Liver Cancer Support

Question: How do you support cancer patients? We just discovered that my mum has liver & bone cancer. She is probably gonna take chemotherapy & radiation. My question is how can I help support her & be there for her in these coming hard times. My problem is that I'm not that good in showing my feelings, however I want to assure her that I'll be there for her whenever she needs me. If anybody has any experiences with loved ones having cancer feel free to share your story. Thanks, I really appreciate your answers. It means a lot.

Answer: Really what helps is make her know that you are there for her if she needs you. Whether that may be talking, laughing, or crying. Try and be strong, but don't make it seem like you don't care. Don't treat her differently, act like you normally would, and don't over sympathize, it really does get annoying. Also, for yourself, be prepared for the bad days, but don't think there won't be any good days. Make sure you, and her espeically, are very positive about everything. Good luck

Question: Why are there so much support and donations for breast cancer..? I never hear about liver cancer awareness or anything like that. It's always breast cancer awareness or support. I know it's a good cause because breast cancer is so common, but I think there should be more donations and stuff for other cancers too.

Answer: Well, there's a lot of publicity about breast cancer at the moment because it's October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Without a doubt, breast cancer has the highest fund raising and media profile of all cancers, and I can understand why this issue is frustrating for people with other types of cancer and their families. I agree that awareness needs to be raised about other cancers too.and while I hate 'competitive illness' I can see why there is resentment about an imbalance in awareness raising and fund raising. But ... breast cancer awareness campaigns and BC Awareness Month started as a campaign by ordinary women, many of them with cancer, to raise awareness so that people knew the symptoms, examined themselves regularly, attended their routine mammograms etc. Enthusiastic participation and hard work by women made it grow into something nationally, then internationally, recognised (and then big business cashed in). Any group of people can start such an awareness campaign for any illness. There are other cancer awareness months, ribbons etc; but no cancer campaign has had the sheer hard work put into it that breast cancer awareness has. And it's worth noting that all the pink, fluffy publicity around this time of year has negative consequences for breast cancer patients too - I believe that the whole thing is counter-productive, that the marketing and fund-raising hype surrounding breast cancer, by trivialising a deadly disease, is leading people to believe that breast cancer is a) not very serious, certainly not as serious as many other cancers (many women with breast cancer have been told - by people who don't have it - that it's a 'good' cancer to get) and b) curable. (my neighbour said to me 'they've just about got breast cancer licked, haven't they?' Really? How come someone dies from breast cancer every 15 minutes in the US?) I've even heard it said that it's a ‘fashionable’ or 'sexy' cancer - my sexy prosthesis and sexy scarred, one-breasted body are evidence that it's no such thing. Yes other cancers need awareness campaigns (many have them as I’ve said, but they don't receive so much support – or, crucially, have as much work put into them). I have had several family members die from other forms of cancer But don't lose sight of the fact that breast cancer is a killer disease with disfiguring surgery, gruelling treatments and so far no cure. Just because aspects of BC awareness trivialise it, doesn't mean it's trivial. Thinkingtime is right about the marketing - the pink fluffy nonsense is usually overpriced and mere pennies go to breast cancer charities, the rest goes into the retailers' pockets. And although I've (so far) survived breast cancer, I wouldn't take part in any 'survivors; lap of honour' - I hate that attitude to cancer. Most people who develop breast cancer are are over 50, but 50 is not elderly! Through support networks I have now met hundreds of women who have or have had breast cancer. The majority are aged between 44 ish and 60, with the overwheming majority being in their early or mid fifties at diagnosis. And the majority of most types of cancer occur in people over 60

Question: how can I show support to a friend with liver cancer? What do you say to a friend when she says:? "I can't go through this again" she had liver cancer about a year ago, went through chemo, radiation, etc. We thought it was taken care of, and now it is back- and worse. She is actually on a donor list now. She has said to me twice "I can't go through this again" and I am just not sure what she wants to hear from me. I really want to be supportive, just not sure how. Her husband is a world class jerk- totaly not there for her, and she's not sure she even wants to tell her son (12).

Answer: If she is on the donor list, then that is good. It means that the doctors feel she is good enough to survive the surgery plus get rid of the cancer with a transplant. She will have to go through with it if she wants to live. It's amazing what you can do when you are fighting for your life. I was in the hospital for 63 days with my liver transplant. Most don't take that long. I had complications. I wish her the best.

Question: Where can I buy "Cancer" bracelets or something in support of Cancer?"? I don't mean the zodiac sign either. My mother-in-law died 3 weeks ago of liver cancer, my stepfather died today of lung cancer, and my aunt is currently fighting cancer of the lymph nodes I think and is expected to live thank God. I know that these cancers don't get as much attention as breast cancer or leukemia, so I would like to find some bracelets or something to buy where the proceeds would go to finding a cure for that type of cancer. I want to support some lesser known cancer as well ( I am signing up for the breast cancer 3 day for October of next year so don't think I don't want to support breast cancer too).Hopefully I am making some sense. I appreciate your help.

Answer: I'm sorry for your losses, I to have been struggling this year with people I love that has died,dying and hopefully surviving this horrific disease. My sister-in-law passed away in April with colon cancer at 42, my best fiend has acute leukemia and is only expected to live another month, she;s only 48. My husband had tongue cancer and at this time is recovering from his treatments. So I can relate to your pain and the need to find ways to support Research. There is an organization that I found, that was started by 4 women( 1 had breast cancer and passed) They have many products that all are related to cancer, in turn they take so much of their profit every month and give it to programs related to this subject. www.choosehope.com

Question: Tony Snow's liver cancer? Anyone who has bothered to read my answers and questions knows I am true, dyed in the wool Democratic Party faithful. But what you don't know is I know cancer. I, for one, (one of many, I suspect) put the mundane game of politics aside and stop and say a prayer for Tony Snow' s fight with cancer. He is showing great courage in this fight over this evil disease and needs all our support. (As does John Edwards' wife and the millions of Americans and folks world wide afflicted with this terrible disease.) If you are going to add pork to a bill, add pork (but it isn't pork) in the form of more federal support for cancer research. So fight hard, Tony. We need to see your smiling face back up there.

Answer: It's good to see two people with differing Political Views? Have at least one mutual agreement. I have lost three Familty Members to the varying forms of Cancer. One, just like what Mr. Snow is dianosed with. My Prayers are out for him and his Family. My Hat is off to you, my Democratic FRIEND. Thanks!

Question: We all know that tobaco causes cancer, liquor causes liver diseases.? But is it the right thing to sell all those evil to public in the name of commercialization/ making profit? All governments in the World swears to protect its public while crowning but supports/ never de-promote those people who sell the evil for man kind I feel that there should be one single law/system in the world ( at least to protect the next generations from diseases like cancer,liver diseases,etc) to control the production, manufacturing and selling the consumables to the man kind. are there any such powerful global organizations in the world to protect the future of the mankind. If you know explain me clearly

Answer: What's your point? People constantly do things that may cause them harm. It is not government's place to protect them from their own folly.

Question: Is anyone caring for someone with terminal lung cancer? My mom has terminal lung cancer and is on 24 hr oxygen. It gets difficult at times when I remember how she used to travel and was always on the go. Now there's nothing that she can do without getting short of breath. I'm sad all of the time. I don't know how I can function as well as I do at work. I just go through the motions. My dad has liver cancer and his chemo seems to be working pretty well. Is there some type of support group for people in my situation? I would like to hear from anyone that's experiencing or has experienced this situation,or anyone that can make me feel better. I'm in my fourties and so is my sister. My sister stays with Mom while I'm at work and I take over from there. There's a nurse that comes at Noon on Saturdays and stays there until Noon Sunday. That helps quite a bit.We are devastated.

Answer: God bless you and your family. There is support groups out there, check with the hospitals and churches in your area. I don't think anyone can understand your situation unless they have been there. Good luck

Question: How can I go about helping my stepdad in dealing with his son's cancer? My stepdad is going through a really hard time. His son has been battling cancer for the past couple years. He can only eat liquid food through feeding tubes and has recently had most of his tongue surgically removed. Yesterday we just learned that the cancer has spread to his liver and lungs and will not be curable. The doctors are saying he has just one year to live. This is devastating news for us all. How now can I help my stepdad through this? Is there anything I can do? How can I show him my support ?

Answer: Give him a hug. Be there for him if he wants to talk. If he has tasks to do around the house and he looks like he can't get motivated and you are able to do it, just do it. Be willing to listen when he is ready to talk.

Question: Nexavar...and help with a support group online? My step dad has liver cancer and since there really wasn't an option of surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said he could "try" Nexavar. He him to try it for a few weeks to see how it helped him. His platelet count came up to normal range after being on it for a week, so his doctor told him to continue. The only problem he got really lethargic and sick from the drugs side effects. His doctor also talked about risks with the medicine and one included hemorrhaging. This morning that happened, he hemorrhaged and he almost died. He was projectile vomiting blood and it was so scary. So, I was just wondering if anyone else had a bad reaction to Nexavar. I know anything "could" happen, but it's still scary. Also, I'm so new to all this cancer stuff and seeing what I saw today really really scared me. I've never seen something so bad in my life, do they have any online support groups for cancer victim's family?...I'm sure they do, but could someone point me in the direction of a good one. Thanks.

Answer: My dad, age 60, was diagnosed with liver cancer (a hepatoma specifically) in August. We used the Nexavar until last week, and the side effects were awful and the tumor kept growing. He also started getting extremely high levels of amonia in his blood, which caused him to become delusional and required hospitiliziaton for at least 5 days each time (8 times in about 13 weeks), while they rehydrated him. My mom died December 1, 2008, so I don't know a whole lot of the details from the beginning of the treatment, but I know that since stopping the Nexavar, he is slightly stronger and more alert. He also recieves regular blood transfusions to keep his platelet count up and to keep him stronger. HIs prognosis at this point is only about 3 weeks, but they'll be better than they would have been on the Nexavar. Its normal to be scared. Don't worry about making mistakes or trying to do the right thing....its all about making your step dad comfortable, making sure you consider his wishes and keeping a positive outlook, even if you know bad things are going on. Try Gilda's Club for a support group, theres one in every major city in the US and their online. Or email me. We can support each other.

Question: how long can a cat live with liver dysfunction? My cat has a mottled liver and i have declined a biopsy as i wouldn't go down the chemo route if it is cancer. She doesn't like the liver support diet she's been put on and i gave up on the hepatosyl capsules after day 3 as i was being clawed each time and she was getting very distressed. She's a 10 year old persian and I just want her to live a quality life, although I also don't want to put her in an early grave. I am thinking of giving up on the liver support diet and just letting her eat the food she loves (royal canin persian 30) and enjoy what ever time she has left. Am I sending her to an early grave if I do? She's my baby and I am in such turmoil as to what is best for her. I strongly believe in quality of life rather than quantity. Advice welcome, thank you.

Answer: I'm going to recommend you go to YahooGroups and join up with the Handicats group there. The owners over on that board have cats with all sorts of problems, and at least several have cats with what your cat has and can offer you suggestions. Hearing from owners who are going through the same thing as you can give you some options you may not have thought of.

Question: Would you support your husband in donating part of his liver to save his son if you didn't want him to? Jack and I have been married for about 3 amazing years now and are both in our late 20's.He has a 7 yr old boy from a previous marriage which ended when the wife died of cancer 6 years ago.My step-son is the sweetest and most loveable kid in the world and I absolutely adore him.He's gotten sick and needs a new liver for which his dad is a compatible donor.My husband is determined to donate part of his liver and save the child but I can't for the life of me support it because I could lose him.We've been fighting about this for weeks now and I've threatened to leave him if he goes through this leaving him incredibly conflicted as he adores me and our life.How do I convince him that if God wants him son dead,he should just accept it?He made vows to me promising to put me and my needs above all others.How do I make him see? BoSox27 - This isn't my account , it's my sister's which I'm using with her permission.

Answer: Children always come first! How insensitive can you be. This is his sons life and with out this he will die? This is his decision to make not yours whether your married or not. If I were him I would leave you. I'm sorry if this is rude but think about what your saying. My prayers are with both him and his son!

Question: I would interested to know how other people are dealing with the type of cancer that they have? I was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer of the liver in December of 2004 and I just recently had a needle biospy of my left breast done in August of this year and I have to meet with my cancer doctor on Sept. 6th for options on what else has to be done. I have been handling everything with a grain of salt since I have a younger sister that has had many different kinds of cancer since March of 1984 and we are each other's support system. I worry more about my husband because he lost his first wife to cervical cancer back in 1986 and this has been very trying for him. Any suggestions that can help us in coping with everything that has been going on lately would be greatly appreciated

Answer: First and foremost educated yourself to each and every cancers you & your sister are dealing with !!There is a magazine put out by oncologist called" CURE"and if don't have one ,or hasn't seen one at the Doctor's officeyou can go online and get them for free.And I would stress look at the hospitals that specialize in your type of cancers and see if you can go and get a consult with them..And look at Clinical Trials, they have the most up to date not yet available to the public testing and you can be compensated in most cases.I know your husband must be afraid of losing you to cancer but great discoveries have been made since 1986 They even have a vacine for the STD viruses that cause cervical cancer(all sexaully active girls & women should get one unless you have had yours removed)Try to keep a possitive outlook and PRAY for yourselves and others going thur it and the ones that will be told they have it Make humor apart of you daily activities and meet with other people going thur this.Helping others will help you take your mind off your problems.And don't just take your Doctors word for everything they aren't GODS and quote satistics and human being and there fighting spirits are so much more !! Get cancer updates from the many reliable cancer organizations and GOD BLESS you & your sister,&Good Luck.

Question: Spiritually speaking: I need advice about Cancer and death.. Does anyone know what to expect from :? a patient going through liver cancer treatments? Physically and Mentally. Especially ones that believe they will not out live the treatments? How do you support someone in that situation if they are a family member? What would be the best things to say or not say? Is there a site where I could learn about this? I know there is a category for this but I like it here because I hope I can also get some spiritual advice also. Thank you all so so very much and just so there is no confusion it is my grandmother. Please do feel free to pray for her to have the least discomfort as possible to any God you may believe in. Thank you all again.

Answer: Honestly - while there are some similarities in the process as far as dealing with the disease and treatments with many types of cancer - a lot of it directly relates to the individual with the cancer, how they feel about themselves and their lives, the amount of support they receive from family & friends, their attitude and willingness to fight for their lives. When you put together all the variables, it's a very individual thing - each cancer patient is different. If someone has nobody to lean on or they are depressed and mentally giving up on themselves, they are likely to feel even worse physically as well. My Mom went through a 6 year battle with lymphoma cancer. She had a positive attitude and a good support system, so even through the rough times, she did pretty well through most of it. Unfortunately, such an aggresive cancer combined iwth age does eventually win and she passed away earlier this year. But she had accepted it by then and had no regrets. She was 76 when she passed. On the positive side - it was thought she wouldn't live past mid 2002 - but her will to live and her positive attitude along with the work of her excellent doctors and nurses gave her 6 more years - though she had a couple of relapses and had to go through a couple more rounds of chemo - most of the time throughout those 6 years were pretty good for her. One of my best girlfriends was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer a couple years ago, and was told by a jerk doctor with no bedside manner to enjoy her birthday that year as it would likely be her last. While she went through some depression, she didn't give up. She's alive and well and cancer free now. The treatments and medications to take the edge off the side effects have come a long way. My Mom would feel pretty well the day of and the day after a treatment, but then would have a couple days where she just was tired and kinda felt like she had the flu. She'd rest up for a few days and then she'd be fine till a couple days after the next treatment. Her treatments were spread out every few weeks she would have two days of treatment - so we're really only talking about a few days a month that she was feeling kinda crappy. (My friend expressed that her experiences were similar.) Cancer is a very difficult thing for both the patient and his/her loved ones to go through. And there's a fine line to teeter on when dealing with a cancer patient who is a loved one - sometimes we tend to try to be over-helpful and too supportive of that patient because we love them so much and we feel so helpless, so we overcompensate because we don't know what else to do - and that can drive the patient a little nuts too. Try to keep that in mind. (I know this from experience - after awhile, my friend gave me a good what-for because I was overcompensating with her. And my Mom would get frustrated with my Dad because he tried to do too much for her, and she wanted to do things for herself when she could rather than just sitting around doing nothing all the time.) As far as spiritual advice - again, that would depend on you and your family's spiritual views. My Mom and my friend were happy to receive any prayers, positive energies, and simple well wishes from friends and family regardless of their faith. But there are some people who feel that stuff doesn't help them at all. Here are some articles/websites that may help you. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_4_1X_For_Spouses_Family_and_Friends.asp http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/MBC_4x_CopingCancer.asp http://www.hopeguide.org/TopicCMD.jac?topicID=10486 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer-diagnosis/HQ01306 Blessings.

Question: How do I help my friend with a second opinion relative to her Stage 3+ breast cancer?!?!? A very close friend was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. You should know it is in the lymph nodes. She had tests completed, but we were not able to get the results for one reason or another. Then the physician left the country and went back to India for personal reasons. Nurses stated they could not provide us with any information and we needed to wait for Dr to come back. My friend just received a call Sunday evening from the physician stating that he wants her in for more tests (one is a "pet scan") because her test results showed she may have a spot on one lung and on her liver. We live in the Cleveland, Ohio area. I do not want to stay in her current network for this opinion given the above. The Cleveland Clinics is the best. Do you have any idea how we can get this diagnosis out of network? Standard cost for 2nd diagnosis? Any support groups that will help? I've searched internet and sent emails. Time is of the essence. In advance, THANK YOU FOR ANY GUIDANCE!!!!

Answer: I'm sure the Cleveland Clinic will have something set up for situations like this... Here is the link for second opinion info- it can even be done over the phone! http://www.clevelandclinic.org/gps/secure/appts.htm Also, John Hopkins has a second opinion program: http://www.hopkinsbreastcenter.org/services/patient_care/services.shtml Their website is an excellent resource. Lastly, The OSU James Cancer Center in Columbus is excellent... Dr. Charles Shapiro runs the breast cancer division. http://www.jamesline.com/ Good luck-

Question: Should I become a pediatric oncologist? My boyfriend was diagnosed with primary liver cancer almost a year ago. He recently had a transplant and is doing great. Going through this with him has given me a passion for oncology and helping children. I'm not doing this just because of him, i've been thinking about it for a while. Chemistry and math are my strong points and I have my parents full support. Should I go for it?

Answer: Of course go for it. But be aware it will take an emotional toll on you.

Question: mum has cancer. what now? my mum has been diagnosed with cancer. she has a large tumor on her bowel, a mass on her ovaries and cancer in her liver too. doc are having meetings right now to see what her options are. i am her main caregiver and want to give her the best support i can but what is ahead of me. i need honesty please!

Answer: First off, you are a strong person for being there for your mother...not many people want to step up and take care of their loved ones when faced with something this huge. I'm not gonna lie or sugar coat it, it's hard work. I took care of my Grandmother as her live in caregiver for over 2 years. She was diagnosed with Esophageal cancer and couldn't eat. Aside from her not being able to eat, she only needed minimal supervision...she did the things that she normally loved to do (and thats one of the things they stress the most) and I'd help her with doctor visits, chemotherapy, radiation, testing, pharmacy trips, etc. Aside from the endless hours and hours of waiting for appointments, the main thing is that you are the cancer patients person. You are their touchstone. Above everyone else you are there for them no matter what. And it's a very big responsibility, but it's easy when you love someone so much. And I'm sure you love your mom a lot. Surgery is hard to go through...making sure she's okay in the hospital, talking to the doctor during rounds, staying on top of medications. But thats also why the doctor has you stay in the hospital, the nurses can give you a lil respite and take the helm for a few days after surgery if she's going to have that. Chemotherapy is a tough one. Usually chemotherapy is given at an outpatient center (infusion room) over the course of several hours, unless she's getting pill form. They will set you up in a room or sitting area and your mother will either have a port a cath (which is a central line) or a PICC line (a line in the arm) where the drugs will be infused into. Usually chemotherapy makes you fatigued, nauseus, suseptible to infections, anemic, give you diarrhea, mouth sores, changes in your taste and will prolly make her lose her hair, etc. With proper care, rest, a good diet, and staying on top of her medications, it will help a lot. Radiation is usually given as a outpatient/appointment at the hospital. Beams of radiation is targeted at certain parts of the body and it's given over a short period of time. Usually it's given once a day for 5 days or what your Radiologist plans for your mother. Radiation will also make your mother very tired, give her what looks like a "sunburn" on the affected area(s). For the most part, treatment does not take a long long time. Aside from taking care of my Grandmother, I was just diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Treatment for me was very different. So depending on what the Oncologist and Radiologists think/plan for, will greatly depend on what kind of treatment she will have. Taking one thing at a time will help a lot as you plan for this. Cancer is such a time consuming, draining experience, but, it gives you the strength to do anything. If you can be there for someone you love through the thick and thin, help them, be their support, you can literally do anything. I applaud you for sticking by your mother in her time of need. Check out some of the websites listed below...the one thing they tell us cancer patients is: Knowledge is power...and even if we have no control, knowing what to expect, planning and preparing is something that helps us get back in control. I wish you both the best.