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My crappy news and a question about cancer
My mom has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Super bummer. The good news is that it was detected early and the doctors think she's got a chance of surviving. She starts radiation this week, and I'll be driving to New Orleans with the girls and my nephew. My question for those of you who've dealt with cancer is: what do you know about kids being around someone undergoing radiation? My SIL said she thought kids couldn't be around a person undergoing radiation. DH, who lost his first wife to cancer, knows nothing of this. Of course we will be able to find out from her radiologist this week, but I wanted to see if you know first. My heart hurts to ask my mom, whose primary goal right now is to spend as much time with her grand-daughters as possible. She said to me last night, "Even if Magdalena doesn't remember me, she'll remember being loved." So, yeah, I'm not looking forward to asking her if she poses a health risk to the girls.
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Re: My crappy news and a question about cancer
I think it's more that the children pose a risk to the person undergoing treatment. That person may have a suppressed immune system, and children often aren't very good about handwashing and keeping illnesses to themselves.
I'd make everyone wash their hands a lot and maybe even quarantine your family as much as possible prior to and during the trip in hopes of avoiding any colds and illnesses.
I think I read somewhere to avoid any live virus vaccines if you live in the same house as an immunosuppressed person, but I'd check on this if any of your kids are due for vaccines in the next week or so.
I hope you have a good Christmas visit and that your mother gets the best prognosis possible.
One more thought--there are some treatments that leave a person "radioactive" for a while afterwards, but people in that situation know they will be radioactive and should avoid others.
I know that treating thyroids can involve this kind of treatment.
Definitely ask the radiologist if there are any precautions that need to be taken when visiting your mom so that your family helps her to stay as well as possible. That way, you're not asking about anyone being a health hazard to anyone else.
I'm really sorry, blue. So, so sorry. I hope that she is able to have a full recovery.
As for radiation, no worries. DH went through (if memory serves) 6 weeks of daily radiation. I was pregnant at the time and we also had 2 year old Jack at home. I, too, was concerned about exposure. The location of Jon's radiation lined up perfectly w/ my pregnant belly if we were spooning. And who doesn't want to cuddle when the person you love is hurting?!? Anyway...
We spoke w/ the radiologist (as well as a family member who was a radiology student at the time, who then spoke to his profs) and he said that the radiology is so specific (like needlepoint specific) that, for our family, exposure was not a concern. Of course, it is going to be different in each situation, so you will get the best advice from your mom's radiologist. FWIW- one of my great friends from high school also has small kids and her mom had lung cancer. She is a nurse and was very involved in her mom's treatment and she had zero reservations about having her children around their grandma. Again, this was confirmed through their radiologist.
I'll be sending tons of positive thoughts your way.
I have no answers about the radiation, but MC seemed to.
I wanted to say I am sorry to hear about your mom. I'm glad they caught it early.
The radiation used to treat the lungs is only there while it's being done. Much like how you or I are not radioactive following an xray or CT Scan. The thyroid one, they inject you with a radioactive isotope or have you swollow a pill. The pill test is why I had to stop breastfeeding Emily
. So as for that part, you're in the clear.
But ditto the other posters, she's more at risk from the kids, so just use general precautions for that. But don't just keep her away from the kids! The presense of family makes people happy. Happy patients do better. Sad and depressed patients get sicker.
Keep your head up....and what pp said is true- patients that are in a better emotional state do better.
The main thing I tell all of our chemo/radiation patients is to start a medical notepad. Have your mom keep it with her at all times and write down any questions as they come to her so that she gets all of her answers and doesn't forget something she meant to ask. Also write notes during the appts- she is getting a lot of info in a little bit of time- it can be very overwhelming.
*sending tons of hugs and good thoughts your way*
I've started giving parents of kids transferred to Dell Childrens a little notepad and a pen. They're like 79 cents at HEB so it's no big deal. I tell them to write the name of anyone who takes care of their child. To ask every time "what is my child getting and why are they getting it", "Why does my baby need this x-ray, procedure" etc. I also suggest they use the last couple pages to write questions they mean to ask the next time they see the doctor.
I think it helps give a feeling of control during a time when you feel so very out of control. It also reduces the chance of medical errors on the part of the staff.
I'm so sorry to hear that.
As may or may not know, my MIL has been living with lung cancer for the past 3 years. She was also diagnosed early, although it had already spread so is unfortunately incurable. However, with the drugs she's been using, her tumors have held steady this entire time. Radiation was never (or at least has not been yet) an option so I'm not sure about your question. My step-mom had radiation for breast cancer, and I know she couldn't see the boys for months. But I really don't know if that was for her benefit or theirs.
Good luck at her appointment. I'm so glad you will be there with her. We were also there with my MIL for her first "big" appt with her oncologist, and what the doctor said and what my MIL heard were literally opposite things on some points. It helped that we were there, and we definitely absorbed the information much more accurately.
It depends entirely on the type of radiation and how it is administered. My dad had stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer, and when he had systemic radiation, he was advised to stay away from pregnant women and infants for a short period of time following the radiation. He was at MD Anderson at the time, and I was pregnant and in North Carolina, so by the time I saw him, enough time had passed that it was just fine.
The main concern though in terms of the patient shedding radioactive particles (I guess that's the right word) is bodily fluid, because I remember my mom telling me, "If you were here right now, you could probably be in the same room with him, but you'd need to avoid any exchange of bodily fluids - so you couldn't kiss him, and you wouldn't want him to pee on you. Not that he would pee on you... but you know what I mean."
Does your mom have someone who can go to appointments with her? Sometimes the patient is so overwhelmed by the whole situation that it's nice to have another calmer set of ears. Remind your mom too that statistics are just that - statistics. They aren't a guarantee of anything. My dad lived so long with a rare cancer that MD Anderson didn't know what else to do for him because they virtually never see anyone live more than 18 months or so with neuroendocrine cancer. He lived almost 4.5 YEARS. I got pregnant within weeks of his diagnosis, and I worried that he wouldn't live to see my baby... he lived to see my second child born. Encourage your mom to focus on the positive. A positive attitude really does help. She has so much to fight for! I hope and pray that her treatments go well and that her cancer goes into remission quickly.
Meredith, 6-1-06 and Alex, 11-5-09
I'm so sorry to hear about your mom.
My grandad had lung cancer about 12 years ago (he was around 70) and he's still going strong. They had us grandkids avoid him for a few weeks but our family is massive so I'm guessing he just didn't want dozens of people coming in and out with their nasty germs.
Sending lots of positive thoughts to your mom.
ditto this, my mom had thyroid cancer and the treatment left her radioactive after for a few days. but i'm not sure how other cancers are treated and the risks they may pose to your children.
i'm so sorry to hear about your mom. lots of T&P sent your way and to your mother during this difficult time.
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
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