› Forums › General Melanoma Community › JenC
- This topic has 8 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 3 months ago by
Lori C.
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- January 12, 2011 at 4:24 am
Sherron,
Thanks for asking. Things have been ok. My husband finished 2 weeks of IL-2 and got scans just before Christmas that showed that the treatment was not working. Some tumors shrank but most grew. He has a lot of tumors in his throat and subq's on his face and shoulder, plus some small ones in his liver and lung. He then went in for 2 weeks of radiation to his throat. He finally just started ipi for compasisonate use. He hasn't felt well for a long time and is not eating very well, but I'm most concerned about his morale. He is so down and convinced that he will be gone within the year. Doctors implied last August that statistically, if treatment doesn't work he may have 6-9 months. I don't know if it is this or if it is just his overall fatigue of the cancer or maybe the lack of success of treatment after treatment, but it is hard to be positive. We have had wonderful holidays and support of family and friends and feel blessed. He's working on some things on his "bucket list", and we've been able to have a lot of good times, but the overall mood isn't good. I wish we could find something positive to find some hope. I feel lucky to still have him next to me. I think of you often and hope you have support and are able to take care of yourself.
JenC
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- January 12, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Jen,
What a nightmare. I know how it feels to feel hopeless especially when not feeling 100%. Hopefully the ipi trial will work.
Someone on this board once told me that hope lives in the darkest places.
I wish you and your husband all the best, you will be in my prayers.
Linda J -
- January 12, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Jen,
What a nightmare. I know how it feels to feel hopeless especially when not feeling 100%. Hopefully the ipi trial will work.
Someone on this board once told me that hope lives in the darkest places.
I wish you and your husband all the best, you will be in my prayers.
Linda J -
- January 12, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Oh, Jen, I am sorry the IL-2 is not working. Is he in a lot of pain? Jim could not eat very much either. He had a tumor on the left side of his face, the several along the neck in the back, and the huge cervical lymphnode behind his right ear, then on and on all down his body.. everywhere except the legs., but his main problem was it went to his intestines…He was so sick, yet still so optomistic, even the evening before he passed. He was the ultimate optomist. It is such a hard way to live. I hope the ipi helps some. I am glad you had a good holiday season with family. Is he on an anti-depressant? That might help some. I think Jim stayed positive for me. You are very lucky and forturnate to have him next to you. Enjoy each and every day – make beautiful memories…I am having a hard time, and live hour to hour, and I am still working full-time.
Take Care,
Sherron, wife to Jim FOREVER
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- January 12, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Oh, Jen, I am sorry the IL-2 is not working. Is he in a lot of pain? Jim could not eat very much either. He had a tumor on the left side of his face, the several along the neck in the back, and the huge cervical lymphnode behind his right ear, then on and on all down his body.. everywhere except the legs., but his main problem was it went to his intestines…He was so sick, yet still so optomistic, even the evening before he passed. He was the ultimate optomist. It is such a hard way to live. I hope the ipi helps some. I am glad you had a good holiday season with family. Is he on an anti-depressant? That might help some. I think Jim stayed positive for me. You are very lucky and forturnate to have him next to you. Enjoy each and every day – make beautiful memories…I am having a hard time, and live hour to hour, and I am still working full-time.
Take Care,
Sherron, wife to Jim FOREVER
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- January 12, 2011 at 4:24 am
Sherron,
Thanks for asking. Things have been ok. My husband finished 2 weeks of IL-2 and got scans just before Christmas that showed that the treatment was not working. Some tumors shrank but most grew. He has a lot of tumors in his throat and subq's on his face and shoulder, plus some small ones in his liver and lung. He then went in for 2 weeks of radiation to his throat. He finally just started ipi for compasisonate use. He hasn't felt well for a long time and is not eating very well, but I'm most concerned about his morale. He is so down and convinced that he will be gone within the year. Doctors implied last August that statistically, if treatment doesn't work he may have 6-9 months. I don't know if it is this or if it is just his overall fatigue of the cancer or maybe the lack of success of treatment after treatment, but it is hard to be positive. We have had wonderful holidays and support of family and friends and feel blessed. He's working on some things on his "bucket list", and we've been able to have a lot of good times, but the overall mood isn't good. I wish we could find something positive to find some hope. I feel lucky to still have him next to me. I think of you often and hope you have support and are able to take care of yourself.
JenC
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- January 12, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Jen, I am sorry things are rough.
One thing I wished I had known about with Will is that there is nutritional support that is often offered – I didn't know how to keep his nutrition up well enough. Sometimes you have to be in hospice care to take advantage of this but there must be ways around that. It's not a solution but keeping your strength up is so vital as you go through these difficult treatments and battle the disease.
Prayers and best wishes that ipi does the trick.
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- January 12, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Jen, I am sorry things are rough.
One thing I wished I had known about with Will is that there is nutritional support that is often offered – I didn't know how to keep his nutrition up well enough. Sometimes you have to be in hospice care to take advantage of this but there must be ways around that. It's not a solution but keeping your strength up is so vital as you go through these difficult treatments and battle the disease.
Prayers and best wishes that ipi does the trick.
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