bam451 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 I've posted on here before about my mom's story. Although I don't post much, I am on here every day reading the wonderful support all of you provide. I do not think I would have made it this far and long if it wasn't for all of you. My mom finished about 4 weeks ago her 38 rounds of radiation and chemo. She was supposed to have them at the same time but her platelets were too low. She ended up only have two rounds of chemo during that process. Previous to radiation, she had 8 rounds of chemo (taxol, avastin and carboplatin) The last few weeks my mom has been in a lot of pain. My mom has a very high tolerance to pain and when she went on pain meds, I knew that it was bad. She went to the doctor last Friday and they thought that she had a broken rib. A CT scan from December showed that she already had a healing fractured rib. Recently she coughted or sneezed very suddenly and went into extreme pain. The doctor assumed that she had a broken rib again but wanted her to go for another CT scan and then a bone scan. She has never had a bone scan before. Meanwhile my mom is in continued pain. She is having a harder time working. She has managed to work full time up til now. She took her tests, but the doctor did not want to see her until May 4th. She called him yesterday because she felt in her gut that something was wrong. The doctor called last night around 9pm and confirmed her worries. The cancer has spread to one of her ribs. I'm allowing myself a day to have a pity party and then I know we have to put on our strong faces and fight like hell some more. She goes back to the radiologist today and they plan to start more radiation and them more chemo. I know it sounds silly, but I was really hoping for her to feel better this summer, at least for a while. I just miss her. She's my best friend and I miss all the fun we used to have. We still have fun, but it's not the same. Her hair was finally growing back and we thought in a few more weeks, she could go with out it. I know that in the long run it doesnt matter but I feel so bad for her. And the feeling of "WHY ME?" rages through my body all over again. Last night I felt like crap. I'm totally stressing out. I've been feeling pressure in my chest, I'm feeling very anxious and on top of it my blood pressure has been rising. I went to the doctor and he said I'm trying to take on too much. But how can I not. I'm an only child and this is my mom. She's fighting for her life, I want to be here every step of the way. Life just sucks all over again. He prescribed an antianxiety medication. But my mom is a firm believer it not taking medicine unless I really need it. I cannot tell her about this as it will only worry her. SO the one person I've always turned to, I can't. Although I find it very funny that I'm getting anxious over anxiety medication. = ) If anybody else has had their cancer spread to their rib and has any thoughts they'd like to share, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for listening.. I know it's long. Sometimes it feels good to vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trish2418 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 I'm sorry your mom is having a rough time of it right now. I don't personally have any experience with bone mets, but there are others here who will be able to offer good advice. As for the anti-anxiety meds, you wouldn't think twice about taking an anti-biotic if you had an infection and you shouldn't think twice about taking meds to counter anxiety. It's a sign of strength, not weakness, to recognize when you need help with something. Remember, you're no good to your mom if you let the stress take over. I'll be saying prayers for you and your mom. Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiesia Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Rib is a tricky place for a met because the bone is so thin. My father had bone mets in the spine (one spot) and the clavicle with no symptoms. My mother (who has breast cancer) has mets to a spot on the spine and a rib. On the spine the met was a nodule on the top of the bone. It never caused any pain but they radiated it anyway. The one on the rib is like a smudge and has detroyed quite a bit of bone. It was painful. They radiated it also. Now my mother says that pain is mostly gone (she also takes Aredia) but at the very end of the rib the bone seems tender. She is on femara also (as a chemo). Her tumor marker CEA dropped from 5.5 to 2.5 so it seems that the bones are healing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernrol Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Your mom has been doing pretty well with her treatment. The tumor shrunk 77%, the lymph nodes cleared up. That’s good. If you can find the time I think it would help all of us if you would fill out the profile for your mom. That way we could see her history at a glance. I went back through all of your post and it looks to me that we need to pray for continued improvement as well of praise for the improvement so far. I think that 2 to 5 year prognoses may be bothering you, so the first thing to do is forget it. I know that sounds a little too simple, but consider this. I was told that I had 16 to 18 months at tops and that was 21 months ago. I feel great and still attend church with the doctor that made such a wonderful prognoses. THEY DON’T KNOW. Your mom now has a spot on her rib. I think that can be taken care of with radiation and a little chemo. I have a spot on my hip. I don’t know if it is cancer or not, but I was told that the radiation would probably take care of it if it does turn out to be cancer. The next thing is we have to keep you and your mom thinking positive. You might say “easy for you to say” but it isn’t easy for me to say. I have to work hard to do that. Every post I sign with "Stay positive" and I pray that the person reading it gets as much out of it as I do. I know that you can get back on track to help your mom beating this. If your mom is still going to the doctors alone then that is a mistake. If there are others there they can take notes. They hear things that she may miss and it will help you as well as your mom. I always have my wife with me and at my first visit I also had my daughter. It’s been a team fight from the beginning. If you ever want to talk about anything that you think I may be able to help with send me a Pm or e-mail. Second opinions can be useful anytime during treatment if you feel that it would help. I know that if I ever have that problem, I would go to M. D. Anderson in Houston. I think they have some of the most advanced radiation equipment there. Keep us posted. Will be praying for you and your mom. Stay positive, Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terriep Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Prayers for you and your mom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 You and your mom and in my thoughts and prayers. Ernie seems to have a great approach to handling the ups and downs of dealing with this disease. I also think you need time to process the new events so taking a day and then moving forward sounds like a very healthy thing to me. Best of luck. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 You and your mom have my prayers. Take the antianxiety meds. I have never had bone mets, but I have read that they are easily treatable. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pammie Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Will be praying for you and your mom. Meds are a wonderful blessing, especially to get us "over the hump" or "thru the valley". Constant pain can really wear a person down. The doc needs to address this issue with your mom and you. God bless you. pammie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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