Question about my grandmother - she's 96

Options
Hermione
Hermione Member Posts: 2
edited February 2018 in Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer

Hi,

 My grandmother is 96 - will be 97 in December. She takes no medicine for anything and can walk well (for someone her age), wash the dishes, run the sweeper, and play the piano.  Her biggest downfall is that she doesn't drive a car anymore!  Oh her cholesterol is a bit elevated but nothing major.

 A recent mamagram showed something fishy so they checked it out. It is a small stage one breat tumor. This was told to them on July, 16 - yesterday. My mother told me that my grandmother is scheduled to go to the HOSPITAL to have a lumpectomy. 

 Here are my concerns and questions:

If I were 96, I would not want to have a mamagram. At that age, why would I want to know if anything was amiss. I would try to enjoy myself as much as I could. I'm really upset that my mother even took my grandmother for a mamagram. I think it was a really stupid move.  it's like why LOOK for something wrong at age 96?

Is it worth it to put my grandmother through a sugerical operation? I'm worried about all of the bacteria and so forth that are running rampant in hospitals such as Staph, Psuedonomas, etc..When my Grandfather had to be rushed to the hospital at age 84, he got a staph infection and he died. 

2. Can  96 year old take being put under anthesesia?

3. Also, do you think the pain involved after sugery is something that a 96 year old should have to go through?

IF my grandmother goes to that hospital and gets an infection that screws her up or kills her I will GO BALISTIC!!!!!

 I'm thinking she's not 25 so keep her out of the hospital. But my perspective is a bit uniformed which is why I am asking about this.

Please offer any thoughts.

Thank you so much for answering,

Hermione

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • baywatcher
    baywatcher Member Posts: 532
    edited July 2009

    Hermione-

    I agree with you. Your mom obviously thinks different and maybe your grandmother does too. Only your grandmother can make the decision of what to do. But since the mammogram has been done, it is hard to put the knowledge gained from it back on the shelf without doing anything about it. It is too bad that they even give 96 year olds routine mammograms.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • spar2
    spar2 Member Posts: 6,827
    edited July 2009

    I agree it should be up to your grandmother, at her age she has wisdom and knows what she wants to do.  At 96, I personally don't think I would go through all the pain.  What does your grandmother want to do?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • danielli1008
    danielli1008 Member Posts: 4
    edited July 2009

    You and I are in the same boat! My grandmother is 83 and has a tumor 3mm by 3mm. The doctor says its the size of a ping pong ball, and that it can easily be removed. However, I have the same concern, how easy can recovery really be for an older person, and is it really worth it? The doctor mentioned to my grandmother today that if the tumor was not removed, that the cancer could spread and even possibly cause her to have a sroke. It's one of those things tht could go either way.... and I guess it is really up to our grandma's to decide. In my case, my granmother has stayed as far away from doctors as possible her whole life, medications and anything they say, forget it! So it would really be us persuading her to believe that this is the right thing (removing the tumor) but is it really?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mandy1313
    Mandy1313 Member Posts: 1,692
    edited August 2009

    Hi.  This thread is of particular interest to me because my cousin's 100 year old Mother (in December 2008) was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 92.  Because she lives in the UK, the National Health doctors did not treat the cancer in any way....I guess they did not realize that she would live until she was 100.  At 100, she started having some problems with the affected breast...and my cousin now is sorry that she did not insist on a lumpectomy for her mom.  But who would've known that she had the potential to live a good quality of life for so many years.

    And your family members may also have the same chance to live a good quality of life for many more years.  I would say, if they want the surgery, let them have the lumpectomy but insist that it be done under local anesthesia.  There is not much recuperation needed from local anesthesia ( I have had all of my biopsies under local and prefer it).  

    All the best with your decisions. 

    Mandy

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Beyda22
    Beyda22 Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2018

    My mom is 96 just diagnosed with breast cancer. She’s ok but has a heart condition and very bad stenosis of the back . She struggles to walk. First the MD suggested lumpectomies under a local and now he’s concerned about her age and frailty so he’s suggesting radiation. I’m thinking that all this will send her on s downward spiral!! Why can’t I just leave it?? She’s fairly capable now lived alone and relishes her independence Esther

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories