My Mom

[macojoe]

Today is her 73rd Birthday!!

But that's the good news as, My mom has not felt well for a few years now, and 3 weeks ago she went to a walk in center as she was not feeling well.
They then sent her to a x-ray and then for a cat scan, after which they said they thought she had Cancer!
Long story but after the last 3 weeks and many, many test's she was told yesterday with me and my 3 brothers at her side that she has stage 4 Small-cell carcinoma, it is in her lungs, brain,stomach, and chest!!
After a long talk with the Doc they are going to start Chemo next week, But this is just try and make things a little better as she is very ill and lots of pain.
The Doc then went on to say she will most likely DIE with-in the year!!

The prognosis is far worse in extensive stage small cell lung carcinoma, with treatment, median survival is just 8***8211;13 months, and only 1-5% of patients with extensive stage small cell lung carcinoma treated with chemotherapy live 5 years

We were floored!

We have friends and relatives from out of state coming in this weekend for what we hope will be a Great B-Day party for her !

But she has no desire to see anyone or even go out of the house, which i can understand. But I really want to make her last days GREAT.
I have offered to take her on vacation any where she wants! I mean anywhere!! And she wants to do nothing,I am hoping this will change? But maybe its more what I want then her? She has had a very hard life and at times very difficult, not to mention 4 sons that really treated her poorly in are young years. But we all have turned out pretty well because of her!! And all Love her very much!

Sorry to go on and on everyone!! But if you can all keep her in your Prayers as she is very religious, it will be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks for listening!

[Stinky_Hooker]

Prayers sent brother! I wish you and your family well! As Im sure your mother already knows, the doctors only know what The Great Physician has empowered them with. Let them do what he has taught them and HE will take care of the rest!

[Kracker Jack]

Your mother and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

[phatdaddy]

sorry to hear that mj, went through similar situation with my dad. we were able to get hospice involved from the begining and they were a great help.

[Cam]

Very sorry to hear this and of course prayers are in order for her......mayb, just maybe, she will beat this. My fingers are crossed for you and her.

[spareparts]

My mother is 78 and has been going thru treatment since the spring of 09. She went thru a hysterectomy, radiation, chemo and was given a similar prognosis. She was initially deeply depressed, she still is a bit at times, but shes come to adjust to it and accept it as part of her life. She used my daughter as inspiration to get thru the tough times of chemo. My daughter told her is she could handle it, then grandma could. My mother has surpassed the expectations of the doctors.
It's a tough situation, it seems my family has been in it in one way or another for the past 10 years. We looked at it initially as why have we been singled out, it didn't take us long to figure out we're not singled out, cancer is all around us every where, people are living and fighting it every day, everywhere you go. We are now involved with three different organizations that deal with cancer in children. We've meet and lost some good friends, its when we are surrounded with others that we realize that we haven't been singled out. My family has been strengthened by the people we've met thru it all. My mother now looks forward to the time at chemo so she can talk to the other patients there, shes met a lot of new friends, young and old, its a common bond thru them all. Her water aerobics class(part of her rehabilitation process) is the highlight of her week. I'm not going to patronize anyone by saying "its going to get better" and all the other cliche's that we hear. And as hard as it sounds, it is part of life, just one more challenge that we have to endure. When my wife went thru treatment and operations, she told me she was looking at it (much to my dismay) as the boob reduction she always wanted. One day when she was pumping gas, a women(complete stranger) noticed my wife( no hair from chemo) and walked up to her, she told my wife it was OK, this women was also survivor. My wife had been in the dumps that day, but those words from a complete stranger lifted her spirits. Our friend Erik went thru gamma knife treatment yesterday, he's taking today off, but he's going back to school tomorrow. He's had the maximum amount of radiation allowed for his life, he's still taking chemo each day and will for a while. He's determined to graduate high school and get accepted to college, at 17 years old he's been given a 30% chance of making it to his next birthday, this will be his forth time fighting cancer at his young age. he accepts it as another challenge of his life, he's determined to live and not let it run his life.
Best wishes to you and your mother, our family will keep you both in our prayers. Tell your mother to keep her head up, its just another day and another challenge of life, we all go thru it each and everyday.

[willy]

My prayers to you and your Mom, sorry to hear this.

[Blue_Runner]

Thoughts and prayers MJ. What a tough thing for your family to find out.

[RWilson2526]

We'll be thinking about you and your mom....

[RidgeRunner]

What a blow. It takes a while to process the bad news, the sooner she comes to realize there is nothing she can do about it, the better. The acceptance stage takes some time. She will come around. When she does, I hope you get to treat her to something nice. Going down that road is never easy but a positive mindset and prayer beat the dickens out of depression and bitterness for all concerned..
I just got a clean report for the 13th year running. I remember when I got the bad news like it was yesterday. Hang in there.