CancerCompass message board discussion started by Travelfromhm on 9/7/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,15977,0.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Remember to include a cardiologist on your team- get your heart screened by a cardiologist at least as often as you would change the oil in your car. I've written a few messages is regards to my Mom's 11 year off and on battle with metastatic breast cancer. over 7 years were cancer free. her nutritional regimen is listed in those messages, I hope it helps someone. I have only received one reply, but she was thrilled that I was posting an account of her success. July 30th all blood work and CT scan showed no cancer anywhere in her body.August 12th at 10:45 pm My stepfather called me , my mom was struggling to breathe in the background. I told him not to wait for me call 911!. I live down the street and arrived in just 3 minutes. My Mother was talking but very anxious that she could not get a full breath. The 3 of us thought it was an anxiety attack, her first.When the local fire rescue EMT and one paramedic arrived, the world became surreal. They were at my Mom's house 40 minutes, never taking her vitals- except for pulse rate 240. No one took charge, I called her doctor 3x hoping to get someone to direct the paramedic. They kept badgering her to conrtol herself & her breathing, she would tell them she was trying. The EMT & Paramedic stood about five feet away chit chating and joking.Suddenly, 38 minutes into the call for EMS, Mom turned to me on her left side, she looked at me closed her eyes halfway and dropped into unconscienousness. I kind of yelled for whoever has medical training to get over here this isn't normal. When the f...ing jerks decided to take the situation seriously, they put a monitor & leds on her chest, pulse rate 30bpm. It was chaos, the EMT stopped using the ambu bag to breathe for her while he fiddled with straps on the backboard. I picked up the ambu bag and lokked at the paramedic asking what the hell while I breathed for her. There were 10 documented fire rescue people in Mother's bedroom, too many. They never gave her O2 while going from the bed to the rescue truck. We picked this medium sized town because the hospital is just 1.5 mile away. I put my dad in the front cab of the rescue truck and followed in my car. I had her registered at emergency room at least 4 minutes before they brought her from the ambulance through the doors. Paramedic riding on the gurney doing CPR - NO Oxygen!. 2 minutes later they let me in the treatment room. The doctor said CPR's been done for 15 minutes, we can't bring her back to the way she was. My beautiful, lively mother and friend was gone- onto glory! With victory over cancer, her heart had been affected. We had a really fun day shopping that Sunday & having lunch, & making plans.Please, please realize that the treatments have side effects, her oncologist & my sister the nurse reckon she started throwing bloodclots in the last 24 hours. Please include a regular checkup with a cardiologist to track your heart's health. think of it like a mamogram. If you're undergoing chemo infusion (even hormone inhibitor), radiation fractions, or have undergone these things to fight cancer, just imagine what stress is being added to your daily life and body. Remember the heart!!!!!! AND LUNGS!! Meanwhile, as my whole family grieves from the shock of losing such a courageous cancer survivor, remember there are nutritional choices to help compliment the conventional treatments and defeat the cancer. Next week when we receive the death certificates, well lets just say, I 've got legitimate reasons to demand the firing of the paramedic and on scene commander. I want to reduce the chances of another woman's physical cardiac arrest symptoms being reduced by discrimination and disparate judgements as another anxious, over emotional woman. Thank you Jesus for taking her so calmly to eternity.  Travelfromhm Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT That is just horrible!  I'm also an RN and I use to be ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) certified and cannot even imagine handling someone with difficulty breathing like that even without chest pain in such a way.  The first thing they should have done was put her on O2 and then a cardiac monitor, FIRST THINGS!   I feel really bad for you, what a shame.  I'm going through chemo and never really thought about the effects on the heart but I will now. Thank you for sharing your story, it may save lives.Terry Snowmom60 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT How sad. I lost my husband on August the 4th to cancer. Something happened to his body from the chemo but the oncologist would not listen to me and by mistake told my sister who is a nurse that I was over re-acting. So now its my time to report her to every medical board I can for her behavior, her stupidy and most of all her negliance. He kept having a hard time with shortness of breath, swelling of the feet and ankles,  which are heart symptoms. The side effects do list that it can cause heart problems, but instead blamed me for over re-acting. So now I have to do what I have to do to teach her that her pompous way will not be tolerated and she better listen to patients and family members before she makes statements that are unprofessional. Nothing will bring my husband back but if it helps the next patient she is treating to listen instead of expressing her stupid opinions I will feel better. Its amazing how the Hospice Dr asked me did he have heart trouble!!!. He listened to his heart but she didn't or could not refer him to the cardiogist. He had no problems with his heart last year, he went for every test on his heart to clear him for surgery.Sorry to hear about your mom, I express my sympathy to you and your family.Bernadette Wilmabc Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT Good for you!  Can I ask you both what chemo drug/s were used.  I haven't even looked at the side effects of my 5FU, I found if I do I scare the crud out of myself, especially with being a nurse.My onc. doctor checks my feet for swelling and my breathing every week.  It's so hard to know if you have a good doctor or not that's why it's so important to be your own advocate.  I guess I should go and look up the side effects, shouldn't I.Terry Snowmom60 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT Sure, he was on Sutant for Renal Cell. Its a pill that is taken once a day. Some people are having great results with this drug, but some patients are having problems and heart problems are one of them. I don't want to scare patients from this drug, its wonderful for some but unfortunatley there are some that are having problems with this.I wish you the best of luck.  Bernadette Wilmabc Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT And I forgot to mention he was being treated at a big hospital in New York City.    Wilmabc Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT Dear Bernadette,Sorry for the loss of your husband. I'm sure he put up a valiant fight for life. He must have to be married to a courageous tiger like you. My sympathy to you and your grieving family for the huge loss.I don't fault the doctors, however, they really don't deserve to be braisen in their temperment. One doctor my Mother and I spoke to last year in passing described pompous doctors as being similar to young children who demand all the toys are theirs. I'm not sure my intention comes accross in writing, My concentration isn't too good. I was thinking, you might want to consider writing the doctor a note.  Fully expressing your feelings, especially since the doctor has managed to distance herself from the human side. It also sounds like she disregarded your sister-in-law's connection to the family. How sad, it is certainly worth a letter to the clinic director and your husband's situationmight warrant a peer review so all doctors might learn.I too vasilate in my feelings. Good luck and God be with you, Joan Travelfromhm Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 9/7/2007 Snowmom60 wrote:Good for you!  Can I ask you both what chemo drug/s were used.  I haven't even looked at the side effects of my 5FU, I found if I do I scare the crud out of myself, especially with being a nurse.My onc. doctor checks my feet for swelling and my breathing every week.  It's so hard to know if you have a good doctor or not that's why it's so important to be your own advocate.  I guess I should go and look up the side effects, shouldn't I.TerryHi Terry,Be brave and look at the side effects. Not looking cannot help the battle. Even if you are a nurse you need the same support anyone going through a struggle with cancer requires. Get you family involved.My Mother took Megace for just about three months. The first hormone inhibitor she used was Femara, that worked for approx. 2.5 yrs. with little side effects. You can read about her nutritional regimen, I posted some months ago under breast cancer (I think). I don't believe I can be convinced any one tx can work alone, I believe in boosting the immune system CD4 cells to assist in ridding the body of cancer cells.Anyway, the Megace combined with super intense radiation managed to harm my Mother's cadiovascular system without anyone noticing, my Mom kept telling her oncologist she was having trouble breathing. Her oncologist was acting as her PCP, her heart was checked in March via ultra sound, MRI, & Nuclear Science study. The problem must have come up within the last few months. That's why I suggest a cardiologist check your circulation and breathing. It's not a popularity contest in which the oncologist's competing, this is your life!Good Luck, Strong heart, and God be with you,  Joan  Travelfromhm Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT