General Chat

I'm going to be away for the better part of a week starting probably on Thursday, so just thought I'd submit my notice. ;)

Not a "vacation", and not a vacation. One of those trips you should make more often, but wish you weren't making in the present circumstances.

My mum and my (almost middle-aged) little sister and her family live about 6 hours from me. I don't visit nearly as often as I should.

Three days before I went off to frolic on roller coasters with No.2 in late August, my sister -- she's 42, lifelong nonsmoker and vegetarian -- told me she had colon cancer. It's now been determined to be early Stage III. At 7cm (nearly 3in), too large for surgery, so she'll be starting chemo and radiation very soon, in the hopes of shrinking it. And hey nonny, the fun part is -- she won't tell my mum yet.

She was going to when she had something more definite to report in terms of treatment plan. But then ... my mum got sent for a scan because she'd been nauseous with abdominal pain all summer ... and what joy: large mass behind aortic artery in her abdomen. Scheduled for biopsy next Monday.

So here's my mum, getting increasingly crotchety with my sister as she waits for her biopsy, and my sister walking around with a chemo kit attached to her, not having yet told my mum anything about her own spot of bother. When she starts the 90 minute each way trip on the shuttle bus to the big city hospital every day for the radiation, I guess she's going to have to tell my mum. But here I'll be this weekend, not able to say anything. Aaargh. And knowing exactly how guilty my mum is going to feel for being snappish with my sister all month.

My sister's two pre-teen daughters are slowly recovering from two years with Lyme disease ... and her partner is just in the process of sickening badly with it (we assume, my sister now being one of the world's leading experts on Lyme disease!) while he waits to see the specialist ...

Actually, my mum's GP is apparently optimistic, even though his educated guess at present is lymphoma. Neither of their cancers (if my mum's is cancer) seems to have spread.

Just to make it all about me -- the best part for myself is that apparently my sister's cancer is likely to be genetically related to the melanoma that did in my dad 5 years ago, having spread to every bit of his body before anyone knew (and the melanoma my brother had successfully removed from his leg 6 months later) -- or would have done in my dad if the also inherited coronary artery blockage (that did in his father) hadn't got him a few weeks early.

There are some bits of family history one could really live without ... cancers and coronaries being at the top of my list. Give me unmarried mothers and convicts any day.

So that's where I'll be. Sitting in my mum's wee little senior cits' apartment eating Miss Vicky's potato chips and watching Coronation Street! Actually, my mum isn't a crotchety old lady, she's a cool dude, so that part's just fine.

But if anybody has any more tributes to my wit and charm and genealogical brilliance they'd like me to pass on to her ... well, they'd make a sick old lady so happy. ;)

Am thinking of you and yours,

Take care

Shimmer

You could tell your Mother that I think you have an incisive wit, methodical research abilities, excellent command of the English language and.....................





















you don't have teeth you have fangs!

Will that do?

Sheesh! Talk about being hit from all sides. I am sorry to hear of your family ilnesses Kathryn and wish you all luck. You have my admiration for how you are dealing with such a dreadful time.


I won't send you a hug but all my best wishes and thoughts.

Susan
x

Janey, thinking of you,

take care x

Thanks Shimmer. I know we all do feel pangs of fellow feeling when we hear of one another's pains.


SueM, she knows. ;)

I peeved her enormously this week by putting some extra cash on her visa card via on-line payment (I'm using hers at the moment ...) so I told her to use it to take her three girlfriends who are visiting from the old home town this week out to lunch on me. And that if *they* wanted to argue with me, they were welcome to give it their best shot. ;)

I'll second that sueM
If your Mum and sister are like you they will be fighters, that hopefully, will stand them in good stead.

Take care and come back soon.

Ann
Glos

Seriously, I wish you well with the visit (it obviously won't be easy)


x

I'm sure your no nonsense attitude will see them through
All the best hope everthing goes well
Jenxx

take care hun and (((((hugs)))))) sorry couldnt resist

cant really add more than others have oh and i second sue m's post lol

xxxx

Janey

I hope that your journey is a safe one.

I hope that you enjoy some quality time with your Mum.

I wish both your Mum and your Sis all the best .............


And if you won't accept a hug - please let me just give you a ............

{{compassionate squeeze of the hand}}

Take good care xxx

see ya chuck x.....

Just tell them not to take it on the chin,,,,,,,,hope we hear some good development on your return Janey,


over the pond wishes,,:}}


EDIT !!====May the fat lady sing a very very long song........

Stray, you'd better go get a tetanus shot now. (But not if you've had one in the last five years!)

Handshakes are good. I like handshakes. Even one of those sort of huggy handshakes, I can do that.

I'm grateful for the well wishes, will pass them on, and the backhanded compliments (PMers know who they are), they're my particular favourite. ;)

I made somebody laugh here, with a tale late one night, when she had recently lost her father and hadn't laughed in a week. Made me proud. So, you guys do the same for me, and you're doing well.

Gotta say though, in all seriousness -- life without my mum isn't something I've ever tried to think about, and don't want to start just now, ridiculously unrealistic as that may be even without cancer entering the picture. Aren't mothers supposed to be immortal or something??

And baby sisters. For pity's sake. What happened to the universe unfolding as it should?

No, no! the back-handed compliments *are* my particular favourite! Seriously! Stop PMing me to apologize. ;)

Dear Mum ... your daughter isn't as bad as they say she is ...

If you can't have a laugh in a thread about yer entire family getting cancer, well what's left for you then, eh?

But I do assure you, I know people's thoughts are genuine, and I do appreciate them all.

Hope it's not too difficult for you, Janey, and that you all manage to talk openly before you have to go home.

*gives Janey a friendly pat on the back*

Gwynne

Careful Kathryn, you are showing your soft centre here.

""throws self on floor
i havent had one since i was 15 aw noooooooo

hav u had your coz if you have i no ill be ok lol

well hey ya new somone was gona do it it might as well have been me

"shakes hand lol

Janey,
Thinking of you and yours
Hazelx

Kay ... were you speaking of me, or my mother? ;)

Stray ... I have one every time I get bit by a stray cat. Seriously! I seem to have a knack for annoying them ...