Kawfee beanz, DIY and assorted Shenaniganery :)

[Kaezziel]

My mom was never sent to get a colonoscopy and she was 75. She was going to one of these doctors that believed in alternative medicine. She had this protrusion(big enough to see with the naked eye) on her side for a year. She thought she had a hernia. Since her mom was 91 and no longer able to care for herself my mom took it upon herself to keep my grandma at home. She went to a surgeon thinking hernia, colonoscopy revealed colon cancer. Her tumor was grapefruit sized and had actually adhered to the abdominal wall. She actually was able to go completely off chemo for a year and a half after the first round but when it came back she was never able to go off completely again.

Wow, that is just crazy. I thought my wife's tumor was big... it was over 10cm. She had gone in to a gastroenterologist with some complaints after being diagnosed with Celiac disease, he looked and told her that she had hemorrhoids. Yeah... turns out that was part of the tumor. Which was found after she went to see the gastro again and had to see a different one because the first guy retired.
I am amazed that your mom was able to go off chemo for that long! They must have been able to get things under control with her better than they did with my wife. She was only off of chemo for about 6 months before new tumors popped up in her lung... Your mom had a great heart for putting her attention on her mom at that time. It is a sad fact that good people tend to have the hardest time with life in general... I am sorry that she, and you, and the rest of your family had to endure that hardship, Lynn. Were it within my power, I wish that I could spare any and everyone from having to deal with such hard times. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

 

[LynnNC]

I've had people to tell me that they would have been ticked off had their mom did the self sacrificing thing. I shook my head at them. I could never be mad at her for that. I was very ticked off at her dr for not ordering a colonoscopy when she was 70 that probably would have prevented the whole thing. The surgeon that did her surgery estimated that that was probably how long the polyps had been growing. Funny thing though, the day she had her colonoscopy, her dr whom she had seen a few days before called to say something had shown up in her blood work.

 

[Kaezziel]

I've had people to tell me that they would have been ticked off had their mom did the self sacrificing thing. I shook my head at them. I could never be mad at her for that. I was very ticked off at her dr for not ordering a colonoscopy when she was 70 that probably would have prevented the whole thing. The surgeon that did her surgery estimated that that was probably how long the polyps had been growing. Funny thing though, the day she had her colonoscopy, her dr whom she had seen a few days before called to say something had shown up in her blood work.

Yeah, I'm with you... you just can't be mad at her for being her. The Dr. on the other hand... there's just no excuse for that. I'm the same way with the one that my wife saw early... had he actually done a colonoscopy and (I don't know... done his JOB?), then we wouldn't be fighting the fight that we are fighting today. Same story, the surgeon who removed the tumor said it had been growing since around that time... funny thing about blood work. Whatever test it is that they do that shows 'cancer markers'... yeah, hers always came back 'normal'. Never elevated... even when the tumors were at their worst.

 

[LynnNC]

Same here! Seems as if my mom and your wife had the same quacks! Lol
I wish I could remember the progression of chemo drugs she had. Only one sticks out in my mind though..Xeloda. She did one series with it and did fine. She started her 2nd series and had chest pains. It was determined that she had a blockage so had a stent put in but her dr would never let her go back on Xeloda. She went on a series with something else after that and there was no sign of cancer. Either on the PET scan or blood work. A year and a half later a marker showed up and the PET scan revealed 1cm tumors in both her liver and her lung. They sent her to a specialist at Duke who determined that in order to get those 2 tumors she'd basically be cut in half and at her age would never survive the surgery. She was 77 then.
And a funny story...I had her power of attorney. She developed another blockage and required another stent. The dr had her on the table, called me at work, and wanted to know that because of the cancer did I want the stent put in. He even gave me his private cell number to call if I needed to call other family members to talk to them. I told him to put the stent in that I didn't need to call anyone else! Lol

 

[Kaezziel]

Yep, she did Xeloda during radiation treatment, then her first 6 month round was with FulFox (sp?) A drug called 5FU with an addition of Oxcaliplatin (again sp?)... now they have her on FulFury (sp?) That is 5FU with Irinotikin (sp?)... LOL... that's a lot of potential spelling errors there... the one she is on now has gotten rid of two of the six current tumors so far. We're waiting to see about the rest. Strangely enough the PET scans didnt' show anything, but the CT scans did... so far they have been only in the lungs since they metastasized. She'll be 46 this year.

Nice! We haven't bothered with a power of attorney... not sure if I even need to. I think that I am automatically her proxy by default if anything happens, just because we're married... I should probably look into that. They did find a pulmonary embolism recently and I'm having to give her blood thinner shots twice a day. Those things are SCARY when they tell you what all they can potentially do!

 

[LynnNC]

5fu! That was the first chemo. She did that for a full series and came off chemo for 3 months. Next was the Xeloda. I'm/was grateful for the clinic she went through that gave her discounts for the drugs she needed but couldn't afford.
Being married, I wouldn't think you would need a POA but might ought to check into it just in case. She put a DNR order in place after she was told that her chemo options was exhausted.

 

[Kaezziel]

5fu! That was the first chemo. She did that for a full series and came off chemo for 3 months. Next was the Xeloda. I'm/was grateful for the clinic she went through that gave her discounts for the drugs she needed but couldn't afford.
Being married, I wouldn't think you would need a POA but might ought to check into it just in case. She put a DNR order in place after she was told that her chemo options was exhausted.

Yep, apparently that's a pretty standard drug for colon cancer. We've been very fortunate that the health insurance I get through my job covers the vast majority of everything. We pay 20% until we hit the 'max-out-of-pocket' which is around $3500, then insurance picks up everything else... except for medications, we still have to meet the co-pay for those, even afterwards. Then, I also maxed out the FSA contribution, so that helps... we've been playing the insurance game for a while and have figured out how it all works. It's still tight, but at least we're keeping our heads above water...

 

[LynnNC]

My mom was retired and on Medicare by the time she was diagnosed. She did have supplements but they wouldn't pay a lot on the stuff she needed. Her red blood cell count was very low so she had to take a shot once a month. At a grand a pop! The clinic got the pharmaceutical company to pick up the tab. So the shot and blood transfusions once a month kept that in check.

 

[dcfluegel]

Kaz - you guys are in my thoughts and prayers

 

[Kaezziel]

Yeah, my grandma was in the same boat... it's nice that the pharmaceutical companies have programs to help people out like that. A lot of people think they are just evil corporations, but they actually do go out of their way to help people sometimes... of course they get to write it off as a tax reduction, but who cares. Someone who needed help, got help. That's all that really matters.

I gotta take off for the night... take care, Lynn. It's been great chatting with you!

 

[Kaezziel]

Kaz - you guys are in my thoughts and prayers

Thanks Brother. Very much appreciated! We're just gonna keep on keepin' on and do what the doctors tell us to do. We got lucky and managed to get into M.D. Anderson Cancer Center... they are among the best in the world when it comes to treating cancer. They've been really good to us.

 

[LynnNC]

Kaz, I've enjoyed our chat as well! You and your wife will be in my thoughts and prayers as well. You're on a road I've been on before.

 

[LouisLeBeau]

Lynnster, I hope you are feeling better, and it didn't suck too much having to work, while not feeling well..

Kaz, you and your wife are in my prayers.. That is a very difficult thing to deal with, I am sure. I've never had to experience cancer in a loved one in my life, but I can only imagine that it is very scary. I'll pray that her treatment and God's will bring complete cure to her, and peace to you, Brother..

 

[DingerCPA]

My heart goes out to you Lady Lynn and Brother Kaez.... Can't even imagine....

Lynn, glad to hear you're a little perkier!

 

[DingerCPA]

Mah new toy!!! Me likee!

 

[LouisLeBeau]

View attachment 529466

Mah new toy!!! Me likee!

Ooooh.. That's some very lurvly Matchy Matchy you have going on there, Goddess! I'm growing ever fonder of those glass drip tips you keep sportin, too...

 

[DingerCPA]

Ooooh.. That's some very lurvly Matchy Matchy you have going on there, Goddess! I'm growing ever fonder of those glass drip tips you keep sportin, too...

Thanks! Not glass - just swirled acrylic!

 

[LouisLeBeau]

Except for the Shenanagannin, just not feelin lotsa lurv for that Movkin. I generally avoid the tethers, although the COV Mini kinda NEEDS to be, to be so diminutive, so yeah, love THAT one.

Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to win one! I'd certainly be delighted to find a new-ish vaper with budgetary concerns to bestow it upon! But it's most definitely a direct PIF to my tastes.

 

[LouisLeBeau]

Thanks! Not glass - just swirled acrylic!

Ooooh! Even BETTER!!! Metal and glass just don't do it for me, for mouth feel. Well, glass feels nice, but I don't care for hittin potholes while it's close to my teeth..

 

[DingerCPA]

Ooooh! Even BETTER!!! Metal and glass just don't do it for me, for mouth feel. Well, glass feels nice, but I don't care for hittin potholes while it's close to my teeth..

Ed-zachary! I like to think of this as mah lil black dress

I passed on teh Mini Volt. I'm gonna try to stick wif replaceable batt mods now. I'm wid ya on teh "luggage". Seems klunky. I'm looking for compact. Cloupie, evic, Defender size - guh-rrrrrrrreat!