Difficult Week - just reaching out

truckingalong

Hi, Friends,

This has been a hard week - my dear step mom (of 40 yrs), Ruthe has ovarian cancer - it was found last week and it grew fast aggressively after it was biopsed (due not being able to urinate) so she had to have weekly chemotherapy ASAP which started 2 days ago! Poor dad has been caring for her and is stressed out. I just cannot believe this is happening. She is 83 years old. Wish I could visit her but can't due to my low WBC then now a cold. I am learning to focus on my emotional and physical energy back and forth. I am with you, Lisha and thank you (and others as well) for sharing your experience about your mom in law and hope all goes smoothly for her. Sharing here is helping me - so am taking one thing at a time. It just seems that cancer is common, isn't it? Anyway, Ruthe has a lot of strength and is not ready to die so is going for chemo so we will see.

With prayers,
Liz
(HL4-B 8/6/2010)

Porphy

I'm sorry you have this
I'm sorry you have this added stress, I think sometimes it's harder to watch someone you love than to go thru it yourself. Sending good thoughts your way....
Linda

Chris17

Porphy said:

I'm sorry you have this
I'm sorry you have this added stress, I think sometimes it's harder to watch someone you love than to go thru it yourself. Sending good thoughts your way....
Linda

Will be praying for you
Will keep good thoughts and send prayers your way for you and your family. Stay strong!
Chris

allmost60

Sorry
Hi Liz,
I'm so sorry to hear this.You and Lisha certainly have your plates full, and my heart goes out to both of you! First thing that came to my mind was.."why at 83 does something like this have to happen"??? Seems so un-fair to live so long and then get hit with cancer. I'll keep you all in my prayers. Love...Sue
(FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

vinny59

sad
I'm so sorry to hear that Liz, please try to stay strong, it's so hard I know..... Vinny

truckingalong

vinny59 said:

sad
I'm so sorry to hear that Liz, please try to stay strong, it's so hard I know..... Vinny

Thanks
Thank you everyone - yeah, I take it day by day. My daughter came over from D.C. an hour away and cheered me and hubby up a bit.

Right now what is on my mind is having head cold and tomorrow is chemo day. My fear is how do I go through this? What experiences did you have with this?

Thanks for your support

Liz

dixiegirl

truckingalong said:

Thanks
Thank you everyone - yeah, I take it day by day. My daughter came over from D.C. an hour away and cheered me and hubby up a bit.

Right now what is on my mind is having head cold and tomorrow is chemo day. My fear is how do I go through this? What experiences did you have with this?

Thanks for your support

Liz

Cold
I feel for you Liz. I have a cold, it has moved to my chest and coughing is killing me. Never had a cold during chemo so don't know what to say.

Good luck with your treatment, they may postpone, who knows.

Always thinking about you!
Beth

allmost60

truckingalong said:

Thanks
Thank you everyone - yeah, I take it day by day. My daughter came over from D.C. an hour away and cheered me and hubby up a bit.

Right now what is on my mind is having head cold and tomorrow is chemo day. My fear is how do I go through this? What experiences did you have with this?

Thanks for your support

Liz

Cold
Hi Liz,
I asked my doctor what would happen if I got a cold or was sick when it was time for a chemo treatment. She(at that time...now a man) said they would postpone treatment. Every doctor is different though, so your doctor may have another way of doing things. Hope you feel better soon. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow when I get my treatment...(that is if my counts are high enough). Take care Liz...Love..Sue (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

truckingalong

allmost60 said:

Cold
Hi Liz,
I asked my doctor what would happen if I got a cold or was sick when it was time for a chemo treatment. She(at that time...now a man) said they would postpone treatment. Every doctor is different though, so your doctor may have another way of doing things. Hope you feel better soon. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow when I get my treatment...(that is if my counts are high enough). Take care Liz...Love..Sue (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

Thanks
Hi, Sue,

Thanks for the info. I just took decongestant (sp?) medicine to help me breathe so to sleep easier tonight. Keeps the jitters down too!! Thinking of you also tomorrow.

Love,
Liz (HL4B 8/10)

forme

Thinking of you
Hi Liz,
Reaching out is such a good feeling. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. I am so sorry to hear about your dear step mom, Ruthe. Cancer is such an up and down ride of emotions. Please take good care of yourself. I have learned from my own mom, to never under estimate the elderly. They are so much stronger than we give them credit for. My mom was on hospice last year for 8 months, after that time she was told she was so much better that they could not continue hospice. She will be 89 this month and still is going strong...
Peaceful healing
Lisha

allmost60

dixiegirl said:

Cold
I feel for you Liz. I have a cold, it has moved to my chest and coughing is killing me. Never had a cold during chemo so don't know what to say.

Good luck with your treatment, they may postpone, who knows.

Always thinking about you!
Beth

Feel better soon...
Hi Beth,
So sorry you have a nasty cold..UGH! It's that time of year where everyone is either coughing or sneezing. Hubby and I went shopping this weekend and I was constantly covering my nose and mouth with my jacket sleeve and walking fast past people hacking and sneezing. I finally told Steve after going to 3 stores that I just wanted to go home. I hope you have something to take to help with your cough. The last cold I had was last February and it got really bad...went to my chest requiring an antibiotic(Lavaquin) along with 25mg prednison for 12 days. I coughed so hard that my ribs ached. I hope you feel better soon Beth..stay down and rest. Love...Sue (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

truckingalong

forme said:

Thinking of you
Hi Liz,
Reaching out is such a good feeling. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. I am so sorry to hear about your dear step mom, Ruthe. Cancer is such an up and down ride of emotions. Please take good care of yourself. I have learned from my own mom, to never under estimate the elderly. They are so much stronger than we give them credit for. My mom was on hospice last year for 8 months, after that time she was told she was so much better that they could not continue hospice. She will be 89 this month and still is going strong...
Peaceful healing
Lisha

Thank you for your special perspective
Hi Lisha,

Appreciate your perspective - so special because of your experiences so unfortunately rich but full of wisdom! Tomorrow Ruthe and my dad are seeing oncologist for the first formal meeting (after an emergency surgery and immediate chemo tx last Thurs) to discuss options. Ruthe did had a hard time with the chemo effects and they will hear about the prognosis of what she has tomorrow. So we will see and hope she will be as comfy as possible from now on... Sigh... I also worry about Dad - he looks so exhausted and thin - he has been taking care of her all the time even tho the day aide came for few hours a day. I told him he should take afternoon naps and other stuff.

Luckily, my cold just got better when I had the chemo yesterday. The effects are not that bad yet - will hit me later, I know. Just tired. Am trying to think positive thoughts - so easy to think "when will the effects hit me?" - gotta be busy doing things!!

Good to hear you are getting settled. Good luck with tests and healing.

Liz