Brain Cancer Stage 4 - ZEFRANK.COM

Klynne · 06-10-2010, 01:06 AM

Does anyone know someone that has gone through this? I don't have it, but a friend of mine does. It is the size of a pea, but, it is localized to a certain area, and not spreading. She receives radiation 5 days out of the week and she takes oral meds as chemo. She is 48 years old. She was diagnosed two months ago.

Klynne · 06-14-2010, 12:13 AM

I am going to see her. She is very upbeat. She is hoping for one more year. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to say goodbye. She has been a good friend for 19 years. Miles have seperated us. But, we have always been good friends. I under estimated her age. She turns 50 June 16.

funkytuba · 06-14-2010, 02:37 PM

Sorry Klynne.... I've been blessed not to have had any experience in this type of thing.

Best wishes as you and your friend go through this difficult period.

Brynn · 06-15-2010, 01:59 AM

yeah, Klynne, that's really rough. I'm so sorry.

lukkucairi · 06-15-2010, 01:04 PM

sorry to hear that.

no brain cancer but I've had friends and family die of various other cancers (Mum is holding steady with the lung cancer right now, next scan is in July)

upbeat is good, keep your mind on the moment at hand, every minute of life is a blessing. keep calm, take it step by step, and let yourself cry if you have to. there's no right way to be - just be present.

good luck.

Klynne · 06-16-2010, 12:20 AM

Luk, I wish the best for your mom. This stuff is rough. My friend seems to have lost her mind a bit. She wants to go to Las Vegas, and then tells me in the next breath, everyone around her are assholes. I talked with her boyfriend tonight, he has taken over her cell phone. It was good to talk to him. I have never met him, but he is taking good care of her. He did not know that she asked me to come and visit. She was lucid last week, and now is not. I told him that I still plan on visiting, but, it is a four hour drive, and he should tell me if she is up to it or not.

brightpearl · 06-16-2010, 05:29 PM

I am glad to hear your mom is well enough, Lulu.

There are so many people suffering. Sometimes, maybe mostly when it is me suffering, it makes me feel better to know that this is a human universal, that I am not alone in it. When it is someone I love suffering, or someone I don't know, I am not always as able to be that philosophical. Even though I know that wisdom can come from pain, I confess to wishing it were not so.

lukkucairi · 06-16-2010, 06:11 PM

Klynne, I suspect that if you drive 4 hours you'll get to see your friend, unless she's having an immediate crisis (seizure etc.), which you can't really predict. You'd be going to visit her for you as well as for her.

Depending where the tumors are, she probably will have some personality distortions. If the tumors are inoperable, those distortions will grow along with the tumors. Go with an open mind, and go soon. Time slips away quickly with cancer, and especially quickly with dementia. I lost my father and my grandmother and my father-in-law to dementia, and my aunt is dying of Alzheimer's right now. You make the most you can of the time you have, because sometimes you'll go to visit and find out that although your friend/family member is still alive, they've been stolen away from you by the dementia and you never noticed them going.

Brain-related stuff like this is often unpredictable in the extreme. Someone might be lucid one week, off their rocker the next, and then lucid again the week after. Even if you go and find out that your friend isn't really "there" any more, you'll be providing a human witness to her life and her illness, and that's important too, important for you and for her and her family. I'm sorry you're going through this - you have my very best wishes and deepest empathy. Keep your chin up and let us know how you are.

Thanks for your wishes for my mother - she's a tough old bat, and I don't think we'll see the last of her any time soon

Klynne · 06-17-2010, 12:51 AM

Luk,

Thank you. Today is her 50th birthday. I called her cell phone, and her boyfriend answered. He handed over the phone to her, and she was flat in her tone. Did not know that it was me. That is the disease. I had her put him back on the phone and we talked for about an hour. Her Dr. has been decreasing her level of steroids, so that is affecting her mental state. So, they are increasing them again. Her tumor is only the size of a pea but in the left frontal lobe. It is inoperable, but, the good news is, is that it is localized, and started in the brain. It did not spread from any other area of her body. The Dr. told her boyfriend, that sometimes, once treatment is over with, everything comes together, and the patient will become "there" once more. I am hoping this will be her outcome. I am still planning on seeing her a week from this Saturday. Your post has really helped me. Thank you. K

Klynne · 06-22-2010, 11:18 PM

Sandy was in the hospital for three days. Her meds were changed, and she is back mentally. I am going to see her on a day trip this Saturday. Just for a few hours. She just was released from the hospital Sunday. She needs her rest. But, she sounds great and I am really excited to see her.

lukkucairi · 06-23-2010, 01:38 AM

glad to hear it, Klynne

have a good visit!

Klynne · 06-27-2010, 01:45 AM

I saw her today, and it was so great to see her. She is there mentally. And she is positive. Helped her work through some paper work.. Crap, getting ill is expensive. $53,000 for her first hospital stay. Sandy said, "Good luck getting that out of me". Her radiation treatments are $1,300.00 a day, five days a week. Her portion is $100. So, her treatments out of pocket are $500.00 a week for radiation alone. And, she does have insurance. She is a government employee. Insurance is not fantastic for her. Maybe better than most people get...But wow. It adds up quickly. I am so glad I saw her. I was afraid that I would be whimpy, and cry. I didn't. She is not afraid, and brave. That helped me not be a wussy. I will be seeing her soon again. She told me, when it it her time, it is her time, and she is not afraid. I love her.

06-10-2010, 01:06 AM	#1
Klynne monkey Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 4,543	Brain Cancer Stage 4 Does anyone know someone that has gone through this? I don't have it, but a friend of mine does. It is the size of a pea, but, it is localized to a certain area, and not spreading. She receives radiation 5 days out of the week and she takes oral meds as chemo. She is 48 years old. She was diagnosed two months ago.

06-14-2010, 02:37 PM	#3
funkytuba Spone to Proonerisms Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: The Left Coast Posts: 4,531	Sorry Klynne.... I've been blessed not to have had any experience in this type of thing. Best wishes as you and your friend go through this difficult period. __________________ ...and another handful of almonds

06-15-2010, 01:59 AM	#4
Brynn constantly amazed Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: in the labyrinth of shared happiness Posts: 6,206	yeah, Klynne, that's really rough. I'm so sorry. __________________ 1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles. 2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. 3. Your foot will change direction.

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06-14-2010, 12:13 AM	#2
Klynne monkey Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 4,543	I am going to see her. She is very upbeat. She is hoping for one more year. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to say goodbye. She has been a good friend for 19 years. Miles have seperated us. But, we have always been good friends. I under estimated her age. She turns 50 June 16.

06-15-2010, 01:04 PM	#5
lukkucairi earth worker Join Date: May 2006 Location: on the planet Posts: 5,844	sorry to hear that. no brain cancer but I've had friends and family die of various other cancers (Mum is holding steady with the lung cancer right now, next scan is in July) upbeat is good, keep your mind on the moment at hand, every minute of life is a blessing. keep calm, take it step by step, and let yourself cry if you have to. there's no right way to be - just be present. good luck.

06-16-2010, 12:20 AM	#6
Klynne monkey Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 4,543	Luk, I wish the best for your mom. This stuff is rough. My friend seems to have lost her mind a bit. She wants to go to Las Vegas, and then tells me in the next breath, everyone around her are assholes. I talked with her boyfriend tonight, he has taken over her cell phone. It was good to talk to him. I have never met him, but he is taking good care of her. He did not know that she asked me to come and visit. She was lucid last week, and now is not. I told him that I still plan on visiting, but, it is a four hour drive, and he should tell me if she is up to it or not.

06-16-2010, 05:29 PM	#7
brightpearl Rhinoceros fan Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8,749	I am glad to hear your mom is well enough, Lulu. There are so many people suffering. Sometimes, maybe mostly when it is me suffering, it makes me feel better to know that this is a human universal, that I am not alone in it. When it is someone I love suffering, or someone I don't know, I am not always as able to be that philosophical. Even though I know that wisdom can come from pain, I confess to wishing it were not so.

06-16-2010, 06:11 PM	#8
lukkucairi earth worker Join Date: May 2006 Location: on the planet Posts: 5,844	Klynne, I suspect that if you drive 4 hours you'll get to see your friend, unless she's having an immediate crisis (seizure etc.), which you can't really predict. You'd be going to visit her for you as well as for her. Depending where the tumors are, she probably will have some personality distortions. If the tumors are inoperable, those distortions will grow along with the tumors. Go with an open mind, and go soon. Time slips away quickly with cancer, and especially quickly with dementia. I lost my father and my grandmother and my father-in-law to dementia, and my aunt is dying of Alzheimer's right now. You make the most you can of the time you have, because sometimes you'll go to visit and find out that although your friend/family member is still alive, they've been stolen away from you by the dementia and you never noticed them going. Brain-related stuff like this is often unpredictable in the extreme. Someone might be lucid one week, off their rocker the next, and then lucid again the week after. Even if you go and find out that your friend isn't really "there" any more, you'll be providing a human witness to her life and her illness, and that's important too, important for you and for her and her family. I'm sorry you're going through this - you have my very best wishes and deepest empathy. Keep your chin up and let us know how you are. Thanks for your wishes for my mother - she's a tough old bat, and I don't think we'll see the last of her any time soon

06-17-2010, 12:51 AM	#9
Klynne monkey Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 4,543	Luk, Thank you. Today is her 50th birthday. I called her cell phone, and her boyfriend answered. He handed over the phone to her, and she was flat in her tone. Did not know that it was me. That is the disease. I had her put him back on the phone and we talked for about an hour. Her Dr. has been decreasing her level of steroids, so that is affecting her mental state. So, they are increasing them again. Her tumor is only the size of a pea but in the left frontal lobe. It is inoperable, but, the good news is, is that it is localized, and started in the brain. It did not spread from any other area of her body. The Dr. told her boyfriend, that sometimes, once treatment is over with, everything comes together, and the patient will become "there" once more. I am hoping this will be her outcome. I am still planning on seeing her a week from this Saturday. Your post has really helped me. Thank you. K

06-22-2010, 11:18 PM	#10
Klynne monkey Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 4,543	Sandy was in the hospital for three days. Her meds were changed, and she is back mentally. I am going to see her on a day trip this Saturday. Just for a few hours. She just was released from the hospital Sunday. She needs her rest. But, she sounds great and I am really excited to see her.

06-23-2010, 01:38 AM	#11
lukkucairi earth worker Join Date: May 2006 Location: on the planet Posts: 5,844	glad to hear it, Klynne have a good visit!

06-27-2010, 01:45 AM	#12
Klynne monkey Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 4,543	I saw her today, and it was so great to see her. She is there mentally. And she is positive. Helped her work through some paper work.. Crap, getting ill is expensive. $53,000 for her first hospital stay. Sandy said, "Good luck getting that out of me". Her radiation treatments are $1,300.00 a day, five days a week. Her portion is $100. So, her treatments out of pocket are $500.00 a week for radiation alone. And, she does have insurance. She is a government employee. Insurance is not fantastic for her. Maybe better than most people get...But wow. It adds up quickly. I am so glad I saw her. I was afraid that I would be whimpy, and cry. I didn't. She is not afraid, and brave. That helped me not be a wussy. I will be seeing her soon again. She told me, when it it her time, it is her time, and she is not afraid. I love her.