Hello I just wanted to make a brief introduction.

I think this site is perfect and I do not want to clutter it with my post.
I'm just looking for experiences of cancer survivors to pass on to
my mom. I'm in my 50's she is in her 70's. My dad is her care taker.
The upshot is i have been sending PM to ask people to explain what they meant before I tell mom.

I am introducing myself for that reason, if I pm you i am trying to keep the website
un-cluttered while I make sure I am passing info correctly.
I am a data freak. I have copied what I thought were actionable posts into excel, sortable by stages of treatment with further sorting by
prescription or home remedy's. Obviously I very much appreciated that the site was uncluttered while I did this.

Because of post's in this site i gave my mom a gift of a water pik,& ocean 7 dry mouth mouthwash & gel,
I am making home made spit bags as described by MrsChickenPam.


Mom went through 6 hour surgery a few of months ago. Had half her tongue removed.
Is doing therapy to learn how to talk and eat with half a tongue.
She did 3 chemo treatments with 3 weeks between each chemo treatment. This Thursday is her last, She
has an appointment with her oncologist who will tell her what is next. i am guessing it will be radiation.

She really does not want to know, she is just doing what she is told to do each day.
In a way I think she is ashamed that she got cancer? I don't know about that but prior to having cancer
she was always very interested in health stuff. She was very healthy. Her prior health issues were 3 normal pregnancies
and she had her appendix out when she was 5.

Before March 9 2017, I would have nominated her for person most likely to achieve a 3 digit age.
After March 9, 2017 I hope she makes it to her father's age 83. Surpassing her mother's age of 93 would be acceptable.
Best of all would be proving me wrong and achieving that 3 digit age.

I feel like there are 30 years cancer is trying to steal.

I thank you all for posting your experiences. I admire greatly the battle you fight.

I have given my mom the address to this website. I'm uncertain if she lurks here.
I will give her 3 pages of my excel spread of your posts to take with her to her appointment
with her oncologist this Thursday. Sorted by Radiation/prescription.

This ended up being long. My thanks to all who posted to share their knowledge.
And thank you ChistineB for your kindness, The first person I sent a pm to.
Lynn

please post a reply to an OC patients post to get this off the latest post.

Welcome to OCF! One thing that has helped you also helps others who come here to read and learn about OC is the wide variety of posts on all kinds of topics. By PM'ing other members, you are shortchanging yourself by only getting one persons insight instead of hearing what many others who have been thru it and have different ideas, methods, etc. PMs are great when discussing private or personal type info you do not wish to share with everyone. Always remember everyone is different and will experience things in their own unique way. This goes for reactions to medications, treatments, surgeries, etc. You can take 10 patients where on paper they appear the same with all the same, age, height, weight, geographic area, sex, tumor location, stage, treatment plan, chemo, etc. and have 10 different reactions (and opinions) every step of the way. This is why posting on the forum may be a better route to go. Also, not everyone has the time to interact on a one on one basis. But thats up to you.

Your mother could be shell shocked from everything she has been thru. Many patients do not want details of their illness. They would prefer not to face it or worse, not to think of it having an impact on their life. Many patients also have trouble dealing with an OC diagnosis. Thats probably true with any cancer but as we all know too well, OC is a very difficult, intrusive cancer that has horrible side and after effects. Your mother might need some help to get thru this with anxiety meds or talking with a therapist. It cant hurt! Its just another tool used to get thru this rough spot.

Best wishes to your mother and you with everything you are doing to try to help her.