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Nurse Penfold
Regular
Joined: 15 Mar 2008
Posts: 10
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 Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:07 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Hi, im TW's wife 
Firstly I would like to thank other users of this forum for the support shown to my wonderful brave husband since his diagnosis (pdj11, I think you are amazing and if I do as well for my husband as you did for yours, id be proud )
TW is currently in hospital fighting pneumonia, I feel so helpless and wish I could do something to help his fight. I don't feel the doctors are not being straight with us, is this a 'bug' or his lung cancer?. We have 2 young children and I need to prepare them if this is bad news. Any help would be welcome. Kind Regards |
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Tera
Experienced user
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Bless his heart. Please send him our prayers and well wishes for s speedy recovery from pneumonia.
As for the doctors, I know some times you just have to grab them, ask them to please talk to you and level with you. I was blessed in that my mom's doctors were very forthcoming with information. But sometimes they simply don't have all the answers. Pneumonia is a build up of fluid in the lungs. It could be caused by his lung cancer or it may not.
I'm sure you are a wonderful support factor for your husband but I also know all to well the feeling of helplessness. I have no doubt you are doing all you can and believe me, your husband loves you for it. The emotional support is a big factor so don't discount it.
TW has one of the most wonderful attitudes I've seen. He is an inspiration. Give him a big hug from me. |
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Nurse Penfold
Regular
Joined: 15 Mar 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Thanks Tera (you also are an inspiration  )
Today TW is much better, he has started responding to the antibiotics and is doing really well. (Must have been that hug  ) Tera, your words give me much comfort and although your posts have made me cry several times (as have pbj11's) mainly because they make me look at what is to come. My husband is my solemate and there is nothing I will not do to make our time as a family a good as it can be. You guys have also shown that you can gain positive things from caring for the people you love even if at times it is heartbreaking.
TW is by far the most wonderful person I have ever met and I have been truely blessed to have spent the last 11 years with this man. We have a saying which we tell our children often: This Cancer WILL win the physical battle but it will NEVER win the spiritial one, it cannot destroy our souls (unless we let it!!).
You guys have proven that 
Keep fighting, keep hoping and never stop laughing!
I am sure TW will be posting again soon. |
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Tera
Experienced user
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:48 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Thank you for your kind words. My mom's battle was short but I felt like there was a lifetime lived in that short time. I was blessed to be able to care for mom. If anything my mom experienced can be used to help someone, I'm glad to do it. The least I can do is what these good folks on this website did for me.....be there and offer support.
I'm so glad to hear TW is having a better day. Please keep us informed. He touched my heart with his bright, sunny outlook on life.
There will be difficult days ahead at some point but it could be a while coming. I'm willing to bet you that this will draw the two of you even closer together. |
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pbj11
Site Admin
Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 614
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:30 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Hi,
Just a quick check in from me. I am so glad to hear that TW is responding to the meds for the pneumonia. What a relief for you! You sound like a great, supportive wife, who also knows that it is our hearts joy to care for and stand by our loved ones during their time of need. You also know that heartbreak will come, but it is good to have reality mixed with your hope. It upsets me beyond belief to see such young people having to cope with cancer. <sigh>
Tera speaks in such wise ways that it hurts to know that she had to travel this path and gain wisdom through such heartache. God never closes a door without opening a window and I've found that to be true even in times of crisis. Little insights and closer relationships are the miracles you find through this disease.
I'm pooped lately and I'm glad that we are all part of such a caring supportive community where knowledge and comfort is given freely to those in need.
May God bless you all and many hopes for good times ahead for all of us.
Please give TW a gentle hug and my warmest wishes.
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.
Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 |
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Traffic Warden
Regular
Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 25
Location: UK South East
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 4:50 am Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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hi there,
just a quick post from one of those bedsidethingymyjobconcontraptions  ,as my wonderful wife has explained it appears the anti bios are starting to kick in. pbj it looks like i'm getting the kitchen sink thrown at me on this cancer malarchy  but it will just strengthen our resolve to fight each stage as it comes
lots of visitors today so will make most of it as i can now do stuff without constant O2 (i'll never take it for granted again that's for sure ) ... and now we have sorted out the ward .. lovely people just no direction at times ... Gerry Robinson ..you owe my dearest a few quid for her part  ...maybe i can have a day relaxing
take care TW |
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brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 3042
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:55 am Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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TW, I do not often reply to your posts because PBJ and Tera and others are doing such a great job in offering their support to your. I just wanted to let you know that I am a great fan of yours. You seem to be so courageous in your fight against your cancer and related problems. I am very inspired as I read your posts. Hang strong  .
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/ |
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Tera
Experienced user
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Oh it is good to hear from you!! And your wonderful sense of humor. Hang tough TW. Glad you are feeling better. Keep us informed.
Man, I've gotta learn your lingo, LOL! This southern girl from Florida has a lot to learn. Oh well, I have a friend from Canada who's teaching me the French Canadian lingo. I learned a schedule for me is a calendar in Canada. I can learn more! I love it! |
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Traffic Warden
Regular
Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 25
Location: UK South East
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:47 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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whoops  , us brits have a daft habit of being a bit blase and presuming everyone understands our lingo sometimes , sorry Tera , it is the world wide wotsit afterall
anyway it's good news if i can progress well over the weekend as the oncologist said i may return home monday/tuesday pending on x rays etc. miss my wife, kids and home like crazy and then we can concentrate on the main issue in hand.
until then you might have to be subjected to a load of old waffle from me as i am finally getting the hang of this handet thingy . it does help if you have the fingers of an aardvark though
will have to plug myself into allnight telly soon so i can drown out the what can only appear to be described as the 'abstract wailings of the lost souls of the Marie Celeste' type noises that you only experience in twilight hospital hours these days .... oh well you know me , i'd only get bored otherwise
take care TW |
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pbj11
Site Admin
Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 614
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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only appear to be described as the 'abstract wailings of the lost souls of the Marie Celeste' type noises that you only experience in twilight hospital hours these days
Oh TW ----
Those are what I call the "sheep" sounds! They sound like the bleating noise. Omigosh -- this is soooo terrible, but my brother and I were sitting on the floor outside of my Dad's room, many moons ago, waiting for him to be brought up from ER to a room. The noises started, my brother raised his eyebrows, I leaned over and whispered "it's the sheep -- they come out at night." Good thing we were on the floor, because we were laughing our butts off. (I know it sounds terrible, but when stress is so thick you can cut it with a knife, I turn to humor. ) Keeps me sane --- or moderately sane at least.
Good to hear from you TW -- and glad to know your wicked (wry?) sense of humor is intact. You have one heckuva wife and I'm glad you two are such a great team. "Team TW!!" There ya' go.
Keep getting better TW and sending hugs to you and your lovely Mrs.
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.
Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 |
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Tera
Experienced user
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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No problem TW, I get a kick out of trying to figure you out!
Since we are on funny hospital stories, I've got one for you I think you'll get a kick out of. I still laugh at myself over this one.
While mom was in the hospital, I'd stay with her until real late when I knew she'd sleep, then I'd go home a few few hours. For security reasons, after visiting hours are over, there is only one way in and out of the hospital....thru the emergency room. From the patient rooms, you go downstairs and walk down this long hallway to get to the exit out from the emergency dept.
Well, it was late one night and that hallway was empty, I mean no one around. I turned the corner from the elevator lobby and went down the hallway. I got about halfway down and there was this cart along the wall, about waist high. Looked like a medicine cart the nurses use. All of a sudden, this cart was rolling up the hallway towards me....no one behind it. I moved over and looked behind me and all around, no one in sight. The cart went on by me.
So I walked around the cart to the backside of it and grabbed the handle to stop it from rolling away and the dang thing would not stop! I said "What the heck...." and hollered out "Hey.....someone.....your cart is rolling away!!" No one came!! I tried again to grab the handles, it would not stop! So, I ran around in front of it to put my hands on the front to stop it from rolling and all of a sudden it stopped....and I kid you not, that dang thing said "Proceeding to elevator". My jaw dropped!
I quickly jumped away from it and it said again "Proceeding to elevator" and took off again, and as I followed, it went up the hallway, turned to corner to the elevator lobby, and stopped in front of the elevators. It then said "Calling elevator" and when the elevator opened, it got in the elevator and went upstairs!!!
Now THAT freaked me out! |
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brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 3042
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Sorry TW, looks like we are hijacking your topic for our funny hospital stories.... just in time for April Fools Day .
OK, I’ll pitch in my funny hospital story. When I was first diagnosed, I was a full-time chaplain at the hospital where I was diagnosed and had my biopsy done. One of my assignments was the Intensive Care Unit. I had been there for 3 years. I was fully integrated into the staff; the staff thought of me as one of them.
After my biopsy, I was placed in the ICU for a couple of days. I am not sure why, but I was on a heart monitor. By the second day, I was OK and ready to move out to the regular oncology unit. One time that I needed a nurse, the nurse did not respond fast enough. So, I disconnected one of the wires to my monitor and rubber the end of the wire against the pad on my chest causing the pattern on the monitor screen to go wild… like I was having a heart attack. I could see the monitor tech responsible for watching the screens for all the patients. She jumped out of her chair and yelled for my nurse. But as she did that she looked over towards me and with fire in her eyes she said: “Chaplain Hawkins, don’t do that. You almost gave me a heart attack . Needless to say, my nurse came soon after that and also scolded me for my prank. I was moved to the floor soon thereafter .
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/ |
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pbj11
Site Admin
Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 614
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:10 am Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Oh gosh -- Tera and Jim have me laughing and laughing. Rolling carts and heart attacks (at least you got their undivided attention)!
I would have been spooked by that cart -- must be some very hi-tech hospital!
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.
Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 |
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Traffic Warden
Regular
Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 25
Location: UK South East
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Good Grief Tera, automated carts , that can be catoragised as an 'only in America' type of scenario
.... anyway back to the nitty gritty report from her Madge's holiday camp .. 6 days (plus 3 lovely canulars  ) of IV anti bios later and i'm feeling much more with it. My gorgeous wife and family have been organising picnics and homework clubs around my bedside to make life more normal and enjoyable whilst in here, plus lots of hugs too , she is an absolute genius at making the best of things, i am truly blessed
....had CT scans today to check possible clots on lung and also for wee check on tumor to boot. had x rays also on chest to assess infection also x rays to hips in respect for some radio on mets as we need to not only be sure of infection before discharge but to have a positive way forward on better mobility before any more chemo starts. DVT on left thigh was big enough for the Tinzaparin injections to need at least a month before taking good hold. That produces a bit of a 'catch 22' situation at the moment but we have learned to be patient... 'slowly slowly catch the monkey' as they say ....
.... wailing on the wards subsiding these days (must of found a drug for it )... and it will certainly help not having to be woken up to a stingy IV drip 
take care all and sleep well TW |
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Traffic Warden
Regular
Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 25
Location: UK South East
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject: Re: Just to say hi |
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Hi again,
hopefully last report from graveyard shift (excuse euphonism )... but am hoping to be home tomorrow ... actually might bugger off anyway whether they like it or not .... but no seriously results of CTP scans show bits of darned clot have broken into lungs which would of explained a lot regarding acute breath problems along of course with infection. As we have found to our frustration is that you literally have to pressurise the docs to release their opinion and then follow up with questions in relation. PBJ, my wife, like yourself wants to be fully aware of ALL avenues as so to provide best possible treatment and has taken things upon herself to liase with our GP (excellent by the way ) to have a consultation with the haemotologist before i am released to discuss transferral over to Wolfarin as opposed to Tinzaparin jabs (not nice as does tend to bruise and as mentioned before is a lot worse for Nurse P than for me  ) as it appears can probably do same job in short/long term and can be closely monitored by blood tests ??... we will find out more tomorrow ... and also discuss filters (although probably not recommended for me)...but if you don't ask the RIGHT specialist, how on earth can we be certain to move on in the right direction ???
.... it appears at times that terminally prognosed cancer patients are given the run around as far as options go , when in fact we can be give a better quality of life if we are given the right tools for the bloody job  ...can't fight the devil with a blancmange !! if you get my drift
... goodish news though as that (at moment ) the little bugger of a tumor on lung hasn't changed much ... so we can carry on to consider more chemo once stable ... also booked in for zaps on hip mets for some pain relief and hopefully gain a bit more mobility....
.. t'anyroad ... tara for now
take care TW ..... still kicking |
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