Vomiting

My dad is in his last stages of PC and is vomiting blood. Looks like coffee and it grounds mixed in with it. Sorry so graffic. . . Doc said its the cancer eating through the back of his stomach. Has anybody else seen this happen?  My dad has not ate anything in days.  He has been hooked up to a feeding tube as soon as he started loosing weight and that is what has been keeping him alive thus far. He was diagnosed November 2006. He has made it pretty far for this type of cancer, I am so proud of his strength. For all that are going through it I am also proud of there strength. This is a very scary painful cancer.

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad's vomiting.  My mother in law also has PC and is in the last stages.  She lives with us and I am her caregiver.  We received the diagnosis in October of 2006.  I understand what you and your family are going through. 

Has the doctor mentioned hospice care yet?  It sounds like it might be a good time to look into it.  (www.hospicenet.org is a good place to start.)  Since you know things are in the final stages, having extra help for pain & the caregiver(s) can help make things smoother for the family.   

Have you asked the doctor if the feeding tube is still the best thing for your dad?  There may be a point where the feeding tube isn't helping because of the damage that the cancer is doing to your dad. 

Best wishes to you & your family!

Its his wishes that hospice don't come. It may be easier and I want hospice too, but he dosen't. I will honor what he wants till the end. We are on top of his pain and other comforts. He feels he is still fighting this and taking out his feeding would be telling him were giving up. We have told him from the start that we wouldn't give up on him unless he is ready. Yes, maybe he is in denial but, that his spirit. Hes a fighter. Till his last breath I will not stop praying for a miracle because I know that what he wants. I surely don't want him to live like this, but he has decided to live for as long as possible. His body will give out before his spirit ever will. The feedings have to be working because he don't eat at all, and with out he gets severly dehydrated. I think thats the only thing keeping him alive. At this point whatever he wants he gets. He calls the shots when it comes to his condition. I have been to the hospice sight to prepare myself and my family. We know what lies ahead. Were all blessed with each day he is here. His quality of life is not good but, again I will not sway my father onto a path that he dosn't want to take yet. He will tell us when he's ready or he will pass away not ever giving up.

Thank you so much for your thoughts. I welcome any.

my mom is in the same situation right now,  she wants to fight but we know only hope ...... is for a MIRACLE!!!!. and the internal bleeding will stop. tumore disappear ..and regain her strength...

we were told to seek hospice care , no more hospital, no more transfusion , no more antibiotics.

...........

if hospice , do you think nursing home is better or ??? at home but no caregivers !! 

please !!!!!!!!!

 

I don't really know what your asking but, I don't think a nursing home covers this type of people. Its worth a call to find out though. If your the main caregiver explain to your mom your not giving up on her if you get hospice that its you that needs the help. In our situation there are many of us taking care of my father. I am not alone in this. I hope your mother never gives up and that if she does pass you'll know she had hope to her very last breath. I find that honorable.

did your dad received any blood transfusion? or anything to stop the bleeding?

is it true that internal bleeding is a very common symptoms of pc?

thanks

No my father has not been given a blood transfusion as of yet because his hemoglobin level is good when tested. He is taking Zofran to stop the nausea. ( Don't quote me on med spelling) He has bleed before but, through the stool and has had many blood tranfusions. I stoped counting. When he was bleeding through the stool they said he had three days to live and that was over two months ago now. So, much for what docs know. (Never let Docs tell you have so many days to live, it all depnds on the body the cancer is in and a greater power then us) I am not quite sure if its common or not but, with a scope the docs could tell us is that on top of his ulcers his tumor was growing into the back of his stomach hence the bleeding. (If anyone runs into ulcers, juicing was our savior. Cabbage juiced helps ulcers. It is not to pleasant but, mixed with carrots juiced it is drinkable. I highly recommend if anyones loved one with PC cancer can still drink to get a dependable juicer and a good juiceing book and do all that you can nutritionally.) Pancrease lies between the spine and stomach so my guess is if the tumor got bigger there is on so much room and its gonna start pushing into somthing. Hope I helped in some way Good luck to all.

I'm sorry to hear about your dad's condition.  I was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in September 2006 and given three to six months to live.  So far I've not progressed to nearly the point your father has and I will definitely keep him and your family in my prayers and thoughts.  He is lucky to have such a loving and caring group of people around him during this difficult time.

Sassy