So I thought I would give an update.

Surgery Oct 2019 to remove my colon where the tumor had shrunk a enough I could have surgery. Still have some issues but they will continue the rest of my life.

Was pain free for a little over 3 months and now it is back with a vengeance.

Had a PET scan the end of Dec and Dr was a little worried about some up take where the surgery was. Was going to keep an eye on it.

Talk to the Dr every 3 weeks when I go in for treatment. I try to let them know about any and all pains that come up.

Since chemo I have had issues with my right hand going to sleep all the time. It usually means my iron level is low. Not the case this time. This time it is off the charts. Concerning so they run more test. Find my liver enzymes are off way off also.

My next PET is for the first part of April. Result show a new tumor and it looks like it is on the liver, or it can be a fat lymph node. MRI is ordered.

Phone rings on a Thurs night at 845 and it is the doctor. We all know what that means dont we.

Yes it is a new tumor and I will have to do radiation. 5 treatments 1 a day for 5 days,

They seem to think it will supercharge the Keytruda so it will be able to get rid of this tumor also.

Tuesday was my last radiation. Today it hit me and I slept most of the day. Thank goodness I work nights.

I hope everyone is doing well. Keep up the good fight.

Read my first posts. Still kinda in the same spot. Still getting pictures every 6 months. Dr. appt. today and a CT scan on the 1st then in july the MRI. Pictures still commin back good. Not workin and busy with my yards like i wanted. I gotta be extra careful. Sometimes i catch myself slipping a little. Balance off sometimes. That brings me to a tough decision. Probly gotta take the bike back. It is 5 years old with only 500 miles on it. Strength and coordination not like it was. My hair did all grow back. It has a deep wave in the front on top of my head. I guess with 52 staples and a drain hole hair grows back the way it needs to,. I am very grateful how i am still healing.

Thank you everyone for reading and caring.

s

Hello everyone..

Had my CT scan. Pictures always come back good and no worries. Scan on monday. Usually takes a week or more to see the Dr. bout the pictures. I saw her on thursday. Got the phone call to come in on thursday. Thought that was great that I can get an early appt. Found out why I got that early appt. I have 2 spots on my right kidney. My Dr. said she isnt concerned about this. She told me not to worry. She said we caught it early. If it is bad we get rid of it and that will be it. I trust her. She has been with me from the beginning. It will be 3 years in november. Gotta get an MRI and maybe a biopsy if they need to know more.

Went out to 1 of my yards to get my mind off things. Gotta say that it didnt work. Left and visited friends. That was a nice break. I did go back and got more done. Felt better later. Glad i went back. Moms neighbor. Had a little visit with her. Watched the cat dump the birdbath on her. It was funny and scared her.

We all have our stuff going on individually but we fight the fight together.
Thank you for reading and caring. Stay safe everyone.

s

My mother isn't doing well. She started having abdominal pain shortly before Covid-19 struck. After that, I was unable to go in with her for chemo, oncologist appointments and tests. Although I continued speaking to them on the phone it made everything more difficult and continues to do do. In May they said she had a partial bowel blockage and she was in the hospital for 9 days. Her tumors are growing and pressing against her small intestine and colon. They did a biopsy and found that her cancer has a breast cancer mutation. Which means there is one chemo that is used for breast cancer that may possibly work. IF it gets approved. It could be denied because my mother has ovarian cancer. The oncologist said if it doesn't get approved or doesn't work she would have approximately 3-6 months. She had a drainage gtube put in Thursday morning. She seemed to be doing better on Friday but terrible yesterday and today.

I'm trying to make sure I'm doing everything possible to help her feel comfortable and feel better. I worry I may not do something correctly and she may suffer due to that. I'm more than a little stressed. My mother and I have not always had the best relationship but it breaks my heart to see her suffering and in pain. I'm trying to stay positive. I'm hoping things fall into place and she gets better.

I'm just confused and having trouble pinpointing what went wrong so quickly. She's been fighting this since July 2015 and for the most part kicking cancer's ass.

I'd appreciate if you read this if you would send prays, good juju... whatever you believe in for my momma.

Rusty,

I also had a new tumor try to start growing inside one of the lymph nodes close to the liver. I did 5 treatments of radiation and we should know the middle of next month if that did the trick.

Prayers for everything to work out like it should

Wrangler

We have been holding your mom up in prayer since I read this. I know how difficult it can be to care for someone who we havent had the best of relationships with.

I am sure you are doing everything you can to help her and to be there for her.

Continued prayers

So I have been battling getting a wheelchair because I felt it would mean I had given up and letting cancer win. Not the case I finally realize that refusing to get a chair has taken my freedom away from me. I am dependent upon a motorized cart at the stores I go to to be available when I go. If not then I have to turn around and go back to the car. Then I am done for the day.

It has robbed Norma and I from doing things together because she hates to see me in pain so she just doesn't ask to go.

Got the chair Friday and go tomorrow to get the lift for my car. My wife and I are looking forward to our life together where we enjoy doing things.

Wrang, how is your mother doing? How are you?

Teddy,

Thank you so much. I know you understand. I've read your posts and I've been thinking of you. I just haven't been able to find the words lately.

Good move on the chair. I'll be waiting for an update about you and your wife's first outing. Take care of you and again, thank you.

~W

Not good, easy. The last three days have been rough due to pain. I haven't been able to get her to eat very much because of the nausea.

The chemo was approved. It's Herceptin. She's scheduled for an echocardiogram on the 24th. The problem is I don't know that'll she be strong enough to even attempt it.

Last night she told me she doesn't want to suffer. This morning she told me to have my older sister to come after work to plan the funeral.

As for me... I read the post earlier and since then have been trying to figure that out. The only thing I can come up with is that I don't know. There's just so much. So many feelings at once.

I don't want her to suffer. I'm still hoping something changes and she gets the chemo and it works but things aren't looking that way. I have taken to sleeping in the living room on the floor near the couch. I think it comforts her and that in turn helps me. I don't want her to be alone.

Anyway, I'm rambling, still trying to figure out how I am doing. I'm going to think about it some more. Maybe I'll pin something down.

I appreciate you asking, easy. I hope you and yours are happy, healthy and safe.

~W

Clay,

I feel like you've been here since the beginning. I can't express how much your support has meant.

Your love and light is accepted and returned to you, my friend. Thank you!

Prayers for all in this thread. May you have peace, comfort and relief from pain both physical and emotional.

Wrang, that all sounds really difficult. I'm glad you're able to be there with your mom now and even sleeping on the floor next to her. That's absolutely comforting to you both. I did the same a few times when my mom had cancer and she stayed with me a few times when I was in chemo and really having a hard time of it. It's a very helpless feeling when you can't take the pain away but you can be a loving presence and that's what you are doing.

Herceptin isn't as rough as some other chemos but still, if she's not strong enough for it, I don't know how much it could benefit or hurt and that's a horrible decision to make.

Take care of yourself as you can. Drink water. Take deep breaths. I'll be thinking of you.

So the people we got the lift from put it on my car. Had to take it to the shop to have the bolt tighten. God has blessed us with this move to get the chair.

The lift has ratchet straps however I dont have the strength to turn the knob to ratchet it down so I had to get new ratchet straps that arent like ones you have to turn like a knob. Got it strapped down and off we went to Lowes.

I was able to get the chair unloaded, run around the store and then back on the lift without too much problems like yesterday. We know the more we use it the easier it will be.

We are planning a trip in a couple of months once we get some stuff done around here.

I have experienced, lived, survived many heartfelt and saddened outcomes for many here. There truly is no outcome that will ever return any of us OR our loved ones to a previous time without cancer. Our world/s: are forever changed.

Having this space for expression/s is welcomed and cherished. We all are connected by those of us who share a common space with one another. Caregiver/survivor or both...being able to share this space IS comforting.

At the end of my visit to this thread, I am reminded that I am not alone. I am thankful for everyone who has a few minutes to be here. I am humbled how many share a personal moment.

Ks-

Mom had an echocardiogram which came back normal. This means she can start chemo on the 30th.

I hope she'll be strong enough to go. She's so sick right now. Barely eating or drinking. She gets weaker each day.

I'm hoping to some how get her feeling better by Tuesday. I'm also hoping the chemo works and works quickly.

I'm glad the echo cardiogram came back normal. Does she have a port for chemo?

Do you know how to make or have access to bone stock? It can be so nutrient dense and easy to digest, it might help her build up some strength. It's not hard to make. I'd be happy to talk you through it if you need a hand.

Easy,

She does have a port. I don't know how to make it but I was recently reading about it. Do you have a recipe? I will also Google it.

Thanks for the suggestion, EGF!

You can purchase on Amazon.

I'm glad she has a port. That makes things easier.

There are a lot of ways to make stock. If you have a crock pot/slow cooker it's easiest. When I had cancer I couldn't handle touching meat but I had friends with a farm and they would make this for me any time they were processing a chicken or turkey.

I usually start with roasting a chicken and then breaking it down. But it doesn't have to be chicken. Beef bones can make the stock thicker though and that's not always desired- though it does add more protein.
Put all of the bones and some of the bone meat into crock pot.
Add in celery garlic onions mushrooms carrots turmeric salt and a small splash of vinegar (vinegar just helps break up the bones to release more nutrients). I also really like turnips in there.
Top with water to about two inches from the top.
Cook on low for at least 8 hours.
Strain.
Serve.

You can do all of the same stovetop with a big pot. It's just easier with a crock pot so you don't have to watch it so much.

If you can get Miso paste to make miso broth that's also super high protein and healthy to drink when you can't get food down.

Thank you, Easy! I'm going to do this tomorrow. Mom has a Crock-Pot. We also have a instant pot which I've only used three times.

I am going to try to get her eating as much as possible today. She had a horrible night but I made her eat a pudding cup and then I mixed a BeneCalorie into a small glass of Carnation breakfast drink and had her drink that. She's sleeping now but when she wakes up I'll make her eat again.

I appreciate your input. I'm going to go with the chicken. Any other suggestions please send them my way.

Thanks again!

~W

If you need to mix medicine into something, applesauce can be a good mix. The dairy might be hard on her stomach right now...

I am in the emergency department with my mother. She began vomiting and must have dislodged the PEG tube because it started leaking.

She's so weak that I had to call 911.

Lifting you and your Mom in prayer.

~
 

((((((((( wrangler & mom ))))))))) stay strong ~:praying:

Wrag... holding you and your mom in my thoughts. I know you will update when you can.

Thank you, everyone!
 

Update:

We spent over 12 hours in the emergency department yesterday. The doctor on duty didn't feel like my mother qualified to be admitted. The x-rays showed the tube was still in it's proper place. I attempted more than once to explain everything that was going on with her. He discharged her twice. Each time the nurses tried to get her up stomach fluids would flow out of the hole. So much so, that it puddled on the floor. How in the hell was I going to be able to take her home? She was in immense pain. She had not ate anything other than a pudding cup and applesauce for days. Nor had she gotten any sleep. He suggested I put her into a nursing home.

Thankfully, the charge nurse made the ultimate decision to keep her. I can't tell you how relieved I was.

It sucks that some doctors don't take the time to stop and listen. Or just want to move on to the next patient. I realize the emergency department is usually slammed but my mom is still a human being who is obviously suffering greatly. I will be communicating this to the higher ups.

I am getting ready to go back over. I'll fill everyone in once I find out what's going on.

Thanks for all the support. It's nice to have all of you and the planet to be able to vent and share with.

Thanks to you all.

~W

I agree wholeheartedly about the nurses!

They are taking that PEG tube out tomorrow. I think you are right, Clay, regarding the stoma. You can see that it's much wider than the tube. I believe from all the pressure put on it from vomiting.

She now has an NGtube which is sucking all that nastiness out of her. She's experiencing pain but she's getting Dilaudid through her IV every four hours. She's also getting fluids. No food or drink though.

I had to laugh earlier. She asked the nurse for ice. The nurse complied but with instructions that she can only have a little.

I left the room and when I came back she was still eating ice. I told her she's only allowed a few pieces. She replied that she knew but she was addicted to it. She's a little out of it.

Really good update! Unbelievable how you had to fight to get her admitted to get to this place. I'm really glad they are taking good care of your mom now.

I am not going to go into a lot of detail tonight because I am spent. They couldn't take the tube out due to complications. They called in a surgeon to ask his opinion. He said it's time for palliative care.

I will talk to her oncologist tomorrow. If he says the same I am going to get a second opinion.

I don't want to give up yet. I feel they have. Maybe I am fooling myself or being selfish. I just want to know for sure.

~W

Wrangler know you and your mom are in our prayers today.

I want to let everyone know that my mom passed away this morning.

I want to express to all of you my thanks and appreciation for all of the support, advice and kind words.

~W

Just Saw Your Sad Post:

Wrangler, I think I can safely say that your love, deep affection and determined efforts to keep your Mom comfortable in such anguishing times touched all of us here, even to the point that now, in some small way, we share your sorrow.

As a stranger and as family, I am so sorry Wrangler.

My deepest condolences..
 

So sorry to hear this Wrangler.

Oh Wrangler. I'm so very sorry to hear this. My heart is with you and your family. You have been with your mom thick and thin through this. You gave it your all to be there for and with her and she knew that and you know that. But that doesn't take away the hurt and loss. My heart is with you and your family tonight.