sandeefeet

Dear Deb,

Praying that everything goes smooth as silk for you this morning!!!
Laurie

Enjohnson,

My Mom was diagnosed Dec '05. Mastectomy Jan '06. Diagnosed with bone mets Aug '07 which progressed to lungs, liver, spine, and brain. Jesus took her home with him last Thursday Sept. 18th. Four days before my 40th bday and 5 days before my son's 20th bday. My Mom had moved to WV to be near my Grandmother who is now a 20year BC survivor. We brought my Mom home to FL 3 months ago to live with us.

I can't tell you how to accept that your Mom may not be here with you physically. I'm still trying to grasp that myself. I can tell you, like the other ladies here have said, tell her you Love her every chance you get, hug her, hold her hand, talk to her about special memories.

It's a very very difficult time but I really do believe now that God doesn't give us more than we can handle.

My heartfelt prayers are with you, your Mom and your family!!!

Laurie

My Mom's always been an Angel but she has her wings now. After a tough two years...left mastectomy then bone, lung, liver, brain and spine mets she was blessed with her wings last Thursday, Sept 18th. We had to have her taken to the hospital the Sun before by ambulance and the Dr. released her on Wed. so we could bring her home where she was comfortable. We had not signed up for Hospice at that point but they came to our house that afternoon that we brought her home and stayed with us over night. 

She made me promise to take her down to the beach in her wheel chair and big floppy hat, like on the movie beaches, when the time had come. We only live a few houses down to the board walk but it was physically impossible to move her at that point. I took the Aaron Chang picture we had in our bedroom and hung it in her bedroom right in front of her. It's a beautiful scene of the beach and palm trees with the rays of a sunset. When she woke for a few moments I showed her that she was at the beach, she smiled and said she was so happy.

My husband lost his father to mesothelioma 17 years ago tomorrow. I asked him how do you got over the pain. He said you never get over it, you listen to music different, the sky looks different, you react to things in life differently, everything changes. He's so right. I miss my Mom terribly. I turned 40 on the 22nd, my son 20 on the 23rd. Our bdays just won't be the same anymore.

I just wanted to thank everyone here for all your support, kind words and advise during this time.

I pray for each and everyone you and your families.

God Bless,

Laurie

Hi Annie,

My mom fell twice yesterday. Limp legs being one of the SE's of the Decadron. The radiologist said she has to take the Decadron during the radiation to help reduce the swelling on the brain. They did tell her no more driving while she's doing this treatment.

We meet with the Onc today after radiation. We'll talk to her about it as well and see what she says.

 Are you scheduled to start rads soon?

Is anyone taking Decadron during their WBR? My mom is. They raised the dosage then reduced it. She's had SE's since starting it and they worsened with the increase, hence the decrease. She's on an emotional roller coaster anyway ( completely understandable) but seems like things are worse for her now. RO says it's too early for SE's from the actual rads, has to be the Decadron. Lot's of crying, lots of short term memory loss, unstable balance, sometimes can't get legs to work, SOB increased at times, sleepless nights, just overall feeling like sh&t. I asked the RO about giving her Ambien to help her sleep. The Xanax doesn't seem to be doing the trick. That was brushed off but they did reduce the Decadron. I'm going to ask her regular Onc tomorrow when we see her.

 Can anyone give me their experience. I don't want my Mom to feel like it's going to stay this way.

Happy Thursday!!!

 I posted a question about this in radiation as well.

Is there anyone here or anyone who has a family member who has had or having the whole brain radiation?

 My mom will be starting soon and just wondering what we can expect.

I will be taking her to the sessions everyday and she lives with us now. I just want to know how to best help her through this.

Hi everyone, we met with my Mom's Oncologist yesterday. Between my mom's recent PET Scan and MRI there is now a 1" tumor on the left side of her Cerebelum and smaller ones surrounding it. Her Oncologist has recommended stopping the Xeloda for now and starting whole brain radiation for 3-6 weeks to take care of those mets.

 Is there anyone here who's gone through this experience that can give us some insight on what we can expect through this process?

This is the first radiation she's had through all of this.

We received my mom's PET Scan results Friday. The Mets that have been in her ribs and hip, 1 lung and 1 lobe of her liver have spread. They are now through the spine, ribs, both hips, left arm, right femur, both lungs and both lobes of her liver. The original nodules on the lung and liver have increased in size from the last PET Scan. There is also a suspicious spot on the back left side of her brain. They are presuming this is a met as well. I take her today for an MRI for a better look. I guess this explains the recent unsteadiness she's been feeling. She's not having headaches but feels a bit of a burning sensation and like waves in her vision.

She's on her second round of Xeloda right now and the onc wants to start on Zometa. She thinks this is futile. We meet with the onc tomorrow to get the MRI results and I'm assuming get direction for what is next.

I'm not sure if my mom will do the gamma knife if this is an option.

Can anyone who is going through this same thing please let me know how you're coping?

Hi Stephanie, I don't have the answer for you but you've got my whole hearted prayers!!!

Thank you Jill, do you mind telling me how they do this testing?