heart problems after chemo

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KayFish
KayFish Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi my sister who is 41 was diagnosed with breast cancer in Feb of 06 she underwent two surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation and three weeks before her last radiation treatment she found out that she has left bundle branch blockage with congestive heart failure AND diabetes. She is so tired of all of this and I am worn out from trying to be her sole support. Both of our parents are dead, I am her only sister and her husband travels alot. Today she told me that she can understand why people kill themselves because she is so tired of feeling crummy all the time. I don't know how to help her.

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  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #2
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    Oh, Kay, I'm so sorry....caregiver is the WORST role in all of this 'play'!
    Can you call her treatment center and ask for someone she can talk to, face2face? Or a referral to a conselor who specializes in cancer survivors? I had a gal at my center who would just sit and talk to me about 'normal' things, and keep me distracted when things got rough...

    My Big advice to sis is to treat her body special...she is feeling blue like we ALL do...I cried for 1 week straight when I found out at the end of my rectal cancer treatment that I had breast cancer, and must start the whole process again.
    I have seen people turn the diabetes around...mostly by diet...my beau's son to name one....
    I was told today by a gal who hadn't seen me for awhile that I looked BETTER than before I started the cancer dance!!!!
    But, she also needs to know that 'the blues' are ok....just don't submerge in them...Tell her that she may not realize how many people think of her as an inspiration....I got told that, and I figured I needed to buck up if everyone was watching!!!!!
    Hugs, Kathi
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #3
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    It often seems like that after a diagnosis of BC. YOu get blow after blow. But I strongly endorse what Kathi said. Call her oncologist now and tell her this. She must be seen by a therapist immediately. This sounds like an emergency.

    YOu are such a great support. Good luck.

    Hugs.

    Lesley
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #4
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    Please tell your sister that things will get better. I too went into Congestive Heart Failure and it only adds to the level of exhausten that comes from taking Chemo.... But the good news is that typically it reverses itself. For me it took about 3 months to get a noticable improvement. But it does get better. So tell her to hang in there. This is a temporary aggravation. One year from now she will be close to being back to her old self. Do try to get your sister to either come directly to this board for help or to go to a support group locally. There is life after Breast Cancer...

    Take Care... God Bless... And thanks for being a great Sister.

    Susan

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