Latest messages for CancerCompass discussion http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,10164,0.htm Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Dear Yogimom:My cherished mother passed away from this horrible disease on 02/23/07. It will be two weeks tomorrow.  I still wake up wondering if it is true and go to sleep the same way.  I miss her so.  My father is a zombie and doesn't think his life is worth living anymore - they were together for over 50 years.My mother seemed great in the beginning.  She was eating and not losing weight which gave us lots of hope.  So many stories you hear about people not being able to eat - even at diagnosis - and having lost already tons of weight.  This was not so with my mother.  New Year's Eve she still looked healthy.  Pictures show a smiling mother and grandmother having fun in her new sunroom, being a gracious hostess, as always.  By mid January the jaundice set in and she went down hill from there - quickly.  Her appetite went away literally overnight and the weight started to melt off her. It was just about a month between when we started to notice her rapid decline and her death.  The last 10 days to two weeks there really wasn't much communication.  She pretty much just laid in a semi-coma state.  We finally had to take her into the hospice unit of the hospital because she was unable to swallow her pain meds, even the liquid.  It was horrible having to remove her from the home that she loved so much.  But we had not choice, really.  We had come to a point where comfort was our only goal - all hope of a recovery gone.  I am bitter and confused that there is not more we can do to detect and treat this illness.  I hope my story helps you - and I wish I could offer you more hope - but I wish I had been able to see the end signs sooner.  Even though I literally looked for the magic answer all over the world via the internet and kept her home and took care of her (with my Dad) until she could no longer swallow, I will always wonder if there wasn't more I could have done.  Bless you and your entire family. Garagegirl Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT I am so sorry to hear about all your stories.  My grama is in the final stages of Pancreatic cancer and it has been a very quick decrease in her health.  She was eating well and drinking and engaged in conversation and lately she is mostly sleeping and nibbling a little bit on sugary foods.  She is on morphine so I know that can make you tired but I am wondering how much more time I have with her.   It is such a difficult process to watch your loved one slowly deteriorate into a very sick person.  I am the support for most of my family since I am the 'strongest' person but I have faith and try to keep positive.  It is hard though sometimes.  Are there specific signs I should look for so I will know that she is not long for this world?? Thank you so much for your advice, Corinne  Yogimom Wed, 07 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT