Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Ask Your Doctor Follow UP and UPDATE on Mom

If you are all saavy enough to read the notes you'll see a comment by Debbie following the "Ask Your Doctor Post." I want to give some follow up to it because DEBBIE YOU ARE RIGHT :)

And for those of you not saavy enought to read the comments - Debbie shared that most doctors don't like to perform the test because it's not reliable.

I did some research on CA125 when mom first told me she had requested it. Since I'm not a doctor please don't hold me to this BUT the CA125 is a test that when used on a cancer patient, can give the doctor an idea of how BAD the cancer is. When people request the test that are NOT Cancer patients (Like my mom when she requested it) the results can be misleading as they may give a false positive.

HOWEVER, in mom's case it was better safe than sorry.

Some other information I read lately talks about Ovarian Cancer as a silent killer because most women don't realize that anything is wrong until the cancer is too far along. This is pretty interesting too since when mom was first diagnosed it was Stage 1 meaning pretty early on. BUT upon further CT Scans, Tests, and the evidence of her organs starting to shut down in the hospital I think her doctors indicated it was more like Stage 3.

As for how mom is feeling....still pretty rough. The good news is that she ate today!!! Nothing tastes good to her (even water tastes metallic). The food she ate was a subway sandwich and she said the MUSTARD and PEPPEROCINNIS were the best part! Not sure how she's going to do the rest of this week because if everything goes as scheduled she'll be up having lab tests tomorrow and then possibly chemo again on Thursday. Keep her in your prayers so that she can get through all the chemo!!!

9 comments:

  1. The obvious aforementioned is clear. If ovarian cancer is a silent killer (which i have also read), than why not include the test at those opportune times when taking blood? Seems like an oxymoron to me. Can any doctors "practicing medicine" out there help us to understand? Think the explaination is just that, "practicing medicine".

    Sad to hear of your rough week Barbie. Can i bring you a case of mustard (poupon?) and pepperocini's?

    Lots of love and thoughts to you and yours,
    debbie

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  2. Thanks so much for this blog.
    I know a little about nausea caused by a drug treatment. I lived on oranges and pretzels for several weeks. You might suggest that to her.I know it is an odd thing, sometimes this works and sometimes that works and you can't even think of the word "food".
    Please tell Barb that if she still wants someone to help her with the podcast issue, I am here and glad to help.
    much love and many prayers,
    Brigid

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  3. Kara,

    Thank you so much for continuing the updates, we really appreciate it.

    Aunt Barb,

    We love you and continue the prayers!

    Love
    Sarah

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  4. Barb, you can think of this awful food problem as "turbo fasting"! The rest of us have it awfully easy. Hang in there! Keep giving it all back to God.

    Love,
    Macrina

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  5. A medical director friend said this about the test CA125. Apparently, in most every case the test would come out positive because everyone has T cancer cells (it is when they go awry that they become a problem). Once diagnosed with cancer the test is used as a baseline to monitor levels. And so, the test can wreak havoc on a patient who really doesn't have cancer and so it is not used for screening.
    debbie

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  6. Anonymous is coming up because i can't post otherwise???
    debbie

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  7. Debbie - to enter your name...where it says "comment as" there is a drop down box. Select name/url and then a new little box will pop up. Type in your name (leave the url one blank)then hit enter. That should fix your anonymous posting going forward :) Thanks for the update.

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  8. Thanks Kara. Got it right now. I am sure other people are having the same problem which is why anonymous is coming up so often.

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  9. Hi, Barb and Kara,
    Just wanted you to know how grateful I am for this blog. I didn't even know what a blog was until now. Anyway, the other Debbie is right about the CA125 blood test. I had it done a month ago when I had my pap and my dr. said the same thing--a lot of positives come back and unnessary surgeries, etc. But I insisted that I have it done because of Barb and mine came back "normal". So on my end I'm passing it on to have the test. Actually it was Mary Barber that told me about it and she's getting it done this month too.
    About the nausea, my best advise is to try this and that,too, and TAKE THE MEDS--to see if that works. Wisdom comes when you just "let go" and let your body or God or whatever you want to call IT, lead the way. I was like you, Barb, in that I didn't like taking meds. But I also learned that I wanted to feel good and if that meant taking meds for awhile , then that's what I would do. This won't last forever!!! There is light at the end of the tunnel!!!
    Also, you might try "ginger". When women are pregnant that's what they take--Trader Joe's or Whole Foods probably would have some tablets or chewy candy or whatever made from ginger. And isn't there a copper or metal bracelet for motion sickness??? Juat a few suggestions.
    Didn't mean to write this much, sorry, but I haven't been in touch for a few weeks. You and your family are always in our prayers. Love you..
    Debbie Moores

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