Guest Posted July 24, 2003 Share Posted July 24, 2003 Hi, I would like to tell you all what I have been going thru with my sister. I am also her caregiver and we live togeather. Evelyn is 67 and I am 55. A little over two years ago she was diognosed with throat cancer. She took max radiation which got rid of the tumor but left her unable to swallow anything. She had a stomach tube inserted so she could be fed a special ensure. Last Febuary she went in to change her tube out because it was getting rather raunchy. The doctor forgot to tell her she was suppose to rotate it everyday. When they pulled out the tube to replace it, they pulled out part of her stomach. A couple of weeks later it got infected and she had to be rushed to the hospital. She was throwing up blood. She had major surgery. A total hysterectomy because they found two large tumors on her overies. Which were benign. They had to move her feeding tube into her lower intestine. She has to hook up to a pump for her feedings which is painful for her all the time. An open wound in her belly she has to deal with on a daily basis. A little over three weeks ago she got a full recovery from cancer from her radiologest. She also had just taken her three month xray and blood panel. Shortly after she gets a good report, we get a call that the xray showed up something on her lung. She then went for a catscan which showed up two spots and then went for a pet scan which showed cancer. Then she went to a lung specilist which took a diopsy. Now she has a slow moving squemous cell lung cancer which they are going to start radiation and cemo next week. Excuse my language but this is such a bunch of crap. Talk about being mad, stressed, sad and everything else combined. Our only hope is that they were able to catch it in time. It hadn't been showing on her 3 month xrays until now and is already over an inch long. It is blocking her right bronc tube. If anyone would like to email me and talk back and forth, please feel free. I need to talk about this. God Bless all of you and I pray for everyone of you. Pama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted July 24, 2003 Share Posted July 24, 2003 Pama, this is a dreadful situation for you and your sister. One should not have to endure so much. My prayers are with you, especially that the lung cancer is taken care of. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelleyu Posted July 24, 2003 Share Posted July 24, 2003 Pama: Just wanted to say that you should be commended along with your sister for all that the two of you have been through with cancer in general. This board is FANTASTIC and you will find what you need here for you and your sister. Take it one day at a time, and remember, post, post, post. Love, Kelleyu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norme Posted July 24, 2003 Share Posted July 24, 2003 Pama, evelyn has been through much more then anyone should go through and she is still fighting. she is one he/// of a woman. you for taking care of her are also one he/// of a woman. i cannot imagine what it has been like nor do i want to. i don't know if i could have held up through all of that. i guess one does what one has to do at the time... i am here for you whenever you want to talk, you can e-mail me and i will try and support you both as much as i can or you can just get on the board and write whatever is on your mind. we all understand. when i think i had heard it all, then another story pops up like this and the tears start coming again. oh tears, keep flowing tonight.....i will say a special prayer for Evelyn tonight..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen335 Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Pama, I have said a special prayer for your sister. Good is good, he promises to answer our prayers. In order for us to e-mail you, we need your e-mail address. If you update your profile we can get it from there. Hang in there. God Bless you and your sister Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Hi, Thank you all for your support. You all sound like wonderful people. I am sure you are. I am having trouble signing on and have writen the administrator toget help. That is why my email address isn't showing. Tomorrow we go in to make an appointment to put one of those things in Evelyns shoulder so she can endure the cemo better. I have a mental block against the name of it for some reason. I also do not like the idea of her having to take cemo. I don't know if she can withstand it. Radiation and cemo togeather. Her doctor says the cemo with help the radiation. I trust him, he is a good doctor. It's just that she has gone thru so much and isn't as strong as she used to be. I can't tell you how much I hate this. I'm even dreaming about it. Her radiation treatments start Wensday at 3:00pm. Once a day for six weeks and once a week for cemo for six weeks. After that three cemo treatments, once every three weeks. That's providing the tumor is gone. If not more cemo. May God help us. I have taken off work during the week toget Evelyn thru treatments. I will be working on Saturday and Sundays. Not really wanting to because I hate leaving her alone. She wants it that way tho so far. Not knowing how she will be feeling is the hard part. Can't seem to judge this yet. Thanks for listening. I will be back. Hopfully able to sign in. Love and Blessings, Pama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 I forgot to put my email address. peincorp@aol.com Pama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen335 Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Dear Pama, I just went through 38 treatments of radiation and 6 weekly treatments of chemo, Taxol/Carboplatin. These treatments started the first of April and finished the end of May. My doctor gave me almost a two month break. Has anyone else's doctor waited that long in between treatments? Please let me know. In July I started a new cycle of chemo, Taxol/Carboplatin, every three weeks (stronger doses). The tumor is in the right lung and was 17cm long (huge), it shrunk to 8cm according to the CT in June. The tumor is blocking the bronc tubes, that is why I cannot have it removed. I will find out tomorrow how much more it has shrunk, from my blood tests. I had a PET scan in June and praise God, the only place the cancer was, was in the lung. It sounds like the doctor's caught this early. What type of chemo are they going to be giving your sister? You hang in there and everything will be alright. I'll be praying for you and your sister. It is not your cancer, do not claim it. God is good and he will answer our prayers, all we have to do is ask in Jesus name. He loves us and will take care of us. Keep the faith. God bless and lots of hugs Karen NSCLC, Dx 3-03, 3A ????? Miracles do happen in God's name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Pama, I think you mean a port. Lucie has one and it really helped her since her veins are so small and hard to get at. You do have to watch for infection, though. Keep in touch. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimblanchard Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 Pama, You are truly a wonderful sister. This is an absolutely dreadful situation for your sister. How amazing that you are able to carry on. My prayers are with both of you. Peg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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