So....talk about.....CANCER SUPPORT THREAD !!

[CoyoteMagic]

Hey ya'll, I'm so sorry I haven't been around for so long. I see some of ya'll over on Facebook, it's not home like these pages are. Hope all my friends are doing well and all you newbies are being well taken care of by this crazy crew!!

Things have been up and down with me. We go back on the chemo on the 16th. Same stuff I've been using since before Thanksgiving a year ago. Spent summer having fun then back to the grind. I've been off the chemo since Halloween which I spent in the hospital with double pneumonia for 6 days. I thought I had a cold. Lurchie had back surgery in August. A few rods and screw, he was doing really well. and I swear he was 2 inches taller. He was walking a mile a day as his therapy. He was doing great EXCEPT now that he was standing taller and straighter, his knees really started giving him problems. On December 10th he had a double knee replacement. After his back surgery, he didn't have to pay for the knees so he had both of them done. He's doing great! I month out of surgery he is able to bend both knees 115* It was insane trying to get his wheelchair. Ya'll know , Lurchie is a big boy. They sent him home with a wheelchair made for someone who is 5ft 9in 200lbs!!! Let's see if I can get this picture to post The black thing along his leg is the foot rest!!!! It's fully extended and the metal wheels you use to roll it were sunk into the carpet and couldn't move!!!!




I never got to go see him the whole week he was in the hospital as I was dealing with stomach issues (thought it was the flu) and didn't want to make him sick. Thankfully my GodDaughter and her Momma, my Best Friend, took care of getting him there, home, and doctor appointments, and get groceries!!

Tummy issues continued for the next week with me going to the ER on the 21st with blood coming from my hiney. I had a blockage that was a result of the constipation from the pain meds. I take 2 stool softeners, Probiotics, and 2 Senacot, and at least 3 doses of Miralax daily! HONEST!!! and still, I need a stick of dynamite. On top of it all, I've developed Colitis on top of all of it AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGUUHHHHHHH!!!!! Have an appointment to see GI doc on Monday to help figure out what we can do in that department. I had "roids" removed this summer, probably have more now!!! If I could just get only one end to hurt at a time!! The Burning in my gutt or the pain in my arse, one or the other, Please not both!!!!!!!!

I go back on the TDM-1 on Thursday. Plan is to use it for several months, then take off for a few months to recover! Plans this year is to visit several people up and down the east coast over the summer. New Jerseyites you may get some unexpected visitors driving by!! Just have to find someone to feed the Flea-Lions. while we are go. Have dogs do travel, kitties don't like it.



Haven't had a chance to read all the new posts yet, but look forward to meeting all the newbies. My friends here will tell you I am completely harmless, unless you want to weenie whine about why me, then I then to go off the deep end. You have ONE DAY to whine, cry, scream, throw things, (just not at people, especially supportive family) From that day forward none of us want to hear your whining. You've got cancer, guess what , So do I! I should have been dead 3years ago. When my dear friend, Burt, laid his head down and took his last breath, I promised him that I would carry on the fight. Luna, 3 Good Eggs, Red, Verihandi, Sara, and all the others that have been here to show their support along the way. We cheer each other on, cry when one of us stumble, and pray, pray, and pray at every chance we get for the reduction of someone's pain, good news on a test, that someone has gotten a cure, for the one who has gone on before us.

Sooooooooo, what's been happening???!!!

 

[3goodeggs]

WOHOO!
Coyote is back! I have been wondering 'bout you!
Thank you for checking in!
Lurch is brave. Back and two knees, and no way to get better than to just do so.
How are the puppies and what became of the bank? (It did not disappear from the earth, so my powers of destruction are not as strong as I wish ...

)
So, the same chemo is keeping it down, but not away? It keeps it a condition, but it isn't a cure?
Are you still quilting? I made a dog bed out of old blue jeans. I did what you said and just sewed it together then trimmed it and sewed the straight edges together. Wacky but cool enough.

Luna has been through the mill and is still in it. Poor dear, Her post is a few up or back over... peruse a bit. Her husband has had it so rough.

I have been nose deep getting our nursery business whacked into shape, just in case the economy improves. I am hoping after this winter all of the northerners will throw in the towel, move south and need tropical plants.

My dogs are great. The puppy I got turned into a huge ridgless Rhodesian ridge back and she is sweet as sweet gets.She's not so bright, but the German Shepard acts like a thinking eye dog for her. I am her mommy. she listens to no one but me. Requires my permission to do anything... except eat. She is just a gigantic vacuum cleaner. Has not slowed down yet.

I am so glad you posted and checked in. We have been thinking about you! The prayers went out anyway

You are such a trooper. Don't be a stranger.I hope you get everything worked out, taking meds to undo what the other meds are doing is so miserable.

[So... I have notice that when I juice, the kale straight up works wonders. (Okay, not exactly straight up, I HAVE to mix it with OJ or it takes the skin off my tongue.) It might be a healthy non med way to get things moving.] -as long as you are allowed greens. I know the vitamin K is a no no for some people. ask first.

Glad to hear from you!!!

 

[jjthink]

Hi everyone - I haven't been around BYC for awhile. Saw your request JJ! Here's the update: Paul (hubby) has struggled a lot with the treatments for his throat cancer.

Radiation & chemo at the same time. Of all things radiation was the worst for him, he had a very high dose for the tumor. His trach really bothers him & he's in a lot of pain from it. His feeding tube is fine & the easiest thing to work with.

From lack of moving around on his own & not being able to swallow, speak or chew his mouth muscles "froze" as did most of his body. we finally got help from therapists to work with him and he's made some improvements. We have a hospital bed in the family room for him & a wheelchair to sit in. And of course the walker to get around. He wears Depends at night but is OK on his own during the day to use the bathroom. I have to wash & dress him everyday - get his food cans ready for him & his meds, clean & make his bed and the LAUNDRY....which is every day. It's our new normal. The stress got me big time in the beginning, now I'm used to it, or can handle it better.

He had a PET scan 2 wks ago and that showed his throat clear but there was a mass near his right clavicle. We don't know what that is, but think it may be an injury he got when he fell. He has fallen a few times

, so we're hoping that's what it is. Doc also said it could be an infection - so he's on antibiotics. So we had the CT scan done for the mass and we see the Oncologist for that diagnosis on the 8th. He is slightly improving. It's still a "wait & see" situation. The good news is that the ENT Doc has gotten him on the 3rd and final smallest size trach, so we are slowly getting him closer to weaning him off that thing. He can't wait.

The speech therapist is working with him to get the mouth muscles moving and getting him trained to swallow again, so when the trach is removed he will be able to work his mouth in a normal way and get to swallowing food again. The GI tube will stay for awhile so he can get nourishment. But we have to see what this mass is to finally see where we are going with this.

If it wasn't for my interest in tribal drumming & the drum circles & didgeridoo and sound healing with crystal bowls & gong - I don't know where I would be right now. So things kind of fell into place for me in that department.

It keeps me calm & I can better handle things. I still have my 5 chickens and may get some baby chicks sometime this year.

Ginny, I'm so glad to hear from you! And so glad to hear that the PET scan showed a clear throat! (and hopefully the other is indeed just an injury)..You are a treasure to Paul, with all you are doing - what a gift when one has another who is so supportive. I hope you two are on your way to light-hearted times, perhaps right when the good weather arrives!! Eager for your hubby to be free of the trach - awful things..... Thinking of you both - check in again if you can, now that the 8th has passed (I just saw your note!). Hugs, Jj

 

[Lunachick]

Hi JJ

Well, they think the CT scan shows an infection from either torn tissue or bone. Now we need to see an Infectious Disease Specialist. We see her on the 22nd. I think he needs an antibiotic drip for who knows how long.....anyway we're getting there. Hopefully when all the nice weather starts. That would be grand.

Hey Coyote - is that wheelchair a "drive" - it looks exactly like the one Paul has! We should get them together to race

.

 

[jjthink]

Hi JJ

Well, they think the CT scan shows an infection from either torn tissue or bone. Now we need to see an Infectious Disease Specialist. We see her on the 22nd. I think he needs an antibiotic drip for who knows how long.....anyway we're getting there. Hopefully when all the nice weather starts. That would be grand.

Hey Coyote - is that wheelchair a "drive" - it looks exactly like the one Paul has! We should get them together to race

.

Thank you for the update Ginny! So glad that it's something manageable...... yay!! Hang in there - thinking of you!!! Hope you can both get some good rest and recharge....

Hi Cindi (aka Coyote)

JJ

 

[Lunachick]

A special

to 3goodeggs.

 

[chickensnewtome]

Hey ya'll, I'm so sorry I haven't been around for so long. I see some of ya'll over on Facebook, it's not home like these pages are. Hope all my friends are doing well and all you newbies are being well taken care of by this crazy crew!!

Things have been up and down with me. We go back on the chemo on the 16th. Same stuff I've been using since before Thanksgiving a year ago. Spent summer having fun then back to the grind. I've been off the chemo since Halloween which I spent in the hospital with double pneumonia for 6 days. I thought I had a cold. Lurchie had back surgery in August. A few rods and screw, he was doing really well. and I swear he was 2 inches taller. He was walking a mile a day as his therapy. He was doing great EXCEPT now that he was standing taller and straighter, his knees really started giving him problems. On December 10th he had a double knee replacement. After his back surgery, he didn't have to pay for the knees so he had both of them done. He's doing great! I month out of surgery he is able to bend both knees 115* It was insane trying to get his wheelchair. Ya'll know , Lurchie is a big boy. They sent him home with a wheelchair made for someone who is 5ft 9in 200lbs!!! Let's see if I can get this picture to post The black thing along his leg is the foot rest!!!! It's fully extended and the metal wheels you use to roll it were sunk into the carpet and couldn't move!!!!




I never got to go see him the whole week he was in the hospital as I was dealing with stomach issues (thought it was the flu) and didn't want to make him sick. Thankfully my GodDaughter and her Momma, my Best Friend, took care of getting him there, home, and doctor appointments, and get groceries!!

Tummy issues continued for the next week with me going to the ER on the 21st with blood coming from my hiney. I had a blockage that was a result of the constipation from the pain meds. I take 2 stool softeners, Probiotics, and 2 Senacot, and at least 3 doses of Miralax daily! HONEST!!! and still, I need a stick of dynamite. On top of it all, I've developed Colitis on top of all of it AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGUUHHHHHHH!!!!! Have an appointment to see GI doc on Monday to help figure out what we can do in that department. I had "roids" removed this summer, probably have more now!!! If I could just get only one end to hurt at a time!! The Burning in my gutt or the pain in my arse, one or the other, Please not both!!!!!!!!

I go back on the TDM-1 on Thursday. Plan is to use it for several months, then take off for a few months to recover! Plans this year is to visit several people up and down the east coast over the summer. New Jerseyites you may get some unexpected visitors driving by!! Just have to find someone to feed the Flea-Lions. while we are go. Have dogs do travel, kitties don't like it.



Haven't had a chance to read all the new posts yet, but look forward to meeting all the newbies. My friends here will tell you I am completely harmless, unless you want to weenie whine about why me, then I then to go off the deep end. You have ONE DAY to whine, cry, scream, throw things, (just not at people, especially supportive family) From that day forward none of us want to hear your whining. You've got cancer, guess what , So do I! I should have been dead 3years ago. When my dear friend, Burt, laid his head down and took his last breath, I promised him that I would carry on the fight. Luna, 3 Good Eggs, Red, Verihandi, Sara, and all the others that have been here to show their support along the way. We cheer each other on, cry when one of us stumble, and pray, pray, and pray at every chance we get for the reduction of someone's pain, good news on a test, that someone has gotten a cure, for the one who has gone on before us.

Sooooooooo, what's been happening???!!!

So nice to meet you Coyote, everyone here has definitelly helped me along. My mom was strong until the end, never felt sorry for her self just worried about everyone else. My prayers go out to you. I love this thread and plan on staying a while. Alot of good advice has come from some on here.

 

[wsmith]

So a couple of days ago, Beth and i were talking about incubating eggs soon, sand she told me would like to brood the chicks in the house for a little while, so she can enjoy the cuteness. So this afternoon I built a tabletop brooder. It is 36" X 18" and 14" tall. I still have to paint the inside and add hinges and a latch.

The last few days haven't been good for her. Her Blood Oxygen levels drop dramtically after going upstairs to our bedroom, the lowest level was 38.

 

[3goodeggs]

I love the idea of that.
We brooded ours in the house... and it gets really dusty.
I suggest you get one of those heppa floor filters to put next to it. If her O2 is low now, the dander dust won't help. But the chicks will, so do not abandon the idea.

I also found the cheeping started much earlier in the morning than I did.
By the time they were ready to go out into their new coop... I was SO ready for them to go out into their new coop.
But it was fun.

And the dogs were curious but not a problem. That surprised me. I think they thought if the chicks were in the house, they must be family, and we do not eat family.

 

[jjthink]

So a couple of days ago, Beth and i were talking about incubating eggs soon, sand she told me would like to brood the chicks in the house for a little while, so she can enjoy the cuteness. So this afternoon I built a tabletop brooder. It is 36" X 18" and 14" tall. I still have to paint the inside and add hinges and a latch.


The last few days haven't been good for her. Her Blood Oxygen levels drop dramtically after going upstairs to our bedroom, the lowest level was 38.

What a sweet thing you are doing for Beth. I am very sorry about the difficult days

JJ