My Mother, Pancreatic Cancer T3, No, Mx

I am at a lost for words and do not know what happens next. We went to a cancer Dr. and her said it does not look good and there may be nothing they can do. PLEASE someone tell us what to do, she will not eat and she is fading away. Nothing taste the same and we still allow her to smoke. I am scared and my sister and I don't know what to do. We love her and can never imagine life without her but, we don't want her to suffer. We are beside ourselves, she stays with my sister away from this hateful town we are from where people she has not seen in years would love to see her at a glance just to say they have seen her suffer. I don't understand how others think. There was one man that stopped at my home while she was outside smoking before she left, he said, "They got you dead and burried down the road". My mother made my sister take her tback to her house away from here. How can people be so cold and hateful, I will never understand. All of her paperwork is in order and we will do whatever she ask. We have family that does not speak to her and I just cannot grasp thi hate thing. I am angry that she has to die this painful way. My sister and I would do anything to save her. when the Dr. told jer she had this, he just sent us home, I wish there was some social worker or someone that could have helped us understand what we were facing. No bedside manor at all, we all just left broken hearted with no answers for her. Pray for us all please, and if there is anyone out there that has any answers, PLEASE tell us what is in store for us, we don't understand. They told us she will not be here for Christmas so we are gonna have Christmas in July for her.  :-(

I am so sorry about your mom.  I lost my mom in November, right before Thanksgiving.  She was diagnosed in Feb. 07.  She had  a lot of good days, and a lot of bad.  We went on vacation together and had a great time.  We talked every day on the phone, always said "I love you".  She did chemo up until October.  Do you have a Mayo Clinic near you?  We went to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota every week for 10 months.  We had the best doctor, very caring and passionate.  She died at Hospice.  I wish I could tell you she would be okay, that it will go away.  I am still filled with such despair.  My mom died.  I can hardly type the words let alone talk about it with anyone.  It is the most painful experience ever.  My prayers are with you, I know what you are going thru.  If you need to know what else to expect, please write to me when you are ready.  I'm no doctor, just someone who knows your pain.  Take care and God Bless.   Karen

Please call Hospice.  My Husband had their services for only a week before he passed away at home, but they were wonderful-especially the social worker who was there for the entire family.

I am sorry to hear of your mom's diagnoses. My sister, too, is diagnosed with cancer in Jan 08(cholangiocarcinoma-Bile Duct Cancer).

My recommendation is to get to Mayo Clinic if you can. They are so willing to evaluate and make recommendations for the best treatments available. Call them and see if they can help your mom:507-284-4137. You will reach; Christy, Terry or Mary.

Get all of your mother's records including all tests, results and the pathology reports. Mayo does not want them initially, they just want to get the info input into the computer for the medical staff to review. You will then get an appointment at Mayo for the evaluation team to review your mom's medical records (that you will bring with you) and after make recommendations. She can have any recommended treatments at Mayo or at your local Cancer Center or Clinic.

God Bless you in your quest to help your mom. Mainly, my recommendation is to love her, be with her as often as you can, call her, be informed through investigation of cancer reports, etc, and take care of yourself. 

Cancer Compass just announced a new trial of using Triphendiol. See the article below.

Blessings,

My sister's voice

eaglessoar

April 21, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A U.S. university study suggests the drug triphendiol causes tumor cell death in pancreatic and bile duct cancer, as well as slowing tumor growth.

The study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers led by Assistant Professor Ewan Tytler showed the drug also sensitizes tumors to chemotherapy treatments.

Tytler and his colleagues assessed the potential of triphendiol as a treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma using three representative cell lines. Triphendiol induced cell death in all three cell lines and pretreating the cell lines with triphendiol increased the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Animal model studies showed triphendiol in combination with chemotherapy inhibited tumor growth even more effectively than each drug alone.

"In our laboratory studies, triphendiol is more potent at inducing cell death in pancreatic and bile duct cancer cells compared to the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine alone at up to 10-fold lower concentrations," Tytler said. "Of course, there is still much work to be done before this could become a treatment protocol for cancer patients, but our findings are promising and validate the continued development of triphendiol as a possible pancreatic cancer therapy."

Triphendiol is being developed by Marshall Edwards Inc., which funded Tytler's research.

The study that included Dr. Xiaohong Wang and Professor J. Anthony Thompson was presented last week in San Diego, during the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

 

I am so sorry about your mother's diagnosis.  I know how painful it is to to watch your loved one fade away.  My mom died 28 years ago and I still miss her every day.  My husband just passed February 22 and I am numb with sorrow and loneliness.  Enjoy your mom's good days and be supportive on her bad days.  If there is nothing else, please get hospice.  They will make her comfortable, take away any anxiety and restlessness or delirium that goes with passing from cancer.  Ask for morhpine, haldol and atavan.  She will be comfortable.  She will hear what you say to her.  Love her every day and let her know how much you love her.  If the Lord does take her, take heart in knowing you will be reunited.  That is how I get through my lonely days.  God bless you and your family.

Diane