Shocking new prognosis for Mom

[lu ann]

Dear Tom, I met many patients of Cancer Treatment Centers of America who were told by their previous oncologist to go home and make arrangements die. They were all told that there was no hope. There was one man I met who had pancreatic cancer. The only treatment he was offered was a clinical trial at one of the big University Hospitals. Noone in the trial survived. He and his wife came to C.T.C.A. where I was being treated. He was very near death. They admitted him into the hospital and immediately gave him nutrition with feeding tube. Once he got some of his strength back they started him on chemo and rad. treatment. He started to come back to life. Noone in his hometown expected him to come home alive. He not only came home, he and his son rode motorcylces from Maine to California. The owner of this hospital lost his own mother from cancer. He vowed that every patient who came to his hospital would get the care his mother did not recieve. His goal was to treat the whole person and give them what his mother did not receive, Hope. God has answered your prayers. You and your mother are so blessed to have each other. You are so fortunate to have this bond with her. So many children take for granted that their loved ones will be around forever. I lost my own mother to cancer, but I have been blessed with a wonderful mother in-law. I can't imagine life without her. I will continue to pray for you.

Love and Blessing, Lu Ann

[Monique M]

Tom:
Praise God for the excellent news. I am sorry you went through so much turmoil but so thankful that you stayed the course.
Blessing to you, your Mom, Linda and Al,
Monique

[michele u]

How awesome!!

[jag]

Very Glad To Hear This Tom....i Am Watching Over My Mother Also...feel Just Like You....sorry To Say My First Thought Would Be To Get A Bat And Go See The Old Oncologist....my God What He Put You And Your Mom Through....god Bless And Ill Say A Prayer For Your Mom...as Well As Mine ....may God Bless Us With More Years To Cherish Them....

[Julie2]

Great news Tom, I am so relieved and very very happy for you.

Julie

[clisa]

Tom;

your message brought me too tears - it was so wonderful to hear the turn in the tide. It's not always easy knowing that miracles exist and holding out for them.

In the meantime we can take your words to heart and alwasys keep pushing for more and better treatment from our oncologists.


Lisa

[Kimberly Lewis]

What a wonderful and horrible experience! It is just perplexing to me why we as patients have to battle for our treatment and care with some Onc's! What a tragedy.... I am so happy for you and grateful to God for your answered prayers....

[sarah]

Tom,
What wonderful news! We're all so relieved and happy for you and your mom. You have always been a source of inspiration and knowledge.
Now we all hope to hear some good news from Al about Linda.
All the best,
Sarah

[BEVIE]

Tom that is wonderful news! Your Mom is so incredibly blessed to have such a loving, wonderful well informed son. I will continue to keep you both in my prayers.
And again it shows the power of prayer and the power and wealth of information of this wonderful site.

[AlaskaAngel]

Tom, I am so relieved to hear that you took in and considered carefully what Lani and everyone here had to say in dealing with the "crisis" of care. But then you always put your very best effort into seeing to your mother's situation.

I am deeply saddened by the tragedy of the following post from another site, and can only echo the statement you and others have already made -- we have to be willing to take matters into our own hands and doublecheck the conclusions that we are given:

"Hello,
I am new to this board. My 37 yr old SIL was dx with Stage 3 Breast Cancer in November 2004. She had a mascetomy, chemo and radiation. Her Drs misdianosed her for being HER negative. She was positive. At that time she had not received any Herceptin. By August 2005 she was having head/back pain. Her dr sent her in for scans. She had 9 tumors on her brain and cancer cells in her spinal fluid. My brother was in contact with drs at MD Anderson. She went there set up a treatment plan. That was when they found out she was HER2 positive. They immediatly started her on Herceptin along with another round of chemo. She started having seizures so they had to add seizure meds along with everything else. The seizures are now under control. The last brain scan they did said the 9 original tumors are gone but she has developed 2 more. At Christmas she was able to walk with alittle assistance. Now she is unable to walk, move herself, or sit. She has lost her hearing and vision within the last 2 months. She is now losing her memory. She has hospice coming to their house twice a week.

I have researched and haven't found any info yet. My family knows it won't be long before the end. We just don't know what to expect. She still eats, drinks and takes her meds. A week ago today she was able to sit in her wheelchair now she can't even do that. I'm hoping someone here will be able to lead me in the right direction or maybe someone has been through what we are going thru.

Any help would be appreciated. "

[Sandy H]

Another reminder for us to be pro active in our care or for family or even friends. I question everything and then I research it afterwards. That is awesome news Tom, so happy for you and your Mom. You are so right prayer is powerful! Now, go out and treat yourself to a nice meal, or something special for yourself. Sandy

[tricia keegan]

Tom wonderful news and well done to you for researching and educating yourself on the best way to help your Mom.I am only beginning this journey compared to a lot of you on this site but have mentally filed your advice should I ever need it in time to come.God bless you both.
Tricia

[jhandley]

Hi Tom
I am particularly pleased to hear your news as I am a strong advocate of Q10 and I know you had your mum on 300 mg a day. Here's a hug from down under for you both.

Cheers
Jackie

[Veronica]

Tom, I am very happy for you and your mother. Some docs think they are gods and we have no rights to question their opinion. Many medical studies show that min. 10% of dxs are simply wrong and second ,third opinion is a must. You proved it and paid for it with your suffering. Once again many HAPPY and HEALTHY years for your mother.
She must feel good having such a loving son.
Veronica
PS I never fail to get second and third opinoin

[Jean]

Tom,
I am thrilled to hear your wonderful news.
So very true - Never give up and always get that second opinion and even
additional opinions...would like to know about your mom's diet...please share.

What a wonderful Mother's day for both of you.
The power of love and prayer - a great combo...

With Love,
Jean

[mamacze]

Dear Tom,

Good and faithful son, you must feel tremendous relief; you give us another reminder that in many ways medicine continues to be an art as well as a science. Tell your mama our thoughts are holding her....
Love Kim from CT

[heblaj01]

Tom,

In the case of an 90 years old lady in my family starting on Herceptin alone, her oncologist stated that if she was to fail responding he would add Navelbine (low dose in view of the circumstances). He also said that DOXIL+Herceptin ( phase 2 clinical trial results recently published) would be an alternate combo though somewhat less gentle than Herceptin+Navelbine .

I also remember a study on a small group of patients showing signs of resistance who were readministered Herceptin: some responded again to the drug.

Finally you can look at what Gina did over the last 4 years: stopping 4 times treatment after a number of IV's when mets disappeared , then resuming IV's when visceral mets returned . She also adjusted the dosage of Herceptin according to the gravity of the mets. This is not exactly the situation of your mother but it shows Herceptin can be successfully readministered in some cases.