|
21307. wonkers2 - 3/7/2007 8:50:02 PM Sorry about your mother. Let's pray she's in the 23%. 21308. thoughtful - 3/8/2007 1:06:29 AM Thanks wonks. Considering that 9 of 10 lung cancers are inoperable when found, she's already beat the odds by being a surgical candidate and having the surgery. I certainly hope her run of luck continues or improves. 21309. arkymalarky - 3/8/2007 1:20:12 AM I think it's that the x-rays aren't very good at early detection. By the time something shows up it's already spread beyond what the x-ray shows. They have a new breath test, but I don't know how early it diagnoses or when it's supposed to be available. 21310. thoughtful - 3/8/2007 1:30:58 AM There are other problems in that the xray isnt' as good at picking up small tumors as the fast ct, but the fast ct exposes you to lots more radiation than just a chest xray, which, in and of itself can cause lung cancer...fire v frying pan
21311. Magoseph - 3/8/2007 4:41:06 PM I'm very sorry about the news about your mom, thoughtful. 21312. thoughtful - 3/8/2007 8:27:03 PM thanks mags.
Mom's home now, but she seems to be recovering more slowly than usual. I'm sure some of it is depression. Never easy to get a life sentence, no matter how old you are. And nothing like a fatal illness to make you feel your age. 21313. wonkers2 - 3/9/2007 4:00:44 AM She's fortunate to have a daughter who cares nearby! 21314. alistairconnor - 3/9/2007 10:42:55 AM How she feels about things is a very important element of her life expectancy. The docs gave my dad three years when he was diagnosed with bone cancer, but he'd always hated being sick and decided not to fight it.
Personally, as long as I was sound of mind and reasonably comfortable physically, I wouldn't want to miss a moment.
It's important to understand the medical stuff well enough that you don't let yourself get pushed around by the doctors. Quality of life is more important than a few more weeks or months. In any case, that has to be for the individual to decide.
I wish you and your mother all the best, Thoughtful. 21315. thoughtful - 3/9/2007 3:44:15 PM Thanks, guys. Your kind thoughts and sentiments are most appreciated.
Mom is already starting to perk up more since she's been home and since she's healing. I think we'll do ok. My hope now is to get her to see some good guys who can help with the chemo, hopefully get her into some kind of remission so we can get a couple of more good years out of her, and then see where we go from there.
But no matter how hard you try, each of these life events scars you and changes your outlook.
I don't know if I mentioned it, but when my dad died, I was pulling together photos of him over the years for the memorial service. I noticed that in the later years, he'd lost that very broad, carefree smile he used to have. I managed to narrow it down to about when he was 70 and he had his first lung cancer surgery.
I think while we know we are all mortal, we don't feel it in our core until something life-shaking happens to us...something that forces us to fully understand that our bodies are all we have and they will fail us.
That realization changes you...it can't help but. 21316. PelleNilsson - 3/9/2007 8:15:27 PM My sympathies, thoughtful. You have a difficult time ahead. I hope your mother beats the odds. 21317. wonkers2 - 3/9/2007 8:18:45 PM The older we get the more we are conscious of our mortality. I've noticed that about myself recently. 21318. PelleNilsson - 3/9/2007 8:25:05 PM So have I. 21319. wonkers2 - 3/9/2007 9:17:32 PM Pelle, quit lurking and resume contributing! 21320. Magoseph - 3/9/2007 9:53:06 PM I miss you, Pelle. 21322. Magoseph - 3/10/2007 1:31:21 PM Cap'n--if you ever find a depiction of me that looks as I was as a young woman, I promise you I will leave it here--a couple of hints--eyes and hair were not brown. 21323. wonkers2 - 3/10/2007 3:48:23 PM OK. 21324. Magoseph - 3/10/2007 5:49:13 PM Good morning, Arky. 21325. arkymalarky - 3/10/2007 6:00:51 PM Hey Mags. How are you? 21326. wonkers2 - 3/11/2007 6:00:46 AM Special for Arky from Hank 21327. wonkers2 - 3/11/2007 6:04:38 AM Fer Arky from The Cap'n
|
