Haven't written a diary since I was a kid, worrying about simpler things than the situation I find myself in today. I know this is a blog, but similar right? 2 weeks ago today I spoke to a doctor who told me my mum has late stage lung cancer! She's been in hospital since the 11th of this month.
Back in July she was complaining of a back ache I really didn't think much of it. Said that she'd probably pulled a muscle at the gym. Always tickles me that at 66 she goes to the gym, go mum!! Didn't see her until the day before her birthday on the 2nd which isn't unusual as I live a couple of hundred miles away. Big shock when I saw how bad it was. Things kinda snowballed from there. She'd already been sent to a physio who then referred her for an MRI, she had a full body scan & they advised her to go to the A&E in queens hospital with a referral letter. She's been there ever since. Have been a complete mess, cried my eyes out, couldn't go to work, feeling guilty about eating, told you messed up right! They found a shadow on her lung which they're saying is the primary cancer & deposits on her spine & in her pelvis where it has spread. She had her lung biopsy on Wednesday last week, she was terrified, I went wiv her & she was pleading that she didn't want to do it. Bawled my eyes out as soon as she was out of sight. She has a chest infection & has been on antibiotics & oxygen since Thursday. They mentioned on Wednesday about her going home, then came the chest infection. They say they're reviewing it today, it worries me that she'll be home on her own, wish I didn't live so far away.
FormerMember
Hi House,
Why dont you get in contact with your Mums Dr and see if he can arrange for the District Nurse to be there when your Mum gets home. Its worth a try and will give you peace of mind. Look after yourself.
Would it be possible for you to contact some of your mum's friends to see if they'd pop in on her and keep an eye out when she gets home? Or like Sarsfield suggested, the district nurse. My dad had late stage lung cancer diagnosed, with secondaries in the pelvis, spine and hip bones. He developed pneumonia about a week after diagnosis and we were terrified he was dying of the cancer already. He wasn't, a few days in the local hospital and he was back home, awaiting radiotherapy on the hip bone so try not to panic too much about the chest infection, it's fixable! Being devastated is completely normal, you'd be a worrying individual if you didn't react to news like that, I was completely wiped out, I'd just thought he needed a hip replacement, it hadn't even once occurred to me that his limp could be anything more sinister. The news hits you like a train. I'm so sorry you find yourself here, it's an awful place to be and if I can be of any help, please let me know, thinking of you, Vikki x
Firstly big hugs, when you find out a parent has advanced cancer it is scary, but as the others have said there is help out there. She should have been given a Macmillan nurse to look after her when she gets home also. And I agree with Vikki, lung cancer itself doesn't really give many symptoms (probably why it's so deadly and diagnosed late) but it'll be the chest infection that is wiping her out. She needs good care right now and the strength to get over this, then you'll be surprised at how well she will be when she gets home. I know it's devastating for you, I feel for you, but help is out there and we are here to get you through it xxx
