Good intentions needed

DublinWriter

Guys,

I never usually let my personal life interfere with my mod-baiting activities on boards.ie, but I really would like to ask you for a favour tonight.

I've just returned from hospital after 2 days of A&E hell and I was told that my Mum is suffering from a massive brain tumor.

As a Mahayana Buddhist, I hold great belief in the workings of good intentions, and I would respectfully ask you to maybe just think of her for a couple of seconds in your busy celtic-tigeresque lives. The Catholics among you might even like to pray…the practising Catholics among you might even remember the words!

Again, many thanks.

Your friend,

DublinWriter.

turbot

DublinWriter,

I know loads of good energy healers - so PM me - ideally with some kind of photo of your mum - and I'll pass it on to some people who will send good intentions.

rossious

turbot wrote:

DublinWriter,

I know loads of good energy healers - so PM me - ideally with some kind of photo of your mum - and I'll pass it on to some people who will send good intentions.

Done

CathyMoran

As a Catholic I will say a prayer for your mum. I know from personal experience how devastating a cancer diagnosis is but I also know that there is always hope. Your mum needs to stay positive through this and fight the cancer. Best wishes.

Black Swan

Positive thoughts.

misswex

I really feel for you in this situation Dublin Writer and I too am sending positive thoughts. Please keep us all updated on how your mother is doing and how you are doing.

Love
misswex

ARGINITE

Positive thoughts++.
Hope it helps.

Baraboo

Good wishes and positive thoughts to your mother and to you

carpenoctem

Sending positive thoughts your mother's way. Stay strong.

Asiaprod

Buddhist prayers on the way to you and your mum. You are not alone, just found out last night the wife's dad may have cancer. Keep positive, we are.

Drift

Said some prayers. Hope they help. Stay strong for your mother.

DublinWriter

Many thanks guys.

She's due into theatre tomorrow at 8.00am.

Thanks once again.

DublinWriter

Guys,

Many thanks for all your good intentions.

She made a rapid recovery from the op but the long term prognosis is not good.

When I went to pick her up from hospital and bring her home, a young Doctor who was a member of the Neurological team came to visit. I sat down on the bed with my Mum and let her ask him questions. He was very vague, and my Mum wasn't asking him the 'big' questions such as 'will I recover?', 'how long will it take for me to recover?' etc, in her mind she was getting well and the young Doctor wasn't going to offer any information he wasn't asked for.

I asked him what type of tumor was it that she had and he said it was a Grade 4 Astrocytoma. Something about the way he said it didn't make me thing is was a good thing.

I returned back to the hospital myself the next day and chatted to him by myself. As I'm be the primary carer (I've no siblings) I wanted to know the entire truth of her situation as bluntly as possible.

He said the condition was terminal and that she'd have nine months maximum. As he explained this, tears ran down his face, and the whole doctor-patient relationship got weirdly inverted as I began to comfort him. He explained that they are instructed to only answer the questions that patients ask about their long term prognosis and that some patients really do not want to know the full-story.

I felt a strange type of relief, now I know, now I can act.

I've been breaking the news to close family and her closest friends for the past 2 days, it really is time to rally the troops and work out a long term Palliative care programme.

The kicker is she's 61 and she was just about to enjoy her retirement, gadding about Europe for next to nothing with her friends having worked Ryanair's pricing model to a T, discovering the joys of the Internet, and goading all the women members of the American Cross-stitching web group that she (used to!) participate on for their pro-Bush stance (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, etc).

I have to say that the staff of the Beaumont Hospital were about as A1 as you could hope to get. There's been an on-going thread on boards about what you'd miss most about Ireland. Having lived and worked abroad for a good part of my professional life, I really used to wrack my brains thinking of something I really loved about Ireland. Somehow Tayto crisps, Barry's and Guiness were always trivial and never appealled, I'd always get into what ever people around me were consuming.

However, the one shining gem we still have in this country is the quality of staff in our health care system.

In the age of the Celtic Tiger and Me-Feinism, it really takes the impending death of a parent for you to suddenly get this country into a true, and positive, focus.

kshiel

I wish you and your mum and extended friends and family strength while dealing with this painful time. You seem quite a strong person and very capable in handling this unwanted situatation and you should be proud of that fact. Best of luck

Kim

CathyMoran

I know how hard it is and how brilliant Beaumont are, my mum spent long times in there when she had a brain haemorrage. I have a really bad cancer and I wanted to know my survival rates but if your mum is not asking then that is understandable too. The best thing that you can do is enjoy every day with your mum. I just wanted to wish you and the rest of your family all the best.

Aisling&M

HI, just a quick post to say i will keep you and your family in my prayers and I wish you all the best.

-Aisling

the_new_mr

Sorry to hear about your difficult situation DublinWriter. I shall also mention you in my prayers.

DublinWriter

the_new_mr wrote:

Sorry to hear about your difficult situation DublinWriter. I shall also mention you in my prayers.

Many thanks and assalamu alaikum.

Unfortunately the long term prognosis didn't end up being too bright. She was diagnosed with a Grade 4 Astrocytoma, the worst possible outcome.

She's currently undergoing Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy and she's fairly stable. Obviously we want to make things as comfortable for her as possible now.

Again, many thanks.

So Glad

It's sad to hear about your troubles DublinWriter but as we've seen so many times before, people can make miraculous healings by positive thought alone so mine goes with you and I hope your mother recovers fully to good health!

Dav.

Scigaithris

DublinWriter wrote:

I would respectfully ask you to maybe just think of her for a couple of seconds in your busy celtic-tigeresque lives.

Shared.

the_new_mr

DublinWriter wrote:

Many thanks and assalamu alaikum.

Unfortunately the long term prognosis didn't end up being too bright. She was diagnosed with a Grade 4 Astrocytoma, the worst possible outcome.

She's currently undergoing Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy and she's fairly stable. Obviously we want to make things as comfortable for her as possible now.

Again, many thanks.

Wa Alaykom Al Salam

Sorry to hear about the prognosis. I pray that she makes a full recovery and, if that's not possible, I pray that the experience is not too difficult for her and for you and the rest of your family.

If you will accept some humble advice, I would suggest to you to get some serious personal time with your mother. And make sure you tell her that you love her a lot (but maybe not so much that it loses some of its meaning... I don't know how often really). It'll make her feel better and it'll make you feel better too.

siochain

Hi DublinWriter,

my best thoughs and prayers are with you, your mum and the staff looking after you mum.

keep strong.

Blessings and peace

CathyMoran

Only saw the update on your mum now (sorry, was in hospital until 2 weeks ago) - I just wanted to wish you and your family all the best, you are in my prayers.