jeiland Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 My name is Jenifer and my motehr was diagnosed with SCLC that went to the liver. She is 59 years young. I live in Washington and she is in Texas. I just came home from helping her while she was in the hospital and afterwards, her lung collapsed. I have so many emotions right now and the main ones are anger and fear. Why my mother and I hate the companies for making cigerettes. I hope there will be a cure someday, and that the tobacco industry will be out of business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laban Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Hello Jenifer, I don't blame you for being mad. Get that anger out so you have the energy to help Mom through this. Has she started treatment yet? As you can see from my husbands profile, he's been through 15 months of treatment. He's been down and then back up again. There are SCLC survivors on this site. Please try and have faith and know that we all know what you're going through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle58 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Hello Jenifer, Thank you for your prayers. Ever since I found out about my dad my two biggest emotions have also been fear and anger. I also have a lot of anger towards tobacco companies. You and your mother are in my thoughts and prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Jennifer, Welcome to the boards, although I am so sorry that you need to be here Please know you have come to a wonderful place of hope. There are so many people here who HAVE made it through. Stay strong and know we are thinking of you! Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Hello Jennifer, and I too am sorry you had the need to find us. I just want to share a story with you. I have a dear friend (Janet) who had the SAME cancer as your mom, which also had spread to Janet's liver, and after Janet completed her chemo all her cancer was GONE and it has remained GONE for the last 7+ years. Small Cell responds very well to chemo. Stay POSITIVE, and tell your mom to do the same. Being Positive is 9/10's of the battle. Being angry isn't going to change what is happening to your mom. You need to focus on Positive right now and so does your mom. Smoking isn't the only thing that caused your mother's cancer. Other carcinogins play into her cancer as well. Lung Cancer does not discriminate and it hits many non-smokers as well. You can always beat up the tobacco companies later. Hang in there! Best wishes to you and your mom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernrol Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Jenifer, Welcome to the site. You will get plenty of support here. I know the anger and the feeling that some one is to blame, but now is the time to turn positive for today and tomorrow and to do all you can to help your mom beat the cancer. You and your mom have to get over the anger. It causes stress. You do not need stress. Each day your mom has to do all she can to help beat this. Try to turn your energy into positive things for your mom. Stay positive, Ernie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lc46 Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Jennifer-I'm glad you found this site. You will get a lot of support here. Please read my Mom's time line below-she is going on 10 months with extensive small cell-also was in her liver and adrenal and had a massive tumor in her lung. Responded to chemo and it shrunk 90%-then got radiation and it's now gone from her lung completely. It is back in her liver 1.5 cm-and she's starting on chemo again in a few weeks so we are hoping it takes care of that also. PM me if you need any info. Take Care Dar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Hi Jennifer: It has to be hard being so far from your mom. As soon as she gets treatment started some of the shock will wear off and a routine will settle in. I live on the Pennisula too, near Humptulips. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammyJones Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Hi Jennifer. First let me say that I am so very sorry that you have to go through this with your mom. I understand your feelings since most of my family lives in NY and I live in NC. Distance is so difficult for family members when you feel a need to be in 2 places at the same time. I'm hoping that my recent experience may help you and your mom to find the courage to fight your terrible battle. Last Aug., just 3 days before my 50th birthday, I was diagnosed with Extensive SCLC Stage IV. It had spread to both lungs, liver, lymph nodes and bones. Doctors refused to give me any false hope, and during a 2nd opinion appt out-of-state I was told to go home, gets my things in order, and enjoy any days I had left... I would not see another Christmas, the birth of my newest grandson, nor my 51st birthday. Not very encouraging! Well, I must say, I've survived 2 out of 3, and I'm soon to celebrate my next birthday! I believe that I went through every available emotion, especially fear and anger just as you, until finally coming to terms with my given condition. I finally decided to be a "survivor" and not a "victim." I live with the daily thought that I have the cancer and the cancer doesn't have me! That was the day I chose to keep a positive attitute, though some days were harder than others, but I planned to conquer the biggest fight of my life. Since surgery and radiation was not an option due to its being so wide-spread, my only option was chemo treatments. I've been on these chemo treatments 8 out the last 12 months and I truly believe that I feel the best that I have in well over a year or more. I'm not saying that I don't have bad days, I do but I cope with them, telling myself that tomorrow will be a new day! I continue to cope with terrific back pain due to the cancer eating "holes" in my spine and fatigue but I refuse to allow it to keep me down. I am now within weeks of my 1 year anniversary of being diagnosed and, also, my next birthday. I recently had another ct-scan and the results were excellent!!! The results revealed that my cancer is limited to a very small area (naked to the human eye) in my liver. Now, I'm planning to do a few more series of chemo and then another scan in Sept. If all goes well, there is a possibility that I will be prescribed a "chemo pill" and hopefully I'll no longer need the treatments. I can only wait and pray. Although this type of cancer is incurible, it's not untreatable. My doctors now tell me that they believe I'm a miracle in the works. My best suggestion to you and your mom is to stay positive and keep your faith. Prayers are so very powerful. I have been so blessed!!! In closing, please know that your mom and you will remain in my daily prayers... WE still have our hopes and dreams!!! God Bless!!! Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Jennifer--Your mom has a great daughter to be looking our for her like you are. You will learn a lot here to help her and to help you through this journey. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeiland Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 Hello everyone, I just wanted to give an update on mom, she has had her second round of treatment and is doing okay. She shaved her head, so the saddness about losing her hair has gone. I talk to her daily and she is a tropper, so is my dad. I plan to go down there is the late fall. Thank you for all the words of encouragement and hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Hello. Glad your Mom is doing fine. Just wanted to ask if they plan to use radiation on her brain. SCLC patients have this as a recommendation because it tends to spread there and this prevents big problems. I know Janet also ( that Connie talked about) and she had it done. Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbara5452 Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Jennifer, sorry you have found a need for us but there is hope in this website. As I was told in the beginning, take it one day at a time. There's no blame if people smoked or did not. Both set of people are here. Stay positive and keep us informed. Prayers for you and your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 hi Jennifer. I am glad to see your mom is doing the chemo ok. SCLC is usually very responsive to chemo. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeiland Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 Right now, no one is talking about radiation. She has 2 more chemo treatments and then they will see where to go after that. She goes to chemo every 3 weeks and she goes for 3 days, in the onco's office. Her liver functions are not getting better, not getting worse, so I am not sure what that means, she did have an appointment today and she will tell me about it in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammyJones Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Hi Jenifer... I'm continuing to keep you both in my prayers. Your mom's chemo treatments sound just like mine... 3 days a week every 3rd week. I have 4 series and then ct-scans... then usually 2 additional series and then yet another ct-scan. Lke your mom, my lung also collapsed during my biopsy. ALSO... TODAY IS MY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY AS A SURVIVOR!!! It was one year ago today that I was given very little hope and here I am Every day is a blessing... and tonite I'm going out to dinner to celebrate! Tell your mom to stay positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeiland Posted August 2, 2007 Author Share Posted August 2, 2007 Hello! Mom is doing great! Her lung is almost normal and her liver function is doing better, the doc did not have the results back, but he said he expected them to be almost normal. Thank you to everyone. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeiland Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 Mom has finished her third round of chemo is doing good, she is tired, but her spirits are good. I hope to go down there again in the fall and my sister is getting married soon, Mom is very happy about that. She has a docotor's appointment in a couple of weeks, we will see how things are going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscherer Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I am so glad that things are looking up. Please keep us posted! Prayers to your family, Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeiland Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 Mom was put in the hospital today, her blood counts are all out of whack, and they are talking about a blood transfusion. She is also going to have a CT done in the next couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lc46 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Hi that is pretty normal-they will give her the transfusion and she will feel much better. My Mom had 2 and a lot of people on here have had them Keep us posted Dar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 OH Jen, it appears that you are going through a bumpy road right now. Keep in mind that chemo is "killing" everything inside the body right now, so it is likely that she might get sick. If she can fight through it, she might be able to see amazing results. Stay strong and keep fighting! Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscherer Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Try and stay strong. CHemo was very tough on my mom. SHe had transfusions and spent some time in the hospital. Just try to keep fighting through and believe the chemo is also doing it's job!!!!! My prayers are with you, hope mom feels better soon!! Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeiland Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Mom's bp dropped and she has had 4 transfusions. She also had a CT today because she is bleeding somewhere and they can not find where it is. Hopefully we will know tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeiland Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 Mom had one more CT this morning, her neck was swollen and they did not know why. The doctor thinks the loss of blood came from an ulcer, the swollen neck is a reaction to medicine she was taking. She may get to go home tomorrow, we will see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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