hello I am new to this site!
Comments
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I'm so sorry
I would liike to welcome you here this is a great place to come the people here are AWESOME I'm a caregiver for my husband but i'm sure you will have lots of people replying very soon . hugs Tina0 -
Welcome
Hi Jennifer,
How sweet you are to come here for your mom.
You are on the right track with your efforts to get her into a major cancer clinic. You don't say...how long have you been trying and is there a hold up of some kind?
It sounds like your mom's condition was just beyond the scope of the physicians who were 'treating' her. There is always hope. Some folks here have been on a 'maintenance' chemo for years.
You have come to the right place for encouragement. There are lots of folks here who will share info and experiences and most of all encouragement and understanding.
If you can, get your mom to join the site as well...or any of the rest of your family. Everyone has their own needs and we accept family, caregivers and patients with the same welcoming hug.
Take care and let us know what is happening on the MD Anderson front.
Hugs,
Marie0 -
Hi Jennifer
Welcome to the forum. I am so sorry to hear all that you and your mother and family are going through. This is a tough disease and a horrible diagnosis on everyone. Thank you for supporting and advocating for your mother.
First, please make sure that someone is with her at her appointments and that they eother take notes or record the conversations. Having this diagnosis kind of makes it difficult to retain everything that is said. There is always new information to figure out and it is overwhelming. Having notes or a recording will really help later so you can go back over what was said. Sometimes the doctor will say something that you didn't expect and your thoughts will get stuck on it and you just won't heard the rest of waht is said because your brain stuck trying process the earlier words.
Second, make sure that she gets at least a second opinion from another doctor outside of the hospital of medical center that she is currently invovled with. If that means MD Anderson, then go there.
Also, if she decides to be treated at a large center that is not close to home, you can have them work with her to be able to have the major care done through a local clinic. Many of the larger center do that by setting up services such as chemo and follow ups at a home center and have the patient come in to the larger center for major followup and tests.
All hope is not lost. We have many stage 4s here that are still around despite what doctors and numbers on the websites say. Some for years. Everyone is different and responds differently to their cancer and all the different treatments. There are more combinations of chemo and other alternatives that can really make a difference for your mother. Perhaps she is eligible for a trial. Has anyone told her about them or look into that?
I would love to say I am one of the long timers but, I am still early in my treatment. But, I do listen to the people we have here on this site that have many years experince to pass on.
Best of luck to you and your mother and family HUGS0 -
jennifer -
Re:
"my mother has been battling cancer for almost 2 yrs now
she has been off of treatment for almost 3 months
we are trying to get her into M.D. Anderson cancer clinic "
Are there other cancer specialists in your area? Second and
third opinions should always be mandatory regarding any
invasive surgery, or critical disease.
Second (and all other) opinions should come from physicians
that are not of the same association, group, or area of the others.
Too often doctors know one another in small localities, and
attempt to support one another. It's important to realize that,
and ask physicians outside that group.
The Lymph node's job is to capture bad things in our body;
it's part of our immune system. Finding bad things inside the nodes
isn't necessarily a "bad thing", it can mean that instead of the
cancer cell getting lost someplace where it can't be found easily,
it's been trapped and couldn't go further... That's a "good thing".
Not everything will look so good with cancer, however...
You really need other professional opinions, and soon. If the
delay to get into Anderson is going to be long, try to locate
another experienced cancer specialist in a neighboring town.
Asking nurses and hospital staff, can sometimes reveal the
"better" specialists, since the hospital gang sees things that other
people do not.
Make sure Mom always has someone going with her to each
medical visit, to insure all that's said is remembered. Take notes,
if possible.
Cancer usually takes time to grow to a size that endangers our life,
so don't get panicky, just get other opinions.
My best to you all!
John0 -
Lori-SJohn23 said:jennifer -
Re:
"my mother has been battling cancer for almost 2 yrs now
she has been off of treatment for almost 3 months
we are trying to get her into M.D. Anderson cancer clinic "
Are there other cancer specialists in your area? Second and
third opinions should always be mandatory regarding any
invasive surgery, or critical disease.
Second (and all other) opinions should come from physicians
that are not of the same association, group, or area of the others.
Too often doctors know one another in small localities, and
attempt to support one another. It's important to realize that,
and ask physicians outside that group.
The Lymph node's job is to capture bad things in our body;
it's part of our immune system. Finding bad things inside the nodes
isn't necessarily a "bad thing", it can mean that instead of the
cancer cell getting lost someplace where it can't be found easily,
it's been trapped and couldn't go further... That's a "good thing".
Not everything will look so good with cancer, however...
You really need other professional opinions, and soon. If the
delay to get into Anderson is going to be long, try to locate
another experienced cancer specialist in a neighboring town.
Asking nurses and hospital staff, can sometimes reveal the
"better" specialists, since the hospital gang sees things that other
people do not.
Make sure Mom always has someone going with her to each
medical visit, to insure all that's said is remembered. Take notes,
if possible.
Cancer usually takes time to grow to a size that endangers our life,
so don't get panicky, just get other opinions.
My best to you all!
John
Good show! You were posting as I was typing!
(I think you get a gold star, or sumptin')
(haha)
John0 -
WelcomeLori-S said:Woo hoo John
Can we make that a platinum star so that it doesn't clash with the damn oxy they are giving me? LOL
Welcome! You have gotten some good advice, all I can add is love! Give lots of it, don't act like she's dying because she isn't. Help provide good healthy food and supplements. A good prayer wouldn't hurt!
Be strong, but don't forget to cry....it's ok and good for the soul,,,just don't stay there! Laugh,0 -
God Bless You
Your mother seems like such a strong woman! She is so blessed to have a daughter like you, as well as, loving family to be right there by her side! I will pray that everything works out. I am new here too, and here on behalf of my husband, Mont who has Stage 4 colon cancer. Everyone here is great,so, you have come to the right place!0 -
Jennifer,
Welcome to the
Jennifer,
Welcome to the board. I am fairly new also. But I can tell you there is no better place to be if you have to go through this. I also am taking care of my Mom who has rectal cancer. I came here not knowing anything but the people here are so wonderful and have so much great advice.
We will be praying for you, your Mom and family to get through this.
Linda and Ellie0 -
Welcome!Mellow Mel said:God Bless You
Your mother seems like such a strong woman! She is so blessed to have a daughter like you, as well as, loving family to be right there by her side! I will pray that everything works out. I am new here too, and here on behalf of my husband, Mont who has Stage 4 colon cancer. Everyone here is great,so, you have come to the right place!
Welcome Jennifer and Mel. Good to meet you.
-Pat0 -
Welcome Jennifer and Mom!
Welcome Jennifer and Mom! you are so blessed have each other! Use this site, say what bothers, scares or confuses you. We love happy news too! Move some of this aside and remember the things you are thankful for! Best to you. Jean0 -
Sorry
Sorry to hear about your mom. Hoping you can get her into MD Anderson. I've heard great stories about that hospital. Please keep us informed. You are a wonderful daughter trying to gather information for her.
Kim0
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