gbm4, quality of life?

susan1124
susan1124 Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Brain Cancer #1
My sister in law was diagnosed with a glioblastoma grade 4(brain tumor) just a couple of days after Christmas 2006. She has since had 2 craniotomies, each followed by gamma knife surgery. After which she was on temador and 33 radiation treatments. She has gone from a vibrant woman who was a personal trainer, to a hemiplegic person with aphasia, it is so frustrating for her. Her last surgery was in early February, after which came her physical problems. She seemed to be doing better for almost 2 months and has suddenly taken a bad turn. She had a ct scan and it showed that the tumor had shrunk and there was no enhancement on the xray. We would all like to know what is causing her regression. She is currently in a rehab hospital and is doing nutty things, like trying to get up and walk, even though she can't. They have put a netting around her bed to keep her in. I just don't know what to do anymore. This netting makees her so anxious that they have had to medicate her. But they will not take it down for safety reasons. I am afraid that they will eventually get her up and walking, but she will be dangerous because of her inability to reason. Is anyone else dealing with similiar problems. She is almost like a person with alzheimers, who can sometimes be fine and other times way out there. She has no insurance to cover a nursing home, so when she is able to come home, she will be coming back to us. She is only 52, and this whole situation is heartbreaking for all of us.

Comments

  • janinemah
    janinemah Member Posts: 53
    #2
    I'm so very sorry..My mom has been fighting GBM IV for 16 months now and she is 66...yes she is much like an alzheimers patient.
    Her first tumor was in her Occipcal sp? lobe she had 3 surgeries in a year,chemo,radiation and went on a clinical trial that injects scorpion venom (man made protein)and radioactive iodine into the brain. after all that she has had new growth and new tumors show up in her left temp lobe...it seems hopeless but we are holding on tight..
    Life is very hard..I hope you have help because you WILL need it. My advise to you would be to take as many breaks away from it as you can..we have not and we are all fried. We go weds. for mom's next MRI. (why did you SIL have a CT instead of an MRI?) mom get them every 4 to 6 weeks. I beleive they are going to give us bad news and tell us she is out of options. She has said several times she is thinking about stopping chemo. I have very mixed emotions about that, people who are not around her much say that she has gone way down hill..I can see it but not as much as they do because I've learn to fill in her blanks so to speak.

    I dont want to steal you hope please dont give up..I also have a friend who has a gbm and is doing ok and has for 2 1/2 years now. as well as you can with this anyway..

    Hang on,Take care of yourself
    Janine

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