General Chat

for my son's Nanna in Malta who at the age of 82 has just been diagnosed with Leukaemia. At the moment no one over here knows how bad things are or what treatment is being given, the only thing my son's aunt told me when she phoned is that Nanna has gone down several dress sizes but the illness was only found when she went for an annual blood test, which seems rather strange. Why didn't her 50 yr old daughter who lives with her, take her to the doctor sooner, or her son, my lad's father, do something as he said apparently there was something showing up in last year's blood tests.
The aunt and uncle, her eldest son, are going to Malta on Wednesday for a week to see her, and find out what is going on, it seems the old lady doesn't know what has been diagnosed.
She is a tiny little lady, only about 4'11" so if she has lost weight, and I noticed on our visit in 2007 that she was not so round and cuddly as she used to be, she will be very frail, bless her.

Lizx

Good morning Liz sorry to hear about your son's Nanna, life is very cruel at times isn't it.

Hope things get sorted.

Frances

Best wishes for Nanna, and to you and your son

Barb

Thoughts for your son's Nanna Liz, I hope they can get it sorted out.

Ann
Glos

Awwh...LIZ ,
I'll say a prayer for little Nanna in church next week and light a candle. for her.
Hope she gets treatment soon,


Missed you last week in Norwich....couldn't get time off with the kids.

But I'll see you after boxing day for our Cuppa !!

Marilyn x

Aw bless her, Liz....... it sounds like G's nanna might have one of the chronic Leukaemia's.... very difficult to detect in the early stages, and generally progresses very slowly over a period of years.

My fingers are crossed, positive thoughts winging her way, and prayers as well.

If it is any consolation to you... if it is one of the chronics, the treatment is much more gentle, although she may well need regular transfusions of blood/platelets.

Will you let me know when she has a full diagnosis?

Love and gentle (((((((((((hugs))))))))))

awe bless her, shes made it this far and now suffering, poor thing,
i send her hugs, and thoughts for a hopeful outcome,
she should be enjoying life ,

Hi Liz,
sorry to here about your nanna, my thoughts are with you , my sister was diagnosed with Leukaemia 10 years ago she was treated with interfarin ( not sure of the spelling) she went through a bad time but today is fighting fit , she still has regular blood tests but to date every thing is fine so there is hope and help out there so keep positive.
best wishes Margaret x

Oh lovie sending lots of positive thoughts
Love and hugs
Rachxxxxxx

Dear Purple

Hello

I am very sorry to hear your son's Nana is not well.

Hopefully, the Doctors will get some treatment sorted out very soon.

Thinking of your family.

Take good care of yourself purple

Very sincere wishes
xx

Special thoughts for you and G. as you wait and wonder.
It's such a worry when they are so far away.
I do hope that you are able to find out more soon and that Nanna can be treated and made comfortable.

Gwyn

Thanks all, and for the pms too.

Nanna - I call her that too as she was never legally my m.i.l. - was a young teenager during the Malta siege in World War II and if any of you have watched the film Malta Convoy you will know what things were like, and what they went through. She was an only child I think, altho she has cousins on her father's side, living in Wales, and her daughter and four sons in Malta as well as the family here of her eldest son. She has a strong Catholic faith which I hope will help sustain her through all that is ahead.

I will let you know when I find out more, and thanks for the support.

Lizx

Liz thinking of your son,s Nanna and all the family take care
Dutchxx

Bless her, I hope all is well.
Sorry Liz for missing this message too.
My head is in not mine at the minute.
Love Deanna X

Update!

Managed to get hold of my son's uncle and aunt this evening - they found Nanna poorly but she has been told she has something wrong with her blood, no more than that, and has to take tablets. The medication is chemotherapy, so it sounds to me as tho the doctors are just trying to keep things at bay for a while, to give her a little more time?
The family here are hoping the other granddaughter with the new(ish) baby girl can go over after Christmas to see her, the excuse being for her to see the baby who will be a year old in February and I think the other daughter whose baby boy was 1 in October, will try and visit too. My son has said he wants to get over there somehow as well so we will have to hope the old lady can hang on and respond to the chemo without it taking too much out of her, and everyone can visit her again soon.
It's such a shame that this has happened to her, she is a very devout Catholic who did her best to bring up her family when her policeman husband died at quite a young age and never did any harm to anyone. She has her single daughter and one of her sons who never married, still living at the apartment with her - I don't know if it is provided by the Police force, but I think it might be as it is right behind the police station there, which coincidentally is where a friend of mine is a Police Sergeant.
Would you please send further positive thoughts that she can get through this and if not make a good recovery, at least have some more painfree time with her family.

Lizx

Dear Purple

Hello

Warmest and caring thoughts on their way to your son's grandmother.

Take care of yourself

Very sincere wishes
xx

Best wishes to your son and his Nanna, Liz. I really hope he manages to get to see her soon.

Hi Liz, just read this thread, i am so sorry to hear of your son,s Nannas ill health. I hope that she can if not have a full recovery at least have a painfree time and that the family get to visit before her time runs out.
Talk soon.
Lily.

Thanks folks.
It will be very difficult as she doesn't speak English so we cannot converse easily with her, one of her family have to be with her to translate and continue the chat and then it becomes a bit stilted. She does understand English a bit but only knows a few words. She always enjoys visitors despite the difficulties tho and makes people welcome.
She never questioned that my son was part of the family even tho she didn't meet him till he was 3, but I had written to her to explain things and got the letter translated so she heard my side of the situation. I knew her son would make out I was to blame but she had seen me staying there with him and he had taken me to the house many times during our brief 'courtship' so she knew we were an item. There were difficulties later on about keeping visits quiet so my son's stepmother didn't know we had been round as much as we had. We used to go on the bus or the aunt and Nanna would come to where ever we were staying after my son's dad got married to a very possessive bossy woman. Son's father would be allowed to take us just once in the car, by his wife, or could take just my son and not me! Pathetic!
Well let's hope the spirit Nanna has shown all her life stays strong within her.

Lizx

Hi Liz,

I had not realized she was still ill from my last message, what a shame for the family.....and especially your son.
Liz I will light a candle on Sunday for little Nanna and some prayers at least her medication will keep her pain at bay.

Its so sad when one hears of such sad news just before Christmas when most of us are looking forward to seeing our loved ones .

Thinking of you both .....Marilyn xx