Update on my brother Mike

Fingers crossed for Mike
So sorry to hear your news, this disease makes me so angry, its just so unfair, good for Mike for wanting to continue to battle with it, I really hope the new chemo is good for him, lots of love to you both X

menang said:

Thank you
Thank you. He really has so much fight left in him, that to have a nurse come in and say "no more" when there are still options that HE wants to pursue makes me so angry. Mike knows that there will come a time when he doesn't want to do anymore, but that time is not now.

Best wishes to everyone fighting this awful disease,

Maria

It's hard!
He has that fighting spirit. I hope he keeps it. I mean mom wasn't ready to fight and she says if the cancer comes back after this part of the treatment she is not doing it again. When my mother has the carboplatin, which is aluminum based, it makes her alot sicker than when she has just the taxol, which is plant based. But they say the combo together is what kicks it.

Best Friend said:

It's hard!
He has that fighting spirit. I hope he keeps it. I mean mom wasn't ready to fight and she says if the cancer comes back after this part of the treatment she is not doing it again. When my mother has the carboplatin, which is aluminum based, it makes her alot sicker than when she has just the taxol, which is plant based. But they say the combo together is what kicks it.

Hi,
I have so far only had
Hi,

I have so far only had Carbo/Taxol together and found that I had no side effects except loss of my hair (which grew back) and in later treatments, tiredness and constipation which I could manage without much difficulty. It was also very effective at bringing down my CA125. But that was then. After about 9 cycles the CA125 started to go up again. At present, I'm on a break from chemo. The CA125 is still going up, 250. We're just waiting for me to experience a symptom, expecting it to be same as at the start, ascites causing me to have a distended stomach and a cough from the pressure on my lungs but so far no sign of that. Then we start on another chemo. He won't say which one yet. Must wait and see. Hard to imagine that I'll be so free of side-effects from the next one, but will take it a day at a time.

I'm not ready to fight if the side-effects aren't worth it (but then the onc. is likely to try a different chemo). Perhaps they will try different ones with your mum too to find one that suits her best.

Good luck for you and your mum.

AussieMaddie

LaundryQueen said:

Clarification
Best Friend: Just want to clear up some confusion you might have about carboplatin. That chemo is platinum based not aluminum based--maybe you were using a smart phone that "corrected" your typing. In any case, the platinum is a heavy metal that stays in the body for many years.

I heard there was a shortage of taxol in the US--is this affecting anyone?

OOps.
Well, I honestly thought one was a plant and the other a metal. I do not know why i said aluminum. HA! Sometimes i have my blonde moments. I read a book on The Biography of cancer and it was shocking. I mean i never knew that one of the first chemos came from mustard gas. That is a poison. I know chemo has to fight these cells but who ever thought to try some of this stuff. I hate to say it but after reading that book which i would recommend to everyone, I have realized that way back in the day...they made so much progress. It seems like now they are making progress but if it weren't for the researchers back than, we would be really behind. You should see the type of mastectomies they would perform. They would remove ribs and all kinds of stuff and the woman would be disfigured, the upper body concave. Back in like ancient egypt they knew about cancer and started researching it. I mean, it just amazes me. So when people think we are at a stand still, just read that book. We have come sooooooo far.
My buddy told me about the taxol shortage. I was very upset that this would affect my mom but she hasn't been yet. My dad asked doc and he said they are not having a shortage at the hospital she is treated at. Who knows! But yes, there is one!

menang said:

Mikey is coming home...
Unfortunately, Mike was admitted a week and a half after he started the new chemo regimen with another stricture. I think they may have started the new combo a little too late. He has decided to do no more treatment, and will be coming home with hospice care tomorrow. It was his decision and we will respect it. He is not giving up, but rather using the time he has left feeling well as opposed to being sick all the time. I still feel that if the cancer was caught earlier, he would have had a better chance.

My heart goes out to all of you battling cancer...

Maria

"He is not giving up, but
"He is not giving up, but rather using the time he has left feeling well as opposed to being sick all the time."

I understand and respect that very much. Much love to him, Maria.

"I still feel that if the cancer was caught earlier, he would have had a better chance"

The thing is that no matter what might have been, we are left to live with what is. We can only bring as much peace to that as we can to help our loved ones and ourselves through this time.

I hope that you find strength also in your brother's strength of heart.

Take good care,

AussieMaddie

menang said:

Heaven's newest angel
Mike passed away peacefully surrounded by him family and friends on Saturday. He was such a fighter. Although our hearts are broken, we know that he will watch over us until one day, we will all be together again.

To all the cancer warriors, continue the battle - one day, we will win the war!

I am so sorry to hear your
I am so sorry to hear your sad news
Tina xxx

menang said:

Heaven's newest angel
Mike passed away peacefully surrounded by him family and friends on Saturday. He was such a fighter. Although our hearts are broken, we know that he will watch over us until one day, we will all be together again.

To all the cancer warriors, continue the battle - one day, we will win the war!

I'm so sorry ...
I was holding onto his strength but at times losing the forest for the trees. I'm so sorry.

Forgive me for getting off on the path when you needed more strength yourself.

I will hold him in my heart and send love to you all.

AussieMaddie