My Husband Has an Anaplastic Glioma grade III

tejay3 · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

hi everyone, i have never been on a forum before so i hope i am doing this right and even in the right place if now could someone please direct me to some that is or has gone through the same thing as us. well i don't have anaplastic astrocytoma but my husband does. it is a grade 3 and we are just starting treatment, it is extremely rough for us and we are in the early stages of everyone thing, everything is still new and my husband is extremely depressed, i was wondering if what we are going through is typical or normal or are we so freaked out we cant get passed it. i am a positive person and he is not to much even without the tumor, i try so hard to reassure him and stay positive. i stay nervous all the time as he had a grand mal seziure. he has only had one and he is on anti seziure meds now. i was with him when he started having the seziure i was so terrified and now i stay nervous and the thought of what next. he is very confused and very turned around in our own home, he needs direction with pretty much everything. he walks very unstable like. he is taking temodar, keppra and other stuff but those are the major meds, anti nausea, oh and steroids, he has major moods swings and talks about shooting himself. these are most of the things i am going through right now. advice would be greatly appreciated.
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My name is Tammy and my Husband was recently diagnosed with grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma

brainman

Hi Tammy, I am so sorry about your husband's cancer. You can read all of my story in the links in my signature block. I was diagnosed with an astrocytoma grade II in 1992. After treatment, I remained cancer free until 2005 when it recurred but as a grade III. I have been on antiseizure medication since 1992. Currently, I am on Keppra, Phenobarbital, and Lamactal. I am happy to say that in a few weeks I will be off of the Keppra... not that it is such a bad medicine. I is just so expensive.

What you and your husband are going through is perfectly normal for any one soon after finding out that they have cancer. I remember the feeling that I did not have any future. All I had was that moment. At this point, your husband probably does not need someone to cheer him up but for you to say in words and actions that regardless of what happens, you are with him through all of this.

Yes, at this point you need to be hyper vigilant because he could still have seizures. It took me many weeks of tweaking in medications until I was seizure free.

You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers.
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Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

tejay3 · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

thank you very much for the encouraging words, it really helps. i did talk to the doctor today about his moods and they are gonna give him something for that. he gets very angry and talks about killing himself. he has not had any seziure since the first one and they put him on keppra. there is so much to take in for both of us. i am looking forward to the day when his memory gets better with the treatment and we can have some normalcy again. will that happen? i wonder sometimes if that will ever happen again. i am going to the doctor tomorrow because i stay nervous in my stomach and i cry alot because i just dont know whats gonna happen next. sometimes i get panic attacks thinking about what is gonna happen next. i know that we will get into a routine and that it will get better and more familiar. i am just waiting for that day. anyway thank you so much.
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My name is Tammy and my Husband was recently diagnosed with grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma

ksplat

Hi Tammy

Welcome to the forum.

So sorry to hear about your Husband's brain tumour & current health & emotional issues. I can fully understand the state you must both be in & I agree with you that things will calm down a little once you get into a "new" routine.

My prayers & thoughts are with you.

We are a very supportive community here. Keep us in mind if you need to offload your woes, rant & rave, whatever!

God Bless
Cheers, Angie.
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Brother diagnosed with GBMIV Feb 07
Treatment: Radiotherapy, Temodal, Gliadel Wafers, Dexamethasone, Keppra, Dilantin, Clexane
Went to our Heavenly Father after a 19mth battle,, 47 years young.
23 Sep 2008
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=19227

"Without Faith We Have Nothing"

tejay3 · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

thank you angie and i will keep that in mind. how is your brother doing? i will pray for each of you out there battling the disease of cancer in general. i am a cancer survivor and now my husband having it just makes it seem a little unfair. however cancer does not pick and choose so we just do the best we can with what we are delt and we put our faith in God and pray for the best. take care and God Bless.
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My name is Tammy and my Husband was recently diagnosed with grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma

simplyklb

Hi Tammy,
I just wanted to share with you a story about one of my neighbors. One of my next-door neighbors was diagnosed with a grade III-IV anaplastic astrocytoma in December 1999. He was given 6 to 9 months to live. He has defied the odds. It's been 8 1/2 years since my neighbor diagnosis and he is still living. He does have some limited mobility and cognitive issues from the surgery and radiation.

Kristi
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Dad - Andy, 70, diagnosed with SCLC in May 2008
2/20/38 - 10/15/08 Fly high, Dad!
Mom - Jackie, 67, diagnosed with NSCLC in May 2008

Mama 2 2

Hello Tammy,

I'm so sorry to hear of yours and your husbands troubles. My heart goes out to you both. My husband has a grade two oligoastrocytoma. It's been six years on this crazy, emotional rollercoaster. You can read our full story on the link in my signature block, and you'll see that there are definately emotional ups and downs (check my posts in the last week, those were mostly down moments), but I think you will find that it does get better.

We just found out that there are some new 'bad cells' growing from my hubby's last scan and it's been tough news to take, each time I find I recover a little more slowly - but eventually I do. That's not to say that it isn't always on my mind, but I get back to the point where I can function and I don't feel like I could cry at any moment (though even on 'good days' if I hear a sad song it can get me going with no problem).

As I mentioned the last post on my own thread, something that has been helping me recover from this news in the past few days is, each time I start to worry about the future (which is VERY often), I stop the thoughts - look around the room at something that is positive in my life (usually easy as I am a Mom of two amazing little girls - 3yrs and 9mos old) and be happy for what I have right now - this very moment. Right now I have my husband, I have my girls, I have a lovely home, a loving family, great friends, etc. There is much to be thankful for today. I have no clue what the future holds - but today I have a great wealth of things to be thankful for and happy about. Yes, he has a tumour, but right now he is here beside me, and he loves me and I love him.

It's sad to think that this is something that will become 'routine' as you said - but it is true. All of us here have this situation that we have no control over, so we live with it. Coming to that acceptance doesn't mean you like the situation, it just means you accept it. And I must add I loved Jim's comment about how it's best for you to not worry about cheering him up, but just to be there and let him know you love him and are there for him - very well said Jim . . . as always.

I wish you both all the best.

~C~
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~Life's too sweet to be bitter~

Our Story: http://www.cancerforums.net/about7982.html
www.caringbridge.org/visit/eliasminatsis

evrin · New User Joined: 27 Aug 2008 Posts: 3

Hi,
I'm new here too, just wanted to say as I am currently suffering from the experience of surgery, radio and chemotherapy I can sympathise with your husbands state of mind.
I am currently suffering from I guess anxiety and mild depression (I prefer to class it as a 2nd puberty phase) I wish not to upset people who are close to me but as they are with me most of the day, i suppose it is why they see the 'darker' side of brain tumours.

It is an embarrassment to me and a pain for my family to listen to me, but when I have my 'tantrums' we have all learned to ignore it completely and carry on as if I was sane. This has helped me a lot to communicate with my family.
I really don't know if it will help you at all, but my thoughts are with you and your husband.

annaplasticMan · Regular Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 13

Hi sorry to hear this it can be ruff just tell him to stay strong and think positive...some people think this may not work but it does it had been about 2 years now sence i found out I had the same thing and right now im back to work doin labour even when im not supposed to have fun and trying to live a normal life tell him to keep his head up get through cancer ass kicking process ill be praying for him

jctajf · New User Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 8

Hi Tammy,

I am very sorry to hear about your husband. I hate to hear that his diagnosis has been so hard on him. I believe my husband was quite depressed for some time. He was diagnosed with Anaplastic Astrocytoma. He did not share the fact that he was feeling so down with me that much, but I could tell and he also started to write down his feelings and I stumbled across some of these notes at one point. It is clear how hard this must be on you as well - seeing someone you love unhappy can hurt more than the knowledge that they are physically unwell. As unfortunate as it is that anyone has to go through this at all, I think the fact that other young people are out there with the same diagnosis living just fine helped my husband some. Just the knowledge that you are not the only one and that there is walking proof that everything can be okay helped. How is your husband doing now? I hope you guys are fairing better? Best wishes, Tammy.

Audrey -

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