Help for my mum

jenzie06
jenzie06 Member Posts: 708
edited 1. Aug 2013, 09:00 in Living with Arthritis archive
Some of you might remember that I have previously asked for positive thoughts and prayers for my mum while she battles cancer.
Her cancer came back after being in remission for a year and now it's spread to her brain. After radiotherapy for her brain her enormous tumour (6cm) is now down to 2.5cm which is fantastic news. She's still having chemo for her tum tumours. It's not a battle that she will win but we are hoping for more time. I still need my mum!

But now she has developed OA, we are not sure whether it is due to the chemo or just bad luck. However, we were all dancing about when the diagnosis of OA came back as we all had thought that the brain tumour had spread to her neck. Her knees and ankles are affected as well as her neck.

Having RA I don't know what treatments are available for OA? What can she do to help herself? She is already seeing a physio for her neck. I don't want her to think that she should 'put up' with the OA as she is busy battling the cancer. Her consultant was a bit useless as he only knew about the cancer.

Comments

  • mig
    mig Member Posts: 7,154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jenzie,I can't help on the oa as like you it's ra that I have ,I will be thinking of you both sending hugs (((()))) Mig
  • DebbieT
    DebbieT Member Posts: 1,033
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,

    Firstly, wow ure Mum is one strong lady!! (((hugs)))

    With OA it's a case of trying to keep everything around the joint strong. I'm not sure how much ure Mum is up to doing but perhaps something quite gentle & low impact like swimming would suit her. The only other thing you can do for OA that I can think of is pain killers but I'd imagine she's on a lot of those already!!

    I sincerely wish ure Mum well. Remember to take care of ureself too (((you))) x
    Healing Hugs
    Debbie.x
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    I have OA.......apart from pain killers, there isn't a lot you can do. Exercise of course.....get advise from the physio because wome will suit and some wont.
    Heat of course is the other thing. You get snake shaped wheat bags that are ideal for the neck.....hot water bottle shaped ones for other places :lol:
    Swimming is supposed to be the best because it is low impact.....the water takes the weight...........but I am not allowed to do the breast stroke {after THR} but that's 3 and a half years ago :roll: and possible the front crawl where she would have to move her head from side to side wouldn't be the best...I don't know...I'm no doctor :wink: so I think a physio's advice

    Love
    Hileena
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 8,899
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Jenzie and your mum.
    your mum is a strong lady and a fighter I wish her all the best
    I know how hard it is for your family my parents had it.
    take care both I will be thinking about you.
    joan xx
    take care
    joan xx