MELANOMA AND BONE CANCER

RHONDA71355
RHONDA71355 Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Skin Cancer #1
HELLO,MY NAME IS RHONDA. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ON THIS BOARD. I AM WRITING ABOUT MY 39 YEAR OLD BROTHER,RANDY.NOV.25 I HAD TO TELL MY PARENTS ABOUT MY BROTHERS CONDITION,STAGE 4 MELANOMA AND BONE CANCER.ALL FROM A MOLE THAT FELL OFF.
RANDY HAS CANCER CELLS ALL OVER HIS BODY. SOME GO AWAY AND MORE COME OUT.HE HAS TUMORS ALL OVER HIS BODY BUT THE BRAIN AND KIDNEYS.
HE'S IN SOOOO MUCH PAIN.HE'S GOING THROUGH RADATION NOW.IT MAKES HIM SO SICK AND NAUSIATED.HE DOESN'T EVEN EAT NOW.HE'S LOST LOTS OF WEIGHT.
RANDY HAD PINS AND ROD PUT IN HIS HIP TO SUPPORT IT. THE BONES IN THE PELVIC EREA ARE DECINAGRATED.ALSO ROD AND PIN IN HIS BACK TO SUPPORT THE SPINE FROM COLLAPESING AND PARALIZING HIM.
HIS NURSE TOLD ME RIGHT NOW I'M SEEING HIM AT HIS BEST.LATER IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. THE DR. GIVES HIM 6 MONTHS.THE NURSE SAID HOSPICE MAY BE SOONER THAN WE THINK?? MY DAD IS IN DENIAL. MY MOM AND I ARE DEALING AS BEST AS WE CAN.
IS IT COMMON FOR PEOPLE TO GET SICK,NOT EAT WITH THE RADATION TREATMENTS??THEY ARE ALSO GIVING HIM STERIOD SHOTS??WHY STERIODS?? HE RECENTLY HAD A PORT PUT IN HIS CHEST FOR THE CHEMO. HE MAYBE STARTING CHEMO THIS COMING WEEK.
IT'S SOO HARD. AND I HAVE MENTALLY BLOCKED IT OUT MY MIND.I "DON'T" WANT TO FACE REALITY.
I DON'T MEAN TO BRING ANYONE DOWN.I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH ALL THIS.
I JUST NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO.
THE DR. SAY'S 6 MONTHS,BUT ONLY GOD KNOWS.
HAVE A BLESSED DAY,RHONDA

Comments

  • electric
    electric Member Posts: 4
    #2
    Look up Medarex MDX 010 clinical trial. God bless
  • vettelover
    vettelover Member Posts: 7
    #3
    Rhonda, I read your message here and your reply to my message to Brian. I am sorry to hear that your brother has such an advanced case of melanoma. It is very understandable for you and your family to be concerned. However, you must all support him as best as you can. I am sure that his doctors are doing everything they can to ease his pain.

    His cancer seems very advanced. There are various treatments available to stop the spread of melanoma. Yet melanoma is a very complex disease and may not respond to these treatments. I know first hand. I tried Interferon for 8 months and my cancer returned (Interferon is biotherapy, which means that it builds up your white blood cell count to fight infection and hopefully the cancer as well). Recently I completed 4 weeks of radiation treatment which I hope will delay or prevent the return of melanoma. I just started a clinical trial on a different drug called leukine. The trial will last one year and I am hopeful I will be cancer free this time next year.

    It might help you and your parents to schedule a consultation with your brother's doctors to ask your questions (write them down beforehand). At least you will have a better understanding of his condition when you leave the visit. As I do for others who have cancer (and as others do for me) I will pray for you and your brother.

    Bruce
  • castle
    castle Member Posts: 14
    #4
    electric said:

    Look up Medarex MDX 010 clinical trial. God bless

    Hi Rhonda, My name is Gina My husband has stage 4 also , I am so sorry to hear about your brother. My husband is only 39 we have two beautiful daughters 13&10. I my self have never worked. I think I am in denile like your father, I am taking a anti-depressant just to get out of bed. My husband needs another surgery that I have scheduled for Feb. 7th but he said we cant afford for him to stop working to recover. We are self empolyed. My thoughts are with you. please write to me if you need to talk Castlefun4@aol.com
  • nickerson
    nickerson Member Posts: 1
    #5
    rhonda,I also have stage 4 melanoma, for a year now I have done Leukine, for about 3 months, then high doses of interleukin-2 that stop the first week in Nov.On Dec.20 I had another treatment done and it has started to work.(chemo imm)I strongly believe,As long as I have breath , There is hope.N.I.H. in D.C.Has a vaccine in the studyings. U should call
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #6
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • aykt36
    aykt36 Member Posts: 28
    #7
    I DON'T MEAN TO BRING ANYONE
    I DON'T MEAN TO BRING ANYONE DOWN.I








    JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH ALL THIS.
    I JUST NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO.
    THE DR. SAY'S 6 MONTHS,BUT ONLY GOD KNOWS.
    HAVE A BLESSED DAY,RHONDA
  • Amanda92412
    Amanda92412 Member Posts: 1
    #8
    in the same boat
    Rhonda, I don't have any advice because I came here also seeking advice, but I can relate and maybe that helps! My soon-to-be mother in law has metastatic bone melenoma. I don't know where it started, but is now in her ribs in several places and has gone to her breasts. A week before her son and I got engaged, she told me that the doctors predicted she only had a year left. This was before it went to her breasts. She told me about it and about her treatments but she didn't tell my fiance in fear of worrying him. He was under the impression that she would get better just like she always has. She has been sick his whole life. She has lupus, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, smokes a lot, and drinks. She only told me about the prognosis because I would understand it better (I'm a nurse). She told me not to tell him. Well this was in early October. I have been struggling with knowing this all that time and finally had to tell him the day before Thanksgiving. He needed to know and I didn't know how to tell him. Now she is finally opening up to him and letting him know whats going on. It's so hard for me, trying to be strong for him. He is very close to his mother and so am I. You would think, being a nurse, I would understand it and handle it better but I cry almost daily because I worry about her and also about him and how to help him cope. I don't know what to do. I am planning our wedding and scared that she wont be around to see us get married. I moved the wedding date up a few months and now it is going to be late June, but what if thats still too late. I know I need to think positive but I know how serious this is. I don't know how to cope with this or to help him cope with it. I hate seeing her in so much pain and not feeling well and I hate seeing him so upset and not coping well. I really don't know what to do and need support. Rhonda, I will pray for you and your brother as well. Please know you aren't alone in this battle. It's hard on everyone and we need to all support each other.

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