mom diagnosed with idc

eidolon

received news from my mom today that she has idc. so far, I've gone from crying to being optimistic to crying and on to don't know how to feel or what to do. I've been praying about all this since she told me she was going in for a biopsy. she goes back next week and will possibly have more tests done. no idea as to stage. mass is about the size of a nickel. we live in different cities and she's very independent. she says she's staying positive about it all. i'm trying to, but struggling with it and very selfishly feeling alone.

Moderators

Eidolon-

We want to welcome you to our community here at BCO. We're so sorry about your mom, but we hope that you both find the support and information you need here.

We know it's a lot to process, but try to take it one day at a time, and don't panic. Your mom was just diagnosed, so there is still a lot to be learned about her cancer and diagnosis, as well as her treatment plan. It is still hard to reconcile, so do take some time and feel sad and angry and any other way you need to feel, all of those feelings are perfectly normal and not at all selfish!

You might find it helpful to read through our IDC Forum to learn more about this disease, and try to get a handle on what to expect in the coming days and weeks. Our community is here to answer any questions you might have, about your mom's cancer or treatment or how you're feeling through this all.

Please keep us posted on how it's going, we'll be thinking of you and your mom and look forward to seeing you on the boards!

The Mods

Moderators

Dear eidolon,

We are just checking back to see how you are doing?

The Mods

eidolon

hi, thank you for taking time to respond and ask how things are going. mom went to see her surgeon today, they will be doing a lumpectomy as well as removing some lymph nodes to determine stage. following that she is going to have 5 days of radiation therapy and hopefully that will be the end of it.

as for me, I still seem to have a case of the sneak attack freak outs. one minute i'm at peace with everything, the next i'm yelling at my 20 yr old (who is yet to be informed) or on the verge of tears.

moment by moment I guess

eidolon

so, my mom's cancer is stageII. we are getting ready for chemo, radiation, and anti-hormone therapy to begin. 2 of us (her daughters) live 5 hours away, while the other lives in the same town. mom is trying to schedule treatments around the days off my sister who lives there will have. i will be driving down to help and overlapping 1 day off so my sister can take breaks when needed. all in all, mom will only have someone to help her 24 hours for 4 days after each treatment. i am hopeful that this will be enough.

SweetHope

eidolon, What lovely daughters you three are. Please let us know the size of the tumor and if there were positive nodes. Also, did she have an Onco type test performed on the tumor? All this info will help us help you.

Here is a look at what I experienced with Chemo. My DH and 2 DSs disinfected the house in preparation of chemo hoping to minimize germs. For the first chemo session, the staff requested that someone stay with me at the center. The total session took about four hours. All other sessions, I was able to go by myself. I was pretty hyped up on the steroids for the first day of each infusion, so I got a lot of housework done. Day 2, I drove myself for my Neulasta shot. By Day 3, I crashed and slept for several days, with a lot of bone pain. That is when your DM will need your support most.

The nausea meds, both by infusion and pills worked well. But, the meds can cause sever constipation, so keep your Mom supplied with lots of water and juicy foods (mandarin oranges, jello, well-washed grapes, etc.) After about Day 7, I was pretty much back to normal, but still craved the juicy foods...ice cold. And protein is so important during Chemo. (I grabbed a big, juicy cheeseburger on the way home from each session.)

There is so much more information in the Chemo forums here at BCO. And I hope your Mom or you join the "Starting Chemo in August" group, or any other group that interests you.

This journey is so overwhelming at first. But someone gave me great advise when I was first diagnosed: "Don't go there, 'til you get there." It truly helped me stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself.