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My Mother Now Has Terminal Cancer----new Ct Scan Shows Huge Masses


Maxine

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Well yesterday was supposed to be the day my mother had her surgery to remove the tumor from her bladder. I called my Dad on his cell phone to let him know I was on my way---------(yes, he has been leaving his cell phone on), but in ICU you can't.

I was lucky to catch him as she was still down in the lower level waiting for some tests, The Doc didn't feel he could do surgery as she wasn't stable-------she was complaining of chest pains. He thought she might be throwing another clot.

They were going to do another CT scan, but she wasn't even stable for that. They were going to do nuclear testing and they couldn't do that. Dad told me they were moving her to ICU to stabilize her. Her potassium levels were very high----which means her kidneys were shutting down. The surgeon came into the room and said there was no way he could do her surgery because she was too unstable. Then a cardiologist came in and said her heart sounded Ok. She also saw a nephrologist, and he believed the bladder tumor was affecting the kidneys. So my DAD and I are going back and forth between the waiting room to her room. She seemed to spark up a bit, but still in lots of pain. She is still in and out of it, and talking about things that make no sense.

My Dad and I went to lunch, then back to the waiting area. There was a nice chair where I could lay my head back, and I put my legs up. My POTS is starting to give me problems------meanwhile, I'm trying to hang in there for my dad. He told me he was worried about me--------------I told him not to worry, that I can take lots of breaks and rest my body right there at the hospital. All my brothers are working-------so I was the only one there with him when we got the bad news.

The next thing I know my Dad comes around the corner towards the room with the nice chair and said this Doctor would like to talk with us. The doc came in the room and shut the door. When we knew it must be bad. We thought he was going to say something about her throwing more clots. Then he said things don't look good at all, then said she was full of cancer.

So Dad and I are trying to figure out how they missed it, because as far as we knew they did and abdominal cat scan at the hospital just before she went to the rehab center.

He said she has cancer in her abdominal wall, her liver, just below her pancreas, lymph nodes, lungs, and of course the bladder. I don't know why a full abdominal CT wasn't ordered when he discovered the tumor with a cystoscopy in her bladder. If fact I thought they did one, but apparently one was done six months ago, so maybe that is why it wasn't ordered. I would have still ordered one. I could have sworn an abdominal CT was done recently though----before this last one.

My Dad and I will have a meeting with hospice tomorrow morning at 10:00am.

My Dad had a meeting with the rest of the family last night, and my nephew David cried out loud after my brother, and his ex-wife Sue told him, then he went around the room sitting on everyone's lap hugging and crying. My other 15 year old nephew Jeremy cried out loud-------------then all of us cried more. My Aunt who never cries started crying. I talk with my Dad this morning and he said Mom was in a lot of pain---she was screaming.

I told him I thought the morphine worked, and he said it does, but they have to give it to her more often now. We felt so bad, because we were on her about getting herself up and moving because of those clots. We had no idea she was full of cancer, just that she has this tumor in her bladder, and it was contained and didn't spread. She also had the plural effusion that an x-ray picked up, but this could have been part of the cancer, only the radiologist reported the PE. No one told the doctors about the last cat scan, and my poor mother was at the rehab center trying to do rehab.

I have to go--------I have been receiving phone calls while trying to type this, and I have to get ready to go up to the hospital.

Maxine :rolleyes:

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Oh Maxine,

There is nothing words can do at this time to comfort you....I am so very sorry you are goign through this on top of everything else.

Such stresses really help our adrenaline surges, which I know you struggle with so much already...remember it's okay to take some Klonopin in these instances, k?????

I am so sorry you are going through this all....please know you are always in my thoughts.

Emily

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Maxine, may you and your family find peace and comfort during this difficult time.

i will be praying that your mother wont struggle with too much physical pain and that you, Maxine, wont struggle with too much emotional pain - this obviously is difficult, and acknowledging the emotional/mental struggle is important - but i pray your sorrow will eventually turn to joy, and that you and your mom can create some lasting happy memories before she parts this world.

i pray you and your family be lifted up today, peace and strength over your heart, mind and soul.

you are loved sweetie and we are all here for you.

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Maxine,

Just wanted you to know I will be thinking about you during this difficult time, sending thoughts of peace, comfort, hope, support and some extra energy so you can hang in there and that your POTS symtpoms will be few.

Sheridan

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Guest tearose

Maxine, I am so sorry to hear this news.

My prayers go out to you and your family.

I pray your mom is continuously soothed and embraced by love and peace and healing.

sincerely, tearose

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Maxine,

I also don't know quite what to say either. I'm so sorry for this news...I just found out last night that my aunt is not expected to make it much longer..She has multiple myeloma cancer, which spread everywhere.. This year has NOT started out too well for many of us..If there is anything I can do for you please don't hesitate. Hang in there and don't forget to take care of yourself as well.

Jacquie

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