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Pain on right side of chest


lindy

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Yesterday he slept all day and then told me this morning his side hurts on the right. The doctor had told us before that different area's of the body where the cancer is might start with pain. It could be his liver or stomach, who knows. The doctor put him on vicodan pain medication. Mike says the pain pill helps some but still discomfort. Doctor says not to wait until the pain gets unbearable because it will then take awhile for medication to work. This is the first time he has had any pain anywhere. The doctor promised Mike he will make sure he has no pain. Hospice has been called by the doctor and they are suppose to call us today or tomorrow.

The doctor was not surprised regarding Mike's ear problem. Can't hear good out of the right ear and feels some pressure. Could be from all the brain mets he has.

Keep us in your prayers. I'm getting scared now.

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Linda -

It IS scary, yet you have many people around you who will support you every step of the way. There are so many drugs for pain (with Vicodin being just the beginning) - I am confident that Mike will get his pain under control. Hospice should be of great help.

Try to stay strong and be thankful for every day! You guys will be in my prayers.

Holly

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Linda, Iam sorry you are starting to get scared especially when you hear the word Hospice.

I just pray that if the pain does get worse that they could make him comfortable as that is so important for him to be pain free.

May prayers are sent to you, Linda and your husband.

We are always here for you.

Maryanne

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Thank you so much for your prayers and keep them coming, please.

Everyone has noticed a difference in Mike and not for the better. He walks and moves real slow and his right hand doesn't work and he now has pain in his left shoulder and side. He sleeps alot, and when he has to potty, he has to go right away (urine). I've been washing his face and I have to shave him but haven't shaved him yet. Trying to figure out how to use the electric shaver he has. He's always washed his face but doesn't care now. His children and grandchildren are coming over Monday afternoon so I want to get him cleaned up.

Today is our wedding anniversary and he doesn't remember and I'm not saying anything. We have been married 7 years and we aren't spring chickens either and had so many plans together on his retirement this year. But God wants him, it's just hard to have him leave me.

He gets weaker everyday and it's hard to see. I know I have to be strong now for him but it's hard.

Thanks again for your kindness and prayers.

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LINDA--

Wow, this sounds exactly like what my mom went through with my stepdad back in 1999. They were married 8 years. He had NSCLC, diagnosed 1.99, mets to lymph nodes, grapefruit-sized tumor pressing on his esophogus. In 5.99 he went into the hospital on life support, mets to left lung. He did come out of it. Had a pretty good summer. My husband was going to their cottage with him to mow the lawn, and they left one AM and I stayed with my mom. When they came back, we had dinner and my dad went to take a nap. Later my mom went to wake him up and said, "the kids are leaving, come and say goodbye." He shuffled out, and stood there with his hands in his pockets like he didn't know what was going on but didn't want to admit it and ask. I looked at him and thought, "I wonder...is the cancer in his brain?" I mean, from the morning to the evening, he was literally a different person. The next AM my mom called and said she had called an ambulance, because she woke up and couldn't find him. She finally looked outside and found him urinating on the front lawn. She said, "What are you doing?" He said, "I couldn't find the toilet." Later she found he had also urinated into the oven. That day, after his CT scan, of course we discovered the brain mets.

He was supposed to have 10 pallative brain rads. After the 5th one, his neck was purple, and he looked terrible. It obviously was doing no good. He sat in bed and would hold the TV remote in his hand and flip through the channels until he found a non-channel (snow). He didn't know who my mom was. That just tore her apart. I begged her to tell them to stop the brain rads and put him into hospice. It was a tough decision, of course she felt like she was giving up on him. But he was gone in three days.

This man was an accountant, a very smart man whom was respected greatly. To see him reduced to a childlike figure--like he and I were switching places--was more than I could bear. Would you believe that my dad ALSO planned his retirement for that year? He never got to enjoy it. Never.

Now, my mom just died of NSCLC and she would have been 65 this year. Life is just beyond cruel sometimes.

Happy Anniversary, Linda, although I know it isn't. It just shoulnd't be this way. I guess sometimes decisions are made for us even though we plan things the best we can. Boy have I learned that in the past two months. I was supposed to give birth to a baby boy and put him into my mom's arms. Instead, my mom died and three weeks later I gave birth. And two days before my mom died, my husband got laid off. We were all biding our time until June, when we would put our house up for sale and the six of us (my husband, three kids, my mom and I) would all move back to my mom's town, the place where she and my stepdad built their house not so long ago and planned on living the rest of their lives there. When he died, she had no choice but to sell and move in with us, because she was handicapped. We wanted so much for her to be able to go back to the town she loved. "Just keep waiting a little longer," I kept telling my mom. But I guess she couldn't wait anymore.

You've had seven years together. Someone told me my parents had eight wonderful years together. I told them, "It's not enough. Even if they'd have had sixty years together it wouldn't have been enough." Trying to prepare yourself for this doesn't work. I hope that you have a good support system (of course you always have us!!) because it's so important. I stayed with my mom for a good long while but told her when she wanted me to go, I'd go. I felt terrible about her being alone but I knew she needed to be alone sometimes. My mom died 8 weeks ago. I swear I wouldn't let my husband even close the door when he went to the bathroom for a good week afterwards. I woke him up a few times a night just to talk to him, to cry to him. I remember back in 99 when my dad was diagnosed I met a girl on the boar I posted on who had lost both her parents to LC and I said over and over again I just oculdn't imagine. And now I'm living that. As I said, life is cruel sometimes.

Again, I'm praying for you in the days ahead. For strength, courage, direction, guidance. And, most of all, for peace.

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Linda,

I am so sorry to hear all you are going through. I am so very sorry to hear your fear.

I understand it. I am scared too.

My husband also has been having pain in his right side, weakness and numbness of his right arm, and pain in his right shoulder. I don't know if it is the brain mets, if it is the liver mets, if it is from the treatment, or if it is something unknown. I just don't know and it kills me to see him so uncomfortable.

I can bear anything but seeing the people I care about in pain; either physical or mental pain.

I wish I could just wrap you up in a hug and take this pain from you. This is so hard, and I know that what life has ahead of us might be a lot harder.

I am praying for you Linda, and I am praying hard for your husband.

Cherish your anniversary and take every opportunity to share each moment with your husband. Get lots of kisses today and lots of hand holding even if he doesn't remember why he is receiving such affection you will always have the memories of the love shared on this day. He is with you today.

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