Introduction

[mizzou_racer]

Hello,

I am new to this site. My mother was diagnosed with extensice stage SCLC in February 2006. She is 62. At the time of diagnosis she was having a lot of back pain. Come to find out it was SCLC met to her lower back. She was admitted to the hospital in March due to the extream pain. They put her on morphine and other pain drugs and started Chemo. They also started radiation to her back. She was able to go home about 2 weeks later. She finished Chemo in July. At that time we contacted hospice to help with her care. A nurse was coming in twice a week and an aid was coming in once a week. She seemed to be improving. The last week of October the hospice nurse called me. (I live 3 hour drive away) She was having trouble "tracking." Basically she was confused and disorientated. She went downhill fast in two weeks time. My brother brought her up to the city we live in to go into assisted living as she could not care for herself. We saw a radiation oncoligist her first day up here. The same day they did a MRI and saw multiple brain tumors. They started her on radiation treatments the same day. She has had 8 of 14 treatments. She is doing better. She HATES the assisted living facility. At the initial consultation with the radiation oncolgist, he stated that without radiation she would only have 1 - 2 months. He stated with radiation probably 9 - 12 months. She was in the room when we talked about this time line. Of course, she was so disorientated at the time, I am sure that she does not know anything about it. She wants to go back to her house as soon as possible. I need to figure out how and when to tell her about the prognosis. I think she needs to know so that she can do whatever she want to do in this short amount of time. I am sure that it will divisatate her as her primary oncoligist has always been positive with her. As a matter of fact, he stated at the begining of October that she was in remission.

Any comments or advise would be appreciated .

Russ

[Don Wood]

Hi, Russ, and welcome here. Much support and info. I think your mom should know her prognosis, although it is just statistics, and each person is different. I agree that she should do the things she would want to do in whatever time she has. Keep us posted. Don

[Nancy B]

Welcome, Russ. Hope we can be of help to you. There are alot of very knowledgable and caring people here.

Nancy B

[MsC1210]

Hello Russ and welcome

I am wondering if you might benefit from consulting with your Mom's doctor and perhaps a social worker in regard to how to tell her about the prognosis. A 2nd opinion might be in order as well as it seems there is are a lot of questions that might benefit from another opinion

Please keep us posted and let us know how we can help.

My best to you

Chris

[RandyW]

Welcome and sorry you have to be here with us now. I would definitely look into a second opinion. Do not listen to statisticd they are just numbers. Many here have beaten them many times over. Sending prayers and thoughts for good news.

[ernrol]

Russ,

Welcome, sorry to hear about your mom. Your mom should know because then she can help plan on the best treatment to beat the cancer. This web site has a lot of people here that did not believe the prognoses of the doctors, I being one of them. If you have not already had a second opinion, you might want to encourage her to get one. Statistics are history and we are living today and for the future.

Stay positive,

Ernie