T1B

All smack aside, this place and others before it have always had a good core of people that is there when needed. Unfortunately, that time is now. My Mom has been sick since Xmas, but she is the type of person that puts on a good face not to worry anyone. We finally convinced her to get checked out 2 weeks ago and she was told she had high blood pressure and a urinary tract infection. A week went by without any improvement so we went back in and left with much of the same. She had not been eating and having nausea/vomitting. We brought her to another hospital Tuesday where they did a head ct which showed a either a bleed or a mass on her cerebellum. They then did a mri which confirmed a tumor. She is scheduled for surgery this Tuesday where they will try to remove the entire tumor, but there is a chance that they may not be able to remove all of it. Once that is done, we wait 5-7 days to find out if it's cancerous and that will determine treatment from there.

She is only 55 and needs to be here to see her 2 grandchildren grow up. Most importantly, she is the primary caregiver to my younger brother who is a quadriplegic after suffering a severe head injury as a passenger in a car accident in 1992. I know this is alot to ask, it would mean the world if you can keep both my mom, Lynne and brother, Jim in your thoughts and prayers.

I'll be sure to pop in from time to time with updates. Thank you.

-AL

Hey Cue,

Hang tough bro! My thoughts and prayers are with you and yours.
I have been in a similar situation and I know how tough it can be.
Hang in there, and keep hope!

I went through some shit years ago, and the old SCIII crew did help me (strangely enough). And I see the same old crew here now, and you need to know that all of these guys are praying for you.
Fuck football, there are other things that are more important.

Karma coming your way! Just remember that the Saints may actually make it to the Super Bowl so anything is possible.

Rough news, Cueball.

Prayers your way, and I'm wishing you, your mom, and family, the very best.

All the best to you and yours, Cue...keep us updated.

thoughts and prayers Cue

..be praying for you and your mom, Cue.

thoughts and prayers your way Al......

Southern fried karma coming your way. Hope all goes well. Be strong.

Best wishes for your mother, Cue.

Though we often take them for granted, we each have only one, and they are to be cherished. 55 is way too young to lose a parent. I should know. My dad died when he was only 55 from a massive stroke. My mother has now outlived him by 35 years and just turned 86. She's had numerous health problems over the years, and I thought we were going to lose her as well. Thankfully, the good lord decided it wasn't her time yet. She's gotten to see all of her 6 grandchildren graduate from HS.

Here's hoping your mother will as well.

Hang in there Cue
thoughts and prayers for you and your mother

Best wishes for your Mom's full recovery, Al.

I'm sorry to hear that, cue. I'm pullin' for you guys.

Thoughts and prayers on their way from here. She must be a very noble and unselfish woman to have hung in there with your bro for all these years. She doesn't deserve this.

Very sorry to hear that Cue. I had a very close family member go through the same ordeal from and the treatments they have are amazing. Your mom sounds like a tuff woman and if you think she has a battle to go through just think of the ass kicking that brain tumor is going to take from a special mom like that!

All of our families prayers are with yours everyday.

Thoughts and Prayers for your mother and family, cue.

Cue, my Mom had a stroke at age 50 and that was initially thought to be potentially fatal. After almost five years of recovery, she now walks without a cane and has recovered much of her speech. I only say this to point out that a doctor's prognosis often doesn't mean shit. A lot of it has to do with the will of the person to survive and heal themselves. Your mom sounds like a strong person...strong enough to get through this and go on living a long life. Best wishes and prayers to your mother, brother and family.

T & P.

All the best, prayers forthcoming....

Sorry for the news, Cueball. Thoughts, prayers, karma to your mom and family.

Not alot at all..... Working in a hospital- I get to see the good and the bad... and thankfully-a lot more of the good! Hang in there man... I'll keep you and yours in my thoughts and prayers.

Thoughts and prayers from SoCal are sent your way Cue.

Thanks to everyone for sending thoughts, prayers and well wishes!!! It's been quite the emotional roller coaster with more twists and turns for sure, but I have awesome news to pass along today.

Mom was in surgery Tuesday for about 6 of the toughest hours we've ever had to deal with. The doctor spoke to us shortly after 6pm and said they were able to remove the whole tumor and she was stable throughout. He did say that it was not a primary tumor which means it started some where else, but as far as the brain goes she should have no issues following a procedure in about 2 weeks where they will use a gamma knife to shoot radiation at the localized area which takes about 3 hours and doesn't involve any further cutting into her head. We saw her in the ICU around 9pm where she looked amazingly well after what she had been thru that day. She was well enough to speak to both of my brothers and my uncle over the phone as well as trying to hit my other uncle with a basin when he made a joke about her Jack Nicholson Joker looking hair do. She was tearing into a fully loaded cheesburger for lunch the next day that would have made KC Paul seem like he was an Ethiopian.:paul:

Her progress has been an absolute 180 and she was discharged from the hospital at 6pm yesterday. I still can't fathom how anyone having surgery involving the brain can be home 3 days later. Modern medicine and, of course, all the thoughts, prayers and well wishes certainly all helped to make this happen.

We still have a long road ahead to find where this came from and countless appointments, but we are all blessed with the progress to date and have great hope that this can all be resolved with the same postive outcome that we have enjoyed so far.

Thanks again for keeping Mom and my family in your thoughts and prayers. Continued joyous updates to follow.

-AL

Good news.

Its good to hear she has all of her motor skills. Those surgery's can be tricky.

Glad to hear it. Continued well wishes, we'll keep pulling fpr you and your mom.

Al, sonuds like great news. So glad your Mom came through the surgery and so quickly at that. Prayers will continue from SoCal. CM

:)

That's great news, Cue.

KICKASS!

Good news indeed. Cherish every moment, Cue.

I sent you note via PM but I'd just wanted to say again, I'm very happy that turned out as well as it did for your mother.

Glad to hear mother is doing better.

Extremely great news Cue! I know what it is like to be an orphan at 33. No fun at all.

Give your mom a great big hug and tell her how much you love her......

One of my parents beat cancer. The other succumbed to it. I don't wish either experience upon anyone. It's a long, painful struggle... no matter the outcome. My mom has been in remission for 6 years now. She's often said, she'll never go through it again. I think once they reach their late 50s/early 60s in age... the hardest part is imposing your will upon a loved one... to live. When you're younger, you'll find reasons to fight for your own life. Once you get older, you need a helping hand.


God bless everyone and their family/friends who's had to deal with this horrible disease. God bless you, Cueball.

that's great news to hear, dude.

Desert Rat Karma from the Sonoran paradise is being sent your way!

It's been a while since I've bumped around here, but I'd like to pass along another update.

After my Mom's brain surgery they were looking for the source of the cancer and could only find cancer in the uterus which they say is not normally linked to a brain tumor. She had a hystorectomy March 30 and the pathology showed that the cancer in the brain was in fact the same type as the uteran cancer. They also found a small cancer cell on an ovary as well as micro cells in the abdomen before the surgery. It's a stage IV cancer because it travelled to brain, but all tests showed no cancers any where else. That left us with 3 options:

1- Only treat unless cancer returns, which is likely because it's a stage IV cancer
2- Treat with chemo in a clinical study where she would get either a 3 drug or a 2 drug dose once every 3 weeks for 6 treatments
3- Treat with a normal chemo regimen of 2 drugs ( Taxol/Carbo ) once evry 3 weeks for 6 treatments

We opted for the normal treatment because it was not guaranteed which regimen she would get in the study and if she were to get the 3 drug combo she would have to under multiple tests thorughout the study as well as chemo on back to back days every 3 weeks.

Her first treatment was Monday and has not had any nausea and only some fatigue. The other side effect where she will look more like me will start around the 2nd or 3rd week. She has been amazing thoughout the whole process which is why we are all so hopeful for a positive outcome.

Thanks again for the support you've all given, it's meant a great deal to all of us.

-AL

that's GREAT Al

best wishes going forward for your Mom and family

KARMA indeed!

Cue,

I didn't catch this thread during the first go-round, but I'm glad I did now. I hope your mom continues to beat this.

Thanks for the update, Al. I'll continue to keep her in my prayers.

Two cues are better than one Al, and your Mom, unlike yourself has a chance to grow it all back :D . Continued prayers from SoCal.