Hi Moowens,
This is a toughy, my hubby had stage 4 lung with mets to numerous other bits and bobs brain included, 4 tumours.
Looking back I would have chosen the holiday while able to enjoy it, but I have no medical training.  In his case things progressed very quickly, hopefully it won't be in your mums case, but when hubby regretted not doing things he was no longer capable of travelling even short distances in a car.
What is mums prognosis?
Kathy x
 

Hi Kathy. Thanks for prompt reply. Loving your cat pic btw!!

As I said, Mum is otherwise in good health and the oncologist hasn't given a prognosis as such. She has at least 2 legions in her brain and a 5cm one in her lung. She presented no obvious symptoms until about 2 months ago.

The oncologist was initially saying 'cancel the holiday' but Mum is adamant that she is going. I dont know what that says about his fears for her wellbeing, but her response tells me she is determined to enjoy herself and not have regrets! He eventually came round to our thinking and scheduled the 1st session for next week i.e. asap (we met with him yesterday). I guess he is hoping that any side effects from chemo this coming Monday will have subsided by the time we travel on 21st May. But I am not really sure how it works and I know everyone responds differently!!

ps i have a new found appreciation for how difficult your loss must have been. Sending you warm, loving energy! xo

Only you know the full facts of your mums health. However I would go as planned and postpone the Chemo or bring your holiday forward. (even better option) I missed the opportunity with my dad in a similar situation and we never did get to go. He became very ill with the chemo which he abandoned and afterwards was too weak with the illness to make any further trips. It really is a once in a lifetime trip dont miss it. Wishing you and your mum all the best in this difficult time.

Thank you Moowens,
I was a bit concerned at giving you such a frank response, but you have to speak from the heart.
Mum is a young chook, I am confident she will have a great time overseas, I am here honey if you need to chat, I am in Australia but from Scotland and find this site much more friendly than the Aussie one, wish I had found it a long time ago but find a lot of support from it.  The folk on here are absolutely magic.
Kathy xx
 

My lovely dad passed away last week and he too debated going away before he started chemo. He never did go as he wanted to start the chemo asap. Skip 4 weeks later and he is no longer here. If I knew then I would have taken him somewhere :-( 

However everybody is different and their journey is different. You would also need to think about expensive travel insurance or take the risk of going without. Why don't you go by Eurostar or maybe just to the coast and hope for sunshine.

All the best whatever you and your mum choose to do just make the most of every moment!

My opinion would be to go on holiday.  As you say your mum wants to go, and at the end of the day it should be her decision.  If you take that away from her now she may get quite depresse and she needs to start chemotherapy , perhaps, with some good memories of her first trip abroad.

It's your Mum's choice - please just respect whatever she decides.

When I was diagnosed I had no idea of how fast or slow growing my Stage 4 cancer was and I personally was hammering on doors trying to get my chemo treatment started as soon as possible. My view was that I had lost enough time by having a late diagnosis and I would not have done anything which would cause further delay.

But that was MY choice, no-one else's.

Being practical, delaying a month may shorten the odds of survival a little, but not going will reduce Mum's enjoyment of the time she has. 

The one option I wouldn't advise is having chemo and then going on holiday. It affects everyone differently but chemo usually makes you feel ill and who wants to go on holiday whilst feeling ill?

I do hope this helps!

Good luck to you and your Mum, whatever decision she makes :-)
Dave

Thanks everyone for your replies and helpful advice!! Based on what you have been saying, the consensus seems to be postpone chemo! So that's what Mum has decided to do. She will now begin chemo on 1st June, so I hope and pray that the good energy flowing through her in anticpation of this trip will be helping to heal her prior to chemp. The body can do amazing things!

Thanks again to you all... sincere best wishes on your individual journeys xo