colon cancer

[emily7]

my gf's father was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer yesterday during a colonoscopy for diverticulitis, they removed the malignancy as best they could but some of it had spread to the surrounding tissue and small intestine...


we are a lesbian couple and her parents are old world sicily italian..they speak no english at all therefore our relationship is a secret. they found out about us two years ago but she told them we broke up because they freaked and her sister threatend to disown herand we have been carrying this act ever since..therefore i can not be at the hospital or be present around her family at any time


I feel so useless because i can not physically be there for her in that setting, she slept at her parents last nite with my urging because i thought it would help out her mom emotionally..


does anybody on the board have info about the disease and this stage of it? he is 67 has heart problems and diabetes as well..i know some of you are health professionals, filling myself with knowledge makes me feel helpful to her, cause i am trying to prpare her...the dr's have already indicated they will be treating him with chemo and radiation

[tayda]

Talk about a double whammy. You seem so sweet and supportive; you two are lucky to have eachother. I can't really give you any other information in reguards to your question (sorry). But when my grandmother was dieing of Lung Cancer, I can't tell you how important it was that I had support from my friends and family. It's a very stressful and scarey situation. But at least your being supportive, which is the best thing you can do for her. I hope all turns out well. Hang in there.

[emily7]

thanks tayda...i am at work..i got like no sleep last night..partly because she was not home and partly because im so worried about her..i am like a zombie..i think i am going to scoot out of here early today...but i need the $$ so thats probably a bad idea..i just feel so cloudy right now thanks for the info

[meercat]

AWWWW! I really wish i could say something to help you also, but i honestly don't know much about colon cancer myself. Now my grandmother had 16 inches removed from her intestines many many years ago, and i was maybe 11 yrs old at the time, (i'm now 38), but i can tell you that all of us in the family believed she had a form of colon cancer, they just don't remove all that just from polyps and things like that, so what else could it have been? I wanted to tell you that she lived MANY years after that time. Infact her passing (7 yrs ago) had nothing to do with the colon problem. So maybe there's that chance, with the treament of radiation or chemo, and if they can remove the area of the cancerous colon, that he too, may live for a long time to come!! I surely will remember him and your gf's family in my prayers!! Just continue what you're doing, by just being there to support her, and listen to her when she wants to talk about it...she will definitely need to vent and it may be over and over! That, in itself, is a wonderful gift to give someone...just to simply love and be there for her!!!

ALL MY BEST!!!

God bless you!

Paula

[emily7]

i posted this yesterday, now to make everything more stressful...my boss was out sick yesterday and i think he had an sv i do not know for certain but im pretty sure that was what it was bcause one of the foreman in the back was saying it was a virus...i usually work very close with him but did not on tuesday(the day he got sick i guess)he may or may not be in today..i did not see him at all yesterday and so far nobody else is sick with it..no bath room for me today or tomorrow

[SimplyMe]

I'm so sorry about your g/f's dad. I don't have any medical advice but also wanted to commend you on how supportive you are. I will keep you guys in my prayers. Just keep being loving and supportive to her when you are able to be together.

[emily7]

thank you simply





i appreciate all your comments guys.





if anybody knows about this illness, I would like to get your outlooks