Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Amanda Ruiz71 said:Hey everyone.
My aunt has been fighting liver cancer for seven years now. She’s never touched a cigarette or a drop of alcohol in her life. She’s gone through about ten surgeries and endless rounds of chemotherapy. Right now, she’s getting chemo injected directly into her liver every two months. She used to be the one constantly coming over to our place, visiting everyone, but now she's just completely drained. Honestly, she was already struggling, so this is a bit of a step down, but I can't help wondering how much longer she can hold on. It’s honestly incredible how strong she is. She’s the one comforting us, insisting everything is going to be fine. She calls us several times a day; she won't even let us be the ones to call her first. In my fifteen years, I’ve already lost all my grandparents. I don't want to dwell on the thought of losing my aunt, but deep down, I know I have to prepare for the worst. Can anyone tell me how to prepare myself mentally? What can I do so that if the absolute worst happens, I can stay somewhat composed?

There are a few open threads on the psychology board covering this exact topic.
The truth is, you can't really "prepare." All you can do is learn to accept the fact that we are all temporary and fragile. You just have to focus on making the time you have left with your loved ones as meaningful as possible—showing them how much you care through the little things in everyday life.

Robert Grant84 said:You can't just poke a hole in it because apparently, there isn't pressure on the brain; instead, the cells just die off until everything else stops working.

The only way to slow that process down is through corticosteroids and mannitol.

It’s heartbreaking that things have gotten this bad. I’m honestly worried we're looking at the terminal stage here.😢 Just try to stay together as much as possible.

We spent some time with her at the hospital, where she’s just lying there completely still, totally unresponsive to anything... Today she’s running a fever of 101.7, and while her blood pressure dipped slightly, it’s still holding up okayish, so they have her on some antibiotics now...

@Robert Grant84/">@@Robert Grant84
just hang in there 🙂 and keep talking to her. she might not be reacting, but who’s to say she isn't still aware and processing everything going on around her?
even when it feels like there’s absolutely nothing left for you to do, just being present by her side—as much as you possibly can—means more than you realize.

@Emily Edwards19/">@@Emily Edwards19
I am so incredibly sorry 😢 what a heartbreaking loss.

Kimberly Wright said:@Emily Edwards19/">@@Emily Edwards19
I am so incredibly sorry 😢—what a damn shame.

thanks..😢

Mom woke up 🙂
She talked to Dad earlier today... she isn't quite as sharp as she used to be, but she’s definitely aware of everything going on around her...

Hello, everyone.
I am not entirely sure how many of you here know me or the challenges I have faced, but I have been a regular presence in the women's health discussions for years now. Since my cancer diagnosis back in 2009, I suppose I have earned a small right to reach out and inform you all about something new...
Essentially, a brand new center specializing in sexual and psychological wellness is opening soon in the Virovitica area. It will be the first of its kind in America to operate without the veil of anonymity, aiming to provide genuine light and support regarding the issues we face—ranging from family struggles caused by various illnesses to everything else under the sun...
Additionally, at this center, it will finally be possible to purchase the famous manual by Maria Newman regarding CIN, ASCUS, and HPV, which until now has only been available through online retailers...

I have already reached out to the admins to apologize if this post doesn't quite belong here, but I honestly wasn't sure where else to share this update with the ladies...
Best wishes to everyone, especially the old crew!

Robert Grant84 said:Mom woke up 🙂
and had a chat with Dad today—she isn't quite as sharp as she used to be, but she’s definitely aware of everything going on.

Man, what wonderful news!!!

Robert Grant84 said:Mom woke up 🙂
She spoke with Dad today; she isn't quite as focused as she used to be, but she’s fully aware of everything happening around her.

This takes me back to when my own mother fell into a coma—we honestly thought it was over for her. In the end, they finally managed to perform a spinal tap, and she pulled herself back to us.
When you feel like throwing in the towel, all you need to do is point a finger toward God.
Hang in there and just stay by her side as much as possible.

Robert Grant84 said:Mom finally woke up 🙂
and had a chat with Dad earlier today; she isn't quite as sharp as she used to be, but she seems fully aware of her surroundings.

What wonderful news 👋
just hang in there and keep taking such good care of her.

Angela Wright said:When someone chooses to turn their back on something, all you really need to do is point a finger toward it for God.

😍 😍

Dad is back in the ER again—this time they’re actually admitting him, and things aren't looking great. We haven't been given any concrete answers regarding what's actually going on yet... 🙂

Mom doesn't really grasp the gravity of the situation, she’s completely disconnected from her own illness... she has no idea she hasn't been able to even stand up for two weeks now despite wanting to, and her speech is just a fragmented mess, seeing things that aren't there, occasionally breaking into tears like she catches a fleeting, painful glimpse of reality...
The doctor actually listened when she insisted on going home and almost let her walk out, justifying it by saying she was lucid in that moment, which is just unbelievable... and we still don't have a single clue as to why she slipped into a coma or what that state actually was

Robert Grant84 said:Mom just isn't grasping the reality of the situation; she doesn't truly understand her own illness. She has no idea she hasn't been able to stand up for two weeks now despite wanting to. Her speech is totally disjointed, she’s seeing things that aren't there, and every so often she breaks down crying, like she's having these brief, painful flashes of clarity where everything hits her at once.
The doctor actually listened when she said she wanted to go home and almost let her leave, justifying it by saying she was lucid when she said it—it's unbelievable... and we still don't even have a real explanation for why she fell into this coma or whatever you want to call this state.

My mom went through the exact same thing. It was the same kind of nonsense. She told me that Archangels Gabriel and Raphael had come for her, and that they had wings made of delicate lace, but she told them she wasn't ready to go yet because she hadn't seen me get married or met her grandkids... Granted, she was talking like that right after they performed a spinal tap, but after that, she was never the same. It was like she became dull; she lost her edge, her sense of time, and any grasp on recent events. She’d take an afternoon nap and then try to get up to make breakfast, completely oblivious to the fact that we were already sitting down for lunch. I actually had to turn on the TV so she could check the news ticker just to see what time it was, otherwise, she’d think I was messing with her or trying to drive her crazy on purpose. I still remember how hard she cried when she finally realized she had lost her sense of time.

Has anyone here actually gone through the AC chemotherapy regimen before?

I don't really know much about what this specific treatment entails, but my dad just started it—he's facing six rounds total...

Is anyone else here currently taking estramustine (it’s listed under Estracyt by Plivin)?
My dad is dealing with metastatic prostate cancer, and after finishing nine cycles of docetaxel, his doctors have now prescribed him estramustine at a dosage of three 2mg tablets per day alongside Zomet
So, I was really hoping to connect with someone who is undergoing this exact treatment or something very similar.

Hannah James76 said:Dad is back in the ER again. This time, they’re admitting him to the hospital—things aren't looking good. We’re still sitting here waiting for them to tell us exactly what's going on... 🙂

Unfortunately, I saw this coming. I fully expected them to end up hospitalized.

My heart truly goes out to everyone dealing with the situations mentioned above. It is incredibly heavy to read through all these accounts, let alone actually endure them firsthand.
As for us, things are holding steady; after the fourth cycle, Sekar is feeling absolutely wonderful. His white blood cell count hasn't dropped significantly, and everything else remains perfectly within the normal range. I am sincerely hoping that you see some positive progress very soon as well.

vividsailor7 said:Unfortunately, I had already assumed he would end up being hospitalized.

If he hadn't made it in yesterday, he would have passed away—it was that close. To put it bluntly, he had so much fluid buildup that it was nearly reaching his heart. They didn't perform a procedure to drain the fluid directly, but he actually managed to flush out a significant amount on his own. It’s exactly what you all suspected: kidney failure. They even administered an enema today. Things are looking up slightly; he isn't vomiting anymore, he’s eating, and he's even walking on his own. As for how long this stability will last? Well, nobody knows...
Thanks for everything.

Hannah James76 said:If he hadn't made it in yesterday, he would have been dead. Seriously. He had so much fluid buildup it was almost reaching his heart. They didn't perform a procedure to drain it, but he managed to flush a lot of it out himself. It’s exactly what you all suspected—kidney failure. They gave him an enema today too. He's doing better now; he isn't vomiting, he's actually eating, and even walking on his own. As for how long this lasts... I honestly don't know.
Thanks for everything.

Don't mention it.
I am so incredibly sorry you're going through this.
If there is anything else at all you need, please don't hesitate to ask.

Hannah James76 said:If he hadn't made it in yesterday, he would've been dead. Honestly, the fluid buildup was so bad it was getting dangerously close to his heart. They didn't perform a procedure to drain it directly, but he managed to flush out a significant amount on his own. It’s exactly what you all suspected—kidney failure. They gave him an enema today, too. He's doing better now; no more vomiting, he's eating, and he's even walking on his own. As for how much longer he can hold on like this, I just don't know...
Thanks for everything.

The real question is how much more strain his heart can take. Dialysis is an option, though.