Mom update

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Ginny_B
Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Haven't posted here in a while with a mom update. Mom spent 12 hours in the ER last Thursday, then was admitted with pleural effusion and pericardial effusion. Severe they said. They drained her right lung (painful) and I brought her home Sunday. She is still coughing, but not nearly as much as before.

Some of you may recall the hard time I had getting her to take morphine. Well, she's on it now. Morphine for the long-lasting and Dilaudid for break-through. She's also on a 7-day course of antibiotics for infection.

Oncologist said the fluid may be malignant, but only a pathology report will tell us. Mom said the hospital doc said "all clear", but I have not talked with the Oncologist for the full report. The oncologist told me to cancel her Monday appt with the Endoscope doc (they were starting to prep mom for the Radiation Boost procedures). It would have been too hard for her to come home on Sunday then see the endoscope doc the next day.

When they did the CT scan after the D-Dimer test came back positive, they saw some of the suspect nodes. They don't look good. Right now we're just not sure of anything. I'll know more when I see the Oncologist tomorrow. He mentioned something about another CT-something scan to be done after her release from the hospital. I was also warned that the fluids could build up again and she'll need more needles in the lungs. Ugh. Mom said that was very very painful during and afterwards. She complained that she got no rest in the hospital, but sleeps great here. She hated not being able to get out of bed in the hospital w/o calling the nurse, but here she can get up, walk around, go to the bathroom, come for coffee, and not have any difficulties. Thank goodness for a single-story house!

It's all good - Friday I go into the hospital for a bilateral breast biopsy. Can't afford a problem there cuz I'm mom's caregiver. The diagnostic tests, however, have all come back saying "malignancy suspected". I have a positive attitude though!

It's all good!

Comments

  • Wife of patient 50378
    Wife of patient 50378 Member Posts: 124
    #2
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    What a week..
    Ginny I am glad your mom is home where she feels safe and comfortable. Your mom has been through alot and you have been so wonderful.

    Stay positive Ginny, the sit and wait is so hard. Your in my thoughts and prayers.
    Sal
  • Proactive Daughter
    Proactive Daughter Member Posts: 55
    #3
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    Hi Ginny, just read your
    Hi Ginny, just read your post. You must be exhausted! I'm glad to hear your mom is home and comfortable and that she has the pain under control.

    Keep Positive! We are here for you. Thinking of you and your mom :)

    Jennifer
  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #4
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    Proactive Daughter said:

    Hi Ginny, just read your
    Hi Ginny, just read your post. You must be exhausted! I'm glad to hear your mom is home and comfortable and that she has the pain under control.

    Keep Positive! We are here for you. Thinking of you and your mom :)

    Jennifer

    Glad to see your post
    Ginny you and your mom came into my head a couple of dayd ago. Had not seen a post in a while and I was worried. Hate she is collecting fluide but glad to hear all seems under control at the moment. Let us know what the results are on the fluide so we don't worry about that. Sam StageIV
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #5
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    Ginny, sorry your mom is
    Ginny, sorry your mom is having all her problems, but glad she has agreed to take the morphine.
    Now, let's talk about you. I hate it that this extra problem has surfaced with your health. I'm praying that the biopsy will be ok. Ginny, who is there to help you? You know we are here for you. I only wish I lived close enough to come over and personally give you a hug.
    Please let us know as soon as you know anything about your test and of course, your moms also.
    You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
    Hugs, Sandra
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #6
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    sandy1943 said:

    Ginny, sorry your mom is
    Ginny, sorry your mom is having all her problems, but glad she has agreed to take the morphine.
    Now, let's talk about you. I hate it that this extra problem has surfaced with your health. I'm praying that the biopsy will be ok. Ginny, who is there to help you? You know we are here for you. I only wish I lived close enough to come over and personally give you a hug.
    Please let us know as soon as you know anything about your test and of course, your moms also.
    You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
    Hugs, Sandra

    My husband is here. He is a
    My husband is here. He is a good nurse to my mom. He will be good for me too. I should be fine after a couple of days. My bro, who is caring for his with with breast cancer mets to the brain, lungs and thoracic area has his handful, but offered to take mom. I really think mom wants to be here for me after my biopsy. She will stay here. If my pathology comes back bad and I need surgery, chemo and/or rads, my bro said I absolutely will not be able to care for my mom and so he'll take her. Mom cannot be alone. She needs care.

    I still plan on being perfectly ok after the biopsies.

    Thanks for all the well wishes. I feel so good how can I possibly be sick?! So, for now, it's all good!
  • froggerjen
    froggerjen Member Posts: 28
    #7
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    Ginny_B said:

    My husband is here. He is a
    My husband is here. He is a good nurse to my mom. He will be good for me too. I should be fine after a couple of days. My bro, who is caring for his with with breast cancer mets to the brain, lungs and thoracic area has his handful, but offered to take mom. I really think mom wants to be here for me after my biopsy. She will stay here. If my pathology comes back bad and I need surgery, chemo and/or rads, my bro said I absolutely will not be able to care for my mom and so he'll take her. Mom cannot be alone. She needs care.

    I still plan on being perfectly ok after the biopsies.

    Thanks for all the well wishes. I feel so good how can I possibly be sick?! So, for now, it's all good!

    Positive thoughts to you
    Hi Ginny,

    What a relief that Mom out of the hospital. Prayers that all go well for you.

    Jen
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #8
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    Ginny_B said:

    My husband is here. He is a
    My husband is here. He is a good nurse to my mom. He will be good for me too. I should be fine after a couple of days. My bro, who is caring for his with with breast cancer mets to the brain, lungs and thoracic area has his handful, but offered to take mom. I really think mom wants to be here for me after my biopsy. She will stay here. If my pathology comes back bad and I need surgery, chemo and/or rads, my bro said I absolutely will not be able to care for my mom and so he'll take her. Mom cannot be alone. She needs care.

    I still plan on being perfectly ok after the biopsies.

    Thanks for all the well wishes. I feel so good how can I possibly be sick?! So, for now, it's all good!

    Positive thoughts from us as well, Ginny!
    Positive thoughts and Prayers to you both! Glad your mom is back in your home and feeling her normal crotchty self :) Isn't it wonderful to see her getting back to her "normal"? I bet that did hurt to have fluid drained off her lungs. I can't imagine.....

    Please keep us updated on your biopsies and the results of the path of the fluid from mom's lungs. Prayers and fingers, toes & eyes crossed for extra luck!

    Love & Hugs,

    Terry

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