Unravel Cancer: Experiences with family battling cancer: Not So Good Update

16 September 2009

13:12 Not So Good Update

Unfortunately, my mom is in the hospital once again. Fortunately, not for the cancer.

She has had tremors in her right arm, and a gimpy right leg for about 2.5 years now. Many doctors early on thought both of her brain tumors would help alleviate the shaking. But, the symptoms persisted.

Personally, I feel it is related to stress & anxiety, heavily. I noticed many times when caring for her that the tremors were worse when she was scared or nervous about something. But, whether stress & anxiety contributed or not, how does a person get treated for this sort of thing when the symptoms are at such an advanced stage?

At any rate, although initially taking a dip into gloom, with thoughts of what it might be like to attend her funeral some day swirling in my head, this is probably a good thing. It seems like her hew doc in Chicago is not taking any chances, and wants to ferret out the cause of these symptoms once and for all.

Knowledge is power. Although I'm worried for her holding up in the face of a battery of tests, it'll be really good to get down to the bottom of her tremors and create a treatment plan. Without knowing what's going on, there's no recourse for healing, and thus, no hope.

So, I'm deciding to be hopeful today. My brother said this is not an emergency, so there's no need to ride the toboggan of misery on the slippery slope of despair. It always ends up crashing into a pile of unhappy s&*t anyway...

Instead, this is a good opportunity to further advance her healing. She has been in such a strong mood anyway, that probably she's glad to have someone finally pay attention to her other ailments. Last week she seemed pretty feisty in her desire to lay the tremor issue to rest. In a way, her wish was fulfilled.

Even so, for those of you who know my mom, and me, please send your prayers and positive energy her way in the next coming days.

Love & gratitude.

Labels: cancer survivor, cancer treatment, hope, hospital, toboggan, tremors

Breathe.

I'm a 30-something professional woman who's mother & brother were both diagnosed with Grade 3 Astrocytoma tumors within about a week of each other. My mother's tumor is in her brain, and my brother's tumor is in his spinal cord, causing him to lose feeling in his arms & legs. These writings are about my experiences dealing with them, coping, loving them, loving myself, and living my life knowing that they are both dying. I hope you find inspiration and courage from my writings to help you get through whatever is going on in your life.