Talk Cancer

Question:

Hi…my name’s Jenni and I just found this newsgroup tonight. I never thought I’d be posting here and I’m not sure if I should be, but here goes. My mother has been having some problems for the past few months. She’s just recently told me about them and only because she had to explain why she was having an MRI. (Mothers!) She’s been having dizzy spells, loss of balance, garbled speech at times, and a general feeling of being tired, along with headaches, etc. Her first MRI a couple of days ago showed something, an area or a mass in her front left temporal lobe, with other areas on her brain as well. Her doctor said what he was seeing looked like demyelanation (not sure I spelled that right) but that they couldn’t be sure until they re-did the MRI with dye this time. He said it could either be MS or cancer. Well, she had the second MRI tonight and the technician looked "very grim," after the test. (My mother’s words) She asked if they found what they were looking for and he said yes, but her doctor would have to talk with her. From what I know of MS and what I’ve read, this doesn’t sound like MS, but more like cancer. I’m not sure what the dye in an MRI shows, but from what I can gather, it would show if there was a blockage or something being caused by these spots. Would MS cause blockages, or would that be something more indicative of a tumor? I’m trying to gather as much information as I can to inform myself. I don’t want to discuss any of this with my mother until she’s talked with her doctor, but the waiting is driving me nuts. I was wondering if any of this sounded like typical MS symptoms, etc.? Or if anyone could give me any help with this. Either diagnosis wouldn’t be good…..but I don’t know what to do right now. I’m feeling a bit lost and confused. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jenni — no.spam.je…@jennilu.com Remove no.spam. to reply!

Response:

On Thu, 24 Feb 2000 22:34:28 -0600, "Jenni" <no.spam.je…@jennilu.com> wrote: >I’m trying to gather as much information as I can to inform myself. I don’t >want to discuss any of this with my mother until she’s talked with her >doctor, but the waiting is driving me nuts. I was wondering if any of this >sounded like typical MS symptoms, etc.? Or if anyone could give me any help >with this. Either diagnosis wouldn’t be good…..but I don’t know what to do >right now. I’m feeling a bit lost and confused. Any help would be greatly >appreciated.

Dear Jenni, Unfortunately, this is waiting time, the worst time for any patient. You look at the technician for a clue.  You say hopefully, "Does it look good?" and try to gauge their response. None of this helps.  You have to have the results before you can begin worrying or planning. Take your mom to a movie and out to lunch and giggle about the bad things you did as a kid. . . or both of you will collapse with waiting. Kate

Response:

Jenni, My thought and prayers, also, are with you both. SW — SheWolf sw…@tpg.com.au "Jenni" <no.spam.je…@jennilu.com> wrote in message

news:Nynt4.616$O11.3935@newsfeed.slurp.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi…my name’s Jenni and I just found this newsgroup tonight. I never > thought I’d be posting here and I’m not sure if I should be, but here goes. > My mother has been having some problems for the past few months. She’s just > recently told me about them and only because she had to explain why she was > having an MRI. (Mothers!) She’s been having dizzy spells, loss of balance, > garbled speech at times, and a general feeling of being tired, along with > headaches, etc. Her first MRI a couple of days ago showed something, an area > or a mass in her front left temporal lobe, with other areas on her brain as > well. Her doctor said what he was seeing looked like demyelanation (not sure > I spelled that right) but that they couldn’t be sure until they re-did the > MRI with dye this time. He said it could either be MS or cancer. > Well, she had the second MRI tonight and the technician looked "very grim," > after the test. (My mother’s words) She asked if they found what they were > looking for and he said yes, but her doctor would have to talk with her. > From what I know of MS and what I’ve read, this doesn’t sound like MS, but > more like cancer. I’m not sure what the dye in an MRI shows, but from what I > can gather, it would show if there was a blockage or something being caused > by these spots. Would MS cause blockages, or would that be something more > indicative of a tumor? > I’m trying to gather as much information as I can to inform myself. I don’t > want to discuss any of this with my mother until she’s talked with her > doctor, but the waiting is driving me nuts. I was wondering if any of this > sounded like typical MS symptoms, etc.? Or if anyone could give me any help > with this. Either diagnosis wouldn’t be good…..but I don’t know what to do > right now. I’m feeling a bit lost and confused. Any help would be greatly > appreciated. > Thanks, > Jenni > — > no.spam.je…@jennilu.com > Remove no.spam. to reply!

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Response:

Hi Jenni, You must be very worried about your mother.  It’s almost worse when it’s someone we love than when it happens to us.  I can’t tell you whether it’s MS or cancer.  You have to wait for the doctor to tell you this. Waiting is SO difficult.  It seems unfair that we have to wait on tenterhooks like this.  Why can’t they tell us straight away and be done with it?   The damage in MS that shows on MRI is usually white patches.  Mine are small, but I’ve seen some that are very big.  I haven’t seen any MRI’s showing brain cancer, but I would think the appearance might be similar, perhaps more discrete. MS can cause symptoms like your mother’s, along with many others.  So can cancer.  Sorry not to be more helpful, but you can see why the doctors need to be sure.  I hope the waiting for an answer is not too long.   Please try not to worry too much.  It doesn’t really help anything. Having said that, I have to admit to being among the top 10 worry-warts in the world.  I know you can’t do otherwise.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your mother.   Love Carmel – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Jenni wrote: > Hi…my name’s Jenni and I just found this newsgroup tonight. I never > thought I’d be posting here and I’m not sure if I should be, but here goes. > My mother has been having some problems for the past few months. She’s just > recently told me about them and only because she had to explain why she was > having an MRI. (Mothers!) She’s been having dizzy spells, loss of balance, > garbled speech at times, and a general feeling of being tired, along with > headaches, etc. Her first MRI a couple of days ago showed something, an area > or a mass in her front left temporal lobe, with other areas on her brain as > well. Her doctor said what he was seeing looked like demyelanation (not sure > I spelled that right) but that they couldn’t be sure until they re-did the > MRI with dye this time. He said it could either be MS or cancer. > Well, she had the second MRI tonight and the technician looked "very grim," > after the test. (My mother’s words) She asked if they found what they were > looking for and he said yes, but her doctor would have to talk with her. > From what I know of MS and what I’ve read, this doesn’t sound like MS, but > more like cancer. I’m not sure what the dye in an MRI shows, but from what I > can gather, it would show if there was a blockage or something being caused > by these spots. Would MS cause blockages, or would that be something more > indicative of a tumor? > I’m trying to gather as much information as I can to inform myself. I don’t > want to discuss any of this with my mother until she’s talked with her > doctor, but the waiting is driving me nuts. I was wondering if any of this > sounded like typical MS symptoms, etc.? Or if anyone could give me any help > with this. Either diagnosis wouldn’t be good…..but I don’t know what to do > right now. I’m feeling a bit lost and confused. Any help would be greatly > appreciated. > Thanks, > Jenni > — > no.spam.je…@jennilu.com > Remove no.spam. to reply!

– " Don’t wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel.   Stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself." www.cyberwizards.com.au/~carmel www.cyberwizards.com.au/~jaragun

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