I think my gma is lying about cancer...

[acejka]

My grandma has non hodgkins lymphoma in 2001. She passed the 5 year mark, the doctor said she was in great health. She only had to do check ups once a year. All of a sudden last year they told her she needed to come back in 3 months... She never went.

I'm starting to think the cancer in one form or another might be back. She's always tired, has trouble breathing if she has to walk around a while, has some sores that won't go away and it takes a while for her to heal. The primary care doctor said the sores were an infection and she waited a long time to see him so he put her on a very strong antibiotic to clear it up. Now maybe the side effects of the antibiotics are what is making her so much worse lately, and I am over reacting but I'm just worried-especially now that I don't live in the same state. Also, she had trouble with her weight ever since the chemo, so seeing as how she is very overweight, that can cause the tiredness, and trouble walking around easily and shortness of breath. It's a day to day thing, one day she will work her butt off in the yard, the next she will have an "off" day.

Ugh. I guess I am just having a pity party....

Does anyone have an experience with lymphoma coming back?

 

[chisnpeke]

No advice on the lymphoma returning but do you think maybe she is having off days because she overtires herself? For example, she works really hard in the yard and that wears her out so she has a weak spell the next day.

 

[hambirg]

Is there any chance that she could be diabetic? Those sores that turn into an infection are not uncommon for diabetics. How old is she?

 

[acejka]

No advice on the lymphoma returning but do you think maybe she is having off days because she overtires herself? For example, she works really hard in the yard and that wears her out so she has a weak spell the next day.

I hope that is all.

Is there any chance that she could be diabetic? Those sores that turn into an infection are not uncommon for diabetics. How old is she?

I wouldn't rule it out, but I don't think its very likely since she does go to the rest of her checkups and I feel like she would be on medicine for that already. Recently (within the last 9 months) she began taking blood pressure medicine so I am 100% sure she had a full checkup when they found that.

She is 68.

 

[cm8]

My grandma has non hodgkins lymphoma in 2001. She passed the 5 year mark, the doctor said she was in great health. She only had to do check ups once a year. All of a sudden last year they told her she needed to come back in 3 months... She never went.

I'm starting to think the cancer in one form or another might be back. She's always tired, has trouble breathing if she has to walk around a while, has some sores that won't go away and it takes a while for her to heal. The primary care doctor said the sores were an infection and she waited a long time to see him so he put her on a very strong antibiotic to clear it up. Now maybe the side effects of the antibiotics are what is making her so much worse lately, and I am over reacting but I'm just worried-especially now that I don't live in the same state. Also, she had trouble with her weight ever since the chemo, so seeing as how she is very overweight, that can cause the tiredness, and trouble walking around easily and shortness of breath. It's a day to day thing, one day she will work her butt off in the yard, the next she will have an "off" day.

Ugh. I guess I am just having a pity party....

Does anyone have an experience with lymphoma coming back?

Have you tried speaking to your Gma and asking her to list you as one of the people authorized to discuss her medical records , that way you can find out what she has been keeping from you. If you feel she is not being honest about why she is behaving a certain way, ask her outright whether or not her NH lymphoma is back and what she wants to do about it. It can't hurt.

 

[DebbieB]

Are there any relatives that live close by who can go with her to her doctor appointments?

 

[c8k6k]

My father died last year from non hodgkins lymphoma. He lived 7 years from diagnosis. Our family's experience was that this disease came back, repeatedly. Medicine kept it at bay for a while, but it always came back.

You're obviously concerned about your grandma. I think it would be worth it to have a candid discussion with her.

 

[diznygirl]

My FIL lived for four years with cancer, but we didn't hear about all the occurrences. MIL would say he pulled a muscle or some other nonsense. We didn't live really close, so they got away with stuff. She didn't want anyone to worry.

Your gram is probably thinking the same - she doesn't want anyone to worry about her. She may have chosen not to have treatment and doesn't want any arguments. I agree that you should talk to her about letting people know what is really going on.