it was great. mum had to put factor 50 on her chest and back where she had the radiotherapy, but towards the end of the week she didnt bother. she is lovely and brown and looks really well. the only problem was that mums eyesight was not right after a few days. she couldnt stop eating for the whole time there and now looks pregnant

how is your mum

 

putting some weight back on now that they have the right mixture of pain relief and anti sickness in her driver drip. she is coming up to stay for the weekend so will be really nice to spend some proper time with her rather than 1/2 days here and there... on the whole very good at the moment

 

excellent news

lets hope the weather picks up and you can do some nice stuff together

my mum still has no pain at all, but her behaviour has changed. i know thats the tumurs doing that but its difficult to get my head round it.

 

Great picture Sara, I knew it would be good for your mum, and you of course. Keeping my fingers crossed for you both and for dynamix's mum too.

I got a strange pain close to where the op was and a small lump on my thigh suddenly appeared. Saw the oncologist today and he reckoned it was all ok so I feel a bit better about that.

Best wishes to all,

Les

 

Im really sorry to hear about all the problems everyone is having your all in my thoughts. I just hope there is a god that will work it all out for the better im not really religious but it might make you feel better. my uncle had cancer of the bowel and was told he had 18 months left but within 6 months he had rapidly gone down hill and died 2 weeks before christmas my grandad had died a month before him with a broken ankle, the nhs in this country is diabolical (sp) im not saying that all the doctors and nurses arent doing their best but on a recent visit to warrington hospital my nan had a used pair of knickers under her bed not hers she's been in there since january first went in with a broken ankle and then had multiple strokes while she's been in there she's fell and broke her hip and also broke her wrist last week, they put her on a catheter because they couldnt be arsed to take her to the toilet she was in alot of pain and stopped eating and after a week of starving herself they put her on a drip, they drug her up to her eye ***** that she cant even have a conversation with you she dont know who you are or what she had for breakfast that morning. but she is 85 and was a healthy size 16 before now she is a size 10 i just want the best care for my nan as its quite distressing for my mum to see her mum slowly dying and i have to take her as my step dad is at work during the day so i see it all happening.
on a lighter note...
ive done a few charity events for things such as cancer relief and mc millan nurses and raised a few hundred i know its not thousands but i guess it helps. I read the thread from the start and started crying at how much cancer affects everyone and how it puts life into perspective. I really dont know how you stay so strong i wouldnt know what to do if it was my mum so your doing really well. I hope that everything works out for everyone and hope your family get better soon. your in my thoughts and prayers

 

I've said it on the other thread, but I will say it again
You both look beautiful in that pic

 

Glad to hear you both had a lovely time Sara.

Its a really nice pic of you and your mum.

 

thanks for all your continuing support guys, its a great help

stephb... thats awful what you went and are going through, lots of bad luck and more

leslie glad your lump and pain was ok and nothing bad, must have had you worried for a bit. i spose every little thing is a big scarey thing for the time being...you are going to beat this

if anyone wants to post on this thread feel free to BTTT at any time

leslie, (84)i stuck a few more pics in the FAO in muppets and i will send you some more when i get round to it

 

Welcome back!!

 

Hey, Squaresy, welcome back sweetheart!!

That picture is lovely - you both look gorgeous! Your mum looks as though the break did her some good as she looks really relaxed..

Tell your mum we are all thinking of her - I don't know if you have been advised, but 'Simple' bath products etc help when you have had radiotherapy as it really foofs up your skin.. so get her loads of bubbly bath etc and tell her to pamper herself!!

Love n hugs to you both.
xx

 

Thanks Sara, yes it was a hell of a worry for a bit as you would well understand. Best wishes to your mum. Bet she is showing off her tan now .

Stephb, That is an awful story, it is terrible how the elderly get treated at times. I just hope she gets better and out of that place soon. We must be lucky down this way, the treatment I had was outstanding.

Les

 

Thanks les i guess its just the way they are so understaffed that they dont realise how distressing it is for them, i know she isnt going to get better but she's 85 with 8 kids and millions of grandkids so she has visitors every day most of them arent even english so they dont care aslong as it isnt their mother or grandmother.

How are you coping?? must be difficult at times to stay so positive, but im sure it will work out in the end my uncle recently got married to a australian woman she's had cancer 6 times and beat it so it gives hope to all of us that she's done that i know most people die from a secondary cancer but some dont. One of my other aunties had cancer of the lymph nodes twice but she's still here, atleast technology is improving i heard on the news today about a drug for breast cancer will be available on the nhs eventually and hopefully we will have a cure for all cancer. people say you get cancer because of smoking, drinking, using aresols (sp) no matter what at some point we will end up getting cancer from everything, like a car crash can cause cancer as its disturbing bad cells in the body which make it into a cancer. my uncle died at the age of 43 left 2 kids and a wife the kids was 7 and 10 both lads but my aunty has come through it, i hope that everyone finds it in time to do something about it some people dont want to face it but its life or death. i think that everyone who has cancer and their familys are so brave and deserve the best in life. through my company every year we sponser a charity to send kids to lapland for christmas and we sell hand made christmas cards done by my aunty whos husband died of cancer and the money we raise we give to charity too. just in hope that it will be cured one day

sorry about the long post

 

Thanks for the support Stephb. Nothing you can do but keep going-do the chemo and hope that it zaps the remaining cells. At least I can still do fishing even though the fish are hard to catch this year so far.

They are getting better and better at curing it these days and that is good to know.

Les

 

when do you finish the chemo and is it expected to do the whole job?

my mum has got two more zaps at the brain radiotherapy. we dont know yet if she is still going to have the chemo for her lung. she has started to feel a bit of pain in her back the last few days and it wasnt long ago that she had the radiotherapy on it. we should know more on friday

 

I hope everyone gets better soon
sara have you thought of using aromatherapy oils? one of my customers had a back problem and had a aromatherapist come to their house and they said they felt fantastic afterwards. just a thought or ive heard that them lavendar heat pillows are good you just put them in the microwave. just a thought for you

 

my mum had radiotherapy on her front and back a few weeks ago so she cannot use anything perfumed as it will irritate her. the pain is from her tumour so i dont htink anything apart from pain killers will work. she is trying to resist the pain relief for as long as possible. her hair will fall out in about a week as well. i told her she will look like Kylie but she doesnt believe me

 

maybe you could take her shopping for a hat or bandanna one of my customers had cancer but never spoke to her about it but she lost her hair and wore bandannas and sent them to be ironed too.
I think she's a brave lady. send her my love

 

will do

we have got shed loads of head gear already.we got loads on holiday. most were pink or had canabis leaves on them

mum wanted a wig but i said it would look horrid, be itchy and would prolly irritate as she is having treatment on her head so it will be sensitive

 

Sara,

Liked the bit about the cannabis leaves

They say it reduces the chance of it recurring in 7-10 years by about 35%. So you just live in hope that you are in the other 65%

All the best to your Mum and you of course.

Les

 

We're off to the hospital in the morning for Linda's 5th chemo session. so far everything is going OK. My son sent a load of silk headscarves from India, so she is well kitted out to cover her head. She doesn't like the wig!

 

Send her my love hope she gets better soon

 

got my mum staying me for the bank hol weekend and she is doing really great at the moment.

She is now on GEMCAP trial which is Gemcitabine and Capecitabine (5FU tablet) combination which seems to be quite easy for her to follow and not having any major side effects apart from mouth ulcers.

On the whole, she has put weight back on quite well and looking pretty good compared to what she was like a couple of weeks ago.

I beleive that Tarceva will be licensed in the UK in a couple of months that may help further so here's hoping that this will keep things at bay until then and that tarceva will work well for her too.

 

mum finished the radiotherapy to the brain on friday, but she was told it very possibly wont work as the tumours are very deep. that came as a bit of a shock, as we thought that, no matter what the tumours will be shrunk, albeit not permenantly

mum is also being weaned off the steroids that originally saved her life by reducing the brain swelling just a few short weeks ago. she is beginning to lose the use of her right hand again. she has sunk into a deep depression which i am struggling with. not sure what to do now as i cant lift her spirits. she was also told that chemo isnt an option if the radiotherapy doesnt work.

we seem to have hit a wall and i think mum is going to struggle this coming week. i dont think we can look further than a week at a time for now.

on the bright side i am glad that everyone is having some respite and things seem to be looking up

 

This is so sad Sara. Please give her my love and ring me anytime you like

 

sara - sorry to hear this - i hope that you both find a way through the coming weeks

why are they weaning her off the steriods?

 

the steroids can only be used for 3-4 weeks because they can be dangerous, not sure why though. as soon as mums dose was reduced she noticed some problems so i can only imagine that as the dose is reduced further she will have more problems. the tumours were very agressive so if the radio doesnt work thats it i think. we have an appointment a few weeks to see the chemo doctor so it would be nice to think they expect her to be around and well enough to have it.

i am staying positive guys but i am very realistic, if i think the worst now, anything else is a bonus

i will call you later lesley

 

Sorry to hear about all that Sara, and it is not surprising how your mother feels as well. You know of course how we all hope that things will improve for her again. Its a terrible wight on your shoulders as well. Just glad you were both able to go on holiday. Keep thosse happy memories in mind.

Dynamix, glad to hear your news, I am on Capecitabine tablets only (Xeloda) and so far have had no side effects except tiredness. I just keep going fishing and ignoring it

Les

 

update......mum is really feeling the effects of the radiotherapy to her brain, she says its much worse than to her chest. she is desperately tired and weepy. i hope this doesnt last too long as she doesnt have much time to do the things on her wish list. if she is better in a couple of weeks i am taking her for a mother and daughter weekend at Champneys, that should give her a boost

i hope lesley, dynamix and charles's misses (and everyone else) are all doing well, my best wishes to you all

 

I hope she starts to feel better soon, Im sure the weekend away will be just the tonic she needs

I hope everyone else is doing good and your staying safe

 

Very sorry to know about your mum's tumours,Sara.
All the best and my regards to her.