Please pray for my hubby

Dear fellow Boomers,

My hubby has been ill for some time and has just been diagnosed with cancer. Doctors discovered a mass in his abdomen which has spread to his liver. The mass in his abdomen is pressing on his spine, leaving him unable to walk. He's due for an MRI scan today along with biopsies to see if there are any treatment options.

I'm totally broken. Please keeps us in your prayers.

Mary

Oh, Mary. I am so truly sad to hear that and send you my very best .. always ...

Love, Mad

Prayers and Hugs on the way. Wish there were more I could do.

Dear Mary, I am so very sorry to hear this. Prayers and positive thoughts heading his way and yours. Please take the time to take care of yourself too. I know you are fighting your own battles as well. Gentle hugs to you.

Ana

Oh Mary, I am so very sorry you all are walking through this. Will indeed keep you in our prayers and thoughts. Sending gentle hugs your way.

Mary, this just breaks my heart. My very sincere positive thoughts go out to you and your hubby.

Dear Mary, I am so sorry to hear this news. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband.

Mary I'm so sorry to hear about your hubby. I'm sending prayers your way.

Your Gameboomer family is here anytime, to support you.

joe

Very sorry to read this my positive thoughts are with you and your husband!

Oh Mary, that is very sad news, my thoughts & prayers are going out to you & your hubby.

sorry to heasr this sad news about your hubby. prayers flying your way

So sorry Mary. I know how it is. I just lost two brothers to cancer in the last year.
I hope it's not too late for your husband.

I'm sending positive vibes your way.

Remi. (curly)

I'm so sorry for your sad and bad news MsMercury. Prayers and hugs to your husband and to you.

MsMercury, I'm so very sorry to hear this terrible news. With a cancer diagnosis the fear and grief can be overwhelming and it's impossible to think about anything else.

Do you have anyone close who can help for a few days with basics like cooking and driving to appointments? After my husband's cancer diagnosis I found it really helped to have someone I could rely on nearby, because I was in shock.

Mary, I'm sorry to read your heartbreaking news.

Sending positive thoughts and prayers for you, your husband and family at this challenging time.

Mary - so, so sorry - you're both in my prayers

Rog

MsMercury, our most positive thoughts are with you and your husband. We understand how daunting this can be, having been through it now several times. Even as overwhelming as this is, it's important that you take care of yourself as well during this time.

Take care,
TM

MsMercury, sending Prayers and positive thoughts his way and Please take care of yourself also.

Mary my hearts goes out to you as you face yet another battle in these dark times. My prayers are with you and your hubby.
Love, Hugs, and prayers for you and your family.
Gerry

Mary, sending prayers to husband, you and family in this challenging period

Mary, sending many good thoughts and prayers your way.

Dear Boomers, thank you for all your kind wishes and prayers. Hubby is still in hospital. He's been moved to a Cancer Centre in Glasgow where they discovered a mass which goes the length of his spine so he's been receiving targetted radiotherapy over 5 days for that in the hope it will give him back some mobility. At the moment he's still not able to move his legs very much. He will be returning to our local hospital tomorrow for biopsies, these will be taken from his spine and liver and a treatment plan will hopefully be put in place. He'll also receive intense physio on his legs.

I'm so thankful that he's not in any pain and has got some of his appetite back.

We speak on the phone every day; our son set up a video call for us but hubby found it too upsetting so we'll stick to phone calls. He worries constantly about me although we keep telling him everything is okay. There might be a chance that I will be able to visit him when he comes back to our local hospital.

We don't know what our future holds, we can only take one day at a time.

Thank you again for your prayers, support and friendship.

Much love,

Mary

Mary, an encouraging update ... one day at a time is a good strategy ... tomorrow is another day ... praying for you hubby family and the doctors all.

Lots and Lots of Prayers and Hugs being sent. I have been where you are, my thoughts and heart are with you.

No pain and possibly moving nearer to home. That's good to hear, Mary.

Still sending my very best to both of you and your family

Mary continued prayers and positive thoughts sent. Glad he is getting the care he needs and isn't in pain.

Thank you for the update, Mary. Positive thoughts and prayers continue.

Mary, gentle hugs and many prayers

More hugs and prayers to you all MsMercury!

prayers and hugs on the way.

I'm so glad to hear that there is a plan in place. I hope you're able to visit him soon. It must be so very difficult to be apart from him through this.

Hello Mary Im in and Out alot but I do read the Forms I too will be praying and Thinking of you - family - and all my friends here .. LUVS and

Oh Mary. I grieve with you. All I can do is offer a few words of comfort, and pray for you and your hubby.

I wish you the Best,
Albert

Hello dear Boomers, hubby is now at home with me. Biopsies confirmed he has Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. No treatment plan as yet, he will talk with the specialist next week. He still has very poor mobility but his pain is well controlled. We still don't know what stage his cancer is at, hopefully we'll find out next week but his prognosis is not very good, his doctor was talking a few months. I'm so broken by all this.

Our kids have been fantastic, they took it in shifts to look after me and now Dad's home they're keeping it going. I don't know where we'd be without them. They have given up time with their own families to look after us and we'll be forever grateful.

Thank you again for your continued prayers and support, it means so much.

Much love,

Mary

Mary, I am so very sorry to hear this news. I am glad they can control his pain and keep him comfortable at least and that your family is rallying together. Please make sure you take a moment for yourself and keep yourself healthy also as difficult as it may be. Gentle hugs, prayers and positive thoughts to you and your family.

Ana

Oh, Mary, I am so very sorry you all are going through this. Gentle hugs and prayers.

I do hope having your Husband not in pain and home with you is some consolation, Mary. And your family being such a help must absolutely be a great comfort.
You are all certainly in my thoughts

As Mad said above, you are all certainly in my thoughts, Mary.

MsMercury, I am very sorry to hear this sad news but am happy that you have a great family to help you and your husband through this all.

Mary, I'm so sorry for your sad news. Prayers, Hugs, And Positive thoughts on the way.

Mary, I'm so very sad to hear this. My husband and I are in a similar situation with his cancer. We've learned just to enjoy each day as much as we can, and we go to bed each night hoping for another tomorrow.

Please remember to take care of yourself.

Mary I'm sending all my prayers and good thoughts to you, and your husband and family.


The same for you and your husband Hagatha.


joe

Mary, I'm so sorry for your sad news, more Prayers and positive thoughts on the way, take care.

Mary & Hagatha ... I offer you my thoughts, prayers and well-wishes during this dark time in your life.

Hello dear Boomers, I hope you are all well and keeping safe. Hubby's cancer is High Grade and very aggressive but it's not all bad news. Apparently the more aggressive it is, the easier it is to treat. He's back in hospital and has had one round of intensive chemotherapy (he'll have six rounds in total, taking him up to next May). He has tolerated it well so far except for extreme tiredness. His next round will be just after Christmas. He's hoping to be discharged home either today or tomorrow. His consultant is confident that the chemo will work for him in greatly reducing the cancer and could even put him into remission which would be great! I'll take that!

Hagatha, I'm so sorry you are going through it with your husband. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Our family continue to help us out, they are stars!

Thank you all so much again for all your prayers and well wishes. They are a comfort.

Much love,

Mary

That is positive news Mary and we will keep him and you in our prayers!

That positive news holds a lot of hope for your hubby and your family, Mary!

Mary, so glad to hear he is tolerating the treatment and that this type of cancer responds well. We'll be praying that is the case

I will pray for a good response to treatment, Mary, and that your husband will be discharged and you can be with him through Christmas. Hugs to you and to your family.

I'm so glad to hear that your husband is responding well to the chemotherapy. That is such welcome news.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers MsMercury!

Really pleased to hear that news, Mary. And will keep sending you both my very best

Excellent update Ms Mary ... good news for the times ... will continue to keep you, hubby and family in my thoughts and prayers

Mary, that is very good news, continued Prayers, Positive thoughts , and Hugs on the way.

that is good news, and positive thoughts, and continued prayers on the way, as hugs.

Mary it is good to hear the treatment is helping your hubby and the doctors have the pain under control. It is wonderful you have a caring, loving family to help you both. My thoughts and prayers are with you both and your family too.
Love & Hugs,
Gerry

Hello Boomers, hubby continues to be well though his balance and mobility remain poor. His physiotherapist will visit him at home tomorrow to see what can be done to improve things. We are both looking forward to Christmas with Diana, her hubby and son.

I hope you don't mind my sharing his journey with you all. It's great to be able to 'talk' to people other than close family although I look on you all as my second family.

Thank you so much for always being there with your love and support!

Much love,

Mary

I look forward to hearing about your journey with your husband! I have done the same thing with my second husband. This was 23 years ago and there wasn't any such thing as Gameboomers for me as I didn't have a computer. But I had a journal and I wrote in it obsessively. It was my salvation, so I completely understand how sharing it and talking it through is really helpful. In fact, if you have a notebook and a pen, I'd highly recommend it! Some of my entries were made at 2:00 am and it was strange to read where my mind sometimes was at those times when I read them later!

Mary, we love to see you post, and are with you in this. Gentle hugs

That absolutely goes for me, too, Mary

Mary, do please keep us informed. That's what friends are for. Please be sure to also take care of yourself.

It certainly helps to be able to "talk" to other people. Please keep us updated and as butteflybabe said "take care of yourself" too!

I never had a journal that I wrote in but I did find that typing helped get some things out of my system and sometimes I would type myself an email or a word doc.

Continued positive thoughts and prayers for you, your hubby, and the rest of your family, Mary. It's always good to hear from you.

Prayer, Hugs, and more Positive thoughts on the way. Please keep sharing how hubby is doing and your feelings. I know it helped me. Lots of Love on the way.

Mary, I am glad you can see Diana and her family. That is wonderful. Continued prayers for your husband. We are here for you to vent, chat, find a laugh or a shoulder to cry on. Please feel free to post as often as you want.

Hello Boomers, hope you all had a great Christmas and are well and keeping safe.

We had a lovely Christmas with Diana and family, and Chris and his wife and son popped in for a short while. Hubby tired very quickly though and spent most of the day resting. Our youngest son and family came along on Sunday and hubby collapsed during their visit. He was attempting to stand to go back upstairs and his legs just wouldn't hold him. Thank God our son and grandson were there to support him. His balance and mobility remain very poor. His physio visited last week and decided he's not well enough at the moment to carry on so have postponed further therapy for the time being.

He's starting to feel the rough end of the chemo now; very tired, no energy, mood swings, a sore mouth and he needs morphine for breakthrough pain almost as soon as his eyes open in the morning. Almost everything he eats tastes 'funny'. I'm constantly trying different things to tempt his appetite with very little success. I feel so bad for him.

He attended hospital this morning to have some bloodwork done and was given some great news! His LDH (an enzyme which turns sugar into energy) numbers have dropped from over 600 to just 300, his tumours have shrunk a little and his bone marrow is coping well with the chemo...all very positive. He goes back to hospital tomorrow for 2nd round of chemo. After round 3 he will have two hospital admissions for extra treatments to boost his white blood cells and also a scan to see where things are at. He has a long road ahead of him and it's all very scary but we continue to be supported by our wonderful family.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, support and friendship Boomers!

Much love,

Mary

The chemo is going to take a toll, but that means it's working. When my husband was receiving his chemo, they gave him ice chips to hold and swish in his mouth because it would shrink the blood vessels and reduce the sore mouth issues. When he just couldn't eat anything, I made ice cream shakes for him using high protein drinks such as Boost. Not sure what brands you have in Scotland. I would pour a shake into the blender with a big scoop of ice cream and then add flavors he liked such as strawberries or chocolate. I kept them in the freezer and could just get one out to thaw whenever he just couldn't eat anything else. These felt good in his mouth and provided at least some nutrition.

Lots of Prayers, Positive thoughts, Love, and Hugs on the way.

Mary, so glad to hear the chemo is working. It does take a toll! How wonderful that you have so much support.

I hope the new year brings good results for your hubby and you!

Continued positive thoughts and prayers for you, your husband, and the rest of your family, Mary.

Mary, great that the treatments are working and hoping he can get through the side effects soon. I'm glad you had some great family time for the holidays.
How are you feeling?

Ana

Mary, my guy also has to take pain medication all the time. It keeps him relatively mobile and happy. Last year he went on Fentanyl patches full-time because the oral medications were no longer enough His cancer is in his sacrum and the base of his spine so standing up can be really painful sometimes, but the meds really help. Hopefully your husband can find a suitable dose that will keep him comfortable.

The chemotherapy can be a real trial, but if your husband's cancer is responding it's worth it, We go through ups and downs with it. Generally speaking, it's a few weeks on and then a few weeks off for my husband, based on what the latest scan and bloodwork shows. He gets time off when the scans are good, and then when the cancer markers start to rise, he goes back on.

There are times when it feels like it's all too much, but then he'll have a few good days and we can get out and do a few things or take a drive. Over the years we've learned to cope and to enjoy the good days fully. We've been living with cancer for 6 years now -- longer than anyone initially though he'd last. The new chemotherapies can be quite remarkable and people can live for a long time.

It's a tough go and I'm so sorry you have to go through this, but stay positive. Hope is very important. It's what's kept my guy going when things have been really tough.

hagatha, you just learn to take every single minute and make it worthwhile!

Mary you have all my love and support to help you and hubby thru the tough road still facing you both. I think of you and pray for you both every day. I'm so happy you had a special Christmas with Diana and family.

Immunotherapy is another treatment used in the USA to fight cancer. My sister is receiving it instead of Chemo to fight her Stage 3/4 lung cancer and it is working for her without the terrible side effects your hubby is getting with Chemo.

Take Care.

Love & Hugs,
Gerry

Gerry, I know someone whose husband is doing immunotherapy for Stage 4 lung cancer and has had great results. I am so happy to hear your sister is responding well. I've been wanting to ask, but don't want to pry.

My very best to all you folk and your families who are dealing with cancer and fighting it.
What courage you are all showing !!
I am in awe

Hello Boomers, thank you for your continued support!

Connie, oldbroad, Marian, L4L and Mad, thank you for your kind words. They are appreciated and help more than you know.

Hubby had his second round of chemo yesterday, which went well. He came home with another load of pills; steroids, of which he has to take 14 per day for 4 days, anti-sickness pills and pills to protect his stomach. He was also supplied with 6 syringes of stuff he has to take from the 9th January for 6 days. These will help to boost his white blood cells. He said he will take all they can throw at him if it means he will go into remission! I'm with him there.

Draclvr, we have Build-Up here in different flavours which can also be mixed with ice-cream. Great suggestion, thanks! He does love a strawberry milkshake. Our sons have brought him jel to rub on his gums and that has helped him greatly.

Ana, thank you! I'm feeling okay. When hubby's down, so am I. He was really down at the start of all this because he thought he should be looking after me (which he had done for two years since I lost my legs). I had to constantly fight him to let me do things around the house and he wouldn't let me near the stove. Now I do the things he wouldn't allow me to do and it's worked out fine. I always have one of the family here for 'supervision'!

Hagatha, thank you! Hubby takes morphine for 'breakthrough' pain, which can hit him up to 3 times a day but mostly in the morning just after he wakes. It does help, kicks in after 15-20 minutes. Unfortunately his balance and mobility is very poor. He loses his balance easily and has had a few tumbles. He still hasn't regained full feeling in his feet so walking is difficult and his legs are still weak. This all cancels out being able to drive his car for now, something he is keen to get back to. I'm so happy for you both that your husband is beating the odds and may he continue to do so.

Gerry, my dear friend! Thank you! I have heard of immunotherapy but I don't think it's an option for hubby at this time.
I'm happy to hear your sister is doing well on it and may she continue to do so. Keeping her in my prayers.

Once again, thank you so much guys!

Much love,

Mary

Mary - praying for a better year for you and hubby

Hugs, Rog

You are a very strong woman, Mary and I'm glad you are able to do things around the home. I think being able to accomplish things on your own boosts your own confidence and empowers you to get through this. I will continue to send positive vibes and prayers your way.

Ana

Sincerely hoping all of you have a better year, MsMercury

Keeping you, hubby and family in our prayers Ms Mary

Hello Boomers, hope you are all well and staying safe!

Not much has changed since my last update, hubby still has very little balance or mobility and he is getting very frustrated because of this. Some days he doesn't want to get out of bed as 'there's no point if I can't do anything or go anywhere'....it's very sad. I always manage to gee him up and get him up and dressed after a while. I give him a talking to which tears the heart out of me as I know he is suffering but I'm not going to let him give up. There are times when I feel I'm not coping very well myself. He is also in a lot of pain daily and is having to take more and more morphine. I will speak to our GP to see if anything can be done to help this.

He was given a 6-day course of injections which I had to administer; these were to boost his white blood cells so hopefully they will do the job. He will have more bloodwork done on Wednesday and will start his 3rd round of chemo on Thursday....3 more rounds to go. There was talk of him being admitted back into hospital at some point for scans etc but so far nothing has happened regarding this.

Our kids have been with us throughout, taking time from work to take hubby to his appointments and still taking shifts to care for us. We will never be able to thank them enough. I said as much to our youngest son and his answer was 'You and Dad looked after us for all those years'. Brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support, guys, and thanks for 'listening'!

Much love to you all,

Mary

AWwww Mary. I can understand his frustration and yours. It is good you have the strength for tough love when its needed, it is such a hard thing to do.
You are in my daily prayers.

Mary, it's so hard to do what is necessary, but your "tough love" as Ana describes it may make all the difference for him. Hang in there!

Mary, you are in our prayers. Gentle hugs to you

Thank you for keeping us updated. I'm sorry to hear that your husband is still in so much pain even with the morphine. Keeping you in my thoughts.

Always sending you both my best, MsMercury

More prayers for your husband MsMercury and hoping for a speedy recovery for your husband, and I hope that you can stay healthy and sending you extra prayers to keep up your health and strength.
And prayers to all other members with cancer or other serious illness.

Mary, more Prayers, Hugs, and Love on the way. I know how hard tough love is. Please remember to take care of yourself.

Mary your hubby is blessed to have you there doing whatever it takes to keep him from giving up. Your courage and strength are an inspiration. Sending more prayers, hope, and love for you both.
Love & Hugs,
Gerry

Hello dear Boomers, hope you are all well.

I'm not in a good place today. Hubby had his 3rd round of chemo yesterday. He was quite upbeat when he left home but very down when he came back from the hospital. Our son said he was very quiet on the journey there and back. Later on, he had a bad fall in the bathroom and couldn't get back up without help. He was very upset for most of the evening, wouldn't talk to anyone. I kept prodding though as I can't deal with silence and eventually he said he was 'done with it all'.
When I asked him what he meant, he talked about 'ending it' I'm sorry to say I lost it on hearing him say such a thing and gave him such a talking to. I can't deal with this, when everyone is doing their best for him. I know it's hard on him going through all of this but I can't allow him to give up.

Please guys, I need all the prayers you can send.

Much love,

Mary

Oh Mary, we will pray for your hubby and you most definitely ... stay close and listen with a smile or gentle touch, let him know you are always there.

Marry, I'm sending Prayers and my Love to you both. Keep strong, I know how hard it is for both of you.

Mary, my heart goes out to you. We went through this with my BIL in October. I will pray for you all.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and with your hubby and family, Mary.

Oh, Mary... this is so hard. Please don't feel guilty. Also went through this with 2nd hubby.

This breaks my heart.

My husband has been in that place a few times now, especially when the chemo hits him hard, as it does sometimes. It's very hard to watch, I know. I just try to keep him as comfortable as I can and let him know that he has all my love and support.

I'm so sorry, Mary. This is such a horrible disease.

Oh Mary, we are praying for you both. Gentle hugs

Heartfelt hugs, MsMercury. You have such a lot to cope with. I send my love and very best wishes to you both every day

Thoughts and best wishes to you both.

Sometimes it seems all you can do is hold their hand and let them know you care and are staying by their side.

Continued prayers and hugs MsMercury!

Mary I'm so sorry to hear what you both are going thru. I pray your hubby doesn't give up hope and you are able to make it thru this terrible time.

Much Love, prays and hugs ,
Gerry

Know that You are truly thought of and loved MsMecury, As I read this from the beginning know also that he is responding well because of a very Strong person such as yourself and that he is doing better because he knows he is very Loved God Bless you Both and Family .... forever in my prayers

Hello Boomers, hope everyone is well and keeping safe! Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. As always, they are so appreciated.

Things were pretty dark there for a time. It took a lot out of us both. There were lots of tears and tough love given.

I phoned hubby's GP, who reviewed all his meds and questioned why he was taking codeine along with morphine. I told him this was on the orders from the consultant at the hospital. Well, apparently these two drugs should not be taken together. I had to keep a diary for a week and record hubby's doses of both drugs. After giving the GP the information, he replaced the codeine with Zomorph, a slow-release dose of morphine, to be taken twice a day, twelve hours apart. He can still take Oramorph when required for 'break-through' pain.

Well, there was such a difference almost straight away. For the first time in weeks hubby slept through the night. His mood has been much better and he doesn't require as much Oramorph as he used to. He's eating better as well. He's taking more interest in what's going on too. The only problem is his mobility and balance which remains very poor. As he can't have physio at the moment, I have ordered a leg excersizer which he can use sitting in his chair and it will fit comfortably under his desk. I have to do something to try to build up strength in his legs. He's very keen to try it out as he's very frustrated at not being able to walk.

He had a CT scan done last week to check on his progress. He had his COVID jab yesterday and has his next round (4th) of chemo next Thursday. He will have blood work done on Wednesday, and will hopefully get the CT results then too.

I want to thank you all again for your support and for letting me share this with you. You don't know how much it helps.

Forever grateful and much love,

Mary

Mary, good on you for being so proactive on your husbands care and not just accepting the one doctors order. You are your hubbys angel! What great news that he is coming out of that dark place and willing to fight again! Bless your heart!

Prayers and positive thoughts!
Ana

Well-done, Mary! I also found out when my 2nd husband was undergoing chemo, it is necessary for US to be pro-active and question anything that doesn't seem right! Sounds like he has an excellent GP and things just might be looking up! If his attitude is better, that's half the battle right there.

That is great news MsMercury regarding the meds! Good for you questioning everything! I wish I had known the right questions to ask and who to ask them of when my sister was in the hospital.

Way to go Ms Mary

You remind me of WOM who is very proactive too!

You keep asking questions and I'll you both in my prayers!

Mary, I'm so glad the medication switch has been helpful.

As Draclvr said, we do have to be our own advocates. Here in BC we have world-class cancer care but even so, we've had to watch out for ourselves and have caught medical mistakes several times, including referrals that never got made (to the spinal surgeon in Vancouver who was to remove the tumor!) and medication increases that never happened, or medication conflicts.

I'm really careful about everything now and have become the gatekeeper for John's pain medication because he forgets to take them, or ends up taking a double-dose and spend the rest of the day in a deep fog. I jump in and question the doctors all the time now, just to be sure we're all on the same page.

Since his pain medication has been properly regulated he's much more alive and I feel as though I've got more of him than I've had for the last 8 months.

Mary, that is great news. So good that you are there to watch out for your hubby at a time when it is difficult for him to do for himself.

Hello Boomers, hope you are all well and keeping safe!

Thank you guys for your support which always gives me a much needed lift.

Ana, thank you! Hubby did indeed show some fighting spirit for a few days but seems to be slipping back again. It's taking all I have to try to get him to change his mind set. He still can't see any benefit in all of this. He thinks he will never be able to walk again but I'm not accepting that. The leg excersizer arrived and he has been using it every day with some coaxing from me.

Draclvr, thanks! He does have a great GP thankfully. It's an ongoing battle to keep his attitude positive.

Thanks oldbroad, L4L and soot!

Hagatha, I have to watch over him like a hawk to be sure he takes his meds when he's supposed to. One good thing is he hasn't needed the Oramorph for break-through pain as much.

Hubby went for bloodwork on Wednesday followed by round 4 of chemo onThursday. He got the results from the CT scan which showed a significant reduction of the mass on his spine. His white blood count is also excellent. I just wish he could see all the positives.

Thank you all again for your love and support guys. It means the world.

Much love,

Mary

Thank heavens he has you! My sister had the same struggles with her husband to keep his mind on "the other side" of this battle. It was tough, but he finally DID get to the other side. He lived for 14 more years and got to see 2 new grandchildren born and watch them grow up. He always said my sister was the only reason he made it!

MsMercury - I haven't posted for a while but I also applaud you pushing doctors to get things straightened out.

Don't know much more to say that doesn't echo everyone else has expressed. I've been with and witnessed friends much younger than myself deal with the cancer monster. No fun for anyone.

Be sure to take care of yourself.

Mary, Hugs, Prayers, and More Positive thoughts on the way. Very good news about the mass shrinking. Please take care of yourself also.

Keeping you in my thoughts MsMercury!

Certainly good news about the "shrinking". A positive to hang on to

Continued positive thoughts and prayers, Mary.

Mary, I'm adding positive thoughts and prayers for your husband.

Take care.

André

That's fantastic news that the chemo is working and the tumor shrinking!

Great news Ms Mary ... keeping both of you and your family in our thoughts and prayers

My prayers are on the way up for both of you. God bless.

Hello Boomers, hope you are all well!

The last three days have seen a marked change in hubby, he feels more steady on his feet and is walking somewhat better than he was. He's keeping up with the excersizer every day so I'm thinking that it's doing some good.

He surprised us the other night; he came downstairs and sat at the breakfast bar while I was cooking dinner and he had his meal with Diana and me. He then watched some TV with us. He usually has all his meals upstairs so it was great to have him with us.

The only downside is he can't sleep at night. He's not napping through the day and he's worn out. The steroids he has to take for four days after each chemo session causes insomnia so hopefully he'll be able to sleep better now that he's finished with them for now.

He's not been great so far today, he's been in a lot of pain and has had to take quite a lot of morphine. I hate to see him like that and wish there was more I could do for him.

Thanks to you all for thinking about us and for all of your prayers and kind thoughts, and for letting me share this. The fact that I can come here to unburden myself means more than you know.

Much love to you all!

Mary

Mary, I'm so glad you've had some good days with your husband. He's making progress. That's so heartening.

We go through good and bad days, too. Sometimes life is almost normal, but then there are the bad days, the ones where my guy is in a lot of pain, and as you say, there's not a lot you can do. I make sure he has a hot water bottle for his back -- I don't know how much it really helps but he seems to find it comforting. The extra pain medication days are tough because he's so groggy he can barely communicate.

Today is a good day for us, which is great because he'll be able to drive, which makes him feel a sense of normalcy. That seems to be really important, just getting out and doing normal things like getting a takeout coffee and going for a short drive along the beach. He hates feeling like an invalid.

I hope things continue to improve for your husband, Mary. It seems there's been some really good news of late.

Mary, that is great news, especially that he came to join you and Diana. I am sorry today is a bad day, I hope it passes quickly so he can keep recharging mentally with the good days.

hagatha, I'm very happy today was a good day for your husband!

Ana

Mary and hagatha, Hugs and Love.

So glad to hear there good days mixed in there - it makes the bad days easier to bear. Those steroids are horrible for insomnia! My sister said she always knew when my BIL's steroids had been upped because he'd be out in the garage changing oil on something at 3:00 am!

Sending positive hopes and thoughts

Mary that must have been a very special moment for you when hubby was able to join you and Diana downstairs. Hopefully there will be more good days ahead and he will continue to feel the love and support from your family and all of us. My prayers go out to you and your family.
Love & Hugs,
Gerry

Mary, I've been thinking of you and hubby. Hope all is looking up. Prayers still heading your way.

Same from me MsMercury.

Same here Mary.

Hello dear Boomers, hope you are all doing well and staying safe. Hubby and I have both had our first Covid shots, he will have his second one on the 23rd this month and hopefully I will have mine two weeks after him.

It's been a long rocky road for both of us. I've been lurking on the forum but couldn't bring myself to post anything. Sorry to say I haven't been coping very well mentally and had to ask for help. Hubby was showing signs of recovery but hit a downward spiral. He's now down to 9stone 7lbs and is totally unable to walk, even with his walking frame. He tries his best to use the excerciser but he's not getting very far with it. He's so weak I have to help him dress before he can get out of bed. He spends a lot of time sleeping in his chair when he does get up.

He has finished with all of his treatments now, which is something. He was supposed to go into hospital for a final treatment with Methotrexate which would flush out hidden cancer cells in his brain and spinal cord. His doctor explained the treatment would be brutal and has decided hubby isn't well enough or strong enough to go through with it so it won't be happening.

The kids are still caring for us but for how much longer I don't know. With hubby being immobile, things are a tad harder for them. Social Services can't give us the care package we need. The other night, hubby said he thought he would be better off in a care home which totally broke me. I would never consider that option, and neither would the family.

There's not much else to say except thank you guys for your love, prayers and support during what has been a trying time.

Much love to you all

Mary

Mary, my heart breaks for both of you. Prayers, Positive thoughts, ad Hugs on the way. I do understand how hard this is on both of you, much Love on the way.

Mary, my heart breaks for you and yours as well. Shame on social services for not providing you and hubby with the care you need. Continued prayers and positive thoughts for you all.

Ana

This breaks my heart. One bright thing is that you recognized YOU needed help in order to cope. I know your family is being wonderful, but so much still falls on you. Taking care of YOU is just as important as taking care of your hubby. I continue to think of you and your family every day.

I also am keeping you in my thoughts and sending my very best.
And I also am so very sorry to hear that you aren't being given the outside help you need. I do hope that will change, Mary

It is despicable what social services is doing to you. If you have the strength Mary do not give up, hound them until you at least get some help. Thoughts & prayers going out to you.

I am so very sorry to learn all of this, Mary. Thoughts and prayers for you and for your family.

I'm really sorry to read this MsMercury, and then for you to have problems with social services too. Hopefully they will come around! Good that you got yourself some help. Maybe the kids can benefit from that also if need be.

Mary, I'm so sorry to hear this. I wish I could reach across the pond and give you a hug.

Mary, thank you for keeping us up to date. I will continue keeping you, hubby and family in my thoughts and prayers!

Hello Boomers, hope you are all doing well and staying safe. We had to reschedule hubby's appointment for his Covid jab as he wasn't up to it on the day. I will get my second jab on Wednesday.

Dear Connie, Ana, Draclvr, Mad, Judith, Marian, oldbroad, Hagatha and soot; thank you so very much for your continuing love and support, it means so much.

Some good news guys. It's been over a week since hubby's treatment finished and he's showing little signs that he may be turning the corner. His colour is much better, he was very jaundiced looking but now looks almost normal plus his appetite is improving. He's not sleeping as much during the day which is good and is taking more interest in what's going on. As I witness these small improvements my heart is happy.

The dietition from the hospital was in touch and sent out a caseload of build-up drinks, some milk-based and some juice-based which hubby is tolerating very well. He looks as though he has put on a little weight but we won't how much, if any, until he sees his consultant on the 26th May. We do have scales at home but he is unable to stand to use them.

He is still very weak and unable to stand and still unable to walk. He's been too weak and exhausted to use his little excerciser but hopefully will be able to return to that soon. We have not heard any more from the physio but hope things will restart again in the not-too-distant future. I feel that he needs really intensive physio to get his legs moving. The thought of not being able to walk again or drive his car is very stressful for him. My own physio has been on hold since February of last year so that now, over two years since my surgeries, I am no further forward to getting prosthetics.

There's not much else to say except thank you guys again for your love, prayers and support.

Much love to all,

Mary

Tiny little steps start adding up to big steps! Hopefully, you will start seeing some big steps adding up too!

Mary, I am so sorry they halted your therapies needed for you to get your prosthetics. They were certainly come in handy with everything going on. Praying you can get your self going forward again too.
So happy to hear your hubby is doing better. That is wonderful news, indeed!

Hugs and prayers....
Ana

My continued thoughts and prayers for you, your hubby, and your family, Mary.

A little improvement is good Mary ... that is encouraging news ... keeping you, hubby and family in my daily thoughts and prayers

So pleased to hear of some progress, Mary

More prayers and hugs sent to You and your husband, good to hear some progress is being made and I hope for both of you that More progress continues. Take care.

Mary, more Prayers and Positive thoughts on the way. I'm glad to hear hubby is doing a bit better.

Hello dear Boomers! Hope you are all keeping well and safe!

So happy to report that things continue to improve for hubby. He has his voice back after many weeks of not being able to speak much, which was very stressful for both him and for the family. So nice to hear it at full throttle again! His appetite also continues to improve and he has had more calls from the dietition who said he can order more of the nutritional drinks as and when he needs them. He is also not as tired which means he is taking a lot more notice of what's going on and is using his iPad daily to watch some of his favourite programmes. He has also been using his excerciser for longer spells. He has been able to dress by himself as well. It really does my heart and mind good to see all of these small but continual improvements! The only blot on the landscape at the moment is his inability to stand unaided or to walk. He worries about the extra load this is putting on the family. I worry that he won't regain his mobility. If he doesn't, he won't be able to drive his car and this too worries him.

His next appointment is on the 16th for his second Covid jab, then he has another one on the 26th with his consultant. From there, we hope he will have another scan to see where things are. He is still experiencing some pain in his back on a regular basis but the morphine helps with this.

Not much else to report for now.

I want to thank you all again for your continued prayers and support for us both. I don't know how I would have coped without you all.

Much love,

Mary

Mary, it's so good to hear that there have been some improvements. You, hubby, and family remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Mary, that makes me happy to hear about this little improvements. I have a feeling they are going to start adding up and become big improvements!

Mary, it's so good to hear that there have been some improvements. Hope he continues to improve!

This makes me so happy to hear too! Every step in the right direction, no matter how small, is a great step!

Hugs!
Ana

I absolutely agree !!

Little steps come before big steps

Really glad to hear that there is some more good news from you. May it continue to come!

That is encouraging news, Mary.

I hope this leads to some decent quality of life for both of you, so you can enjoy your summer and spend some happy times together.

Good news about your husband and for you, more prayers for both of you and may he continue to get better.

I'm so very happy to hear there is improvement! Gentle hugs to you both

Wonderful news about improvement Mary ... keeping you both and family in my prayers

Mary, hubby's improvements must give you both hope.

Sending more healing prayers your way.
Love,
Gerry

Thank you everyone. Hubby continues to improve, which does indeed give us more hope. Now, if we could only get his legs moving....most of the mass was in his spine, which obviously affected his ability to stand unaided or to walk, and also caused bladder and bowel problems which thankfully resolved in time. He is back to using his excerciser daily and I have been massaging his legs every morning before he gets up.

We are hoping for good results from the CT scan he will have, at least that he has gone into remission. With his type of cancer, there is a high possibility of it returning, even after three months of remission. If he can get to two years, the chance of it returning is small. What worries us is that he is stage 4, having metastasis in his liver. Also, he is too unwell to have treatment with Methotrexate, which would target any cancer cells in his brain and spinal fluid. We wonder if this might happen further down the line when he has regained some of his strength. All of this, CT scan, Methotrexate, depends on his meeting with his consultant on the 26th of this month. We shall see what he has to say. Hubby, of course, will have a lot of questions for him. I have been champing at the bit since the start of all this; I have been unable to accompany him for obvious reasons. Had I been able to, you can be sure we would know much more than we do! Our son has done a relatively good job but didn't want to push for answers when hubby was unable to at the start due to the shock of it all.

Thank you guys, again, for your supportive posts and prayers. I do believe they are working.

Much love to you all,

Mary

Thanks for the update Mary we will be hoping for the best and keeping you, Hubby and your family in our prayers.

We will certainly continue sending you prayers and support. Love hearing updates heading in the right direction!

prayers and hugs on the way, hope he gets better.

Mary, I may not always post, but I do check in to read the latest. I'm not usually at a loss for words, but I do pray the best for you and your husband. Never sure which is harder, watching someone suffer and not being able to do much about it; or having to put off your own health issues. Either and both make life extra challenging. I hope you are both able to find something to do that brings some little bit of pleasure, in some way, every day.

Thanks guys! Your support and prayers lifted me up out of a very dark place and I will be forever grateful. Hubby continues to be well and that is all I could ask for.

butterflybabe, sorry to read about your own struggles and pray for some ease for you soon. Watching hubby's struggle with his cancer was heart-wrenching and we as a family felt so helpless. As far as my own difficulties, my physio was halted over a year ago, when I was almost at the point of receiving my prosthetics. Nothing much I can do about that but it means I will probably have to start over again. Of course, hubby had to come first.
Just the fact that we are together, and can chat to one another and watch programmes together now is a world away from what things were a couple of months ago.
Thank you for your kind words and prayers, they mean a lot.

Much love,

Mary

"Just the fact that we are together, and can chat to one another and watch programmes together now is a world away from what things were a couple of months ago."

May this continue and improve for you every day MsMercury!

Really good to hear, Mary !!

Wonderful news Mary.

Mary, you and hubby hold on to each other and hang tough.

Yes Ms Mary, being together, chatting with each other and watching programs is what I look forward too every day when I get home from work.

Hubby saw his consultant last week who was dismayed to hear he hadn't had his end-of-treatment scan yet so he will be chasing that up. He's concerned about the amount of pain hubby still suffers on a daily basis and the fact he's still unable to walk. He's making contact with physio which to my mind should have been done long ago.
Although he's now eating fairly well and taking build-up supplements, he has only gained 1lb since his last treatment, over 6 weeks ago. He has an up-coming phone consult with the dietition so hopefully we can work out a meal plan. He also has an appt with cardiology to have an echocardiogram done.

Nothing much to add. He hates the fact that he has to depend on the kids to get him from A to B. He continues to maintain an interest in all that's going on and is wearing out his ipad watching movies and such

Thank you all once again for your love and support!

Much love,

Mary

Mary, continued Prayers and Love on the way. Hugs too.

Sounds like this consultant finally is going to get things back on the move for your hubby.

I'm so sorry to hear this. We went through a similar situation after my husband finished his chemo six years ago - nobody booked any follow-up scans, and that did impact his health.

It's best to ask whoever is in charge of your case to give you a list of the necessary follow-ups so you can start alerting doctors if something gets missed.

Mary, I hope the consultant can get the ball rolling for hubby ... keeping you in my thoughts and prayers

Mary, glad to hear the doc will get the ball rolling again. Hoping to hear good news from the scan!

Hugs and prayers as always!

Ana

Thank you everyone! Another wee challenge to deal with, hubby is losing his toenails. Two so far. I'm wondering if this could be a side-effect from his chemo.

Mary, toenails can fall from illness and chemo but I'd still tell the doctor in case it's because of lack of circulation. I've lost my big toe nail due to injury many times and they grow back nicely. Bone broth helps if you can make it.

Mary, I echo Ana's comments ... be sure to let hubby's consultant know about this.

Keeping you, hubby and family in our prayers

I know your husband has a very serious illness so please don't take this wrong. I am not making light of his condition, I promise you! But, I WISH I would lose my toenails. They are hard and brittle and I cannot see them well enough to cut them anymore. One of the little ones grows up instead of out and it is a pile of hard nail that probably needs to be shaved off.

More hugs on the way!

I lost one of mine once, falling down a few stairs and twisting my ankle. It grew back just fine. I have read, however, that sometimes they don't grow back, although it is uncommon for them not to do so.

Best wishes to you and to your husband, Mary.

I probably really should have said that I wish they would stop growing. It sounds like it would be quite painful to lose them. I just hate trying to cut them. And ditto for my fingernails!

Mary, it is common for toenails to fall out during chemotherapy.

Definitely mention it to your specialist, but I wouldn't get too worried right now. You have enough on your plate!

Hug, Mary

from me, too

and prayers on the way for You and your Hubby.

Thanks everyone! Oldbroad, I certainly don't think that at all! I had the same problem with my own toenails pre surgery.
Hubby has developed a tiny weeping sore on his lower leg. I have dressed it with a dry dressing for the moment and will keep a close eye on it. He had similar before which cleared up on its own. Other than that, he is doing not too bad.

Much love,

Mary

Mary, keeping you and hubby in my daily thoughts and prayers

Mary you and hubby continue to be in my thoughts and prayers even though.

Take Care.

Love & Hugs,

Gerry

Thank you soot and Gerry

I had to contact consultant's secretary as still no word about hubby's end of treatment scan. Was given another number to call and was told they have the CT scan request from the consultant but that there is a 16 week wait. I'm hoping they got the request 10 weeks ago and not 3 weeks ago when the consultant said he would chase it up. No word yet either from the physio.
The small sore on hubby's leg has cleared up on it's own without treatment. His pain, however, seems to be getting worse and is affecting his back and hips and wakening him up at night which means he's still highly dependent on morphine. He has been unable to use his excerciser due to pain and lack of energy. The sooner the CT scan can be done, the better. His appetite has declined a bit as well so I'm trying to keep his calories up with the nutrition drinks. That's about it for now.

Thank you all for your continued support guys.

Much love,

Mary

Mary, prayers and positive thoughts on the way.

Hoping for a speedy response for you, MsMercury

Hope you get a response soon. Hard to believe it takes so long. My ❤️ Is with you both.

Oh Mary, I hope they get that scheduled soon! Gentle hugs to you both

A 16 week wait is ridiculous! I am so sorry to hear the pain is getting worse. Keeping you in my thoughts!

I sure hope you don't have to wait too much longer for the CT scan, Mary. You and hubby will be in my thoughts.

Mary, can you talk to your doctor about adjusting the pain meds? Sometimes a different medication can do the trick, depending on the type of pain. Our pain specialist here recently put my husband on methadone, which can be effective for nerve pain. Also, sometimes he just has to take more hydromorphone for breakthrough pain. With pain, we've learned it's best to stay on top of it, not chase it. The dependency issue takes a back seat.

It always saddens me to hear how long you and others in other countries need to wait for services. I could get a ct scan here in a day if I wanted it. I am so very sorry he has to wait. Make some noise if you can, I am hoping that if you can be vocal enough they will get tired and bump him up. So very sorry to hear of this. Hugs and positive thoughts.

Mary, Positive thoughts for you and hubby.

Baby steps, baby steps.....hubby is walking again, using his walker!!! He was downstairs on Sunday (Father's Day here) and just felt he could get up and walk, which he did using his walking frame. He was very stiff to start with, and dragging his right leg, but could keep his balance well. He has been doing some walking every day since and what a difference it has made to his mental health, and mine.
He has not been in so much pain these last few days either and his appetite is on the up again. He had the echocardiogram done yesterday and the consultant said everything looked good. Still no further forward with the CT scan, was told we just have to wait. Nothing from physio either.

Thank you guys, for your continued prayers and support.

Much love to you all,

Mary

That sounds very positive, MsMercury. I'm so pleased for you both

Mary, very good news.

What great news Mary! So happy to hear some positive strides are being made!

Great, great news!!

Baby steps are wonderful! Good for the mind and body!

That is wonderful news, Mary!

Wonderful! Let's hope this positive trend continues.

MsMercury. Sounding good!

Hope hubby continues each day to make progress...every positive step will help you all keep the faith.
Take Care Mary. You and hubby are always in my thoughts and prayers.
Love to all your family,
Gerry

How are you and hubby doing Mary? I've been thinking of you.

I just joined this board and came across your thread, Mary, my heart goes out to you and will keep sending up blessings that he continues to improve. Gives you lots of hugs even though I don't know you.

Me, too !! And getting a little worried now ....

Yes.

I'm with them!

Same here.

Keeping you, hubby and family in my thoughts and prayers

Prayers heading up Mary.

I have been thinking about you and your husband, Mary.

Has anyone heard from MsMercury? This is very disheartening. I hope she's okay. She and I have been going through the same journey, and I was so hoping that things would improve for her husband for at least a while.

More prayers can't hurt so mine are heading up. God bless Mary.

Prayers for Mary and her hubby.

Hello Boomers, hope everything is well with you and thank you so much for your kind words. I have been lurking on the forum for a while but felt unable to post as my mental health has taken quite a tumble due to circumstances here.

First off though, hubby is doing okay. He is eating well, and has gained some weight. He is not in as much pain as he was, so not so dependent on morphine. He had an end-of-treatment CT scan done in July and we are STILL waiting on the result of that. I phoned his consultant's secretary to try to find out what was going on, to be told the result was in and had been sitting on file since 20th August. She was going to print it off and give it to consultant next day. Later that day, she phoned us back to tell us that someone has ordered a PET scan for hubby but that there is a 4-week wait for it. Apparently the request had just come in that morning. I asked about the CT result but was told the consultant would be more concerned about the result of the PET scan so we will just have to wait. I get the feeling we would still be in the dark about all of this if I hadn't phoned.

Secondly. Hubby and I are on our own for most of the day and night now. This has come about because son's wife has decided that, after 24 years of not working, she wanted to look for work, at the age of 55. So, she has a job. Which means that everything was going to be placed on Diana's shoulders five days out of seven, with son filling in at weekends. There's more to it than that as far as DIL is concerned but I'm not going into it. Suffice to say hubby and I had to come to other arrangements as there's no way we would expect any of them to take on that amount of responsibility on their own. So now Diana comes round for a couple of hours during the day just for essential stuff, Monday to Friday, and son does Saturday and Sunday. We manage on our own for the rest of the time. We had social services install an SOS alarm in case hubby had a fall and I couldn't help him. He is still unsteady on his feet but we just have to get on with things. We have a system worked out whereby we can get downstairs to make meals etc and can take ourselves to bed each night. I am absolutely terrified in case something happens to hubby and I can't get to him. I have been stressed to the max about it all and have been in a dark place again.

To end, our wee holiday home at the coast will have to be sold as we are unable to use it now. We loved it so much.

I apologise sincerely for not posting guys, but I was in such a state for a while. Many thanks again for your kind words and concern.

Love you all,

Mary

Well, this might not all be good news but I think we were all getting worried that it would be worse.

It sounds like you are still in the dark regarding that CT scan. Why did they even bother if they are not going to give you the results? Sitting on file for a month??

Sad that you will have to sell your beloved holiday home.

I do hope and pray that you can start to feel a little better now that you are getting settled in to a new system there.

SO pleased to see you post, Mary, whatever the news.

We are all your friends here and care about you very much.

Love, Mad.xxxxx 🌺🌺🌺

Mary, thank you for posting an update and letting us know how things are going. I'm sorry you are having such a difficult road. I know they say God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but I know you have had an awful lot put on your shoulders. I'm so sorry and wish I could do more than just say I am sending you positive thoughts and prayers every day.

Mary, I' so sorry to hear all of this, and I can empathize with everything that's going on in your life right now, as it's so similar to the way things are around my house.

My husband had a bad fall in June and fractured his ship, we've been dealing with the fallout from that. Like your husband he is now unsteady and I'm always worried that he'll fall again. His pain levels are bad most of the time now, with the tumour located where it is combined with the fracture. I'm so glad that your husband has at least had some pain reduction. That must give him much better quality of life.

It's awfully rough on you to have to cope on your own. Are there any local Home Care-type services that can help you out and give you a rest? Or any friends nearby who can help you? I mostly manage on my own but some things I just can't do and have to rely on my neighbours. I'm no longer shy about asking for help. Sanity depends on it.

As for the scan results and the lack of information, we've constantly encountered this with the BC Cancer agency. If we don't call them, we often stay in the dark. We didn't know our Oncologist had retired until we phoned to complain about the local doctor here, who told John he shouldn't bother with chemo. The biggest lesson we've had is to always take the bull by the horns and be proactive because things fall through the cracks all the time.

I imagine that you and I are both suffering from PTSD, with the constant stress and worry. My doctor makes sure that I at least have medication for sleep when I need it so that I don't get overwhelmed. How is your sleep? Are you at least getting enough rest at night? Is there something your doctor can do for you? Your own health is critical. Please take care of yourself.

I too have been thinking about you and your husband, Mary. You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

Mary, Prayers, Positive thoughts, and Big Hugs on the way.

Mary, thank you so much for the update ... it is a relief to hear from you ... keeping my thoughts and prayers for you, hubby, Diana and son. Would your home allow moving you and hubby downstairs to live and not have to deal with the stairs?

I was wondering about that too, soot. If you could somehow manage to avoid those stairs, that would make life a lot easier for all of you.

Hello Boomers, hope all is well with you and thank you once again for your kind words and support. Sorry for not stopping by sooner. Things have been very trying again. I haven't been sleeping and had to call GP for something to help. All he would give me was a 4-week course of sleeping tablets which is now finished and I'm back to square one. Doctors here are not keen to prescribe sleeping tablets in case patients get used to them but they will have to do something as I can't cope with not sleeping.

Hubby had the PET scan done and we didn't get the results until yesterday. The good news: Doctor is confident that there has been a good outcome as far as the lymphoma goes. It looks like the radiotherapy and chemotherapy have worked well and that what they are seeing is scar tissue. The not so good news: He doesn't think hubby will get full use of his legs again as the chemo has attacked the nerves and caused a lot of damage to the extent that he is still very unsteady and has little to no feeling in his feet which, as you can imagine, makes walking very difficult. His right foot is starting to turn inwards. It doesn't stop him from trying to walk though. He no longer uses the transport chair for himself and is walking anywhere he needs to go in the house by using walking sticks. Our son fitted another handrail to our staircase so he can get up and downstairs easier. He refuses to use the chairlift as it makes him 'feel like an invalid'!

The bad news: PET scan picked up something on hubby's bowel which looks very suspicious so Doctor is arranging a colonoscopy. How long he will have to wait for that to be done remains to be seen. We were not really surprised to hear this as he hasn't been doing so well lately. His appetite is dwindling again and he has lost weight. He has had episodes of vomitting and has very little energy. He still insists on helping me when needed and will not consider having more help from the family. We are still on our own for most of the day and all night. I will have to look into getting help from outside sources if things don't improve. He is a very determined and stubborn guy who thinks it's his 'job' to look after me. He breaks my heart.

Well, our holiday home has gone. It just wasn't feasible to keep it as it hadn't been used since hubby took ill a year ago. I remember how happy we were when we bought it and could envisage lots of breaks away to the coast whenever the mood took us. How things have changed.

Thank you once again, from the bottom of my heart, for your continuing prayers and kind words and support and for your friendship over the years. It really means a lot to me.

Much love to you all,

Mary

Mary, as always, nice to see you popping in with an update. Glad to hear some improvements, but sorry to hear of other setbacks. Life shouldn't be so hard and it sure does seem unfair at times. You and hubby are always in my prayers.

Ana

Oh Ms Mary, it is so good to see and hear from you. As Ana noted it is encouraging to hear that hubby is not backing down from what the Great Circle of Life throws at us. Really saddened to hear about your holiday home ... many of us invest in that dream and you will always have the memory. Take care ... keeping you, hubby and family in our thoughts and prayers

Ups and downs... no wonder you're not sleeping. Your stress must be very high. Your hubby sounds like a very determined guy! It's so good to hear from you, so please pop in whenever you can.

Continued positive thoughts and prayers for you and for your hubby, Mary. Please continue to drop in when you are feeling up to it and let us know how things are going.

Mary, my husband had a bad fall in June and though he has healed he is very unsteady. We bought him a walker on Amazon, so he is stable and we don't have to worry about him falling again. Amazon has a wide range of products like that. They might have something that suits your budget and his needs.

We also have a Red Cross here that loans equipment like medical canes and walkers and bath seats, all of which we've found to be very helpful in managing his mobility issues. Does the Red Cross operate anything like that near you?

I'm really sorry to hear about the shadow on the bowel.

Keeping you in my thoughts MsMercury.

Sending my very best for you both, Mary, as always

Love, Mad

Hi MsMercury, more prayers and positive vibes sent your way and for your husband.

Hagatha, prayers and positive vibes for you and your husband as well.

My very best wishes to both of you in continuing to weather the storms of life!

Mary, my thoughts and prayers are with you and hubby. I have walked that path and it is not an easy one for either of you. Love and Hugs on the way.

Thanks everyone. Hubby's not been too well recently, really suffering from severe leg pain which keeps him awake at night, so he's back to taking morphine on a regular basis. I will be contacting his GP to see if he can increase the dose or perhaps give him something else. We're still waiting for the appointment for the colonoscopy to be done, goodness knows when that will come through.

Nothing else to report for now. Thank you all once again for your kind thoughts and prayers, they help more than you know.

Much love to you all,

Mary

I am sorry to hear that MsMercury.

Congrats on your 49th anniversary!!

Sorry to hear that MsMercury, more prayers and positive thoughts sent your way and for your husband.

I am keeping you and your family in my thoughts, Mary. I also send positive thoughts for your nephew. You take care.

Prayers heading up that things improve soon Mary. God bless.

Congrats on your 49th anniversary! Prayers for you, your hubby and nephew!

Ms Mercury I know someone who suffered bad leg pain for some years and only found relief when prescribed Gabapentin: might be worth asking the doctor about if your husband has not already been prescribed it.

Mary I'm so sorry you and hubby continue to suffer and life continues to put obstacles in your way. You both are in my prayers every day. It is sad that you had to give up your special place by the seaside, but at the same time it is wonderful you were able to enjoy it together. It's takes a lot of love and commitment to be together for 49 years. You are both blessed to have family that care for you too.

I hope you continue to find comfort knowing you have so many friends here at GB.

Sending love, comfort and prayers,

Gerry

I'm so sorry to hear this, Mary. It's so difficult to watch someone you love suffering pain. I hope your doctors can find something that will help.

Sending my love and Prayers Constantly , Life and Family are two most Precious Gifts that only the Great God Can Give us ..... All I have to help you with is Prayers ... and God Bless You for all your doing for your loved one

Thoughts and prayers winging their way to you hubby and family Mary ... take care

Sending you my very best, Mary. With lots of gentle

Hello Boomers! Hope you are all keeping well and safe in these trying times.

Well, it's a brilliant start to the New Year for hubby and myself. After waiting weeks for his bowel examination to be carried out, it was finally done on Thursday. He got the results there and then and it showed diverticular disease in the small bowel and NOT CANCER! This result, along with the result from the PET scan, means that he is CANCER FREE, at least for now! Can you tell I'm really happy about this? :rofl: What a relief for us both, and the family too of course. We can get on with our lives now.

He is still having problems mobilising and bother with his balance but he's a determined guy and keeps plodding away. I think it's safe to say he will never get back that which he has lost. He can't even feel his feet on the ground when walking due to nerve damage from the chemo. It's also doubtful if he'll ever drive again. His legs are still causing him a fair bit of pain, mostly at night. BUT, as we keep reminding ourselves, he's still here! He will see his consultant on 28th February so we shall see what he has to say then.

We celebrated his 70th birthday a few days before Christmas. Just a low-key day with the family. Christmas was spent much the same way but we were on our own in the evening and just had a quiet dinner for the two of us. How things have changed! It was always dinner at ours at Christmas for whoever wanted to join us. It's been a quiet day today apart from a short visit from Chris and his wife.

My dear friends, I can't put into words how very grateful we both are for your prayers, love and support over the past year. You lifted us up in the darkest of times and we will never forget. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. May 2022 be good to all of you. Keep safe!

Much love,

Mary

Mary .... What joyous news for the New Year .... and also Happy Belated Birthday greetings to your Husband.

Yeah !!

Love, Mad.xxxxx

Mary, that is the best news and what a great start to the year! I am very happy for you and your family! How are YOU doing?

Fantastic news Mary: thanks for the update, and I hope the year continues to smile upon you both!

This news is certainly a great way to start off the new year! Love and hugs to you and your husband, Mary.

Mary, that is Wonderful news. Sending lots of Hugs to you and hubby.

Mary, you just made MY New Year start off with joy! So, I can only imagine how happy you, hubby and your family are feeling!

Very good news from you MsMercury! May the rest of the year continue on in the same way!

That is great news Mary, now lets hope you get more of the same as 2022 continues.

Great news! What a wonderful way to start the new year!!

That is great news Mary and hopefully he will continue on for the New Year and like BrownEyedTiger said "How are You doing?"

Sending lots of Hugs to you and hubby, and great news.

Thank you, everyone! It's like a dark cloud has been blown away!

Ana & Starcom, I'm doing okay. I've had lots of dark days when it seemed there was no light at the end of the tunnel. I've always been a pretty strong person. I dealt well (I think) with my own situation and just got on with things because what else could I do? I'm not the type to sit back and feel sorry for myself, or to let others shoulder the burden.

With hubby, though, I just kind of fell to pieces a few times. I thought I was coping well but clearly I wasn't. I don't think the laxity of the health services helped at all. It was a constant battle with them to even get the least amount of information about hubby's condition, test results etc, and having to gee them up about his appointments constantly. His actual treatment, radiotherapy and chemo, went to schedule at all times but the rest left a lot to be desired. Thankfully, we're out the other end now. His type of lymphoma is known for coming back at some point. They won't do regular checks, it will all come down to symptoms returning and being investigated. Hopefully, it won't come back.

Thank you all once again for your love, prayers and support.

Much love,

Mary

Good things happen to good people. Congrats and Happy New Year Mary.

Good news Ms Mary and will continue to keep you, hubby and family in our prayers

Wishing you a blessed New Year!

Mary, that is such wonderful news. You must feel so immensley happy and relieved.!

Thank you Space, soot and Hagatha!

Hagatha it is such a relief, I can't tell you! How is John doing? You two are always in my prayers.

Thanks again, everyone, and much love to you all!

Mary

MsMercury, John is not doing very well, but that was inevitable, and we've had a lot of time together since his diagnosis The chemo is working, so he's still got some time left. But things do continue to deteriorate. Yesterday he was diagnosed with Shingles, and we spent the entire day in Emergency waiting for a doctor, which is not fun. But we still enjoy our days, at least most of the time, and spring is just around the corner so we'll soon be able to get out in the boat.

Mary and hagatha Prayers and Hugs.

Keeping you all in my prayers and daily thoughts Mary, Hagatha and Connie

Thank you, Soot!

Keeping you all in my prayers and daily thoughts Mary, Hagatha and Connie, too, i hope everyone gets better.

Hagatha, I'm glad to hear the chemo is working for John but sorry to hear he has shingles. I know how painful that can be. I hope and pray for many more days for you both to enjoy together.

Thank you Connie, soot and family.

Hubby is doing okay, his appetite has improved greatly and he is noticeably putting on weight. He has started on Gabapentin today (I think it was Lex who mentioned it earlier) so we'll see if it helps with his leg pain at night. He's not too bad during the day but really suffers at night when trying to sleep. Fingers crossed!

Thank you all once again for your love, prayers and support. Hubby will see his consultant on 28th February who will, hopefully, sign him off!

Much love to you all,

Mary

Here's hoping!

Mary I am keeping you and your hubby in my prayers...I hope all the love and support from your family and your friends here at GameBoomers continue to give you both hope.

Love & Hugs,
Gerry