What can I do to help my daughter with Vulva cancer?

@abotha5 This is so heartbreaking about your daughter's diagnosis. You are so right that no parent should have to worry like this about their adult children or fear that their children will predecease them. I am furious that her GP did not take her concerns seriously and look closely enough in order to refer her earlier.

In what province does your daughter reside? I am asking in case one of our members lives in the same province as your daughter and can give her some advice.

I am tagging a few members of our Gynecological Cancers support group@bobette1 @ljchicago @sillywabbit @vsinn2000 who have been diagnosed and treated for vulvar cancer. While we wait for them to come here and post I have provided you with some additional information.

Mayo Clinic: Vulvar Cancer

-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vulvar-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20368051

Cleveland Clinic: Vulvar Cancer:

-- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6220-vulvar-cancer

Do you know the kind of vulvar cancer from your daughter's pathology report?

Thank you so much for your feedback. What upsets me so much I went onto the Mayo Clinic Website and within 5 minutes found her exact symptoms and diagnoses. She resides in the town of Milton, Ontario. I have asked her what type of cancer she has but is still awaiting a reply. She is not herself. All of this pain medication experimentation is causing her to hallucinate. As soon as I know I will let you know

I am so very sorry to read this. I remain thankful that my nurse-practitioner found mine very early.
That said, I don't have the same experience she is having, as mine was handled with surgery. My only suggestion is to request an appointment at Mayo in Minnesota, if you possibly can.
God bless you and your daughter.

I am so sorry to hear about your daughter’s diagnosis.

I live in Toronto and, despite the horrific state of our health care, when a mid-November biopsy showed I have vulvar cancer (after years of having a sore that doctors disregarded), within a week I saw gynecologic and radiation oncologists and a treatment plan was made immediately.

May I ask in what hospital your daughter was told, without a biopsy, her cancer is terminal? And do you know why it has taken so many months to start treatment?

@abotha5 I so sad as I read this. She must be in a lot of pain. So your daughter is in the Toronto area in southern Ontario? Do you know if she is now seen locally in her town by an oncologist? If so can she get into a major medical center in Toronto to be seen? Or does she have to stay within her region for care and needs a referral to go somewhere else?

In the U.S., we often recommend the National Cancer Institute designated cancer centers. Mayo Clinic is on this list.

-- https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers

Here is a Canadian list by province.

Canadian Cancer Centres:

-- https://comp-ocpm.ca/english/career-education/career-resources/canadian-cancer-centres.html

The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is university-affiliated and keeps coming up.

-- https://comp-ocpm.ca/english/career-education/career-resources/canadian-cancer-centres.html

I am going to tag @colleenyoung as she may have other suggestions for you.

Are you located near your daughter?

@abotha5, how are you and your daughter doing?

Thank you for your interest. See an update from my daughter below:

Good morning I apologize for no contact but I had my first round of the stronger chemo that took about 7 1/2 hours and I was absolutely exhausted and just came home and slept. So far I have had a lot of number twos. I hope this doesn’t keep up unfortunately whenever I have a number two I have to go right in the shower to relieve the burn and then I have to take some pain medication to help relieve the burn even more.
My doctor called me yesterday. They are going to remove the port from my chest. It seems to be infected, and they are going to move it to the other side. He feels it got infected when they put it in by dirty hands. I am so upset because whenever they insert the port, they have to cut with his scalp lift the skin up and then insert the port it is painful.
I have also had problems with my medication port. It keeps coming out of my arm. My night nurse had to come and re-insert it last night. He told me that they keep inserting it wrong. I don’t understand what is happening all of a sudden.
I will be sleeping most of my day today. They have given me a stronger medication to get through the day after chemo. I am also on stronger nausea medication seems like this one will make me very nauseous.
I am ready to fight it. I have prepared myself mentally I’m going to get as much rest as possible and take care of myself. I’m also going to pray to my God for getting me as far as he has. Without him I can’t do anything and I am nothing. I love my God with all my heart.

I would like to share my response as a Dad
Bellie as a man, and a father it is my natural instinct to solve problems, especially when it affects your family. You are supposed to be the Protector, the Provider. With your journey I cant do anything actionable. It frustrates me to the limit, makes me feel helpless. I can only support you mentally and listen to you and have empathy. I hope you understand. This is a BIG thing. It is no easy road to travel, but it is what you have, and what you have to deal with. I will always be with you on your journey. Know that I love and care about you. You are and always will be precious to me. Lean on me if you need to. Like life some days will be good, some days will be bad. It is better to lower your expectations and accept that this is a tough journey. Stay strong with the love of the merciful GOD

No I am not near my daughter. I visited her for 17 days 3 weeks ago. I now live in Thailand due to the cost of living in Canada. If I remained in Canada I would be homeless. I talk to my daughter every day.

I will try and find out for you. Thank you for your interest.

Thank you very much. Unfortunately due to her health situation and financial constraints we are unable to visit the Mayo clinic.