So here we go! It all started about 20 years ago when i was about 5 (older sister 7 and younger sister 3), the doctors discovered a tumour on her pituatory gland which is situtated in the brain.
The technical term is Cushing's disease
Cushing's syndrome describes the condition resulting from too much exposure to steroid hormones.
The commonest cause of Cushing's syndrome (apart from the use of synthetic steroids to treat other conditions) is Cushing's disease. This is a problem arising in the Pituitary gland caused by a tumour which overproduces a hormone called ACTH. This in turn stimulates the Adrenal glands to overproduce the steroid hormone Cortisol. Cushing's syndrome can also be caused by a small growth in one, or both, of the adrenal glands.
Cushing's is rare and is more often found in women than in men. It can affect all age groups, but the peak incidence is in middle age.
The big problem is once the tumor comes out, so does the Pituitary gland and with that all control of your hormone system!
This had led to Thrombosis, Diabetes Insipidus, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, tunnel vision and many more things!
The latest problems have been down to Osteoporosis, this led to mum breaking her left femur badly. In fact it didn't just break it shattered! they tried and tried to fix it but in the end they had to take out the whole bone and replace it with a donor bone (dead persons!).
This caused other complications as my mum isn't good with general anaesthetic and it caused her to develop a condition which paralysed her entire body so she couldn't even breathe.
That was a very basic run down on her problems! its meant to be minor operations on Wednesday but with her you can never tell, she doesn't take the easy route with anything. As they have said this paralysing condition can occur every time she is put to sleep, so her high dependency bed is booked and waiting for her.
This post was basically to say i love my mum! (even though she does my head in!) and as it says in my blog title this is another piece of me! How she has coped with her illnesses other the years has shaped the person that i am today and how i in turn treat people.
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Claire,
ReplyDeleteIf you do get to California there are incredible hiking opportunities ... you can even walk the crest from Mexico to Oregon with a passport that allows you to do it in sections (What's 800+ miles among friends)
But if you want the Sierra cave climbing try this
http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_4033550
Or just head into Yosemite where you can ride, drive, walk and generally wish you could never leave.
Wow Claire, what an aweful lot for her (and you and your family) to have to have gone through. Just so much..
ReplyDeleteI hope and pray that the operation goes as absolutely hitch-free as possible, and that she has a very fast recovery with no long-tern complications.
Ryan
Best wishes for you and your Mom.
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard life but your mom sounds like she's made the best of it. The two of you will be in my thoughts. I hope everything goes off with no problems and your Mom is home soon.
ReplyDeleteClaire so sorry about your Mum and how this has affected your family. It must have helped you grow in compassion and understanding and maybe has influenced your choice of career. I hope the operation goes well. It is so good to share this and your love of your Mum.
ReplyDeleteWishing you & your Mum all the luck in the world. Your in my thoughts, be strong & take care of yourself too x x x
ReplyDeleteHey Jamie, its definitely on my list, 800+ miles sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to go to Yosemite! i bloody need to get saving! First buy camera, then get back to saving for world travels!
Hey Ryan, It doesn't seem so much now to me, but when i wrote down i thought wow! Your thoughts mean a lot! I am not one to talk about thoughts and feelings to my family so its nice to have an outlet here.
Cheers Travis, thats very nice of you!
Hey John, yeah my mum puts me to shame, i moan about the flu! Thanks for the thoughts!
Hey vic, your empathy score is rocketing up! I really appreciate your words, it means a lot to me. As bad as things have been, your right it has affected my career choice and i think it has turned out quite well.
Hey Shaz, Thanks for the luck and the thoughts, its nice to have a place to vent, instead of bottling things up!
I am so glad you've posted this Claire; not only does it share another "little piece" about you with us all but also highlights a disease that so few people know about.
ReplyDeleteLove ya
Rx
Cheers Ruth! The more people know about all types of illnesses the better! You never know, how and when something is going to affect you, your family or friends! But information is power and from that there is hope!
ReplyDeleteLove ya too!
Wow, Claire. It just reminds me that you never know what others have to deal with behind the curtain of the show they call their life.
ReplyDeleteYou're incredibly strong. Best wishes to you and your family...I'll be thinking of you all.
Mags
sounds like you are a wonderful daughter honey. i am so lucky that i have a wonderful daughter myself and i know how important it is when you have to go through these things. all the best....
ReplyDeletesmiles, bee
Hey Mags, thanks for the best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThe strength has been built up over the years, it comes and goes!
Hey E'bee, I dont think you realise how important your mum is until you get a bit older and although she has spent a long time in hospital over the years, she has always been there for me and my sisters.
Not sure about being wonderful but i try my best!
What a struggle for your mother and your family. Hope the minor operations turn out alright.
ReplyDeleteOh my your poor mum, that must be an awful feeling to depend all the time from others and a big burden for you ! I hope everything will go smooth. Nowadays they also have much better anaesthetics and a big variety. A lot of people can be allergic to it, I remember my son once in the hospital to take his wisdom teeth out, went mad with the anaesthetics. When he woke up he run his head against the walls and it took 4 people to get him calmed down and give him an injection to put him asleep again ! It's terrible with these medicins you only know it after !
ReplyDeleteClaire, my very best wishes, plus thoughts of and prayers for you and your mother. {{{hug}}}
ReplyDeleteHey curmy! Thanks for that, it really means a lot especially with your stuff at the moment. Be assured that i am thinking of you and yours at the moment!
ReplyDeleteHey Gattina, thanks for visit. Sometimes its a burden, but most of the time its a blessing! Its strange indeed that the thing they are doing to try and save you, may also kill or damage you. It sounds awful what happened to your son and must of been very scary!
Hey Tomcat, The hug is really appreciated! i think i talk more about my feelings and worries on this blog than in real life sometimes!
All those little "pieces" of you combine to make you a really great "piece of work" ya know! Here's hoping all goes well for your mother tomorrow. Prayers for her and your family as you cope with this event.
ReplyDeleteThat was lovely jeni! I love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the prayers me and the family appreciate it!
Will update everyone tomorrow when i find out what time the operation is and how it went!
Hey Claire,
ReplyDeleteI can never think of anything to say about things like this, that don't sound trite but anyway: good luck to you & your family :-)
I don't know how your Mum can do it, she must be a very special person - I'm a total coward, and the flu is more than enough for me...
Claire,
ReplyDeleteMy prayers for your mom and all of you. My mom does my head in too some days and I still find I grow more and more like her, lol! I hope all goes smoothly.
thanks for the camera tip about Ryan's blog, I will pop over and visit him.
Hey Chris nothing trite here! Thank you! I am a total wimp too! I appreciate you leaving me a comment!
ReplyDeleteHey Lisa, Thanks for your prayers!
Its scary how you think you will never turn out like your folks but slowly but surely you start turning into them!lol!
Best thoughts and wishes go to your mum for her surgery tomorrow. Perhaps just this once she'll take the easy way out?? I can only imagine the struggles she has had to endure but I'm sure that having a loving daughter like yourself has helped her tremendously with her own life's journey.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep you both in mind tomorrow and send good vibes across the pond!
Here's wishing all good things to you and your mum. (I have Cushing's, and I'm a 'mum' too! I Sooooo get the whole idea that it's never 'just' Cushing's. There are always more and more 'things' popping up.) I hope everything goes well at the hospital!
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