Living with Brain Cancer

In late April, 2007, mom experienced her first seizure which resulted in her diagnosis of Stage IV lung cancer with 4 mets in her brain, and cancer in her liver. Until this moment she was leading a very normal life.

We are now at the 3 month marker since her diagnosis. Her original prognosis was three and a half months with treatment. We chose not to treat the cancer, and mom has been in the care of Hospice every since. The first 11 weeks we cared for mom in her home.

The home hospice team was awesome. Together with the help of hospice, we moved mom to an acute in-patient care center three weeks ago today.

Cancer has literally taken every piece of mom there is to take. She is paralyzed, and the cancer has now metasticised to her bones. Her speech, although still audible, has been greatly compromised. Mom also has developed infected sores in her mouth.

We are a family of faith and this journey with our mother has been filled with God’s presence. Nevertheless, the pain is still there. The compassion of the Hospice team has been a tremendous support throughout
this ordeal.

Although it is hard to understand why the Lord still has not taken mom, we know we must trust His timing. The lessons will have learned and will continue to learn are one gift that we, the living, can share with other families and friends, who are in similar circumstances.