Please Say a Prayer for My Father

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sal314
sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
My dad is having extreme pain in his arm. He went to the hospital this morning and they were going to do an MRI on it to see what's going on, but he couldn't hold it in the position they wanted him to because it hurt too much. That is saying a lot of my dad. He has an extremely high pain tolerance and is a "tough guy", never complains about anything...so you know it must be bad. He had a CAT scan done last week, but it didn't show anything. The doctor said he could possibley have a hairline fracture, but they won't know 'til they do the test.

He has a full body scan next Tues. to see if the chemo has been working and if the cancer has spread anywhere else. That should show them what's going on with his arm as well. I'm trying to be positive, but I bet ya anything there is some kind of bone cancer stuff happening in his arm! I hope I'm wrong, but don't have a good feeling about it. There is no explaination for how he may have hurt his arm. I think it's either a side effect of the chemo he's been on or the cancer.

Please keep him in your prayers. Thanks! I'll update you next week when I hear something.

Blessings,
Sally

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
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    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • MRapp226
    MRapp226 Member Posts: 44
    #3
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    Prayers coming you way....
    Hi Sally. I hope and pray that the pain is due to the side effects of chemo. Try to stay optimistic and know there are many people out there praying for a reasonable explanation besides cancer.

    Take care and keep us posted.

    Warmest regards,
    Melissa
  • Boston67
    Boston67 Member Posts: 61
    #4
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    My Arm
    Hi,

    I was a patient at Tufts. I assume that you have been diagnosed with cancer or you would not be here

    I don't about your case, but I damaged my elbow before I was diagnosed. The oncologist was opposed to a PET scan, but it discovered cancer in my elbow which was confirmed by a CT assisted biopsy at Dana Farber.

    Tufts does not have a PET scanner, but you can insist that they add you to the next day they are there, which I think is Monday or insist that they scan at the location they are at other days.

    This is probably not what you wanted to hear, and may not be relevent to you at all.

    Keith
    Age 67 Boston
    Stage IV
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,391 Member
    #5
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    Prayers coming your way!!
    Sally,

    As a cancer survivor I know that when I get a new pain my mind immediately seems to want to paint a “worse case scenario” that involves a recurrence of my cancer. I think it is something we all need to learn to live with. I find that telling myself that God has a plan and that I need to trust in that plan helps me deal with the anxiety.

    I also believe that God answers all prayers. I will be praying that you and your Dad hear good news from the tests next Tuesday and the pain in his arm is something that can be addressed easily.


    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    6/21/2010 CT Scan NED

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • ArchTB
    ArchTB Member Posts: 150
    #6
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    Thinking of you
    Sally,
    You and your dad re in our thoughts! wishing you good news
    Olya
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #7
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    Boston67 said:

    My Arm
    Hi,

    I was a patient at Tufts. I assume that you have been diagnosed with cancer or you would not be here

    I don't about your case, but I damaged my elbow before I was diagnosed. The oncologist was opposed to a PET scan, but it discovered cancer in my elbow which was confirmed by a CT assisted biopsy at Dana Farber.

    Tufts does not have a PET scanner, but you can insist that they add you to the next day they are there, which I think is Monday or insist that they scan at the location they are at other days.

    This is probably not what you wanted to hear, and may not be relevent to you at all.

    Keith
    Age 67 Boston
    Stage IV

    Hi Keith....
    To give you a little background....my father (69 years young) was diagnosed in last March with Stage IV EC with mets to the liver. He's been off and on several chemo since April and had 28 rad treatments. The cancer spread to his spine in Sept. and he's been on a chemo break since Thanksgiving.

    Other than his arm, he's doing extremely well. He weighs more than he did when diagnosed and can eat and swallow without any trouble.

    As for me...I'm a BC survivor of 9 years. So...I know a little about the cancer experience, but being on the otherside (having a loved one with cancer) is a whole other ballgame. I joined this board to learn about EC and get as much info. as I can to help support my mother who is my dad's caregiver.

    Thanks to all for your words of encouragement and prayers! They are greatly appreciated! :)

    Blessings,
    Sally
  • unclaw2002
    unclaw2002 Member Posts: 599
    #8
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    Sally,
    Hopefully they can
    Sally,

    Hopefully they can help your dad with the pain and it isn't a spread of the cancer. My prayers are with you and your mom and dad.

    Lots of hugs,
    Cindy
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #9
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  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #10
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    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Hi Sherri,
    Thanks for responding back. He says the pain is on the upper outside of his arm. Kinda of on the side of the tricep, if that makes sense. When my dad showed the doctor the spot, the doctor said there is really nothing there, so it may be a hairline fracture. I guess the doctor gave him a rather odd look, as it's just a strange place to have so much pain. The pain comes and goes and he describes it as shooting in both directions, down to his forarm and up his shoulder to his neck. But it doesn't hurt all the time. Kind of comes and goes. When it's hurting him badly my mom can tell because my dad turns white and looks like he's gonna pass out! But he won't really say anything or complain. Must be a guy thing?! I don't get it (as I tend to complain too much about EVERYTHING! LOL) My mom is getting so frustrated and exhausted trying to help him. She says he just doesn't communicate about anything with her or the doctors and gets really mad when she tries to ask questions about how he feels. Not sure what that's about. He's never been a big communicator, but never use to get mad and grouchy either. I'm wondering if something hasn't started in his brain? I've read that early signs of brain mets can be slight headaches and "personality" changes. Kinda of makes me wonder. But we'll probably never know.

    He goes to his onocologist on Tues. My mom is giving him some vicodin that he had left over from the last time he was having pain in his shoulder, interestingly, of the same arm.

    Again, thanks for your response. I continue to pray for you and Jim and your family.

    Sally
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #11
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    sal314 said:

    Hi Sherri,
    Thanks for responding back. He says the pain is on the upper outside of his arm. Kinda of on the side of the tricep, if that makes sense. When my dad showed the doctor the spot, the doctor said there is really nothing there, so it may be a hairline fracture. I guess the doctor gave him a rather odd look, as it's just a strange place to have so much pain. The pain comes and goes and he describes it as shooting in both directions, down to his forarm and up his shoulder to his neck. But it doesn't hurt all the time. Kind of comes and goes. When it's hurting him badly my mom can tell because my dad turns white and looks like he's gonna pass out! But he won't really say anything or complain. Must be a guy thing?! I don't get it (as I tend to complain too much about EVERYTHING! LOL) My mom is getting so frustrated and exhausted trying to help him. She says he just doesn't communicate about anything with her or the doctors and gets really mad when she tries to ask questions about how he feels. Not sure what that's about. He's never been a big communicator, but never use to get mad and grouchy either. I'm wondering if something hasn't started in his brain? I've read that early signs of brain mets can be slight headaches and "personality" changes. Kinda of makes me wonder. But we'll probably never know.

    He goes to his onocologist on Tues. My mom is giving him some vicodin that he had left over from the last time he was having pain in his shoulder, interestingly, of the same arm.

    Again, thanks for your response. I continue to pray for you and Jim and your family.

    Sally

    take some pain meds please!!!!
    Hi Sal,
    Can your Mom get your Dad to take some pain meds please!!! This is not the time to man up, it is foolish to be that much in pain. I just had a herniated disk in my neck and when the stabbing pain hit I could not stand still and hardly think straight. I took meds and felt better. Also what you said about his mood, my Dad when he got brain mets got grouchy and did not like to hear annoying noises and then we found out he had been having headaches etc and then we found out it was brain mets. He was like your Dad not a complainer but he was more irritable than we had seen before.I hope all this is not true for your Dad. Also some of the meds can make you have bone pain. I know Neupogen does cause real bad bone pain and there probably are some others. Just the treatment alone can make your bones thin. Maybe if your Dad doesn't communicate with your Mom he would listen to the dr or a nurse who works with the drs. At our center, we have nurses and nurse practioners who do trouble shooting. Will be keeping you and your Dad and your family in my prayers. take care and hope it is something simple that can be remedied.
    Donna70
  • Boston67
    Boston67 Member Posts: 61
    #12
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    sal314 said:

    Hi Keith....
    To give you a little background....my father (69 years young) was diagnosed in last March with Stage IV EC with mets to the liver. He's been off and on several chemo since April and had 28 rad treatments. The cancer spread to his spine in Sept. and he's been on a chemo break since Thanksgiving.

    Other than his arm, he's doing extremely well. He weighs more than he did when diagnosed and can eat and swallow without any trouble.

    As for me...I'm a BC survivor of 9 years. So...I know a little about the cancer experience, but being on the otherside (having a loved one with cancer) is a whole other ballgame. I joined this board to learn about EC and get as much info. as I can to help support my mother who is my dad's caregiver.

    Thanks to all for your words of encouragement and prayers! They are greatly appreciated! :)

    Blessings,
    Sally

    Some more Information
    Hi Sally,

    I still see a lot of positive news in your posts.

    There is a lot at Dana Farber's web site that I found helpful. You are further along then I am and I have not started Chemo. http://www.dana-farber.org/pat/adult/treatment-centers/Esophageal_Cancer.html

    You seem pretty far along the road and my instinct is that this is the point where depth of experiance with esophageal cancer counts for a lot.

    As always, there is William.

    Keith
    age 67
    Stage IV
    Pre Treatment
  • cfight
    cfight Member Posts: 69
    #13
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    Hi Sally,
    I am thinking of
    Hi Sally,

    I am thinking of you and your family. It's so difficult when there's a new pain or something different going on in the body. I hope you find an answer soon and that your father's pain becomes under control.

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