CancerCompass message board discussion started by Crazyinsane on 1/3/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,8603,0.htm Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My Uncle has been diagnosed with stage 4 Liver Cancer and all before Christmas (go figure). He's not expected to survive for very long and they game 3-6 months to live. I went to see him today and I could only see him for 5 minutes and I had to go because it hurt to see someone that you love and that's very close to you just lay there and die. It's something that we are going to have to get over but it's just a long struggle. I can't even get through this so i'm just going to leave it the way it is. Crazyinsane Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT I know how you feel.  My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer in October.  I could not even hardly look at him at first without crying.  I started looking into alternative treatment and that gave us all some hope and something to work towards.  Things are tough, but much better now.  Communication is wonderful.  Just let him know the love you feel for him.  Once that door is opened, beautiful things can happen.  Prayers to you and your family. Denises Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT Hello:My husband has Stage IV Liver Cancer and advanced Cirrhosis.  Modern medicine seems to be at an end for him as it is inoperable, chemo is not effective on HCC and there are too many tumors for the thera-orbs.  We are currently working with an herbal oncologist...do not see a lot of result for a month's involvement but it doesn't do any harm either.  We have gotten involved with Hospice and that has seemed to bring my husband a great deal of peace of mind.  They take care of ordering meds and equipment, relieving me of that responsibility and they seem to offer encouragement.  They also have provided me with a sense of relief...having someone to call at any time.  I am his primary care-giver.It can be difficult at times as he gets frustrated and crabby but I remember he has a situation I do not...he is living the last of his days.  He is having paracentsis (tummy taps for fluid) approximately every 15 days but is suffering from a lot of bloating, pressure of tumor growth and a bit of nausea.  I would appreciate any perspective on the progression and whatmay have been effective or helpful for anyone else that has walked this path.  I too crued everyday for a while...now it's still daily but not constant.  I pray a lot!My prayers are with any walking this path.Harriet Paperharri Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT hi sorry to hear about this horrible monster disease my brother has liver cancer was given 6 months 6 months ago now his llatest ct scan shws cancer in both of his lungs we are going to talk to a dr. at brighamand women's hospital in boston about the tyherasphere procedure have you or has anyone heard anything about this? my prayers are with you god bless Cyndiandjack Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT Hello HarrietSimply being there and touching him now and again is the best help and therapy you can give.  I am a lucky liver cancer patient - I am currently at 26 months and it is just now starting to spread to my chest.  I have daily pain but it is manageable and I too get crabby sometimes but try not to let this affect those around me too much.Early on God gave me a wonderful insight into this "happens to the good people" thought - I was being asked by a tearful friend why I as a God loving man would have this when so many bad people walked around rich and healthy and he gave me a vision of me trying to explain this to one of my liver cells that I am constantly washing with chemo poison.  Liver cells don't have a conciousness, they can't think and they don't even 'know' for certain that they are part of a living breathing being who HAS a conciousness, although they might somehow have a chemical soup sort of "feeling' that this is true.  As such how can I communicate to them that the cancer just happened, and I'm doing my best to fight it and THAT is what is making life so hard on them?  I can't any more then God can answer the seemingly unrelated questions we ask of him when we don't understand things that happen to us.The good news is liver cancer is not as painful or debilitating as some other forms of cancer - it hurts and in the end your husband (and I ) will lose all appetite, start to jaundice (turn yellow) then sicken and die.  In the meantime make lists of things he wanted to accomplish in life and see which you may still be able to do - then DO THEM!  We all die someday of something - that we cannot change, but being blessed with some knowledge of how and about when those of us with terminal illnesses can make the most out of what we have.You are a wonderful person to care and try to be there - it took over a year for my wife to accept that I was really going to die and start to deal with it, and some counceling before she could show me any affection and contact that I needed ... being there for someone in their hours of need is the greatest gift you can give.  God bless you for being there!John BuntonOn 1/8/2007 Paperharri wrote:Hello:My husband has Stage IV Liver Cancer and advanced Cirrhosis.  Modern medicine seems to be at an end for him as it is inoperable, chemo is not effective on HCC and there are too many tumors for the thera-orbs.  We are currently working with an herbal oncologist...do not see a lot of result for a month's involvement but it doesn't do any harm either.  We have gotten involved with Hospice and that has seemed to bring my husband a great deal of peace of mind.  They take care of ordering meds and equipment, relieving me of that responsibility and they seem to offer encouragement.  They also have provided me with a sense of relief...having someone to call at any time.  I am his primary care-giver.It can be difficult at times as he gets frustrated and crabby but I remember he has a situation I do not...he is living the last of his days.  He is having paracentsis (tummy taps for fluid) approximately every 15 days but is suffering from a lot of bloating, pressure of tumor growth and a bit of nausea.  I would appreciate any perspective on the progression and whatmay have been effective or helpful for anyone else that has walked this path.  I too crued everyday for a while...now it's still daily but not constant.  I pray a lot!My prayers are with any walking this path.Harriet  Johnb Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 1/8/2007 Paperharri wrote:Hello:My husband has Stage IV Liver Cancer and advanced Cirrhosis.  Modern medicine seems to be at an end for him as it is inoperable, chemo is not effective on HCC and there are too many tumors for the thera-orbs.  We are currently working with an herbal oncologist...do not see a lot of result for a month's involvement but it doesn't do any harm either.  We have gotten involved with Hospice and that has seemed to bring my husband a great deal of peace of mind.  They take care of ordering meds and equipment, relieving me of that responsibility and they seem to offer encouragement.  They also have provided me with a sense of relief...having someone to call at any time.  I am his primary care-giver.It can be difficult at times as he gets frustrated and crabby but I remember he has a situation I do not...he is living the last of his days.  He is having paracentsis (tummy taps for fluid) approximately every 15 days but is suffering from a lot of bloating, pressure of tumor growth and a bit of nausea.  I would appreciate any perspective on the progression and whatmay have been effective or helpful for anyone else that has walked this path.  I too crued everyday for a while...now it's still daily but not constant.  I pray a lot!My prayers are with any walking this path.HarrietDear Harriet,Sounds like you are in a similar place as us. The docs told us that chemo was not an option anymore and that we should call hospice.  Liver function tests are all messed up.  John has been having edema and acites.  Lasix doesnt seem to help much.  He has not had it bad enough to have his stomach tapped.  tumor is growing awful fast.  It was a rough night tonight....we cried a lot....we will have hospice come next week.  I made him peanut butter cookies.  Hugs,brenps. have you been contacted by a woman who wants to interview US patients with HCC for a article in a national publication?  We said we would to get the word out on liver cancer. Brenandjon Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT Harriet,Bren here, just wanted to let you know i am thinking of you and Bo.Peace,Bren Brenandjon Sun, 21 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT