Newly Diagnosed

Hi  and welcome to the Online Community, although I am sorry to see you finding us and so sorry to hear about your mum.

A blood cancer diagnosis can bring a lot of stress, confusion and many questions on all the family but you will find talking with people who are on the same journey can help a lot.

I was diagnosed with a totally different type of blood cancer (Non Hodgkins Lymphoma) back in 1999 but can understand the issues you are facing with your mum.

Blood cancers like AML can develop very quickly so you will find the family are always in catch up with what is going on and why.

Confusion can indeed be part of how the AML is presenting, as the chemical makeup of her body is just confused....... things will most likely improve once her team can get her condition under control.

Her team won't give her chemo until they think she is in a position to withstand the effects (if any) that could come along. Some of these chemo are rather strong so she needs to be well enough to go through it......... but on the whole very effective.

Lets look for some of the AML folks to pick ip on your post and give you some support.

Thank you for your advice and help. Is there anything we can do besides what the doctors are doing. 

Hi again, at the moment there is not much you can do apart from support her. You do need to have a clear understanding what the next few steps are in her treatment will be and you can only get this information from her team.

This is a challenging time but let’s look for her team to get a clear way forward for her.

Totally agree with Mike, The Highlander

You must ask the team questions as much as you can. They are the only ones that can give you the best advise.

Regards

Nick

Looking back, i understood less than half of what the doctors told me. I would attribute that equally to shock,  chemotherapy affects, fever from infection, and affects of high doses of steroids.

Best you can do maybe is take notes so she can review whatever goes on later.

Good afternoon

Sadly mum passed on at 2am on Saturday. 

She fought hard and brought her white blood cell count down and also her vitals were good. She was stable laughing and in good positive spirit. 

A nurse at the hospital had administered her with the incorrect blood type. And she went into shock and passed on hour later.

Sadly she didn't have a chance to get chemo. 

She didn't get a chance to live life. 

This is a private hospital. But our south African law doesn't help us. They look at her age and her employment and only loss of income and emotional and psychological damages we can charge them. Sadly mum was not working and she was old. 

So they will get away with it. 

Thank you for all the advice at least she didn't suffer a long time with this illness. 

I am so so sorry to hear your new, please accept my heart felt condolences.

Very sorry to also hear about the circumstances surrounding your mums passing, she is at rest and not suffering ((hugs)) coming your way xx