[xT4iw4n3zx]

Also I'd like to just thank everyone who's put my Mother in their prayers. It's really supportive thank you all! As well for all those who have shared their stories, I'm so glad that you've had the confidence to do so. There are too many responses for me to reply too, so you can continue to post your support and advice (it really does help), but I will only reply mostly to the information-based replies.

BTW Firstkill, are you a doctor? And what an ironic name...

[Kev]

Originally Posted by xT4iw4n3zx

What do you mean by decisions on Life Support? I'm not too sure what the problem is with that.. @@ Could anyone tell me?

What is Post Obstructive Pneumonia? Will Avelox (Moxifloxacin) do anything? I've read up on the drug and it says it's "to treat severe and life threatening bacterial infections. The licensed uses for moxifloxacin are quite limited as moxifloxacin is to be considered a drug of last resort when all other antibiotics have failed." I got that from Wikipedia, yes I know, not the best source e_e.

Also the biopsy I think was done at VGH which is right next to a University. Why would it be mistaken if it was at a Non-University Hospital? Are University Hospitals better? Should we move her to one? What the heck is a wegner?

In my post, I have explained what life support means. In simple lay people terms, if your mother became severely ill and fell into a coma, she might not be able to carry out some of the body functions on her own. Physicians do have some machines that we can use to temporarily take over those functions for her and see if she could get better. These life support measures include putting in a tube down her throat and hooking her up to a machine to help her breathe (i.e. intubation / mechanical ventilation), hooking her up to a dialysis machine in case her kidneys are not working well (i.e. hemodialysis or CVVH), transfusing her if she is low in blood or certain blood products such as platelets or clotting factors. What FK suggests is that the entire family should sit down with your mother and her doctor to discuss what her wishes are and determine who should make the medical decisions in case she becomes incapacitated.

This is usually tougher for Chinese because of the strong taboo of discussing death / pre-arrangements.

Have she gotten a second opinion from VGH? That's the UBC medical center right?

Wegener's Granulomatosis is an autoimmune vasculitis of unknown etiology. Look it up in Wiki and it'll give you a better lay person explanation.

In case of post-obstructive pneumonia, the causative organisms (can be anaerobes and Gram negative rods) of the pneumonia might not be the same as community acquired pneumonia such that Avelox might not be adequate.

[boymonkey]

VGH is the best you can get around here.
Life support means using machines to keep a person alive.

[UncleWede]

My little brother had cancer. He was diagnosed at age 13. 1 year of chemo, and a metalic rod from shoulder to elbow to replace his bone.
Chemo was TOUGH! On everyone. We'd drive him down to Cedar-Sinai (1.5 hours) on Friday for treatment, then take him home and baby him over the weekend. Blood tests every few hours.
One of the best things they did for his comfort was the "long-line" they put in his other arm: it's a (plastic?) tube put into an artery and pushed thru to the heart. No more pain from needles. You can draw blood and/or infuse chemo.
The strongest example of a psycho-somatic reaction I'd ever seen was one Friday when I took him down. We get to the hospital, take teh elevator down to oncology (what the hell were they thinking???) and as we get off the elevator he vomits in a trash can. "You OK?" "Yeah, just thinking about what's going to happen this weekend"
My brother is going to be thirty this year, has a beautiful daughter. He's been clean all this time, but that demon still haunts him.

[TMNT]

I wish your mom all the best man. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a little over a year ago and luckly the doctors found it early enough to keep it from spreading. I can't even begin to explain how I felt when I first heard the news. It was the hardest emotional thing I had ever gone through in my life so I know where you're coming from.

I hope she gets better and you get to have her around for a long time.

[1cleanm6]

GOD BLESS YOU

i wish you guys the best

[xT4iw4n3zx]

So we came back from the Oncologist today...

It's Stage IV BAC and he thinks this bump on her arm is a metastasized peice of cancer. Apparently both her lungs have 100's to 1000' of Cancer spots all over, which is why Surgery is out of the question....

Chemotherapy starts Wednesday as today was only an introductory day.

I'm graduating at the End of May from Highschool, and I'm starting University in September... Doctor tells me that my Mom only has a 50% chance of living past a year, with only 10% chance that she'll be there for when I graduate University..... Life is not fair man.... Not even close...

May you all pray that her Chemotherapy works (which he said has a 30-40% chance of doing anything, and even then he's afraid that the Cancer will become resistant, meaning he'll need to move to line-2 treatment which is a Cancer Pill, and it's success rate is only 20-30%).... He also says the cancer might of spread up into her brain, so there's a 20-30% of that already, so she's scheduled in for a Brain CT Scan sometime...

May all of you pray for her, I so sincerely wish you do pray for her...

[SantaPimp27]

man i know exactly what your going through. my mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 when i was 5. i was much less aware of the consequences of cancer at such a young age. my mom went through all the rounds of chemo and didnt miss a beat.

the cancer subsided until about 2001 when it came back. i was about 10. she had to go through another round of chemo and she lost one of her breasts and had to get her tubes tied.

she was fine until about 2005 or maybe 2006 when the cancer came back. this time it has spread through nine vertebrae in her back and part of her hip. she started up on another cycle with chemo and the doctors gave her 1 year to live. she's still here to this day fighting. she never misses work (she's a project manager at a large pharmacutical company so its no push over job.) she does her chemo on thursdays and sleeps all weekend.

at this point she has tried every different chemo there is(along with radiation) and she always takes the maximum dose allowed. at one point, the chemo had pushed the cancer into only one vertebrae in her back and things were looking good. however in the matter of a few months the cancer re-spread and is now at the base of her brain. there seem to be no options left for treatment so im not sure whats next.

so here i stand in a very similar position to you. however, ive dealt with it for over 10 years so ive become use to the whole process. if you ever need to talk or anything shoot me a pm im on here all the time. im not big on the technical aspects of cancer but i know what your going through emotionally.

hang in there bro dont give up hope! they gave my mom a year and its been 3! anything can happen

[xT4iw4n3zx]

Originally Posted by SantaPimp27

man i know exactly what your going through. my mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 when i was 5. i was much less aware of the consequences of cancer at such a young age. my mom went through all the rounds of chemo and didnt miss a beat.

the cancer subsided until about 2001 when it came back. i was about 10. she had to go through another round of chemo and she lost one of her breasts and had to get her tubes tied.

she was fine until about 2005 or maybe 2006 when the cancer came back. this time it has spread through nine vertebrae in her back and part of her hip. she started up on another cycle with chemo and the doctors gave her 1 year to live. she's still here to this day fighting. she never misses work (she's a project manager at a large pharmacutical company so its no push over job.) she does her chemo on thursdays and sleeps all weekend.

at this point she has tried every different chemo there is(along with radiation) and she always takes the maximum dose allowed. at one point, the chemo had pushed the cancer into only one vertebrae in her back and things were looking good. however in the matter of a few months the cancer re-spread and is now at the base of her brain. there seem to be no options left for treatment so im not sure whats next.

so here i stand in a very similar position to you. however, ive dealt with it for over 10 years so ive become use to the whole process. if you ever need to talk or anything shoot me a pm im on here all the time. im not big on the technical aspects of cancer but i know what your going through emotionally.

hang in there bro dont give up hope! they gave my mom a year and its been 3! anything can happen

Hello there,

Thank you so much for your encouraging story! I've read it and I will take positive energy from it. I'm so sorry to hear that you've been fighting with this Cancer for so long, and I pray for your mother as well.

Just a question, but are you 18? If you were 10 back in 01', then you must be 18 now. The only reason I ask is because I'm wondering whether you'll be going into any medical field?

I was planning on just becoming a GP, but now in light of how drastic family lives can be twisted by Cancerous diseases I am now hoping to get my BSc once I get into University, and then move on the Med school followed by a Specialization in this Field of Oncology.

All the best to all of us who are fighting with this diseases, whether directly or indirectly. It is rather comforting in a weird way, to know that I'm not the only one my age going through this, which means I can always have you guys to relate to.

PM Me your MSN or something and we can stay in touch!

I also want to thank this entire forum for being just such troopers and supportive people! What a diverse group we have on here.

[BMW2006]

Hey man hang in there and try to stay positive. My mother was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2007. She had AML which is one of the toughest ones to kick with a lower survival rate. I think the initial number was 20% chance to live.

She had a lot more going for her than that # indicates. She was 57 at the time and it shocked every single member of the family. My dad was the one who smoked, drank, and threw his health to the wind. How is it that Mom is the one to get this? (she used to smoke lightly, but had quit at least a decade ago)

She had no other medical problems that can make things much more complicated.

That by far was the coldest, longest winter of my life. We were constantly going to the hospital emergency room. I ended up getting enormous phone bills as I called my brother and sister just about every day that lasted for hours where we just talked about the same thing over and over. How did this happen to mom?

I remember showing up to mom's house and sanitizing myself as best as I could, then tensely walking in to the room to see her sleeping and just watching her for what seemed like forever. Wondering if this time was the last time I would ever see her and if I would ever be able to hug her or touch her again.

One time when visiting I woke up with a head cold at 6am and quickly packed up my things and drove from Akron to Columbus (where I live) because I was terrified of passing the cold to her, which could have killed her.

She was hairless, skinny, and weak, but she was still mom.

I'm proud to say that she lived. She was lucky and found a perfect donor in my uncle for a bone marrow transplant and is approaching her 2 year anniversary of being cancer free.

She always remained as positive as possible throughout the whole ordeal. The strength she showed gave us all hope and things worked out in the end.

I will never forget the pain and joy, ups and downs, surges of hope, and how horrid it felt if she ever had to take a step back during her chemo, transplant and recovery. It has made us a stronger family in the end, as all petty differences were cast aside instantly for support of her. I am now closer to my brother and my sister than I have ever been.

I guess what I'm trying to say is reach out and you will find people who know EXACTLY how you feel and what you are going through. Cherish every moment you have with her, and STAY POSITIVE. Think of how wonderful it will be when you mom watches you graduate high school, college, and becomes a grandmother (if she isn't already). Keep those thoughts in mind when you see, speak, or hear from her and you will find solace no matter what happens. Make light of the situation when you can, it seems silly, but laughter can do wonders for everyone. Your mind and body will simply refuse to let you stay 100% serious and grave for weeks on end. Without blowing it off you can find silver lining in everything.

My brother and I would always argue about whether we wanted her to grow a Mohawk or an Afro in when she started getting her hair back in front of her just to get her to smile.

If you want to do something very special for her, find a recent picture and if you can find the $$ buy her a wig that looks somewhat similar to that. Give it to her after she has lost her hair. It will be a very special moment for her, most women are very attached to their hair, and I would be surprised if she doesn't immediately cry after seeing herself looking "normal" again. (my Mom ultimately didn't really use it since they are so itchy, but would put it on from time to time for hope and inspiration to fight harder so she can get better.)

If you EVER need to reach out to someone who's outside the family or needs s to more removed from what your mother is going through, send me a PM. You are not alone (as others have posted) and are in my thoughts and prayers.

-BMW2006

[firstkill]

im an internal medicine doc

best of luck to you and your family.

Seems like treatment is planned and under way for the cancer.

for the antibiotics, doesnt matter if shes getting better. No need to argue agaist results.

~fk

[montreal red]

damn thats difficult esp considering that youre so young. i am guessing your mom is probably in her 40s or 50s which is a very young age to be getting such a serious type of cancer.

hang in there... !

[xT4iw4n3zx]

Originally Posted by BMW2006

Hey man hang in there and try to stay positive. My mother was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2007. She had AML which is one of the toughest ones to kick with a lower survival rate. I think the initial number was 20% chance to live.

She had a lot more going for her than that # indicates. She was 57 at the time and it shocked every single member of the family. My dad was the one who smoked, drank, and threw his health to the wind. How is it that Mom is the one to get this? (she used to smoke lightly, but had quit at least a decade ago)

She had no other medical problems that can make things much more complicated.

That by far was the coldest, longest winter of my life. We were constantly going to the hospital emergency room. I ended up getting enormous phone bills as I called my brother and sister just about every day that lasted for hours where we just talked about the same thing over and over. How did this happen to mom?

I remember showing up to mom's house and sanitizing myself as best as I could, then tensely walking in to the room to see her sleeping and just watching her for what seemed like forever. Wondering if this time was the last time I would ever see her and if I would ever be able to hug her or touch her again.

One time when visiting I woke up with a head cold at 6am and quickly packed up my things and drove from Akron to Columbus (where I live) because I was terrified of passing the cold to her, which could have killed her.

She was hairless, skinny, and weak, but she was still mom.

I'm proud to say that she lived. She was lucky and found a perfect donor in my uncle for a bone marrow transplant and is approaching her 2 year anniversary of being cancer free.

She always remained as positive as possible throughout the whole ordeal. The strength she showed gave us all hope and things worked out in the end.

I will never forget the pain and joy, ups and downs, surges of hope, and how horrid it felt if she ever had to take a step back during her chemo, transplant and recovery. It has made us a stronger family in the end, as all petty differences were cast aside instantly for support of her. I am now closer to my brother and my sister than I have ever been.

I guess what I'm trying to say is reach out and you will find people who know EXACTLY how you feel and what you are going through. Cherish every moment you have with her, and STAY POSITIVE. Think of how wonderful it will be when you mom watches you graduate high school, college, and becomes a grandmother (if she isn't already). Keep those thoughts in mind when you see, speak, or hear from her and you will find solace no matter what happens. Make light of the situation when you can, it seems silly, but laughter can do wonders for everyone. Your mind and body will simply refuse to let you stay 100% serious and grave for weeks on end. Without blowing it off you can find silver lining in everything.

My brother and I would always argue about whether we wanted her to grow a Mohawk or an Afro in when she started getting her hair back in front of her just to get her to smile.

If you want to do something very special for her, find a recent picture and if you can find the $$ buy her a wig that looks somewhat similar to that. Give it to her after she has lost her hair. It will be a very special moment for her, most women are very attached to their hair, and I would be surprised if she doesn't immediately cry after seeing herself looking "normal" again. (my Mom ultimately didn't really use it since they are so itchy, but would put it on from time to time for hope and inspiration to fight harder so she can get better.)

If you EVER need to reach out to someone who's outside the family or needs s to more removed from what your mother is going through, send me a PM. You are not alone (as others have posted) and are in my thoughts and prayers.

-BMW2006

Very inspirational and I told this story to my Mother. She is becoming more and more hopeful that she will get over this from all the stories that I have told her from you guys. Thank you guys! Your mother and your family will be in my Prayers as well!

[timn]

best wishes to you and your family.

[bmwmthree]

Any updates?

[san~man]

My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer in early/late November 1999, as she went to the Dr because she was coughing up blood (exactly how much, I don't know). She went in for a procedure where they send down a scope to see what/where/how bad the cancer in the lung was, and whether it was operational or not. Needless to say, the doctor came back out and said that the cancer was so far progressed that surgery wasn't an option, and that chemo would only extend her time with us. Mom was a soldier and did chemo, but it of course made her sick with all the typical symptoms.

Evidently, the cancer started in the lung, spread to her liver/kidneys, traveled up her spine and to her nodes, and was in her brain. Mom died in June.

Here's some good advice, from the heart, from someone who's been in your shoes: If it gets to the point where you find out that her time with your family is short, spend as MUCH time as you can with her. You put on your man face, do whatever you can/whenever you can with her no matter how painful it is for you to see her in that condition. If it means postponing college, do it, don't even think twice. I didn't get to spend as much time with my Mom as I would have liked to/should have, and I regret that till this day.

God bless your mom.

[TommyK]

try to keep her positive and as stress free. my mom got breast cancer when i was 14 and so during chemo i shave my hair to make her feel better and helped out as much as i could.
the doctors just told us that the least amount of stress the better and if their hopes are up they have a better chance of coming out alright.

im really sorry to hear the news tho. wish her the best from the best. maybe you can show her this tread sometime and see that people are being supportive and it will make her happy to see that members from around the world are hopeful things will work out for you guys.

[OnceAudi]

She will be in my prayers....stay strong, and never lose hope. In times like this when it feels like we have no control over events, I like to remember a line in Psalm 46 that says..."Be still and know that I am God". Have faith and know your mother is in good hands.

[KiokenM3]

my heart goes out to you and your family. im so sorry to hear this

[texasmojo]

She will be in my prayers.

[dragon1761]

for any type of cancer that metastasize it is not a good prognosis. From what you were saying the cancer is too big to remove. Pray for stem cell research where they can grow new lungs for her so that it could be replaced. Chemo is effective, however, it also does damage the normal cells as well. Especially if it is circulating through the body if metastasizing cells are found, it is hard to treat. Good luck

[kaykay]

Good luck to you and your family, stay strong and I wish you all the best