How can I help my aged mother deal with BC and chemotherapy?

Sorry about your Mom and just because she’s 76 doesn’t mean she has an expiration date. People are living longer and BC treatments and life expectancies have drastically improved.

Your mom knows you love her whether you are with her or not. Be supportive and upbeat when you talk to her. Pray for her. Lots of women do fine with chemo even ladies your Mom’s age. It’s not a walk in the park but it’s doable.

Keep the faith.

Diane

My favorite gifts during chemo - soft socks, new pajamas, pretty hats, gift certificates for food - and one I remember most - homemade muffins sent from a friend who lived 500 miles away. Muffins are usually a tolerable food for most chemo patients.

Old or young, I'm sure we go through many of the same emotions when we first find out we have breast cancer and begin treatment. It didn't take much at all to make me feel remembered and loved by friends and family who were far away - a card or even an e-mail or text message that always seemed to arrive when I was feeling my lowest would put a smile on my face and help me get through a rough day. I don't know if your mother has a smart phone, but I'm sure she would love to see photos of her grandson. If she doesn't have a smart phone maybe you could send them to your brother's phone so he could show her. You could make it a fun project with your son to "send love to grandma". Honestly just knowing that someone was thinking of me and loved me made such a difference and I'll always be tremendously grateful to the people who often let me know they cared in the simplest ways.

Denise made great suggestions. My sister lives 2,800 miles from me but she has been the queen of making me feel loved throughout this ordeal with surprise care packages. Since chemo really dries out everything, hand lotion, body lotion, cuticle cream, and lip balms are good ideas. Pretty scarves she can wear if/when she loses her hair, or even if she doesn't. Hard candies can help with nausea, lemon drops are popular for that. Protein cookies to snack on during infusions were great for me. A water bottle so she can stay hydrated during her infusions. Maybe a book to read, or some beautiful relaxing music. One of my most prized possessions is my "chemo blanket", a cozy fleece blanket that I always snuggle with during my treatments.

Does she live on her own, or is your brother staying with her? I think that the biggest help you could give anyone going through chemo is help with meals, That was my biggest struggle even though I'm much younger, and I've heard the same from many other women. Even when she has an appetite she may not have the energy to prepare a meal for herself, and it's important to make sure she's eating well. I don't know if you have something like our Meals on Wheels that delivers cooked meals to the elderly, but I would look into that and other possible meal delivery services, perhaps help coordinate help from her friends. Also you could look into local charity organizations that help cancer patients with other things like shopping and errands, house cleaning, etc.

Hope that gives you a few more practical ideas Sophia, from quick and easy to more involving. What matters most is just letting her know that you're thinking about her and care about her. I wish you and your mother all the best!

Lori

I understand I was put on the pills chemo treatment but you no I feel sick before I took them I prayed and took and I no God will heal me