its been awhile...

well its been quite some time since i last posted... been busier than heck here... been going shift of 10 and 4 now at work , driving home (7hr drive) every 2nd weekend to see mom..shes doing as well as to be expected in her 5th week of chemo and rad.. shes saying the rad is killing her bladder, (she has a bladder infection) in her words, someone is sticking a red hot wire brush in there and scraping her insides out..she has rad burns also.
she's lost some weight and looks to have aged about 10 years...
i feel so bad for her, :(

Comments

  • steveandnat
    steveandnat Member Posts: 886
    Hoping
    I pray your mom does well during her next round of chemo and radiation. This cancer ride is no fun.
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    Here's a Thought...
    Hi, I see where you mention your mom having issue with her bladder from the rads.

    I had read on the anal board, that the folks there have their radiation with their bladders "Full" during the treatment itself...then they can void afterwards.

    It's supposed to keep it distended I guess to prevent damage...I haven't gotten to the bottom of that yet, but it caught my interest.

    When I did my radiation, nobody ever hinted to me about doing this...so I would empty my bladder prior to the radiation treatments...I suffer with issues 8-years later. Between that and the various chemos I've done, my renal system has taken a pounding.

    Since, she's in her fifth week, the dye may have been cast...but, it's worth mentioning to her to ask her doc about...maybe she's already doing it...it sounds like full is the way to go and wish I had known.

    Best of luck to you both.
  • Minnesotagirl
    Minnesotagirl Member Posts: 141
    Sundanceh said:

    Here's a Thought...
    Hi, I see where you mention your mom having issue with her bladder from the rads.

    I had read on the anal board, that the folks there have their radiation with their bladders "Full" during the treatment itself...then they can void afterwards.

    It's supposed to keep it distended I guess to prevent damage...I haven't gotten to the bottom of that yet, but it caught my interest.

    When I did my radiation, nobody ever hinted to me about doing this...so I would empty my bladder prior to the radiation treatments...I suffer with issues 8-years later. Between that and the various chemos I've done, my renal system has taken a pounding.

    Since, she's in her fifth week, the dye may have been cast...but, it's worth mentioning to her to ask her doc about...maybe she's already doing it...it sounds like full is the way to go and wish I had known.

    Best of luck to you both.

    MOM
    Good Morning Safeway Chick,

    Well, so nice of you to be thinking of your mom. Your mom has the same diagnosis as me...Stage 3 Rectal cancer. I am past the part of where your mom is at right now and it is a tough road for sure. I agree with what Sundance said above...they told me to have a full bladder when I had radiation. Not always easy to do but she should definitely try. My bladder was messed up for awhile but after 1 year plus post treatment, it seems to be coming back to normal. I still have to use the bathroom more often than prior to cancer treatments, but, it is better than it was. Many things get better as time goes by, not everything, but the body heals slowly. Keep supporting and loving your mom as you do...that is probably the most important part of this journey...knowing your kids and family are behind you 100 percent which then makes you get through the tough times of chemo/radiation/surgery. God Bless you and your mom!

    "Minnesotagirl"