looking for hope for my mom

Hello.
my name is heidi and my mother has just been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
it all started when she sneezed and thought she cracked a rib last month,and a week later they gave her 2 years to live.
we are all devastated. She's only 52;( she's the most active,sweet woman.
Im not ready to lose my mom.
I just wanted to know if anyone out there had lived long past they're supposed expiration date?how accurate are these diagnoses?is stage 4 a guaranteed death sentence,or can people beat it?
please,anyhope would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • neons356
    neons356 Member Posts: 57 Member
    Yes, people can beat stage 4
    Hello Heidi, I usually hang out at the colon cancer board, but being an 18 year survivor of stage 3 colon cancer I check in here as well. As you certainly know, stage 4 is not easy to beat, as the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body. But there are many stage 4 people who have beaten the beast. I know of several on the colon cancer group who were told that they had a very limited time left on this planet, and who are still kickin' 5, 6, 7 years later. So although you must face the reality that your mom is certainly facing a hard uphill battle, it can't be looked at as a death sentence. More and more, stage 4 is being looked at as a chronic condition, and with proper therapy and treatment there can still be many productive years ahead for those fighting the beast. Don't hesitate to help her to get second opinions, and to seek out all options available. I don't know the type of cancer she has, so I can't help you there, but don't give up hope, and at the same time it's a reminder to realize how precious life is, and to celebrate the time we have with our loved ones and not look back and feel the guilt of what we should have done. Seize the moment! I wish you and your family the best of outcomes, and try to have a loving and joyous holiday season. ......Carl
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    Stage 4
    Sorry to hear of your mom's situation. There is a very interesting chapter about statistics and cancer survival in the book "Anti-cancer." It also contains a lot of information on things she can do to help with the disease. I went to a hopital in Mexico, Oasis of Hope, for some integrative therapies. Most of the patients they treat are stage IV, and they have very good survial statistics.
  • jazzy1
    jazzy1 Member Posts: 1,379
    Tethys41 said:

    Stage 4
    Sorry to hear of your mom's situation. There is a very interesting chapter about statistics and cancer survival in the book "Anti-cancer." It also contains a lot of information on things she can do to help with the disease. I went to a hopital in Mexico, Oasis of Hope, for some integrative therapies. Most of the patients they treat are stage IV, and they have very good survial statistics.

    Stage 4
    Can I ask what type of cancer your mom was diagnosed with recently? I don't follow statistics as I've seen and read of many people with stage 3/4 living way past the mark of when docs/statistics noted they'd go. In my docs office he has a poster which reads --

    WE'RE A STATISTIC OF ONE!!

    I'm stage 3 uterine with an aggressive form, having been NED (no evidence of disease)for 2-1/2 years. I'm an avid reader and follower of the book mentioned above, ANTI-CANCER". Pick this up and read it as loaded with great insight on cancer and how we can keep our immune systems up to beat this devil.

    Anything is possible, but we have to try and hopefully beat the odds.

    Best to you and your mom....
    Jan
  • angela.barnes38
    angela.barnes38 Member Posts: 15
    My grandmother was diagnosed
    My grandmother was diagnosed when I was too young but understood what’s on, she got treated and by God’s grace she is with us till date. Though, I don’t know much at what stage of cancer she got diagnosed, but still I feel this could probably give you some hope.
  • Annette7723
    Annette7723 Member Posts: 1
    jazzy1 said:

    Stage 4
    Can I ask what type of cancer your mom was diagnosed with recently? I don't follow statistics as I've seen and read of many people with stage 3/4 living way past the mark of when docs/statistics noted they'd go. In my docs office he has a poster which reads --

    WE'RE A STATISTIC OF ONE!!

    I'm stage 3 uterine with an aggressive form, having been NED (no evidence of disease)for 2-1/2 years. I'm an avid reader and follower of the book mentioned above, ANTI-CANCER". Pick this up and read it as loaded with great insight on cancer and how we can keep our immune systems up to beat this devil.

    Anything is possible, but we have to try and hopefully beat the odds.

    Best to you and your mom....
    Jan

    advanced clear cell endometrial cancer
    Hi Jan,
    5 weeks ago my mom was diagnosed with clear cell endometrial cancer. On June 6th she had a radical hysterectomy. It had spread to many of her pelvic lymph nodes and had wrapped around the blood supply to one of her kidneys and her aorta. The doctor never even told her the stage because she didn't want to know. From all I read it's either late stage 3 or 4. She started her first chemo therapy session today. I am so nervous that she doesn't have much to live because she is so advanced and the type of cancer she has is so aggressive. I am so happy to read that you are cancer free for 2-1/2 years. It gives me hope. I am going to get her the book that you had mentioned. Do you know of anymore survivors of this type of cancer. Please let me know because everything I am reading is so dismal. I wish you all the best!

    Annette
  • tbcylh
    tbcylh Member Posts: 2
    Final Stage
    I don't have a good and reassuring story to share. But the below blogger helped me a lot when my mum's illness relapsed last year. Hope it helps

    http://www.tamiboehmer.com/
  • SherriBB
    SherriBB Member Posts: 1
    There is hope
    I don't know what kind of cancer your mother has, but I have live 5 years past my lung caner with mets to brain stage 4 diagnosis. My great oncologist never told me that I was going to die, he just told me the statistics, and had me continue to fight. I will pray for you and your Mon and remember-she is not just a statistic, she is a unique human being, and will respond to teament in her own way. I hope this helps.
  • ettevyva
    ettevyva Member Posts: 4
    Do you know about Low Dose Naltrexone !
    It saved me! It's about $12.00 a month (without insurance coverage). It's a prescription with no side effects (except gave me amazing energy!) I'm a three time cancer survivor (2001, 2006, 2010). 3 weeks ago I had a mass and kept being called back for more ultrasounds. The results is they can find NO CANCER in the mass. Please Google Low Dose Naltrexone for Cancer. Also, Low Dose Naltrexone Homepage. It is a prescription. Naltrexone is FDA approved. Big Pharmas can't make a profit on it so do not inform doctors about it. Low Dose Naltrexone saved me! Please do the research. Dr. Biari gave it to stage 4 cancer patients that survived. People can beat it.

    I learned about it on the FACEBOOK forums for LDN. Just put Low Dose Naltrexone in Facebook search.
    http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/ldn_and_cancer.htm