Please help/respond.

[Toni01915]

Hello,

My mother-in-law was told yesterday by doctors that they can't do anything further for her.  They are going to proceed with the radiation on her brain to make her more 'aware,' but cannot move forward with chemo because her blood/bone marrow is too weak.  The cancer hasn't spread - except to the brain.  

Doctors won't give us a timeline and trust me, I understand why.  But, for the sake of my partner (her daughter), can anyone offer any guidance?  I thank you for listening and responding in advance.

Best,
T

[Angie_Lou]

I wish I had guidance you are looking for you.  I respond because I did not want you to feel dispare from us.

I commend that the doctors haven't given you a timeline...they are not God.  No human has the right to put a timeline on us and years ago a doctor did just that to my mother (breast cancer.)

She was the strongest person I knew (even to this day, 22 years after her death), and fought her cancer even when she was at her worse, but an idiot doctor broke her will to live.  He looked at her chart and said, "I give you a year to live."  My sister and I weren't even with her when he said this to her.  It was the "doctor on duty" in a ward at the hospital that wasn't where she normally was hospitalized, but the ward that she normally stayed in was overcrowded, so it was the only bed available.  This doctor had the nerve to make that comment to her around midnight.  It's possible that she asked him, but he still did not have the right because he was not her acting doctor.  She waited till the next morning to call my sister to say, well, I only have a year to live.  Mind you, her oncologist never gave up hope, but when my mother was told this by "a doctor", she believe it.  As God as my witness, that is all she lived almost to the day that idiot doctor told her.  Her strong will to live was truly broken by that doctor and I wish we had the knowledge to sue him.  So, please make sure the doctors don't offer a timeline, even if she asks.  Don't let her will to live be broken.

I was dx with OC this spring.  I'm in remission so I don't know how much guidance I can give you.  I know for me, the power of prayer, the strength God has given me to fight this, and the support I have gotten from my friends and family, has kept me going.

If your mother-in-law's blood/bone marrow is very low, do research and seek advise on what to do to keep her body strong.  I'm not sure if what I've done to keep myself healthy will help her, but her body needs to stay strong with every treatment she gets, whether radiation or chemo.

If her iron is low, feed her with foods that contain the most iron.  Oddly enough, one website my friend passed to me showed that only 3 oz of clams contained more than the daily allowance needed by woman.  Oysters were next on the list.  I love both of these, so it wasn't hard for me to do.

Although I don't take omega3 supplements (try to get as much as I can from fish eaten), your mother-in-law may want to try this.  Again, I love sardines, so my omega3 comes from a can every other day or so.

I take a liver health supplement...main ingredient is milk thistle.  I know this does not help with blood issues, but keeps my liver healthy.

Glutamine powder helps keep the muscles strong and helps with numbness, too.

A Probiotic Complex helps with digestion.

I also take a supplement called "Max3" sold at Whole Food chainstores.  It has IP-6 & Inositol, plus Maitake & Cat's Claw.  Basically it supports the immune system and intensifies the natural killer-cell activity.  I know this sounds contrary to what Chemo was doing to my body (Chemo kills all cells), but I am in remission after my Chemo and I was taking these supplements even during my Chemo.

My doctor was not adverse to any of the supplements I took.  So, all I can say is help your mother-in-law to keep her body as strong as possible while she is in treatment and keep support her will to fight this battle ongoing.

Although I have not looked into it, someone told me of natural healing.  You might find it on the web by googling Huxley.  I haven't done this yet, but plan on it soon.  I am keeping all my options open while I have the strength.

I believe, the treatment will take care of the cancer in her brain, the right foods and supplements will help her body keep as strong as possible and your faith and support will help her (and your partner) with the emotional roller-coaster you all are riding on these days.

My prayers are with all of you.  Angie

[Angie_Lou]

I forgot something.  Jason Winters Tea sold at healthfood stores.  go on their web and read about it.  I couldn't drink as much as they say to daily, but did the best I could in the beginning.  Now, I just drink it like a normal tea.

My best.  Angie