Hello Out There

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Hello Out There
24
Sat, 07-22-2006 - 4:52pm

It's been a while since anyone has given an update or posted with a problem or concern or just wanted to chat.  I hope this means that everyone is doing wonderfully but somehow the way the world turns I can't help but believe that all is not well everywhere. 


I've been having some tough days myself due to medication changes leaving me with difficulty thinking and putting words together into something that resembles intelligent conversation lol.  I hope some of you will post and update on whats happening in your life or with your loved one you care for.  I promise I will try to make sense as I respond :)

Judy


cl-ivhjude
Living with Cancer
Cancer: Friends & Family Support
Finding Your Best Life


"With understanding, fear diminishes;
in the absence of fear, hope emerges;
and in the presence of hope, anything is possible."

 






Judy

cl-ivhjude

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2006
Wed, 07-26-2006 - 10:34am

Hopefully you are doing well now. I have not written in a while either. I have been very stressed. I am taking one day at a time. My mother has been in and out of the hospital with all sorts of different ailments. She ended up with a muscle infections and cellulitis they think was from radiation because she got burned so bad. My mother can barely walk now. Then last week her doctors discovered (while in the hospital) that she has a secondary cancer in her lymphnodes next to her lungs. Her doctor recommended chemo again although she wanted to wait until her leg healed but her doctor told her that you don't want to wait around with this type of cancer because its very aggressive. Needless to say she started it the very next day. My mom is now is a trantional care center. I haven't been able to see her because I have a very bad cold. My mother was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago with stage 4 metatastic breast cancer witch then spread to her bones, she has a 5 tumors in her spine, by her pelvis, and upper back. She now has it in her lymphnodes next to her lung. No it doesn't look to good for her long term survival rate but, I just keep in mind that my mom is a fighter and her oncologist gave her 6 months to live 2 1/2 years ago so there is hope.

I hope you are doing well.

Melissa

Melissaphoto

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Wed, 07-26-2006 - 6:13pm

Melissa than you so much for the update on your mom.

Judy

cl-ivhjude

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 07-27-2006 - 1:00am

Hi Cheryl


Guess what girl

Hope everyone has a great Summer!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-06-2006
Thu, 07-27-2006 - 7:42am

Philly,
I figured something like that when I saw mawmaw in your name. That's what my son calls my mom, my grandmother was his "big mawmaw". I lived there for 23 years and now I'm back in CT (I lived here until 1980). I consider myself a transplanted yankee!

Thank you for your advice on talking with my son, it was difficult for him to see my mom balding and looking different. She use to care for him after school every day and he's REALLY close to her! Things have changed, my son is 10 and he asks me questions, this morning it was if family can marry each other, so then we got into the discussion of incest, where did that come from?
Take care
Cheryl

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2003
Sun, 08-06-2006 - 3:27am

Hey Judy .. forgive me if you have said anything

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sun, 08-06-2006 - 5:21pm

Things around here have improved enormously since I last came by the Board.

Hope everyone has a great Summer!

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2005
Mon, 08-07-2006 - 12:23pm
Hi Judy! Hope you get to feeling better. Meds can do some pretty strange but good stuff. We have a meeting with the Hospice nurse this afternoon about my dad. I'm kind of nervous about it. Will let you all know what happens.
As for my mom, well, she still hasn't done anything about her breast cancer yet. The doctor told her she has 6 months (as of May) to decide what to do. Just playing the waiting game right now.
Take care,
Keleigh
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Tue, 08-08-2006 - 1:46am

''The surgeon assures us that he is confident he got all the cancer and this is just added insurance.''


What wonderful news, yehaw!!!

Judy

cl-ivhjude

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Tue, 08-08-2006 - 1:50am
Keleigh there is nothing to fear about hospice care folks, they really are a wonderful group of caring individuals who are an asset to any health team.

Judy

cl-ivhjude

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2005
Tue, 08-08-2006 - 5:57pm
Here I am again! Had the meeting with the Hospice nurse about my dad. He had 3 anxiety attacks last night, and has not been sleeping good at all the past 2 weeks. We have increased his pain medication (morphine). Hopefully that will help. He just re-started doing OT/PT/Speech therapies, because we want him to remain as active as possible, even tho we are nearing the end. He will be starting "real" foods again tomorrow, instead of the soft-mechanical. We decided he should enjoy what he can for as long as he is able. Why worry about cholesterol levels. He just can't have items like steak, chicken, or chops just yet, unless they are cut thin.
He is now able to use a walker w/wheels instead of a wheelchair. That makes him a bit more independent. He feels better about himself. So far, he has had a good week.
Thanks for checking up on me. Will keep you all posted.
Hugs,
Keleigh
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