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Juanita
Our mother was diagnosed almost 4 months ago. She is 52 years old and
the mother of 6 children - 5 girls and 1 boy. Our mother has rarely
EVER been sick and to watch her go through the chemo, she is one hell
of a trooper! She has had 3 rounds of chemo and probably a few more
before they do radiation, then surgery. She is getting
Cytoxan/Adriamycin.
The tumor in her breast has just started to get
softer and is not palpable. Her drainage from her biopsy site finally
went away. Her doctor really has not given her a good prognosis and
tells her about 1-2 years. She still is pushing on, and we all refuse
to give up. She has a lot of support, and she is a great mom!
At 1st when she was 1st diagnosed, I, being a RN student was thinking
this can be beat, hey it is 2003, and breast cancer is being cured all
over. BUT when I started researching Inflammatory Breast
Cancer............well I said, this is "the biggie". I said it is so
rare......how can something so rare affect my mother, strike in our
family?
This web site has truly been a blessing, and I am getting
truly excited seeing all of the stories of the survivors and the
warriors. Please add our mother to your warrior list for I am sure
this will please her! We, my sisters or I, will be updating frequently
of any changes.
If anyone needs a friend and wants to share stories,
please get in touch with me, and I will put you in touch with my
mother!
Thank you and God Bless EVERYONE!
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Juanita
My mother is still pressing on. She had the radical mastectomy in May 2004. She finished her radiation and is now on a monthly dose of chemo plus a hormone too. Her IBC has spread to her spine and hips. She lives with pain and will not take her pain meds because they make her feel loopy, and she can't function with the pain meds. I will keep you informed of how she is doing.
Carlissa
please email me - rn_2be_2005@yahoo.com
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Update for my mom....Juanita
1/25/2005. My mom just went back into the hospital today. She became severely short of breath 3 days ago all of a sudden and they drained 1700 cc's of fluid off of her lungs today.
Her IBC has spread to her lungs, hips, spine, liver, and stomach. The doctor said everywhere but her brain.
I am so scared. I am going to see her tomorrow. I live far and my other sisters are there now. I have no clue what to say or what to do. I just want to cry.
I finish nursing school in May with my RN and I want her to see me graduate. Oh God, I don't know what to do. I am scared!
They want us to sign Health Care Proxy and DNR forms. We are having a big meeting in the am tomorrow with the doctor. What questions do I ask? Please someone respond to this and let me know what to say to my mother.
The doctor wants to start her on Taxol and some other new drug that starts with a G. Sorry I forgot how to pronounce it.
email me at: rn_2be_2005@yahoo.com with some words of wisdom.
Thank you and God Bless
Carlissa
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Another Update on My Mother....Juanita
It is Jan. 26, 2005 8pm. I just got back home from the hospital. My mom signed the DNR form before they started her Morphine Drip.
I was there with her since yesterday. I massaged her feet and catered to her every need. She was so sick from the initial Dilaudid they gave her.
Talked with her doctor this morning and he said it is a matter of WEEKS now. Could even be a week. Oh God did I break down. Not in front of my mother of course.
I am the oldest, I am 34, and I am trying to hold it together for everyone else. This is my last semester in school and I can't deal with this, but I have to. She told us where she wants to be buried and everything.
She has a tumor the size of a plum on her right lower lung. This tumor was not there a few weeks ago, that is how aggressive this cancer is. This tumor on her lung is causing her to have difficulty breathing and her O2 sats don't go above 92% on 5 liters of oxygen.
It is so hard for me to watch her go through this. I have not slept in 2 days. Not to mention I am so freaked out that I am going to get this awful disease now. I came home and went straight to do a self breast exam, which I only know too well how to do. So far, ok.
I am really looking for some words of encouragement if anyone can please help.
Thank you,
Carlissa
Email - rn_2be_2005@yahoo.com
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Update on my mother.....Juanita!
Just got back home from the hospital. My mother actually looks better today and very perky! The doctor says it is the morphine because her pain is finally getting under control. She cannot do anything w/o the oxygen or she gets too winded.
She was up walking around and VERY concerned with her hygiene. I somehow don't think she is ready and God certainly isn't ready for her yet, even though the doc's say differently.
She wants to go home on Hospice and we are arranging for the hospital bed and all. She does not want to die in the hospital. Her appetite is back and she is very alert and totally with it.
We are faced with the decision for more chemo now. The doctor doesn't think it will do any good but he will do as my mom wishes. The doc says the chemo will destroy her QOL and it isn't beneficial.
Another Onc. doc says since she is only 52 to treat it aggressive and try more chemo, specifically Taxotere or Gemzar. It can't hurt he said. But does she want to be sick for whatever time she has left?
My mom thinks she is going home to live life like it was. She can't even go to the bathroom without the oxygen and even then she is very wiped out. I can't imagine her only having a few weeks left, she still looks good.
I have seen cancer pts with mets who literally have wasted away. My mom is 202 lbs and never lost ANY weight during chemo or now. She has mets to liver, stomach, bone, spine and lungs.
Her doc said if it was just lungs then yes to chemo but since it is everywhere then it is just a matter of time. Especially since last month the cancer was NOT in her lungs....and now it is. That is how fast it has spread.
So, what should we do....yes or no to more aggressive chemo? Chemo will still MAYBE and a big maybe extend some life but no remission is ever expected.
Thanks for listening,
Carlissa
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Update on my mother...Juanita
Wednesday Feb. 2, 2005 10pm.
My mother took a turn for the worse last night. She became very incoherent and confused. She has been that way all day now. We decided against anymore chemo. We still have plans to take her to my sister's house tomorrow.
The nurse said that her liver levels are way off so she isn't metabolizing her meds well, and that is why she is confused. I think it is brain mets, but what do I know? She can't walk, and she fell once. She thinks she is in the hospital because she had a baby. She has liver mets also, and her skin is yellowish.
She is not at peace though, and that is the hardest part. She can't rest because she is afraid. They are holding her pain meds for now to see if the confusion subsides. She is now round the clock, 24 hour care, and my sisters and I are getting stressed and argueing now. We have cooled down and realized that we are all just tired and can't be fighting.
I have not had any sleep in 2 days, and I had school for the past 3 days, and my sister told me that mom is more important than me sleeping, even though I have a 30 minute ride down a long, boring road at night with no sleep. I was scared to drive now. We worked it out, and I am home now getting ready to go to bed so I can be at the hospital by 6 am.
Sorry for the ramble, but I needed to vent. Thanks guys.
God Bless,
Carlissa
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Juanita
Sadly, Juanita became a Pathfinder on March 30, 2005. She will be sadly missed but never
forgotten.
To view Juanita's Memorial site, go to:
Juanita's Memorial Site
Sincerest sympathy to Carlissa and all of Juanita's loving children and grandchildren.
Anne
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