Profile for bellavida

Member Since: June 11, 2006
Last Login: November 23, 2008
Location:
Occupation:

Biography

Diagnosis

Recent Posts by bellavida

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Nov 23, 2008 02:22 pm

Weight and Appetite Loss

My mom has lost about 20 pounds over the last year and after her most recent plural effusion and hospitalization her doctor placed her on a high protein diet. Practically everything she eats has protein in it. She also is drinking a B*oost Plus everyday. She also takes megace everyday to increase her appetite. That along with the diet seems to be working and she has recently gained about 6 pounds, but it has been a slow process. I have often read your posts and you are truly a model of grace and strength. God bless!

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Oct 20, 2008 10:19 pm

My Mother is an ANGEL now

Faye,

I am so sorry to hear of your loss, you and your family will be in my prayers.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Sep 17, 2008 11:24 pm

Questions about Abraxane

Thanks for the advice ladies! I passed it on to my mom and she was very grateful! Thanks again.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Sep 16, 2008 07:43 pm

Questions about Abraxane

Thanks so much Kasey! I'm glad you are doing well on it. I hope my mom does well on it too! She and everyone here go through so much, it's wonderful when something works! Thanks again!

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Sep 16, 2008 07:13 pm

Questions about Abraxane

My mom was first diagnosed with mets in May of 2006 and has been on Femara, Taxotere and Navelbine. She has been on Navelbine since February and although she has remained fairly stable her tumor marker is still high and she has had several pleural effusions. Because of this her doctor has decided to switch her to Abraxane. Has anyone had any success on the Abraxane? Also, what side effects have you had? Thanks so much for all the wonderful information you all provide. Although I do not post often, I am a lurker and think about and pray for everyone often.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jul 24, 2008 07:51 pm

Metastatic cancer and Biopsy in other breast

Ladies,

Thanks so much for your replies. My mom sees her doctor on Tuesday and we should know the results by then. I think my mom would probably choose not to have surgery as she has already been through enough. Thank you again.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jul 24, 2008 03:13 pm

Metastatic cancer and Biopsy in other breast

My mother has had metestatic breast cancer for a little over two years, it is in the pleura (she has had multiple pleural effusions) as well as the liver (although the last PET scan showed that the tumors there had basically disapeared.) She just had her yearly mammogram and they found something in her right breast and are doing a biopsy of her right breast this afternoon. Has anyone else experienced this? If they do find anything would they remove it via a lumpectamy or mastectomy? Thank you in advance.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jul 24, 2008 03:08 pm

Perm Diability & Student Loans

I did student loan discharges for two years for a non-profit law center as a legal assistant. Disability discharges have been made more complicated in the last several years. Before they would just discharge the loan but now loans are conditionally discharged and then after a couple of years once they determine that your disability is indeed permanent and you are still disabled they permanately discharge them. My father's loans were discharged a couple of years back due to disability (he has Parkinsons's) but it took a couple of years.

As far as forebearance and interest I believe it depends on what type of loan you have. If you have a unsubsidized loan interest continues to acrue however if you have a subsidized loan it does not. I hope this helps.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jul 3, 2008 10:24 pm

Kari is our latest Angel

I am so saddened to read this. My thoughts and prayers are with Kari's loved ones.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jun 26, 2008 10:16 pm

Navelbine

Deb,

My mom has also lost a lot of weight with Navelbine. She was wondering what pre-meds you receive and if they have helped with the weight loss? Thanks so much.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jun 18, 2008 11:43 am

MY MOM IS NOW AN ANGEL...AND I ALREADY MISS HER!

Lanef,

I am so very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time.

Hugs,

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: May 9, 2008 12:31 am

My mom is gone

Liz,

I am so so sorry for your loss. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Apr 21, 2008 12:43 am

Mom's journey ended today

I am so very sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Posted in: Support & Community Connections + For Family & Friends of Those Who Have Breast Cancer, Created: Mar 12, 2008 11:36 pm

My Mum's cancer is spreading

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your mom. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Mar 12, 2008 11:32 pm

More prayers needed

Liz,

Special prayers going out tonight for both you and your mom. My thoughts are with you

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Feb 29, 2008 10:22 pm

Dealing with the ups but mostly downs ..

Liz,

I am so sorry to read about your mom. I am dealing with some of the same issues you are with my mom and can absolutely understand. My mom has mets to the pleura (lining of the lung) and is her currently on Navelbine but was told by her doctor on Tuesday that she needs to put her affairs in order and probably has at the most a year. So to say I felt like crawling in a hole and never come out is an understatement. I myself have dealt with depression with this disease and want to encourage you not to feel like you are "whimping out" if you are feeling depressed and if you need antidepressants to help you deal with the situation that is ok. I will keep you and your mom in my thoughts. PM anytime if you would like to talk.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Nov 22, 2007 06:28 pm

Another angel today - jacqniel

I am so deeply saddened by your loss. You and your family are in my prayers.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Nov 21, 2007 11:17 pm

My Mom is a Angel

I am so very sorry for your loss, you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Nov 20, 2007 09:05 pm

Mom's recurrence/pleural effusion/triple neg

My mom also has had pleural effusion as well as pericardial effusion and her doctor generally uses both as indications to how her treatments are going. She has been on taxotore for the last six months and although the pleural effusion has resovled itself her pericardial effusion has not changed but remained the same. Recently I was worried because my mom developed more hoarsness than usual but her scans showed a lot of improvement so you just never know. I wish both of you much luck tomorrow.

Christina

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Sep 30, 2007 02:25 pm

Ill

Jacque,

I often read your posts and you are such an inspiration! My mom was recently diagnosed with liver mets (she also had pleural effusion around the heart and lung). Right before being diagnosed with the liver mets had many of the symptoms that you are experiencing. After two cycles of chemo (taxatore) she is doing so much better and her tumor markers are down. I am praying for the same for you.

There is hope.

Christina