All you can do is love 'em when they need it most, and honor 'em by being your best... fuck cancer. :sniff:

Sorry Dana.

So sorry to hear this, Dana. Fuck cancer. Just fuck it.

Sorry dana. Fuck cancer

That sucks dani. Fuck cancer and COPD.

Thanks guys.

I mentioned in another thread that we have a prognosis now. The consultant says with no treatment she has maybe 9 months. With treatment, he hopes they can double that.

Her son and eldest daughter are both living in NZ at the moment. I believe they're both flying out today for an extended visit.

Here's a thing: turns out she went to her GP three or four times over this. Having had a really bad back for a while, she had an op about two months ago. She felt tons better after that, and was pretty upbeat. Then, within a week she started feeling shit agan, lots of new symptoms etc. Coming straight off the back of other health problems (first a heart problem, then her back) being ill and in pain again made her quite despressed.

So...off she goes to her Doc, who says there's nothing to worry about, probably she's just feeling run down after her op. Goes back a second time, the Doc insists there's nothing wrong; asks her if she's maybe depressed? Stell says yes she is, but because she's feeling so ill.

A third visit, and this time the Doctor tells her, it's in her head, she's depressed and that she had seen and heard "not one single thing to raise her concerns." She said all this in a dismissive, angry manner. She treated Stell like she was a hypochondriac. She offered to arrange her some counseling.

A fourth visit and Stella insisted that there was something amiss; and that she wanted it investigating NOW.

We have friends and family who work in the health service, and Stell's ex son-in-law is a doctor at the hospital where she now is. He got hold of her medical records and says that at the time her GP was telling her it was in her head, and that there was 'not one single thing' to flag concern; there were in fact FIVE things in her records that should have raised concern. Any single one of which warranted immediate investigation.

The primary tumor is an extremely aggressive form of cancer, but it is also one that can usually be successfully treated if caught early enough. The GP held her off for almost 6 weeks. Which we believe is roughly how long it has taken to go from a very early and treatable tumour, to the death sentence she now has.

Stella will be the third of Mum's siblings and the fifth family member, to be killed by medical negligence or malpractice.

I'm so sorry Dana. I fucking hate doctors so very much. Your family has my deepest condolences.

:(

Kick that doctor in the taco, Paco.

What a crap.

Grrrrrrrrr - so sorry Dana. This scares me so much. I've heard too many stories of people who go to their doctor only to be told there is nothing wrong with them whereby later to be proven the patient was right.... only the admission came too late.

I just came home from KC for good yesterday. My dad is in his final days.

He has never fully recovered from his lung cancer surgery in July, and he now has pneumonia in his good lung. He's so weak from all the other battles that this is it. It could be days, it could be hours.

My mom is holding her own...she's a remarkably strong woman, and has held up pretty well during all this. My brother is not handling it well and is an even bigger shithead than he normally is. Add to this, we had to inform my stepsisters, who are not really part of the family because they are fucking idiots in general.

Guess who gets to lead the brigade?

Did I mention that my mom's oldest sister--who is like a second mom to me--is now suffering from advanced dementia and may have terminal bladder cancer?

And I'm finally filing for divorce early next week. Our wedding anniversary was Wednesday...that was a great fucking day!

When it rains, it pours. But the skies will eventually clear.

*Hugs Sycamore*

One foot in front of the other m'dear. It's the only way.


Oh and fuck cancer, good and proper.

Jeez sycamore, you can't seem to catch a break. 2010 is going to go down as the year from hell for you.

You'll get through this. Just keep the good attitude.

:comfort:

Hang in there, syc. What a horrible time for you. :(

So sorry. Hang in there. Hugs to mom.