*** Jeff G And Ernrol ***

Let me try this again...my first post seems to have gotten lost in cyberspace. I'm new here, I'm searching out info for my mother (66), diagnosed in Feb with liver mets, inoperable, unknown primary. She receives Gemzar weekly, no change so far (bigger or smaller), Tarceva was just added a week ago. She had 14 days of radiation to her spine due to spots on her scan that looked 'suspicious', however a biopsy was not done. She has back problems for 25 years and has had multiple surgeries. I took her to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Thursday for a second opinion, I feel a little more confident now in what her dr is doing. However, whenever I ask about diet, they tell her to eat whatever she wants. I know there's a better answer than that.



I just started reading this board. You guys are my heros. I told my mom about the visualization stuff when she went for her first chemo, she thought I was insane. Yesterday I printed some of your posts for her to read...she's listening to me now. Now I don't think I'll have any problem getting her to eat all the blueberries I'm going to give her. :)



I have a few questions for both of you, and anyone else that has something to add:



I bought steel cut oatmeal made by Quaker in the grocery store. I know there are higher priced options that I've seen on the internet. What is your opinion? What do you look for? Is the grocery store stuff ok?



Blueberries: fresh? frozen? organic? What's your preference. How much oatmeal and blueberries do you eat each day? I don't think we can do too many more bananas (she currently eats 1 each day) because of constipation.



Hot baths...what are they for? She has an iliostomy (30 years ago, Crone's Disease), and her appliance loosens in water so she usually takes a shower. But we'll deal with it and she'll take baths if we have to.



Exercise, I told her she has to walk. She has to stop crying and start walking. I told her she has to take control back. How much exercise do you get each day? Do you get fevers from the chemo? Do you push yourself to exercise even when you don't feel good?



Oxygenating...will deep breathing help?



I told her every time she eats sugar she's feeding the cancer. I'm like a little Nazi with her. She's the center of this family (even though we let my dad think he is ;), and we're not ready to let her go yet.



Any advice is welcome. Thank you and God Bless.



Donna

Also Jeff...one more thing. You said something about the soups being a waist of money. I was looking into Sun Farms Vegetable soup because it's made right here, about 3 miles from us, I thought I might get lucky on a trial. Have you tried it?

Thx again,

Donna

Hi Donna, Yes I've tried Sun Farm Soup. back in 2001. Tasted gross and I can't say it did any good or not. I eat about 1/2 cup of blueberries frozen or fresh with my cereal in the morning. I drink 1 Equate nutritional drink a day then eat pretty much what I want for dinner. I guess I focus on high protein. I like peanut butter and blueberry jam toast as well. I have had night sweats on and off. I had a fever back a year ago due to sinuses. Nice warm shower is just as good as a bath. Primarily for stimulation of the body and mind just makes me get moving when feeling sluggish. I walk around the house as much as possible and sit in the shade and feel the breeze when there is one. I still get out and drive as of now when the initial impact of chemo slows down. I just started new regimen of chemo so time will tell. It won't be until the end of July til I find out if I'm still holding my own. I can say one of the hardest things of fighting Cancer for me is the isolation/boredom: I have to fight that all the time to keep out of depression. I have a little Christian Art Card I found in some of my Mom's stuff. It says " You are never alone if God lives in your heart" I pump myself up a little bit each time I read it. Donna, each persons journey with cancer is an individual one. Some of us have the support, some of us have little support, I'm happy to see your Mom has your support. Please don't take this the wrong way, but to much support or how can I put it? to much controlling can be unbearable at times. I've had to ask my Daughter to slow down a bit bless her heart. I felt like I was being smothered for a while. It all balances out I guess. Well, I guess I have rambled enough for now. God Bless you all and keep up the good support. The second opinion was a good move. I had 6 myself but all concur. Jeff

No offense taken. My mom was focusing on the statistics, the fact that her dr hasn't given her much hope. She was crying alot. Cleaning out her house, giving away her stuff. Basically preparing to die. The opposite of what you guys are doing. She needed some little glimmer of hope. She had to be shown how to live with cancer. I think she has that now, thanks to your posts and Ernie's posts. I've printed some out and showed her. She's much more like her old self now, and she's even talking about going ahead with their plans to go on vacation in October (previously she had herself dead and buried by then). I won't push. Just a little nudge. ;)