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Hi Tess,

It seems you have heaping seconds on you plate for sure. Of course you are going to worry and now it is worry x3.

Although I am not in the same situation you are, I think that just by looking what has happened to your family in such a short time that you will be very vigilant and have your health monitered very closely.

This really does suck big time.

Wishing the very best for your family and you.

Hi to you all, I have never put any thing on I hope I'm doing this right, I have gone through the 8 months of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation, now I have to have 1 year of more chemo which is called hercipitin, the chemo nurses are having a very bad time getting the needle in my vein's and are sugesting that I have a port -cath put in, can any one tell me if there is any chance of infection setting in while this is in use for a year. may

Hi Elsie,
Big hugs for you !
My 46yr old premenapausal sister dx'd IDC stage2 grade3.
Your will be instructed about your Port,like don't let anyone access without washing there hands first and they must be trained to access the port. It will need to be flushed but the chemo nurses take care of that during infusion. If you have the kind my sister had everything is under the skin no tubes on the outside at all , it looks likes a small round disk through the skin above your collar bone on your good side
Since you are Her2nu+ there is whole thread for the her2 ladies supporting each other here . Good luck sweetie I have read some very good things about this medication.

You won't have to be stuck all the time and they can even do blood draws from it. My sister was happy to have hers .

Carrie

Tess,
Sometimes it feels you are getting a downpour, and a gentle rain would have been hard enough. My advise is cancer is a journey not a sprint( and you are doing three journies at the same time!). So pace yourself, don't overdue. The easy part about cancer patients is they move slow a lot, so that is a good thing for you. There may be some way to cordinate who needs you when, taking the highest priority first.

I have never been in your situation but I am good at listening, and encouraging. I will put you and your family on my prayer list. My family had it one at a time, which is easier. I am survivor myself so I can tell you how the patients are feeling.

Waiting game is the worst part, so that is very normal. Cancer teaches a patient patience, and the family members learn true fear. Where you are is much harder than where they are! They are focused on beating the beast, you want to fix them all.

Vent here it really helps I promise!

Tess,

My heart goes out to you. I had 8 family members in 7 years fighting lifethreatening sicknesses and I was the primary caregiver for all. It changed me forever and I felt soo tired. I recently found out that my bestfriend has bc. I too am new to this but got some excellent advice on this web page that has already helped me. It is about all I have to offer.

I was referred to two different web pages: www.caringbridge.org and www.lotsahelpinghands.com. The first site allows you to set up a web page to which access can be limited to preserve privacy. This is allowing me to communicate for my friend to her many friends how she is doing and is allowing them to send their well wishes to her. It also creates an ongoing journal for her of this journey.

The second one, I have yet to finish setting up but I wish I had it during those seven years as I was exhausted. This allows you to coordinate volunteers in a pretty efficient method. I say this as one that use to coordinate events for over 100 people regularly. I have high hopes that it will allow us to spread the work out so the exhaustion is not so deep.

Please try to put yourself first some. I know it will be hard but you and your son need it and you can't care for others if there is nothing left of you. I have never had the triple wammy you are getting and have a hard time imagining but one thing I did learn from those seven years is that a support network is essential. I have only logged onto this one for about a week and I have learned a tremendous amount.

Oh...I am not all that computer literate. I do what I have to for work and communication and generally learn by the trial by fire method. That being said, I was able to set up the web page on caringbridge by working on and off today. I worked for about half an hour before work and probably a total of two hours at work (I work for myself..so sometimes I playhooky and then fire myself!)(-:

I will be thinking of you. One step at a time and breathe!

Howdy! Wow, do you have a lot on your plate. I just wanated to offer my help if you need it. I spent several years as caregiver, cheerleader and all-around supporter of my wife, Kathy, who fought metastatic breast cancer for three years. As I told another person today, I have walked in your shoes and had to be the person relied on for positive attitude, good thoughts and being there to support. Although I did not have to do this for three people in my family at once. Anyway, I would be happy to help with any advice, suggestions, shoulders.....whatever you and your family need. Be strong. Stay positive. Laugheter helps. My wife and I would laugh a lot during her chemo treatments. KAthy saif that humor helped immensely. I will be praying for you and your family. contact me anytime.

laryy48