Hi Everyone!

UncleBuddy
UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
edited May 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1

I just wanted to give an update on my brother. He's still doing the 5-FU and irinotecan. He is on a lower dose which is giving him a better quality of life. Once he is doing better, they are going to add the leucovorin and erbitux back in. I guess they are waiting to see how he tolerates the dose he's on now. We are finally at a good place where we've avoided more hospital visits. The doctor seems very optimistic and is hopeful that he may be able to get surgery in the future. Right now we are doing the chemo and in a couple of month will do a PET scan. The CT shows that the liver tumor is gone (it was 3cm) but it didn't show well originally when it was first diagnosed on the CT, so she said she'll feel better doing a PET scan to be sure. The lung nodules show no change at all, which I see as a good sign since they haven't grown.We have to wait on the PET scan for a few months, but that's okay, it's all about waiting, isn't it?

I had a cancer scare myself. I've been so busy taking care of dad and my brother that I haven't really been keeping on top of things of my own. I have a thyroid nodule that grew. The doctor did a biopsy and it came back benign. I thought it was cancerous and was scared out of my mind. Thank God it was nothing, I just have to monitor it once a year with an ultrasound. 

Lin

Comments

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #2
    Hi Lin. Glad everyone is

    Hi Lin. Glad everyone is staying steady and I'm with you no change is good. Keeping things at bay.  So glad it was a benign lump. Cancer is the pits. 

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #3
    Sounds like things are

    Sounds like things are definately going in the right direction for your brother. That is great news about your nodule.

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #4
    Thanks everyone!

    We are heading to the cardiologist today.We'll see how his ticker is doing.

    Tomorrow he has another round of chemo. We are supposed to talk to the doctor about having a procedure done on his eyes called peripheral laser iridotomy because he has narrow angle glaucoma. In order to do this, they may have to stop the chemo for a couple of weeks. I am not too crazy about them stopping since he's on a roll now. I have to have a chat with the doctor.

    Hope everyone is feeling well.

    Lin

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #5
    UncleBuddy said:

    Thanks everyone!

    We are heading to the cardiologist today.We'll see how his ticker is doing.

    Tomorrow he has another round of chemo. We are supposed to talk to the doctor about having a procedure done on his eyes called peripheral laser iridotomy because he has narrow angle glaucoma. In order to do this, they may have to stop the chemo for a couple of weeks. I am not too crazy about them stopping since he's on a roll now. I have to have a chat with the doctor.

    Hope everyone is feeling well.

    Lin

    Good luck tomorrow. 

    Good luck tomorrow. 

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #6
    Helen321 said:

    Good luck tomorrow. 

    Good luck tomorrow. 

    Thanks!

    Chemo went well. Since he is doing well and having a good quality of life, she is keeping him on the low dose of chemo for the time being. The heart doctor said he needs to keep walking to try to strengthen his heart. He is getting laser surgery on his eyes this week and next week. He has narrow angle glaucoma developing, so they want to take care of it. Wishing you all the best.

    Lin

     

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #7
    UncleBuddy said:

    Thanks!

    Chemo went well. Since he is doing well and having a good quality of life, she is keeping him on the low dose of chemo for the time being. The heart doctor said he needs to keep walking to try to strengthen his heart. He is getting laser surgery on his eyes this week and next week. He has narrow angle glaucoma developing, so they want to take care of it. Wishing you all the best.

    Lin

     

    I also recommend a stationary

    I also recommend a stationary bike if that is something he can handle or is able to use.  The low to the ground sitting kind.  It is so much easier on the joints than walking and you do great cardio with it as you progress.  I did it for about a year with light walking and after a few months I was doing so much better at walking.

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #8
    Helen321 said:

    I also recommend a stationary

    I also recommend a stationary bike if that is something he can handle or is able to use.  The low to the ground sitting kind.  It is so much easier on the joints than walking and you do great cardio with it as you progress.  I did it for about a year with light walking and after a few months I was doing so much better at walking.

    Thank you for the suggestion!

    My 88 year old dad walks everyday and has, as well as uses, a recumbent bike (I think that's what they call those low to the ground bikes). He is in great physical shape, but he has early stage dementia. I believe his exercising daily is what keeps him in such great shape.

    I have a nurse who goes to check on my brother 2x a week. The nurse has him exercise on the bike when he is there, but he can only do about 10 minutes. My brother goes now with my dad on his walks because the dr told him if he didn't, he is at high risk of a heart attack, and he's also afraid my dad will fall. So far he's doing it. Since he is intellectually disabled my parents babied him, so he has always been overweight and didn't do much for himself. Mom passed a few years back and it's just the two of them, so they kind of keep each other going. I am working on finding an apartment near me for them so I can keep a closer eye on them. I talk to them several times a day and go to all their dr visits, but driving 30 minutes each way to physically help them out has become a lot for me. If they move closer to me, they will be near their hospital and doctors. it's hard, though. All the senior developments are subsidized and their income is slightly over the requirement. There aren't too many apartments in my area, so it's like finding a needle in the haystack.

    Thanks.

    Lin

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #9
    UncleBuddy said:

    Thank you for the suggestion!

    My 88 year old dad walks everyday and has, as well as uses, a recumbent bike (I think that's what they call those low to the ground bikes). He is in great physical shape, but he has early stage dementia. I believe his exercising daily is what keeps him in such great shape.

    I have a nurse who goes to check on my brother 2x a week. The nurse has him exercise on the bike when he is there, but he can only do about 10 minutes. My brother goes now with my dad on his walks because the dr told him if he didn't, he is at high risk of a heart attack, and he's also afraid my dad will fall. So far he's doing it. Since he is intellectually disabled my parents babied him, so he has always been overweight and didn't do much for himself. Mom passed a few years back and it's just the two of them, so they kind of keep each other going. I am working on finding an apartment near me for them so I can keep a closer eye on them. I talk to them several times a day and go to all their dr visits, but driving 30 minutes each way to physically help them out has become a lot for me. If they move closer to me, they will be near their hospital and doctors. it's hard, though. All the senior developments are subsidized and their income is slightly over the requirement. There aren't too many apartments in my area, so it's like finding a needle in the haystack.

    Thanks.

    Lin

    Well I hope you find

    Well I hope you find something soon!  10 minutes is still great.  You just build up over time.

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #10
    Helen321 said:

    Well I hope you find

    Well I hope you find something soon!  10 minutes is still great.  You just build up over time.

    Thanks Helen.

    I'm sure it's going to take time. I have to find something on the ground floor level.

    Yes, baby steps! I tell him to take it one day at a time.

    I hope you're doing well.

    Lin

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #11
    Glad to hear that things are going in the right direction!

    And also very glad they are tracking the cancer with a PET, as well as a CT.  I think it's important to have both to really get a complete view of what's going on.

    But Lin...you have to take care of yourself!  Easier said than done, I know.  But you clearly play a very important role in your family, so taking care of your own health will help both them and you!

    They're lucky to have you.  

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #12
    annalexandria said:

    Glad to hear that things are going in the right direction!

    And also very glad they are tracking the cancer with a PET, as well as a CT.  I think it's important to have both to really get a complete view of what's going on.

    But Lin...you have to take care of yourself!  Easier said than done, I know.  But you clearly play a very important role in your family, so taking care of your own health will help both them and you!

    They're lucky to have you.  

    We found an apartment!!!

    We put the deposit on it today! Not looking forward to the packing, but it will be good for them.

    Annalexandria, I head to the endocrinologist (SP?) tomorrow morning. We'll see if the Synthroid is working well on my thyroid. We'll have to see what he says. I just got a letter today from my Gastro doc to remind me that I am due for a colonoscopy. I will have to make that appointment tomorrow. Thank you for your kind words. Sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed and underappreciated. Long story that I shouldn't really post on here, but family really should chip in and help one another.

    I hope you're doing well.

    Lin

    PS He has been stable now for a while, it's nice to get that breather. I am glad to see him smiling again. Smile

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #13
    Good

    Sounds like this are getting better and I'm glad that your scare was just that.  Make sure you take care of yourself as it seems you are always taking care of others.  They might need you, but you need you. 

    Kim

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #14
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Good

    Sounds like this are getting better and I'm glad that your scare was just that.  Make sure you take care of yourself as it seems you are always taking care of others.  They might need you, but you need you. 

    Kim

    Thanks Kim

    I'm getting there!  Thyroid meds are working fine. No surgery needed. Hopefully I can take off the pounds I put on these past few months. 

    How have you been doing??

    Lin

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