Where To Start

My mother is 74 has just had a cancerous tumor found in her stomach stage 3 or 4.  She has had breast cancer 3 times w/ one complete removal of a breast, radiation only with the breast cancer, she is diabetic, has high blood pressure, arthritis and has stents in her heart.  The oncology surgeon doesn't think she is a canidate for surgery and she has had a specialist at md anderson confirm that and only recomends radiation, no chemo.  My mom is pretty overweight which doesn't help.  I am the youngest of 5 (age 40), which I have lost a sister 8 yrs ago from a stroke.  I am going to be the one to see about everything that she is going to need.  My dad is still with us at age 82 and is very active still, likes to do his thing and this sickness just brings him down.  He gets where he can't deal with my mom.  Anyway I guess my first question is I do work and I have a teenager and a daughter in college, 2 step children that has each a grandchild and I'm really not sure how I'm going to manage it all.  I also have siblings that are not handling this news very well emotionally.  I would like to try to have some real expectation of what I am up agianst so I can prepare myself and all the family members.  I am planning to just try to get her to continue to keep life as normal as she can and just make everyday as special as I can. Besides for radiation, is there anything else that I can suggest to her?  I have heard something about cellular zeolite,  does anyone know something about it?  I really would appreciate any helpful suggestions or comments.

mindy....i am so sorry about your mother. this post touched me. we have a few things in common.....but i wish cancer was not one of them.

my dad is 74 and has stomach cancer, i will be 40 in january, and i am the youngest of 6. i too am the primary caregiver. my 3 brothers aren't handling the news well and haven't been around to help ( they also live 2-3hours away) and 1 of my sisters lives in AZ and the other in MO. we live in WI. so...it's me and my mom. and my wonderful hubby. i have a 3yr old daughter with severe autism....so things here are hectic too.

1st...if the dr's say that she can do radiation w/ no major problems. go for it. at this point you want to see if they can get the tumor to shrink. i have read that some patients aren't surgical candidates...and then after radiation or chemo they are.

get as much info as you can. ask the dr's what to do. contact the "cancer navigator" at the hospital and see what that person can do to help you out with all this info. other things you can do" see a nutritionist, see an alternative meds dr, have her eat very healthy,have your mom take walks to keep things moving, juice green verggies, don't let her eat too much sugar as it is said that cancer thrives on sugar. try anything you can.

but...be sure to try to take time for yourself too. you sound like you have a full plate. maybe seek out a cancer support group to help release.

my thoughts are with you. this is a very trying journey. take care, kris

 

Thank you Kris,

How is your father doing?  Was it chemo he just had?

Mindy