stand4hope Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Hi again, The good news is that our son is going to be ok. There is no permanent damage to the pancreas and he is not in the "chronic" pancreatitis phase. No cysts, no scarring, no tumors, etc. They did put a stent in the bile duct and said it will take a little more time to get the inflammation down and for the pain to stop. His lipase levels began to drop on Sunday. I was so relieved that my legs almost gave out on me. Chronic pancreatitis is a horrible, horrible diagnosis involving a lifetime of constant pain, drugs, doctors, diabetes, insulin, operations, blah, blah, blah, and I'm so glad that he isn't at that point. The bad news is that hubby is having left hip pain - the area where I had told you previously there were a lot of mets and one very large one consuming the entire acetabullum (sp?). He also had large mets at the top of both hips on his last PET scan. He won't call the doctor yet. It just started this weekend (I think). He didn't tell me until late yesterday afternoon. It's also radiating down to his knee. He does also have a couple of mets in the top of both femurs, so we'll just have to see how this goes. We see the onc on the 13th for his monthly checkup and Zometa, and he said this can wait until then. I disagree, but it's his call. I imagine if it gets worse before then that he will call the onc or let me call. Right now he says it's not bad - and I'm sure that's true, because I think he would tell me if it was bad. He knows it's nothing to mess around with. Anyway, once more, I'm hanging onto my hat, because it sounds like their might be another one of those darned crises trying to sneak in on us. #(@!**@ those things! Love, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay A. Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, I'm so relieved to hear that your son is going to be okay. I don't evny any of the family members/caregivers having to accept the wishes of the one who has Lung Cancer. I remember what it felt like when dealing with my Mom, her sister and their brothers. Hoping that the pain your husband is feeling isn't more mets. Nothing wrong with hoping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patkid Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, Just hugs and prayers. Please, Lord, a rest for our Peggy and her family. Pat and Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy B Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, So glad to hear your son is on the mend. Prayers going out to you and your hubby. I only found out this morning that my husband had an appt. with an ENT doc. He has had something in his throat for a while (which he also didn't say anything about). After a few anxious hours (me, of course, thinking throat cancer)it turns out it is an infection and he was put on antibiotics. It is good that your husband will tell you medical things but it sure is like pulling teeth to get these guys to a doctor. My thoughts and prayers are with you guys - your son too. Love and hugs, Nancy B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Lamb Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy,I'm glad for the good news but sorry for the bad news.Wish you could get him to the dr. sooner somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted May 3, 2005 Author Share Posted May 3, 2005 So do I, Frank. If I could pick up his bony butt and throw it on a radiation machine, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But since he's bigger and a whole lot stronger than me, and actually can get kind of mean and nasty if I try to boss him around, he'll have to put his own bony butt on the machine! LOL! How are you feeling? Did I miss the post about how your appointment went with the seeding? I kept looking for it, but must have missed it. Love, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnyde Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, MEN. Stubborn aren't they? So glad to hear your son is on the upswing. Have no advice on how to move Don forward. You just have to hope that they know their bodies and know when it is the right time and that they do something about it. Sitting on the side lines is very tough. This whole darn journey is wrapped around stuff we can't control, which is some much the part of why it is so hard. Thinking of you and praying hard for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail p-m Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, I'm really thrilled to hear about your son. Our children are so precious to us -- nothing worse than a sick kid. As for your husband, I'm so sorry to hear of his troubles. Sounds a bit like what we're going through with my Dad right now who really should be phoning his oncologist but he wants to wait awhile. He shouldn't but what can I do? Men!! Prayers for your husband. Gail p-m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Glad to hear about your son. As for your hubby, I think the onc should be notified right away, regardless of what hubby says. It is foolish to ignore pain -- we have pain for a reason. I hope he comes to his senses. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, great news about your son, That must be a load off your mind. But now there is the issue of your bubby. I agree with don, get him to a oncologist to see what the problem is. Best wishes, for your husband and son. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy: I am glad your son is going to be ok. I hope you husband's bone pain gets attention soon. don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shineladysue Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Hey Peggy, That's great news about your son. Sorry your husband is having pain. If you are like me, you won't rest easy until he has it checked out. I know a part of you must feel like you need a big break right now. I hope you can get one very soon. In my prayers, as always. Love, sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieD Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, Really glad to hear about your son. You certainly didn't need that, but you are a Mom and we all know about Moms and their guys. About your Husband, can't you convince him that the pain is being caused by his cancerous condition and it not going to get better by itself. He's going through a lot of pain that is probably unnecessary and will certainly not contribute to any improvement. Hope and pray that you can get him to the Doc Pronto. Good Luck and God Bless. CharlieD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy. Glad to hear about your son, sorry to hear about hubby. Prayers fro the best. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berisa Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, I see no point to wait until next visit. Hope that you can get your hubby there ASAP at least for pain relief. He shouldn't be suffered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy P Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 ((((Peggy)))))) Glad to hear your son is getting better, I know that has to be a relief! As for your hubby, well we all know how stubborn men can be, I just hope that he will trust in you and go see the oncologist earlier if the pain continues to get worse. I saw my Dad last night and he can hardly get around because of some pain from a bulging disc and I asked when we go back to see the doc and he said he wasn't, he was just going to live with it - not the same thing as cancer growing but more an insight into male pattern stubborness which I know that you are more than aware of!!!! Hugs and prayers continue to come your way! Much Love, Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remembering Dave Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Peggy, yipee about your son! Wow, I hope this is the beginning of a clean bill of health for him! Now, about your husband. I don't know if you remember this or even saw it at the time, but about mid-February, when Dave started his new chemo (topotecan) and zometa for his bone mets, he started getting some really bad pain, it would start in the areas where he had bone mets and radiate, like from his hip met, radiating down his legs. He had joint pain. After a while, the onco doc figured it was the zometa, and getting the zometa with the chemo made it all worse. I was worried sick, SURE that the bones mets had spread like wildfire, but when Dave had a bone scan done, they weren't any worse and were perhaps a little bit better. So maybe that's what it is, something related to the zometa and/or chemo. Just a thought. Hang in there kiddo! My hero! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted May 3, 2005 Author Share Posted May 3, 2005 Hi again, Just wanted to clarify a few things. First, hubby is not in bad pain, at least he wasn't as of this morning. It's uncomfortable. He just can't get comfortable. If it was bad, or getting worse, he would be more than willing to call. We've been told to call about anything that is different and stays, with the emphasis on the word stays. Now, things could change by the time I get home tonight because I haven't talked to him all day. He was ok enough to go to work and go to a meeting, so that's all I know so far. Second, he's not on chemo and has been on Zometa for almost a year, so I'm sure that's not it. He has never had any side effects with the Zometa. Third, the mets that he has in that area were already there. I'm not thinking there are new ones, but of course I guess there could be. The ones that were there a couple of months ago were large, and very intense on the PET scan (like 5+ SUV). If this pain continues to get worse, it's probably because the Tarceva isn't working, and since Iressa had stopped working, there's a good chance that's what's happening since the two drugs are so similar. We wanted to try Tarceva before yet another chemo so he could get in some bike time, which he has. If the Tarceva isn't working, then he will just have to decide if he wants to try Alimta, something else, or stop treatment altogether. Fourth, he is the boss of me. LOL! There is no way I could ever make him go to the doctor if he doesn't want to. Now, I do know how to influence him. Love to all, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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