Support for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses (Part II)

Robin Diaz4 said:Is your husband even remotely less picky than my father was? Honestly, trying to get him to eat anything remotely healthy feels like an uphill battle—he’s always been difficult about food, but it’s somehow gotten even worse lately. I suppose I should be grateful he still has an appetite for fruit; at least he's getting some vitamins naturally rather than relying solely on pills. This article mentions the importance of omega-3 fatty acids—do you think I should just buy him some supplements to ensure he gets them? Also, is it safe to take those while undergoing chemo, or would they act like an antioxidant that might interfere with the treatment?

In this regard, they couldn't be more different—my husband actually loves his vegetables! 😄
Local farm eggs and organic milk are actually great sources of omega-3s, though I did pick up some capsules for him at a CVS. That said, I make sure he doesn't take the supplements while he's actively undergoing chemo.

Things still aren't looking up... 😢

Robin Diaz4, hang in there. If things get that bad, don't hesitate to ask for morphine patches. It made things a little more bearable for our dad at the end.

Good luck.

Robin Diaz4 said:Things still aren't looking great... 😢

Is it the platelet count again? Or something else...? 😞

As for those platelets... they just won't budge. Regarding the patches, I've been using them from the very beginning; it was actually because of the persistent pain that we accidentally discovered the cancer diagnosis in the first place...

Robin Diaz4 said:Regarding those platelets... they just won't budge. As for the patches, we've been using them since the very beginning—honestly, it was actually because of the persistent pain that we ended up discovering the cancer in the first place...

Hang in there—I honestly don't know what else to say.

So, Dad is doing a little better today. Honestly, God, this whole sickness is just absolutely revolting... I’m actually getting a bit nervous about even posting here, fearing I might somehow jinx things by speaking up too soon.

Robin Diaz4 said:So, Dad is actually doing a little bit better today. Honestly, God, this whole sickness is just absolutely nasty... I’m almost afraid to even type anything here because I don't want to jinx it or anything...

Hang in there, Robin Diaz4, you know how it is—just total ups and downs, one giant rollercoaster of emotions and fears that can flip completely in a single day or even just an hour...
Maybe try some blackberry wine if you aren't too nauseous, it might help boost those platelet counts...

This past Sunday, my dear, beloved mother passed away at just 49 years old after battling colon cancer.
I was right there by her side until her very last breath—holding her hand and whispering in her ear that it was okay to let go, that she could just sleep and drift away. She held on for a few more minutes before falling into an eternal sleep.
It’s hard to wrap my head around—just a day before, she was still able to make it up the stairs, and then, less than 24 hours later, she was gone.
The last three months were absolute hell. We fought through the pain, but even the patches weren't doing anything. She was taking painkillers like they were candy, but nothing worked. It meant endless sleepless nights, the sound of her moaning in pain, and this overwhelming sense of helplessness and fear for everyone in the house. Honestly, watching someone you love suffer when you're powerless to stop it? It’s a gut-wrenching feeling. Truly awful.

My mom is in a better place now—no more pain, no more suffering. I miss her terribly; this void in my heart isn't something that ever really goes away. I just hope she’s looking down on us from somewhere peaceful.

She was the kind of woman who lived to help everyone else—always putting others ahead of herself. But the kicker? When she got sick, all those people she had helped just... vanished. Life can be so incredibly cruel sometimes. It makes it really hard to believe in fairness or basic decency.

Mom, I love you so much, and I'll carry you in my heart forever. My biggest heartbreak is that she didn't get to see her dream of becoming a grandmother come true. 😢

Thanks to everyone here for the kind words over these last few days. Please, look after your loved ones who are struggling—and stay healthy, because this disease is brutal and, unfortunately, it's everywhere. Hang in there. 🙂

Dear wearyskipper20... I am truly sorry to hear about your mother. Losing someone so young is devastating. I believe she’s in a much better place now, far away from this valley of tears...

I feel for you. Seriously.

wearyskipper20, I am so incredibly sorry, truly.

I really feel for wearyskipper20

I'm truly sorry to hear that, wearyskipper20... 😢

Sent from my B1-770 via Tapatalk

wearyskipper20, please accept my deepest condolences.
Don't let this experience turn you bitter. Instead, let it be a realization that whether we are good or bad, righteous or wicked, we are all just blood and bone under the skin. Biology doesn't care about our moral standing; it treats us all exactly the same. It’s just how the world works.
Let them rest in peace and move forward with your head held high. That is exactly what any mother would want for her child.

wearyskipper20, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss.

It hits hard knowing my own kids won't get the chance to have my father as their grandfather, but one day, you’ll be able to sit your children down and tell them all about their grandmother—what an absolutely wonderful woman she was. Everything she taught you and the love she poured into your life stays with you forever; our parents truly live on through us.

Greetings, everyone. It’s never easy coming back to this thread, and I see I’ve picked the absolute worst possible timing to join the conversation. First, my sincere condolences to those hurting.

On another note, has anyone here dealt with ocular melanoma? My mother was just diagnosed last week. We’re heading to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester tomorrow to see Dr. Vukojević, because there isn't anything they can do for us back home in Miami.

Any insight or experience at all would be appreciated...

Hi everyone,

My dad underwent surgery two weeks ago for colon cancer. Unfortunately, it had already spread to his liver, and those metastases aren't operable. Just two days after being discharged from the hospital, he was hit with such intense pain that he had to be readmitted. It turns out an abscess formed because of fluid leaking from the liver metastases. They managed to drain the fluid, but he’s still struggling with unbearable pain. His blood work is somewhere in the middle. The white cell count and CRP indicate inflammation, though the antibiotics seem to be helping stabilize things.
Has anyone here dealt with a diagnosis like this? What kind of next steps should we be looking at?
Given the metastasis, a transplant probably isn't on the table, and I'm worried he might be too weak to handle chemotherapy.
I happened to find some information online regarding radiology on Sunday—has anyone here had any experience with them? Are they capable of assisting with such difficult cases?

Steven Sullivan10 said:Hi everyone,

My dad had surgery two weeks ago for colon cancer. It turns out the cancer has spread to his liver, and the metastases aren't operable. Just two days after being discharged from the hospital, he was hit with excruciating pain and had to be readmitted. He developed an abscess because fluid started leaking from the liver metastases. They drained the fluid, but he’s still in unbearable pain. His blood work is mediocre right now. White cell counts and CRP levels indicate inflammation, though the antibiotics seem to be helping stabilize things slightly.
Has anyone dealt with a diagnosis like this before? What are the next steps?
Given the metastases, a transplant isn't really on the table, and I'm terrified he might be too weak for chemotherapy.
I found some info online regarding radiology at Mayo Clinic—has anyone here worked with them? Are they actually equipped to handle cases this severe?

I'm worried the disease has gained significant ground, especially considering the ascites and the fluid buildup. Once you perform a puncture, you essentially create more space for fluid to accumulate, which can lead to an even faster buildup. That's why doctors typically push paracentesis to the absolute limit of what the patient can tolerate while managing it with diuretics.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you can get him stabilized quickly so he can at least start on Avastin.

Angela Wright,

Do you happen to know the exact way I should be taking this capecitabine? Right now, I’m taking it toward the end of my meal—basically just a little bit of food, then one tablet of capecitabine with a sip of water, and I do that five times... then I finish off the rest of my bites. Is that actually okay? The instructions say to take it with food, or at most, within half an hour after eating...