Can I Piggyback on Some of those Good Thoughts For CW's Mom?

[CamEdwards]

Just had a call from my mom, who's being admitted to the hospital. Apparently (this doesn't exactly sound right, but it's what she said) her liver's not functioning. The doctors say the problem seems to be between the gall bladder and the pancreas, but they haven't figured out what's causing the problem.

I have no idea if this is life-threatening, and my mom probably wouldn't tell me if it was. But any good thoughts you could send her way would be appreciated.

[korme]

Hoping for the best, Cam.

[MikeVic]

I don't like sadness on the forums. Hope she gets better!!

[Lorena]

Absolutely, consider it done.

[Coffee Warlord]

I henceforth pass on the vibes. Hope everything works out okay.

[flere-imsaho]

That sounds like a tricky situation. Best wishes for hopefully everything going OK.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Good luck to you and your mom, Cam.

[oliegirl]

Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way...

[StarBuck]

Hoping the doctors figure out the problem and get your mom on her feet quickly and completely CamEdwards.

Must be "mom week" because I found out today that a spot was found on my mom's lung during her tests for her surgery 2 weeks ago. My brother told me, she didn't want me to know.Piggybacking too, it seems.

[miami_fan]

Prayers sent for all!

[MikeVic]

Good luck to StarBuck's mom too! I'm scared to talk to my mom now!

[Eaglesfan27]

Prayers for both moms. Hopefully, it ends up being nothing too serious.

[CamEdwards]

Starbuck, I'm definitely sending some good thoughts your way.

I talked to my mom on the way into work this afternoon. Doctors seem to think she's got a gallstone that's blocking her bile duct, and they're talking about surgery on Monday. I asked her if she wanted me to come out to Ft. Smith and she said no, so she doesn't sound too concerned.

[Eaglesfan27]

Starbuck, I'm definitely sending some good thoughts your way.

I talked to my mom on the way into work this afternoon. Doctors seem to think she's got a gallstone that's blocking her bile duct, and they're talking about surgery on Monday. I asked her if she wanted me to come out to Ft. Smith and she said no, so she doesn't sound too concerned.

That was my first thought when I read your initial post. Hopefully, that is all your mom has. They usually aren't a big deal as long as they are treated promptly.

[terpkristin]

Just had a call from my mom, who's being admitted to the hospital. Apparently (this doesn't exactly sound right, but it's what she said) her liver's not functioning. The doctors say the problem seems to be between the gall bladder and the pancreas, but they haven't figured out what's causing the problem.

I have no idea if this is life-threatening, and my mom probably wouldn't tell me if it was. But any good thoughts you could send her way would be appreciated.

Hoping for the best!!!

/tk

[MizzouRah]

Missed this thread earlier Cam, hopefully everything is ok with your mom.

[Warhammer]

Good thoughts on the way from here.

[CamEdwards]

Update: They're doing some acryonym on her tomorrow (I know it begins with an E and ends with a CT, but there are a couple of other letters in there as well). The doctors have at least mentioned the possibility of liver cancer to her, so she's a bit freaked out.

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone.

[MizzouRah]

Hope everything goes well.

[miked]

Update: They're doing some acryonym on her tomorrow (I know it begins with an E and ends with a CT, but there are a couple of other letters in there as well). The doctors have at least mentioned the possibility of liver cancer to her, so she's a bit freaked out.

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone.

ERCP?

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography. You can look it up if you want to, but basically you can decipher what it means.

[StarBuck]

CamEdwards, I had a friend who's liver and pancreas were compromised by a badly diseased gallbladder that threw a stone. She's doing great now after having it out and some residual healing that had to go on with the liver and pancreas.

I have a good feeling about your mom, and thanks for the good vibes to mine. :-)

[Schmidty]

I'm late with this, but my prayers go out to both families.

[Cringer]

Best wishes Cam.

Must be something going around. Just found out last week my uncle (my mom's twin) has colon cancer thathas spread everywhere except the brain. Though the man has always been a little off in the head (very low IQ, though not technically retarded) he is a pretty good guy. When I heard the news I think I realized for the first time he is the person in my life who helped get me interested in sports. None of my family was into sports. He loves the Spokane Indians short season A team though, and always took me as a kid.

Family illnesses, plain and simple, just suck. Going to be hard when it's my Mom.

[CamEdwards]

Well, not good news. It looks like cancer in both her pancreas and gall bladder. The oncologists want her to have surgery, but there's apparently not a surgeon in Ft. Smith skilled enough in this particular operation, so now they're talking about moving her to Oklahoma City. I'm not sure if the cancer has spread to her liver, in fact I'm not entirely sure it's cancer at all since I haven't talked to the doctor. But the news could be better.

[MizzouRah]

Well, not good news. It looks like cancer in both her pancreas and gall bladder. The oncologists want her to have surgery, but there's apparently not a surgeon in Ft. Smith skilled enough in this particular operation, so now they're talking about moving her to Oklahoma City. I'm not sure if the cancer has spread to her liver, in fact I'm not entirely sure it's cancer at all since I haven't talked to the doctor. But the news could be better.

Your mom will be in my prayers Cam.

[lordscarlet]

I wish it were better news. I hope things go as well as possible for her and your family.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm sorry to hear that Cam. I'll be praying for your mom's recovery.

[StarBuck]

I'm so sorry to hear this. :(

[JonInMiddleGA]

Very sorry to hear this Cam, prayers for you all.

[CamEdwards]

Thanks everyone. If it is pancreatic cancer, there's not much hope for recovery. I just hope it will be as pain-free as possible.

I'm headed to Houston tomorrow so I can be there when she has her consult with a doctor on Friday morning. He'll at least be able to let us know if surgery is even an option.

It might sound callous, but I almost hope he says it's not. From what I understand, the median survival rate after diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is 3-6 months. This procedure has a high morbidity rate, and if she only has a few months left, I just want it to be spent as comfortably as possible.

Fuck. I hate mortality.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Sorry, Cam. Very sorry. Hang in there. I hope the best for you and yours.

[MikeVic]

I hate mortality as well. :( I can't handle deaths of close ones at all.

Wishing for the best.

[StarBuck]

I'm so sorry CamEdwards. Forgive me for saying so, but yes, the progression is pretty swift if it is in the pancreas.

You know as a kid that horrible thought of losing our mom and dad and dreading the day? The moment when it actually arrives is surreal.

[CamEdwards]

Well, a bit of positive news... my mom had a seven hour surgery today known as the Whipple Procedure (which I think would be a really good band name, fwiw). It's a major surgery (details can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whipple_procedure), but she did really well. The doc says all visible signs of cancer were removed... but of course there could always be non-visible signs of cancer as well.

To that end, he's recommending a followup course of chemotherapy in a couple of months.

None of this changes the original diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and its survival rates, but it's a bit of good news to cling to.

[Eaglesfan27]

That is at least a bit of good news. I'll continue to include your mom and your family in my prayers.

[Kodos]

I'm so sorry to hear about all of this, Cam. I hope your mom beats the odds somehow.

[MizzouRah]

That is at least a bit of good news. I'll continue to include your mom and your family in my prayers.

I'll echo these thoughts. Your mom will be in my prayers.

[CamEdwards]

I'm so sorry to hear about all of this, Cam. I hope your mom beats the odds somehow.

Thanks. In the end, none of us gets out of here alive, which is something that I'm starting to understand in a way I truly didn't get before. But I understand what you're saying. :)

That's why I just want her to be satisfied with the life she's lived, and to not linger on in pain for a prolonged period of time. I wouldn't say my mom's had a particularly easy life, but I believe she's had a GOOD life, and I believe she's done good things in her life. In the end, what more can you ask for?

[StarBuck]

That's positive news CamEdwards. Your mom sounds like a trooper. Like everyone else, I hope she beats the odds and lives a long life.


I have been unable to reach my mom. Everytime I call she is asleep, even at 3 pm. She isn't calling back either. Last time I called I found out she had not gone and gotten the CAT scan ordered to see if the spot on her lung was a scar or cancer. She is afraid to find out. I can only think she is either avoiding my making her get further tests or she did get them and is hitting a depressed state.

[CamEdwards]

I can understand that fear, StarBuck. I'll keep her in my prayers, and if I can think of any magic words that would help end her inability to confront this potential problem I'll certainly share.

[StarBuck]

Thanks Cam, that is much appreciated. I hope you are magic.

One thing this has done is make me think of not having my mom anymore and it's devestating. Seems to happen most at night, when I'm trying to fal asleep. As a kid I can remember every once in a while waking up crying from a bad dream that my mom or dad died and being so thankful it was a dream. I can feel that time when I won't wake up to that reality coming upon me. You know what I mean?

[CamEdwards]

I haven't updated this thread because mom's been doing the best she can, but she took a turn for the worse this week. My sister called today as she was following the ambulance taking mom to the in-patient hospice facility. The hospice nurse that came out to my mom's apartment this morning told my sister that she doesn't think my mom will be leaving the in-patient facility.

I've been preparing myself for over a year now, but I still can't really describe how I'm feeling right now. All these memories just keep flooding my brain right now.

My sister says mom's starting to see things that aren't there and that when she's awake she's in excrutiating pain. At this point, I'm just praying that the end is quick, even if that means it happens before I can get there.

Robert Benchley said that death ends a life, not a relationship. No matter when you go, or where we end up... she will always be my mother, and I know that she loves me fiercely. I just hope she knows I love her just as much.

[terpkristin]

Sorry to see this kind of update, Cam. I was just thinking about you the other day, thinking I hadn't seen much posting from you, and thinking of this thread and thinking things were OK.

Hang in there, I'll be thinking of you guys. If you need anything, let me know, it's not like Ashburn is all that far..

/tk

[Eaglesfan27]

Sorry to read this update, Cam. You and your family will be in my prayers.

[Lathum]

Sorry to hear Cam, your family will be in our prayers

[DaddyTorgo]

Sorry to hear this Cam:(

[digamma]

Robert Benchley said that death ends a life, not a relationship.

This is a really nice thought. Thanks for posting. Will be thinking about you and your family.

[Lorena]

:(

You're all in my thoughts.

[JPhillips]

God bless, Cam. I hope it goes quickly. Watching my Dad die slowly was really difficult.

[MizzouRah]

I'll be praying and thinking about you and your family Cam. :(

[Kodos]

Sorry to hear about your mother's downturn, Cam. I hope she surprises the doctors and recovers again.

[CamEdwards]

Thanks everyone. I'm leaving for Houston tomorrow morning, and am planning on being there throughout the week.

My mom told my sister a couple of days ago that she's ready to die, and as much as that breaks my heart, I understand. She's been through so much that in a way I think it's good that she's ready to let go.

[Toddzilla]

You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. You're the coolest of the cool, and I wish you all the strength you need...

[flere-imsaho]

Sorry to hear this, Cam. I hope everything works out as well (or peacefully) as it can. Best wishes.

[duckman]

Sorry to hear about this, Cam. I hope you get the chance to spend time with her before she passes. I know how upset I was when I learned of my dad's demise because I never got to say goodbye. :(

[hukarez]

Oh gosh - I'm terribly sorry to hear about this, and I hope everything works out for the best!

[Draft Dodger]

I'm sorry Cam

[JonInMiddleGA]

You're in my prayers, along with your whole family.

[CamEdwards]

Just an update... mom passed away a little after six this morning. Surprisingly, I'm not sad.... not even a little bit. I'm so thankful that she's no longer in pain, and though I have no real idea what happens after we die, I can just feel that she's in a better place.

That's not to say that the past week hasn't been the hardest week of my life. But it's been filled with dozens of small blessings as well. First and foremost, I did get a chance to say goodbye. I got to kiss her forehead and hear her whisper in my ear, "I love you, I love you, I love you." I was able to comfort her, at least at first, by singing "Amazing Grace". I saw people who go to work every day determined to bring a little bit of good will and cheer to those who are suffering through the death of a loved one.

My mom lived 74 years, and had an interesting life. There's no reason to be sad about her death, because we're all going to face that sooner or later. The only tragedy in my mom's passing was the fact that it was painful, but now that pain is over. That's why this is a good day, not a sad day.

Thanks for all the kind words throughout the months. I really appreciate it, and I know she would have as well.

[JonInMiddleGA]

God Bless & Godspeed.

[JPhillips]

God bless

[Schmidty]

You and your family are in my prayers, Cam.

[Lathum]

sorry for your loss Cam, i admire the way you are handling it.

[duckman]

Sorry for your loss, Cam. God Bless.

[terpkristin]

Sorry for your loss, Cam. You sound like you're doing alright, stay strong. You guys are in my thoughts.

/tk

[Lorena]

sorry for your loss Cam, i admire the way you are handling it.

+1

Sorry for your loss Cam.

[NoMyths]

You and your family are in my thoughts, Cam.

[Butter]

Sorry for your loss, Cam. Glad you got to say goodbye.

[Kodos]

Sorry for your loss, Cam. At least your mother doesn't have to suffer any more.

[flere-imsaho]

I am so glad you got to say goodbye, Cam. God bless and best wishes.

[Ryan W.]

Sorry for your loss Cam.