West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Train of Thought => Topic started by: Trauma-san on April 04, 2006, 09:53:21 PM
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Unfortunately, last wedensday, my mom was diagnosed with Cancer. 4 years ago, she survived colon cancer, but refused Chemo... well the cancer returned, and she found out wednesday she has a tumor in her brain, liver cancer, and three spots in her lungs.
Well, which would you think would be the most severe?
My first impression was that the liver wouldn't be all that important (since I know that the liver can regenerate), the 3 spots in the lungs wouldn't be that important, and that the Brian tumour would be catastrophic.
So, I started talking with the doctors, what I found out was startling.
First off, Liver cancer is basically incurable and most people are dead within 2 years of finding it. That's probably what she's got to look forward to....
The three spots in the lungs aren't that big of a deal...
and get this about brain cancer. She has a tumour in her brain, the size of a lima bean, which is cancerous and growing, it spread there from her Colon.
Now, check out how they treat the thing.
They have a procedure called Stereotactic Radiosurgery, where they take a frame (like a helmet or something) and bolt it to your head. They make small incisions in your forehead, and then drill a tiny dent in your skull. It's pretty much painless... they make 4 of these, then bolt a helmet to your forehead and scalp. It sounds horrible but it's not really that big of a deal.
Then, they take an MRI of your brain, with the frame on. This tells them exactly where the tumour is.
Then, they bolt the frame (and your head!) to a table.
They have a radioactive beam that they shoot through one side of your head, through the tumour. It basically sends radiation to every brain cell that it touches...
Then, they move the arm slightly, and do it again... so every brain cell gets a dose of radiation... however, the genius of it is, when they turn the arm, they shoot in a different angle, but through the same tumour. So while every brain cell in your head nearly gets radiation, the tumour gets radiation 100 or 1000 times. The end result is all of the non-cancerous cells get 1 dose of radiation while the tumour gets fried.
Success rate is 90% with 1 treatment, and the treatment itself is painless.
GENIUS. Whoever thought that up deserves some sort of prize or something.
Anyways, I'll let everybody know what happens with the liver cancer and what miracle they try to pull with it.
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sorry to hear about your mum, i hope the treatment helps her.
i didnt know liver cancer was so fatal, and i have heard of treatments for brain tumor's where they inject a small amount of a type of scorpion venom directly into the brain ( it hones in on cancerous cells ), the venom has some radiation (or some crazy jargen) attached to it, and when it attaches itself to the cancerous cell, it releases the radiation... something along those lines. with this treatment no healthy brain cells are damaged..
how they know this works, or how they discovered it, is beyond me..
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I'm sorry about your mom. My aunt has liver cancer and they gave her a similar diagnosis. They told her she has 2 years left, but she's near the end of her 2nd year and doing great, even gaining weight and whatnot. So you never know man.
That procedure you're talking about is crazy. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel. It's amazing how far technology has come. I wish they had this stuff when my grandmother had brain cancer 10 years ago.
I hope the treatment goes well for her.
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i'm sorry bro, good luck to your mom & your entire family on this.
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Well, it's kind of a mental marathon. At first, you're devastated, but then when you step back a little bit and open your eyes, it gets easier. The first thing I noticed was I'm fine... I'll be around 30 or 40 years from now. The only reason I'm feeling pain about it is, it's my own selfishness. I'm upset because my mom is dying, because I won't see her, me me me. In reality, there's nothing wrong with me, I have no reason to be all upset and torn up, I should be more concerned with how she feels. So it's hard to go through, but when it gets bad I just keep that in mind and try not to be selfish, it helps me cope.
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sorry to hear about your mum, i hope the treatment helps her.
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Well, it's kind of a mental marathon. At first, you're devastated, but then when you step back a little bit and open your eyes, it gets easier. The first thing I noticed was I'm fine... I'll be around 30 or 40 years from now. The only reason I'm feeling pain about it is, it's my own selfishness. I'm upset because my mom is dying, because I won't see her, me me me. In reality, there's nothing wrong with me, I have no reason to be all upset and torn up, I should be more concerned with how she feels. So it's hard to go through, but when it gets bad I just keep that in mind and try not to be selfish, it helps me cope.
Iraqis die everyday, get over it.
You're collateral damage.
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Well, it's kind of a mental marathon. At first, you're devastated, but then when you step back a little bit and open your eyes, it gets easier. The first thing I noticed was I'm fine... I'll be around 30 or 40 years from now. The only reason I'm feeling pain about it is, it's my own selfishness. I'm upset because my mom is dying, because I won't see her, me me me. In reality, there's nothing wrong with me, I have no reason to be all upset and torn up, I should be more concerned with how she feels. So it's hard to go through, but when it gets bad I just keep that in mind and try not to be selfish, it helps me cope.
Iraqis die everyday, get over it.
You're collateral damage.
theres always one
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^ the same one.. lol
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No, He's exactly right. People die everyday, it's just as painful for them as it is for me. This isn't about the pain, this is about an incredible medical technique I found out about, that's all. Today, everyone in the world is 1 day closer to death.
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The things they can do nowadays with medical procedures are amazing. A few years ago my father quit smoking because a small laser zapped an area in his brain and he completely lost cravings.
Science has come a LONG way.
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sorry for ur mum,
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The things they can do nowadays with medical procedures are amazing. A few years ago my father quit smoking because a small laser zapped an area in his brain and he completely lost cravings.
Science has come a LONG way.
alot of that is psychological... i doubt they even zapped a laser into his brain... i dont know for certain, but i've seen experiments of this nature..
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I feel for you.
I remember when i was young my mum was ill, so i called the doctor for her and it turned out she had bowel cancer which had spread everywhere, they gave her 2 years and she underwent kemo therapy which is horrible and then she did some experimental drugs which finished her off, she only lasted 6 months from being diagnosed and died just after i turned 13. she was 43, fuck all i can say is the good die young because she was an amazing women.
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sorry to hear about your mum, i hope the treatment helps her.
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alot of that is psychological... i doubt they even zapped a laser into his brain... i dont know for certain, but i've seen experiments of this nature..
You made a good point. Fighting a terminal disease like cancer is just as much psychological as it is physical IMO. At least in the case of my grandma. She went to get a check up because she was feeling fatigued and never had energy. She still did what she had to do, running a day care center and chasing a buch of little kids around all day.
Once she was diagnosed with cancer, she basically quit on life. She just sat in the bed all day depressed about her illness and never really did much about it & refused treatment. She only waited for my little sister to be born because she was excited about seeing her grandchild. As soon as my sister was born, she just gave up and died 3 weeks later. It kinda makes me mad that she just gave up when she could of fought it and possibly overcome it. When youre fighting for your life, you should give it all you got because its gonna kill ya no matter what. I've come to accept it though, it was her life and she made the choice to quit.
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Really sorry to hear about your mum, there are of course alternative therapies also like Homoeopathy and Kinesiology, its very difficult to find Kinesiologsists although perhaps in the states that is different.....as for homoepathy ideally a naturopath or a qualified homoeopath. I think you should pursue every avenue possible. Anyways I wish your mum the best and stay strong for both yourself and for her.
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I hope this all works out... I know how you feel, my mother has severe MS which basically cripples everything and she's getting worse and worse, but shes fighting real hard. The one thing that is fucked up is that I don't want my younger sister to grow up having to worry about her mother being so messed up.. fucked up shit man...
But I hope all this shit comes out better for you man
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I give your mom my sympathy for what she is going through. Peace.
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I give your mom my sympathy for what she is going through. Peace.
i'll pray for her sunday, and yeah technology get crazier every day, my father is a doctor so i'm a bit aware of it
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She went in today and had the procedure done, after it was over there was just two little pricks in her forehead, looks like an enlarged pore or something. Strangest shit I've ever seen, it's like a bad horror movie.
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Good luck 2 u and ur mom. I no how u feel my moms had cancer twice n its likely 2 cum back. Stay strong.
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Medical Technology is amazing. And to think, there are so many other options to be explored. If stem cell research becomes commonplace, many more discoveries can be found.
Also, Trauma, you sound to be coping well. I can't imagine how I'd feel in your situation. I'm sure it helps those in your family to have someone that is strong and optimistic. Those things can do wonders in these types of situations. I hope everything goes well.
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Yeah, when I went to pick her up at the hospital, she was lying in a bed and when I walked in, she had bandages all over her head, and what she felt like saying was "How could you do this to me". So that's what being optimistic gets you.
Anyways, on a more positive note, I read yesterday that they have found a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer 100% of the time. They have also made huge breakthroughs in prostate cancer treatment... but that cervical cancer one is huge. The vaccine hasn't been approved yet, but clinicals are wrapping up with a 100% success rate, hopefully the vaccine will be approved later this year and then we can simple vaccinate every female in the country and we won't have to worry about at least that type of cancer anymore. That's amazing.
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They need to find a cure for prostate cancer. It occurs in damn near 50% of all men. I've read that Lycopene has been linked to reducing the chances of prostate cancer, so I make sure its in my multivitamin. Gotta do those things now that I'm over 25.