family health problems

[seizuregirl]

I recently learned that my Father might have cancer. He had come home a few days ago and told us after a dr appointment. Unfortunately I don't remember what type they think he has, I want to say pancreatic cancer since he had developed diabetes about 2 yrs ago and that is one of the signs of pancreatic cancer. I know that every time someone develops diabetes doesn't mean they have cancer, but he's had some problems with his stomach and intestines for quite awhile now, he's been seeing a gastroenterologist for 3, 4yrs because of it and that dr is the one who's picked up on the symptoms and wants to check it out.

He is having an ultrasound in the next few days and I'm scared. I lost my Mother to brain cancer 6 yrs ago and it's too soon to lose my Father too, and of all things, cancer too!

 

[CQ:)]

Sorry to hear about your father, sending thoughts your way.

 

[travel bug]

Hi seizuregirl,

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to worry too much just yet. It may not be cancer. And even if It is, it may be treatable. Is your dad in Minnesota as well? Is he near the Mayo Clinic? It's always good to get second opinions, and when possible to go to the best treatment center available rather than what's closest. I went from Oklahoma to San Francisco for a brain tumor resection because my local neurosurgeon believed I'd get the best results at a major brain tumor center like UCSF. My tumor is malignant but not as aggressive as the type your mom probably had. I'm so sorry you lost her so soon.


That said, about a year and a half ago my dad was diagnosed with bone cancer that had probably spread from his prostate. (He didn't want to stay in the hospital any longer or have any more tests to be sure.) Because of his age and the many other health problems he has, he decided not to undergo treatment. He was put under hospice care at home where I am his primary caregiver. He was basically told he had about three months, but he's still here and not much worse off than he was.

I guess my point is that, with the help of top doctors like those at the Mayo Clinic, certain types of cancer can be beat or at least held at bay for a long while. On the other hand, sometimes even when it looks hopeless there is hope.

Best wishes to you and your dad!

 

[Jezy]

My prayers are with you, stay strong I have a family member who was told she had late stage cancer a year ago and is doing well despite the progonsis.

 

[Nakamova]

:hugs:
seizuregirl, I hope that things will be okay for you and your father.

 

[Cint]

Unfortunately I don't remember what type they think he has, I want to say pancreatic cancer since he had developed diabetes about 2 yrs ago and that is one of the signs of pancreatic cancer. I know that every time someone develops diabetes doesn't mean they have cancer, but he's had some problems with his stomach and intestines for quite awhile now, he's been seeing a gastroenterologist for 3, 4yrs because of it and that dr is the one who's picked up on the symptoms and wants to check it out.

He is having an ultrasound in the next few days and I'm scared. I lost my Mother to brain cancer 6 yrs ago and it's too soon to lose my Father too, and of all things, cancer too!

I'm sorry to hear of your father's condition. Please don't jump to conclusions too quickly until they've done ALL tests. Since your father has Diabetes, doesn't mean it is pancreatic cancer. It could just be complications of Diabetes, perhaps kidney disease. That goes with Diabetes. If so, maybe he will only need Dialysis. My father survived on Dialysis for years because he couldn't have a kidney transplant. There are many complications that can go along with Diabetes if the glucose isn't kept under control. Believe me, I know. I have Type 1 Diabetes, too.

Keeping my fingers crossed for your father.

 

[seizuregirl]

Thank you all for your kind words! His dr called him earlier today and said that it isn't cancer. They aren't sure what it is yet, and will be doing more tests to figure it out.

The next thing is to get his diabetes under control which is proving to be impossible since he is so set in his food ways and refuses to eat anything in the slightest bit healthy. We've made a few diabetic recipes in the past couple of months and he's only taken a few bites out of them and then he pushes the plate away saying "There's no way I can stomach this!"

I'm tempted to have all of my sisters show up at the grocery store every time we go shopping so I can have more support on buying healthier food, which is not just for him as I keep reminding him, but for my Twin and I too!

 

[CQ:)]

Thank you all for your kind words! His dr called him earlier today and said that it isn't cancer. They aren't sure what it is yet, and will be doing more tests to figure it out.

So good to hear it isn't cancer, I hope your Dad gets some answers soon.

 

[Cint]

Thank you all for your kind words! His dr called him earlier today and said that it isn't cancer. They aren't sure what it is yet, and will be doing more tests to figure it out.

:clap: Good to hear!!

The next thing is to get his diabetes under control which is proving to be impossible since he is so set in his food ways and refuses to eat anything in the slightest bit healthy. We've made a few diabetic recipes in the past couple of months and he's only taken a few bites out of them and then he pushes the plate away saying "There's no way I can stomach this!"

It IS a big step to change one's eating habits! But having diabetes can do BAD things in the long run if one's glucose isn't in control. When I was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, I was quickly losing weight plus losing my vision almost overnight. I thought I had a brain tumor! One can go blind, tho, if they don't get it under control. Or they can lose a leg, or kidney..... you get my point.

I'm tempted to have all of my sisters show up at the grocery store every time we go shopping so I can have more support on buying healthier food, which is not just for him as I keep reminding him, but for my Twin and I too!

You do need ALL the support you can muster. But eating healthy doesn't have to be so restrictive. Just cut down on carbs/sugar.
Visit this website:
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/?loc=ff-slabnav

 

[AlohaBird]

The next thing is to get his diabetes under control which is proving to be impossible since he is so set in his food ways and refuses to eat anything in the slightest bit healthy.

My Dad had diabetes and it got to the point where his feet hurt so bad from the peripheral neuropathy and the sores that never heal that he said it was like walking on broken glass. That was the day he said, "I think I'm about ready to try that 'crazy' diet of yours".

I put him on a basic low carb paleo diet and his neuropathy pains and sores were gone within a week and all signs of the diabetes were gone within a month.

Diabetes IS curable. This is not just "managing the symptoms". This is a cure. Not saying it will work for everyone. I suppose it would depend on how long he has had diabetes and how far advanced the damage is. But still. Worth a try.

Your Dad has to want to get better. And he has to be willing to commit to permanent changes in his eating habits. While this can work remarkably quickly, if he goes back to eating the high carb junk, it would fall apart just as quickly.

I wish you well. I feel what you are going through.

 

[AlohaBird]

And what Cint said is very true. Eating right for diabetes doesn't have to be a prison sentence of restriction.

A typical day's food for my Dad would be an omelet in the morning (no toast but who needs toast when you have a yummy cheesy omelet?). Then he would have a snack lunch like an apple and some peanut butter (the kind without sugar) or cheese. Then dinner would be a piece of fish or meat with veggies on the side and a salad and some berries for dessert.

It's not complicated or difficult. You don't need a dietician or a nutritionist. Just cut out the sugar and filler foods like bread. Eat real whole foods. Single ingredient foods are the best. E.g. meat, eggs, fish, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. (As opposed to "foods" that take a degree in chemistry to figure out the ingredients list).

 

[travel bug]

That's wonderful news! Thanks for the update.

 

[Garbo]

Good to hear it's not cancer!

 

[lrjg]

I am one of those people that have been diagnosed with conditions you have to say "Why me!" I had chronic Bronchitis as a baby and slowly it went away when I grew older. At age 11, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It was always a fight to be treated like a normal kid. My blood sugars were constantly up and down! I was 24 years old when I lost the love of my life. We had a 20 month old daughter and I was 8 months pregnant with our son when God took him from me. It wasn't until after my son was born that I was introduced to an insulin pump. It is the best thing I ever put my money into! It made a huge difference. My life went on alone with my insulin pump and raising two babies on my own. I remarried when I realized that I can't stay alone for the rest of my life? It was after many years married to my second husband that something new came to make my life more difficult. First, right after we had our first daughter together, I learned that I had ovarian cancer. I will say I was a lucky one with it. I was able to rid it with surgery alone. Then came seizures!!! They started up out of nowhere. First they were just having deja vu's daily. They quickly got worse. I wasn't able to stay with a local Neurologist very long. I was having a bad reaction to every drug he put me on for seizures. After the last one causing me to go unconscious, admitted in the hospital, the Neurologist who had done all the tests to diagnose me with Epilepsy, told me that I was "over his head" with so much happening with my seizures. It was immediately that I was told Temporal lobectomy surgery was what I needed. This all scared me! I was losing my memory real quick and seizures almost every day. I was transferred to the Cleveland Clinic for the surgery. I put having this surgery off for 9 months after being told I needed it. I was just scared. It was so quickly getting worse that I finally said it was time for the surgery. I had grid put in before the lobectomy was done. I had no idea that so much damage was going to be found. The different areas of the right side of my brain removed had to be tested to see what was going on with it. It came back that the damage was caused by "Chronic Spinal Meningitis". This was hard to accept for some time, but after learning more about it, I now with believe that is what caused all of the damage. After being in the hospital for a month with the grids and having three strokes while in, I learned that my Diabetes is not as bad as other things that destroyed part of me. I was asked to go through testing and help with research of what caused all of this to happen to me. They believe with not having any family members with Diabetes, that possibly the Spinal Meningitis Virus is what caused my pancreas to shut down and then later cause my seizures. Sorry to go on and on about the dumb conditions in my body, but I have learned that one thing going on wrong in a body can cause so many other things to go wrong.

 

[Porkette]

Hi seizuregirl,
I'm very sorry to hear about your family. Just like you my dad has had skin cancer and many members of my family have had different types of cancer. One thing you may want to check out is the medical marijuana they have found that it reduces and in some cases stops the cancer. My cousin had stomach cancer and he went through everything your dad did. If you are interested check out the website healthy hemp oil. I wish you and your family only the best and May God Bless All of You!

Sue

 

[acshuman]

Diabetes

I have a set of relatives on my fathers side that don't want to ever have a daughter! Every female in that set of relatives has developed Diabetes! My grandmother had to have both of her legs removed. One aunt had one leg removed.
The strange thing is that there has never been a male from those relatives who has developed Diabetes! onder:

ACsHuman

 

[lrjg]

acshuman, I have had Diabetes for 42 years! I guess I can say I am one of the lucky ones. I have not had anything go wrong because of me having it. The eye doctor even said that it is rare for me to not have a thing wrong in my eyes with having it so long. I had no family in generations that ever had it too. It was when I was talking with my neurologist about my seizures coming out of nowhere that she wanted to look further into it. She thought the Meningitis Virus that was found to cause my seizures may of been what destroyed my pancreas too. I was tired of being in the hospital and told her I didn't want to go further to see where the diabetes came from. It is a lot of work to control, and I can see more fear in raising a kid with diabetes more than seizures! I was told 40 years ago that they would have a cure for Diabetes! NOT! They are getting closer though. The latest I learned sounded promising. I was told I could get a pancreas transplant but I said no because I don't want to be on antirejection drugs for the rest of my life. $$$$ Some day I may change my mind if needed.