What can I expect?

My husband has primary liver cancer caused by HepC and cirrhosis. In December we tried to get on a transplant list and after all the test were complete, we were told that he could not be placed on the list because his cancer has moved into the blood and the tumors were too large. It is now the middle of May and our doctor has referred us to Hospice. They have been great but I want to know what I have to expect from now until the end. I deal with things so much better when I have knowledge of what to expect. He has started to sleep most of the day but his nights are kinda crazy. Some nights, he can't sleep. It is almost like his days and nights are confused. He is very confused. Most days, he dosen't know what day of the week it is and he will do things like leave the water running in the shower or walk into my closet and try to put on my T-shirt. I can't unserstand his speech on some days and he gets so upset with me and that is not like him. His nature is so laid back. He has trouble walking on some days. But the odd thing is out of the blue, he will have a good day and I think .....Okay, he is getting better....then it is back to more of the same. That's okay, I just don't know what to expect next. Can you you give me some insight?

 

On 5/16/2008 shunter wrote:

My husband has primary liver cancer caused by HepC and cirrhosis. In December we tried to get on a transplant list and after all the test were complete, we were told that he could not be placed on the list because his cancer has moved into the blood and the tumors were too large. It is now the middle of May and our doctor has referred us to Hospice. They have been great but I want to know what I have to expect from now until the end. I deal with things so much better when I have knowledge of what to expect. He has started to sleep most of the day but his nights are kinda crazy. Some nights, he can't sleep. It is almost like his days and nights are confused. He is very confused. Most days, he dosen't know what day of the week it is and he will do things like leave the water running in the shower or walk into my closet and try to put on my T-shirt. I can't unserstand his speech on some days and he gets so upset with me and that is not like him. His nature is so laid back. He has trouble walking on some days. But the odd thing is out of the blue, he will have a good day and I think .....Okay, he is getting better....then it is back to more of the same. That's okay, I just don't know what to expect next. Can you you give me some insight?

We are going through the same thing right now with my father-in-law.  In December he was given 6 months to live.  I would recommend the Hospice website as far as what to expect as time progresses.  It is a great emotional and psychological support.  You are in my prayers!

first, can you do a live transplant? this is when someone who matches gives him part of their liver...both regenerate to the needed size. it is getting more popular.

 the best liver guy in the country was our liver oncology surgeon and he was recently featured on 60 minutes for work he is doing on the kanzius machine.

dr. geller will communicate via phone and email - a better man or doc you will not find

Dr. David A. Geller, MD, FACS Co-Director, UPMC Liver Cancer Center
Richard L. Simmons Professor of Surgery
University of Pittsburgh 

Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute
3459 Fifth Ave.
UPMC Montefiore, 7 South
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582
412-692-2001
Fax: 412-692-2002
E-mail: gellerda@upmc.edu