BFC Servings Reminder

BFC Servings Reminder
15/6 = 15 grams sugar/6 carb servings
Carb serving (no more than 2 per meal)
5 grams - 20 grams = 1 serving
20 grams - 40 grams = 2 servings
Eat no more than 40 grams carbs and 5 grams sugar per meal!


Saturday, August 18, 2012

Bad News

Hi everyone!  This one's not so much about the BFC and is a bit of a downer so proceed with caution.

I got back from West Virginia on Friday afternoon.  I had been to see my mother in West Virginia to see what was going on with her, health-wise.  When I got to the house she was on her couch with her right arm sort of curled up on her lap.  It turns out that her right arm and hand will not respond to much of her brain signals and her right leg was getting ready to follow suit and that is why she is falling so much.  Well, I loaded her up in the car and drove her to a top notch medical facility over the border into Virginia, about thirty minutes away.   I took her into the emergency room and told them I suspected she may have had some kind of a stroke.  They took us back right away.  After many exams, IV's, blood pressure readings, a chest scan and two CAT scans (one with dye and one without) the emergency room doctor came in looking very grim.  My mother, he said, appeared to have a spot on her lung, liver and a few spots in her brain.   He said a biopsy would have to be done but they were 80% sure it was cancer.   This is the first cancer ever in our family as far as I know. 
I was able to take her home that night and bring her in for her biopsy the very next day, so she didn't have to spend the night in the hospital.  The next day they did a very easy biopsy of her liver because it was the easiest to get to.  The day after that we met with the oncologist, who my mother really seemed to take to, and got the news that she has a stage four lung cancer that has moved to the liver and brain.  Not good.  They want to start radiation treatments on her brain starting Monday and see if they can shrink the tumors enough to get her leg and arm to work again.  Apparently the swelling in the brain is causing the problems with her motor skills as well as the irritability she was experiencing at the beach.  After two weeks of daily radiation we will all meet again to see if there is any point in going further.  It's not curable but we want to get as good of a quality of life as we can for her for as long as we can.
  
As you can imagine it's been pretty emotional for me.  I took care of her until Friday and it was very difficult because they live in a two story house and her room and shower are upstairs.  I had to come home on the weekend for my boys and my dad said he did not feel comfortable trying to maneuver her up the stairs by himself and rightly so.(he is 77 and is going through cataract surgery right now, one eye done, one not done)   The brother I hardly ever talk to (a tale for another time) said he and his wife would let her stay at his house for the two weeks of radiation treatments.They live about twenty minutes away from my parents if you take a rather treacherous mountain road and then travel into the middle of nowhere.   They have a first floor room in their house with a bathroom that she can use.  Having really no choice on such short notice we moved her over Thursday night.  My poor Mom did not want to go but everything was so rushed that we really had no other options that quickly.   On Friday morning I called from Dad's and checked on her, made my Dad breakfast and then drove the two hours home.  When I got home my brother's wife emailed me with her schedule and asked if I could watch my mother at the end of October as they have plans.   I was so mad!  She is only supposed to be there for two weeks until we can come up with the best options for her and my sister in law and brother are already planning her end of life details at their house around their schedule.   I had a mini breakdown and then pulled myself together and called my brother and told him he and his wife can not make decisions without consulting the rest of us (my dad, my other brother and me) and also his wife, though I really appreciate her help right now, needs to let us kids and my dad decide my moms options without her.  I think I got it straightened out without too much resentment on either side.(well mine is pushed down inside me). 
I'm hoping we can convert my mom's dining room into a makeshift bedroom and I can come up and get her from my brother's house and let her stay in her own house for maybe three days a week and then take her back over to my brother's before I have to go home again.  That way she will be where she wants (her own home!) at least some times, and my Dad will be with her and not be alone.   Really though, its too early to make plans since it all depends I guess on how the radiation treatments go.   I'm heading back down to my dad's house after my older son's 21 birthday tomorrow.  I will be picking up my Dad and taking him with me to meet my mother at the hospital for her first radiation treatment.  I want to give her as much support as I can.  My 17 year old is going with me and we'll stay for a few days before we have to come back home and get ready for the first day of school next week.
 
So that's it.  I hope you guys don't mind that I put this all on here and it is so not diet related.  However, speaking of diets,  I'm not looking forward to what my weight will do with all this stress, but it's obviously not a priority right now.  Writing this down has been oddly therapeutic.  I will probably be on the blogs sporadically, and will write when I can.  It actually feels good right now to go through the blogs and start to take my mind off everything else.  My mother smoked for about 45 years before she quit 5 years ago.  The doctor says it's a myth the the lungs clear up after so many years of not smoking.  So I will leave you with a warning:  Please don't smoke and if you do, please try to quit so no further damage is done. 

12 comments:

  1. Oh Beth, I'm sorry to hear such sad news. Hugs to you and your family. We look forward to hearing from you whenever you are able to pop in. Praying for your family.

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  2. Gosh ... what a week (I've had my share of sad stories here too). I'm so sorry Beth. My mom and aunt cared for my grandmother in her home while she had pancreatic cancer ... I know what a task that can be. Thinking of you - please keep us updated as you are able.

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  3. Beth I am so sorry about your mom. We will all keep you and your family in our thoughts.

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  4. Beth, I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom! What a big blow, we are all here for you in any way we can. You are in my thoughts and prayers. I agree with you about smoking, it's terrible and it makes me glad that my hubby and myself have never smoked.

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    1. So sorry to hear the bad news. I'll keep praying for you all..

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  5. What a horrible time for you! We will be thinking of you and praying for comfort.

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  6. Oh Beth, I am so sorry:( I can honestly say that I have been saying prayers for you and your Mom. Families are stressful and I hope everyone realizes the importance of your Mom. When my brother kicked me out of the hospital when my little sis was sick, he didn't do it to protect her or make her feel better, he did it so he didn't have to deal with me. I will never forgive him or consider him family. I do know that blogging about things helped me because I could say what I was feeling to people who were out there to support me. You will need that from us and I hope you use us to feel better!
    I wish I could help you through this time. Just don't forget to take care of yourself too! Blessings my friend!

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  7. I am keeping you and your family in my prayers. Stay strong and know we are here for you!! Sending love and hugs and prayers too. XO

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  8. Beth, I am so sorry to hear about your Mom. Be strong, I'll be thinking of you and your family.

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  9. Thank you all for your warm and supportive comments. Thank you also for all your thoughts and prayers. I'm heading back down this morning to pick up my Dad and take him to Mom's first radiation treatment. Will be back Wednesday. My son is going with me for a little support. Kay is right that blogging is helpful and I appreciate you letting me vent here. Hugs back to all of you!

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  10. Hi Beth. Im so sorry to hear this news. My mom has battled ovarian cancer that rears its ugly head from time to time & she has to go through chemo again & its not fun so I do understand the stress you are feeling. Sending you a hug & prayers for you & your family ~wish I could do more than that. Please keep us posted. Im going to try to get back into blogging again. I have missed you all. :)

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    1. Thank you so much Sherri, I'm so sorry your mom is battling ovarian cancer. Cancer is an ugly disease no matter how you look at it. Glad you're thinking of blogging again, we've missed you too!

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