Cancer Support Thread

[taz157]

sesfw - Yeah on your final treatment! 

jeep - I'm sorry about your dad.  Sending hugs and prayers your way. 

[mmhmm]

I know how hard it is, jeep, to watch someone you love fade away.  Hugs.  It's all I have to give you.

[sesfw]

Slowly getting some strength back, and the diarrhea is calming down.

Last radiation was last Tuesday, and Wed DH had a colonoscopy.  He had 3 polyps removed and cauterized.  Well .......... Thursday about noon he started passing blood and fainting so I called 911 and they took him to the hospital.  For dinner Wed evening he had some corn and that irritated a repaired place and started the bleeding.  He had to stay in hospital overnight until his B/P stabilized.  Now he is behaving himself with light meals for the next couple of days.

DH is one of these extreme people; all or nothing.  And at age 75 he still expects his body to continue his bidding.

Now I'm back to spending time lying down getting strength back.  It never ends .....

((((((((( Jeep ))))))))))) how are you and family doing?  Think of you often.

[Jaguar]

[mmhmm]

Glad to hear you're feeling better and things are stabilizing for you, sesfw.  Sorry to hear about DH's misstep, but that happens.  At least, he appears to have learned a little something.

[jeep108]

Ses hope your hubby feels better. Well I'm a little worried about my mom. My aunt asked my mom if she could move in when dad dies. She said no but my aunt is always trying to take advantage. My dad owns his own business and has signed everything over to mom. So for the first time in 33 years she has to make all the decisions for it. She was stressed out about it today. I told her whatever I can do I will. I know she is feeling lost and a little alone.

Dad is fading a little more everyday. Very stubborn though still refuses to use his walker. He has new places where the pain is. We figure the tumor is getting bigger. Mom upped his pain meds the past couple of days.

[taz157]

jeep - Sending many hugs and prayers your way for you, your dad, and your mom.  With regards to your aunt, there's an EE frEEzer with her name on it.

[Jaguar]

Aug 10, 2013 22:03:59 GMT -5 taz157 said:

jeep - Sending many hugs and prayers your way for you, your dad, and your mom.  With regards to your aunt, there's an EE frEEzer with her name on it.

So freaking

[jeep108]

Dad started to hallucinate last night.  I read that it's part of the process.  Mom's not a fan.  He woke her up twice.  Once looking for money a customer gave him and again later.  He woke her up wanting her to move his jeep.  His jeep is in my garage at my house not his. 

[Jaguar]

Jeep all I can say is hugs hon, I'm so sorry.

[taz157]

Aug 11, 2013 22:03:45 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

Jeep all I can say is hugs hon, I'm so sorry.

(((((hugs))))) Jeep

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

I wish your dad tons of pain-free days, jeep. I'm sure the morphine will help in that regard.

My SIL near the end could not/would not endure any more chemo treatments. It was just too much of a toil on her already ravaged body, and she was at the point where more treatments wouldn't have made any difference - so she just wanted rest and to spend her days left here not being nauseated or wretching in pain.. the morphine helped.

I hope your dad can find some comfort through hospice care - and live out his days surrounded by family who love him.

[jeep108]

Thanks everyone.

[mmhmm]

I'm so sorry, jeep.  This is a very difficult thing for anyone to go through, whether the patient or loving family members.  Know we're here for you, even if all we can do is read and empathize.  Hugs, sweetie, and give a few to your mom and, of course, your dad. 

[sesfw]

((((((((( Jeep )))))))))) mega hugs to you and your family.

[jeep108]

When it rains it pores. Tuesday I had to take my husband to The ER he had a pulmonary embolism. He is doing better now. Maybe getting out of the hospital tomorrow. Then visits to the coudamin clinic, and hematologist. Which I'm not complaining feeling very lucky that my husband is still alive.

Dad had three good days where he was up and knew his surroundings. Today he is back to hallucinating and talking to people. Mom asked him who he was talking to and he said " his friends are getting things ready for him."

[mmhmm]

Oh, jeep, that's terrible news about your husband!  Still, I'm glad to hear he's recovering quickly.  If they're looking to release him as soon as tomorrow, things have gone very well for him.

Sorry your dad has returned to his previous state after a few days of lucidity.  That's not uncommon, though, and he may have more such days.  It's good he feels his friends are preparing things for him.  That's probably very comforting for him.

[Jaguar]

Oh honey


I'm sorry Jeep, I hope that your DH gets better soon.

[sesfw]

((((((((( Jeep ))))))))))) wish the hugs were real.  Glad your DH is doing better.  I lost DH#1 to sudden heart attack and when DH#2 had a heart attack I was ...........

The Dr told us that DH needed to go low sodium diet so I spent the week he was in hospital doing research on low sodium and what I found shocked me.  Since that time he lost about 65 lbs, b/p is where it belongs, and he is feeling a lot better.

Glad your dad has a few days of knowing his surroundings ...... and the other days he has comfort in knowing a place is being prepared for him.

Love to you and yours

[sesfw]

Well my friends ....... guess I'll be around for a while.

Saw the Dr last Wednesday.  He poked at my tummy, felt the glands in my neck and underarms and felt no swelling.  Listened to me complain about my residue aches and pains and told me they will dissipate within about 6 months.

It's been more than 2 weeks since my last radiation/chemo treatment and I'm trying to drink as much water as I can to wash this out of me.  Diarrhea is 99% controlled.  Just have to watch the amount of dessert type sweet stuff I eat.  I still get tired but not the wipe-out I was before.

I will have a CT scan in about a month of my liver/kidney/intestine area, and a blood test for the markers of colon problems.  The Dr told the type of cancer I had, but I didn't ask him to write it down.  I'll call the office Monday to get more information.  From what I understand, the type is a very common type that happened to be in the colon for me.  And the standard treatment cocktail, which I had, has a very high rate of success.  The only way I can compare it is a very bad cold before it turns to pneumonia.  I'll find out more Monday.

While I'm grateful for my health, I cry when I know so many others are going through this and not being so lucky.  I have been blessed ...... and I know I will look for ways to pay it forward.

[mmhmm]

Sesfw, that's wonderful news!  I'll be looking forward to the results of the CT scan and blood tests.  Once those are behind you, and negative, it's clear sailing for you from the sounds of it.  I understand what you're saying about feeling blessed but sad for others; however, each and every person who survives is one more step toward survival for another coming behind them. We're making strides against this horror, and it's through people like you we build hope and dedication to find a cure.

[Jaguar]

Well I got the news this week that my sister with the stage 4 kidney cancer is starting to gain weight. She's on her second level of chemo since the first level of chemo and most toxic, done such an amazing job.

[jeep108]

  Sesfw, loving the good news.

Sugilite that's awesome that your sister is gaining weight.

[taz157]

Sug - I'm sorry that your sister has Stage 4 cancer, but great news on your sister gaining weight.

jeep - How is your dad doing?

[sesfw]

Sugi ....... gaining weight back will help her with her strength.  Great news.  So glad the first level of chemo did a good job for her.


Jeep, how is your dad doing?

hugs ......

[happyscooter]

sesfw #7 reply.  Sorry, I am late to the thread.  Can they raise your co-pay in the middle of the year or in the middle of treatments?

[sesfw]

I don't know about raising in the middle of treatments but the very high price for the Neulasta was a new treatment to keep my blood levels where they should be for chemo treatment.  Fortunately I needed only two shots and the finance office found a medical grant for the price. 

My nephew is a hospital pharmacist and he told me the actual hospital cost for each Neulasta injection was over $3K.  I've often wondered about the actual manufacturing costs of some of these things. 

Several months ago there was a local newspaper article about the cost of anti-scorpion serum.  A lady had taken her 6 mo baby to hospital with a scorpion sting and he needed two injections.  She received a bill for $82K and complained about it.  Through investigative research the manufacturing cost for each injection at the facility in Mexico that developed it was approx. $1.50.  Through all the middle-men costs and the fact they and the hospital could charge whatever they wanted, it was $41K each at point of usage in hospital.
After all the publicity the hospital graciously cut the price in half  Whoop-dee-doo  

Pharmaceuticals and all the middle men make big bucks.  I talked to my chemo Dr about Cancer Treatment Centers of America and he said they don't do anything different than standard treatments.  But they charge the huge funds for all the glitz and advertising.  My impression of them is spending too much money on advertising and wasting health care funds.

[jeep108]

Sesfw  that's crazy.

Dad is hanging in there.  Sleeping and keeping him comfortable..

[sesfw]

Jeep, glad you dad is still with you. 

Can he talk to you coherently with you?  Ask about some of his childhood memories ....... and have a notepad with you to take notes.  The age he was and if he remembers names of his friends.  This is laughter shared.

Memories like this will be so wonderful for your kids and generations on down. 

I have copies of a few letters from several generations ago ancestors, especially the LDS side and their travels to Utah.

[sesfw]

((((((((( Jeep )))))))))) how are things going with you and your family?

I've had an electro cardiogram, blood test, CT scan.  Tomorrow I find out results of electro, next week will be the other tests.

Right now I feel good except for this DOP and port.  Hopefully before end of year I can get rid of both and everything working right. 

But it's not in my hands.