thing happen to me. I went to the oncologists to arrange for chemo and essentially collapsed in his office, followed by emergency surgery that night. So, the entire time I had chemo and radiation, cancer surgery, and more chemo, I had the blasted ostomy. I finally had it reversed 7 months later. I discovered in one of my later hospital bouts (respiratory infection) that it (perforation and ostomy) is not an infrequent occurrence.
Tell your dear mother to hang on, I recommend that she try to find the ostomy supply company that offers the little gas relief valve as an optional product. Made a world of difference in my comfort level, knowing the bag wouldn't pop off. I also loved sweat pants and overalls.
Hard to believe looking back that I endured all this without blinking, but it's amazing what you will do when you have to.
Tell your mom she's not alone, there are a lot of us out here.
Keeping you in my prayers,
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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(gasping for air)...I haven't laughed so hard in months......
Due to my prosthetic chest wall on the left, which is supposed to replace the 5 missing ribs, I have one that points forward (unaltered) and one that distinctly leans to port.
My favorite visual joke on this is, imagine if my surgeon were a fan of Picasso's (remember his eye painting?). I am soooo lucky....
The only bra I can wear is a sports bra, otherwise with no collarbone the strap falls down and drives me nuts.
I really like the one about the knife fight and leather halter.
Mine, I just figure for a shark bite.. and he spit it out.
For all I care he can have it, cause he could bite it off now and I wouldn't feel a thing... (still no nerves in that quad).
Enjoyed spending the time with you, ladies....
XOXOX
MaryAnn
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Just call me...
Loopy Chickenface????????????????????
lolol
MaryAnn
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Karen,
That is GREAT news!! about NED. Sorry about the pneumonia, I know it makes you feel washed out, but better pneumonia than tumor.
I believe the doctors want to be proactive and ensure that what they can't seed (ie, micro cancers) are also taken care of, since you responded so beautifully to chemo. I know of a few other cases like this, and they are truly miraculous. What is amazing is that you apparently managed to resorb the large tumor (did I read you right?) completely.
Remember that chemo and radiation both tax the immune system, which makes it harder to get over the pneumonia.
I remember my surgeon asking me, when I told him I felt like sh!t three months after the surgery (had been hospitalized for respiratory infection and facing another surgery for ostomy reversal) " would you rather have your tumor back?".
Congratulations on the good news!! and take care of the pneumonia.
XOXOX
MaryAnn
Feeling Guilty and Overwhelmed!
in CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER
Posted
Your mom may know more than you give her credit for. She also knows she is not a statistic. She may be taking it one day at a time, as it comes.
If you have the cancer, and you give in to the fear, you want to hide from it all in a hole somewhere where every second is five hundred years long... and recognizing that you can't live that way, you grit your teeth, pull it together, and tough it out. I, for one, would not let the cancer win, even if it killed me.
I know I'd want my own kids to enjoy their lives, and not feel guilty that they didn't feel guilty enough. An illness like this kicks you in the teeth, and reminds you just what is important, and what is bs.
If you need counseling to keep yourself balanced through this, don't feel bad about reaching for the help. That's what it's there fore.
Anyway, prayers with you all..
Regards,
MaryAnn