kimmek Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 Thanks everyone for your prayers during these past 2 weeks. We have such wonderful news with the cancer being gone and officially welcomed "Ned" into our lives. Mom was released from the hospital on Wednesday and had her last round of chemo on Thursday. The chemo was against my advise but her doctor said if she wanted to there was no reason not too. She is still in so so much pain, and to add the feeling bad 5-7 days after chemo on top is going to be too much on her. But she is hardheaded and wanted to be done. Mom had a MRI and it also showed no signs of cancer anywhere, but did show her to have a compressed fraction in the t7 area of her spine. This is appaently caused from Osteoprous(sp). No ones knows if it will heal, maybe so in 6 - 8 weeks. Surgeons can then try to "fix" it with new technics they have come up with, by gluing/fusing the bones back, but this is all wishy/washy to me. So im just praying that it will heal on its own. Her onc wants to see her 3 months for follow up with the cancer, not the back. So i took mom today to her gp and he gave us alot more info about the back problem and said basically he can treat the symptoms but not fix the problem, and does not have a problem referring us to a pain management doc or a orthopedic/nueroligist, whatever it takes. But for now we just see what happens. But Mom is taking soo many pain pills. This so worrys me. One doc says get off of them, and another says take what you need to be comfy you wont get addicted if you really need them. I just hate this, Mom is miserable. I cant believe she has gone thru all this, be free of cancer and this happens. No reason as to why, maybe a old fall, maybe just coughing hard, her bones are brittle. I also found out something i did not know and that is only women who have smoked can get Osteoporous. Has anyone heard that? This is what her gp told us today.Mom is really depressed even tho she has been on Paxil since dx, and sad sometimes i look at her and she has big tears rolling down her cheekm I have never in my life seen my mom in pain, she could handle anything. When she had her bypass surgery 2 yrs ago, other than what they gave her in the hospital, she never took anything after she left. Nothing, said she didnt need them, and now here she is living thru the day on OxyIR. I dont know what to do i feel so helpless. And now since she had the last chemo yesterday, im so scared this weekend is just going to be more than she or I can handle. If anyone has experienced one of these compressed fractions, please let me know what i can expect or anything i might can do to ease her pain, I would be do grateful. God Bless Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 Kim, good to hear that your Mom is NED. Try to be happy with that. On the pain, I lean towards getting it controlled so your mom can enjoy life. Best to you all. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 Kim, Kim, I'm sure NED is welcome, but it's hard to rejoice when your mom is in so much pain. I don't know anything about these fractures, but I know that just the back pain I have from bulging disks and severe stenosis hurts a lot, so I can't even imagine how painful a fracture would be. I hope you can get some pain management worked out very soon. I have a friend that had a fusion of her lower spine (I think it was L4-L5). The surgery was a painful recovery, but the results were phenomenal. She was TOTALLY pain free in a matter of a few weeks. Keep us posted on your mom's progress. Love, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richinsdakota Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 Yea, Im living with surgery and back pain too...tho mine is supposedly just arthritic joints, etc....pain management doc has me on Oxycontin/darvocet....right now. I understand a "nerve block", (injection) may be possible later, and Ive heard they are quite effective and long lasting...so, I may have to consider it later. Yea, doc doesnt worry about addiction either, so I dont let it worrry me. Good luck, wish you the best for her. Rich B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 Kimmek As one who has been in unbearable pain for some time--and relentless pain since Sunday, I say, don't worry about the meds--they can only help-- Pain causes life to look pretty bleak, bad pain, does. Your mom deserves to enjoy NED. She is a strong woman with a strong daughter. You are a testament to her goodness. It sounds to me like she is not someone who would take the meds if she didnt need them.. Hoping the weekend brings only slight glitches and nothing that you feel overwhelmed ab out! love and fortitude elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chloesmom Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 There is treatment now for osteoporosis--you can take a number of 'bone building' drugs that help--fosamax is one of them. I don't know who told you that only women who smoke get osteoporosis, but that is totally untrue. My mother-in-law, who never let a cigarette touch her lips, has the skeleton of a china doll now. What happened with her is that she had to take prenedisone in heavy doses for a while, and prednisone takes all the calcium out of your bones in big doses for extended periods. She is also 91 years old, and did not use calcium supplements because not a lot was known about osteoporosis at the time she should have been taking calcium. Her pain is being managed by lortabs and the duragesic patch. Good luck, Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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