Last Stages Of Stage Iv Lung Cancer

Good evening,
My husband has Stage IV lung cancer. He was diagnosed in July. (He ran a marathon in May of this year.) Right now he is in a hospital bed in our family room. He went through two rounds of chemo and they were not a success. His left lung is collapsed. (They drained fluid from his lung wall each time draining about 1,500 CC. He is having a hard time swallowing. I am not sure if it is from the radiation that they tried 10 days ago or if he is in the final stages of his life. He had ten treatments of radiation to his chest in hopes of opening his bronchial tubes since the tumor has completely closed them. Hospice has been called in and they are helping me. In July we found that his cancer has spread to his lymph nodes, his scapula, femur, and now to his right lung along with some other areas. He can walk to the bathroom, which is about 15 feet from his bed. He is eating very little and takes several naps during the day. I have two sons, 25 and 23.
I am wondering, is he is the last stages of his cancer, and what should I be looking for in order to help him. I feel so very sad, but I hate to see him suffer this way. He has a patch for pain as well as some oral pain medication. Please help, give me some advice. How much longer will he continue to be this way?
Annie

This is an excellent article published by a Hospice organization.  A little bit of a tear-jerker to read at first, but very helpful:

 http://www.virtualtrials.com/btlinks/death.cfm

Sincerely,

Tre

 

On 10/5/2008 Annie01 wrote:

Good evening,
My husband has Stage IV lung cancer. He was diagnosed in July. (He ran a marathon in May of this year.) Right now he is in a hospital bed in our family room. He went through two rounds of chemo and they were not a success. His left lung is collapsed. (They drained fluid from his lung wall each time draining about 1,500 CC. He is having a hard time swallowing. I am not sure if it is from the radiation that they tried 10 days ago or if he is in the final stages of his life. He had ten treatments of radiation to his chest in hopes of opening his bronchial tubes since the tumor has completely closed them. Hospice has been called in and they are helping me. In July we found that his cancer has spread to his lymph nodes, his scapula, femur, and now to his right lung along with some other areas. He can walk to the bathroom, which is about 15 feet from his bed. He is eating very little and takes several naps during the day. I have two sons, 25 and 23.
I am wondering, is he is the last stages of his cancer, and what should I be looking for in order to help him. I feel so very sad, but I hate to see him suffer this way. He has a patch for pain as well as some oral pain medication. Please help, give me some advice. How much longer will he continue to be this way?
Annie

Annie,

I just read your posting and I feel for you. My mother-in-law has stage IV pancreatic cancer. She has entered a new phase in the last two weeks. She is tired and walks just from the bathroom to the couch and to the bed. She is eating very little and seems all around to be failing fast. She is not having visits to Hospice yet, although I think she should. I feel just like you, I don't want her to keep suffering and I wonder if this is what the end looks like.

Keep strong.

Cheryl

 

Annie, I'm so sorry.  My husband pased away 2 1/2 years ago from lung cancer that had metastised to the bone..........he had broken his arm which alerted us to the whole mess!  He died in our family room; I thought I knew the signs to look for, but he  died from a deep vein thromboses that caused a heart attack...

Hospice should be able to inform you of what happens toward the end.  Eating and drinking will probably cease............and he will sleep most of the time.  Please, just be sure that they are providing him with everything he needs in way of pain relief; also Lorazapam for anxiety.

I will say a prayer for you and your husband; God bless you both.

Steph

 

On 10/5/2008 Annie01 wrote:

Good evening,
My husband has Stage IV lung cancer. He was diagnosed in July. (He ran a marathon in May of this year.) Right now he is in a hospital bed in our family room. He went through two rounds of chemo and they were not a success. His left lung is collapsed. (They drained fluid from his lung wall each time draining about 1,500 CC. He is having a hard time swallowing. I am not sure if it is from the radiation that they tried 10 days ago or if he is in the final stages of his life. He had ten treatments of radiation to his chest in hopes of opening his bronchial tubes since the tumor has completely closed them. Hospice has been called in and they are helping me. In July we found that his cancer has spread to his lymph nodes, his scapula, femur, and now to his right lung along with some other areas. He can walk to the bathroom, which is about 15 feet from his bed. He is eating very little and takes several naps during the day. I have two sons, 25 and 23.
I am wondering, is he is the last stages of his cancer, and what should I be looking for in order to help him. I feel so very sad, but I hate to see him suffer this way. He has a patch for pain as well as some oral pain medication. Please help, give me some advice. How much longer will he continue to be this way?
Annie

Annie,

    My husband has stage 4, glio sarcoma and I too wanted  to know what to look for as we make this journey.  Go to www.brainhospice.com it is a wonderful place to glean good info.   Hospice is the very best and I would encourage anyone to tap into the wonderful medical care and support for both you and your husband.

Hi,

I posted a few time before and this is the 1st time I posted again after my dad passed away.  

My dad was digsnosed with stage 4 Lung cancer early this year.
Other than the disease that spreaded to his back, he look perfectly okay.

Then came the instruction from the ward doctor said that he need to go for lung biospy to determine the type of lung cancer

After biospy,his condition deteriorate rapidly and complication started to arise.

=> Air in the lung = had it remove
=> Fluid in the lung = had it drained off

aftermath => lost weight, feel more breathless, feel weak
and cancer started to spread to the area where he had the tube inserted in to remove the fluid. Urine with blood (a little) Nose bleed (a little)

No amount of medicine can help to revive him as his lung condition is getting weaker and weaker.
His disease started to evade his right lung and eventually 95% of his right lung was all filled up with "white spot", viewed from X-ray.

He was very breathless toward the last few weeks of his journey. Was sent to Hospital late June due to breathlessness. Noticed that his feet turned cold and his hand bloated.

He eventually passed on (July 08)

Believe if he can spare the biospy, he may be able to live for another few more months or even years with the right chemo and medicine.

But unfortunately, he do not have the chance to go for the Chemo treatment as the onco doctor think that he is too weak for the treatment.

So is Lung biospy a must or could biospy causes the low survival rate for lung cancer patient.

Take care of your loved one and as a caregiver, please rest alot.

Thanks.

This makes me sad, and I will pray for your husband.

I have just started treatment for the metastases of my earlier lung cancer, treated surgically. I have  a tumor in the bronchia and in the the tailbone/hip. I am divorced and have two sons (teen/college) and am beside myself as I do radiation and chemotherapy. I guess my end will be soon, but I remain hopeful.  I just saw the news article about seeding  the lung after surgery and am wondering why I did'nt have this treatment when all I have done is ask for new treatments.

Cancer in life just is, but seems so unlucky for those of us who have it.  I feel most for my sons.

tThis may be hard to read--but it does talk about the end. My father died of lung cancer two years ago this month.  I was with him the last seven days and you could see his condition worsen each day,  He was enrolled in home hospice for ten days before he died--but this group of people was amazing.  The team of social workers, nurses, and chaplains--along with home health aids--made it easier for us.  The last day--we moved dad into a hospital bed in the spare room at home, set up some photos, a chair and a lamp, and waited.  For the first time in 20 years, the three sisters all stayed at mom and dads--and we were with him when he passed.  Throughout the evening he would get confused, restless, and very sleepy from the morphine.  At times though, he was very focused and knew just what he wanted--a shot of brandy and  a smoke (yes he was a smoker)==but really not anything but a social drinker. He talked about his brothers who had passed.  He asked about his mother who had passed.  Right before he died, my sister called us into the room. Dad was sitting straight up in bed and with big blue eyes, he knew what was happening--and we did too.  Hospice had prepared us.  We knew not to call the ambulance (at least not in our area).  One thing I would have done different is to put the cell phones away.  Each of us started calling the other siblings--we wanted everyone to come to say their final good byes--but they all had during the week and we should have just sat and breathed for a bit.  This is hard to say--but he died with his mouth open and I wish we had shut it right away as it would have been easier for my brothers when they arrived.  We did wipe up the blood, as he vomited a bit at the end--but it was not violent.  It was very peaceful--and it truly reinforced my believe that his soul had left his body and was with God..

I pray for you and your family.  Unfortunately, my husband was diagnosed in July 2008 with Stage 3B adneocarenoma of the lung.  We are still fighting--but the memories are very fresh.  My husband never smoked and one of the most challenging questions I have been asked, "Is he didn't smoke did he?  This is so unfair."  I don't think it is fair for anyone = smoker or nonsmoker to get lung cancer.