Latest messages for CancerCompass discussion http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,34365,0.htm Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ 1st I would like to say that you and your family will be in my prayers. 2nd - There is not any doctor that can give a definite time that mother will be here. With a time of 6 months given to you, I am sure that is devastating news to you and your family, but she could possibly here much longer or sadly, it could be shorter. I don't say that to discourage you, but to make you aware that nothing should be taken for granted. My mother was diagnosed with liver cancer on 6-6-09, she was give possibly 30 months. She passed away in August 2009, less than 3 months after her diagnosis. Symptoms vary from person to person, but the most important thing you can do is listen to your mother. If she says she is getting worse, believe her. My mother told us for 2 weeks she was not going to make it. The doctors continued to stand by their 30 month "date". Looking back I wish I would have listened to her. There were so many things I wanted to say and I thought I had time to tell her, but I didn't. Pinkpen Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Hi im cassi my mom has liver breast lung and bone cancer....i know what your going through my mom was diagnoised easter 2008 we went with the chemo route and it only worked for a little. With request from my mom we stopped everything and started hospice not to long ago. I dont mean to invade in your privacy but does your mother really need to be put on morphine like is her pain completely unbarable or could a pain killer help.The only reason why i ask is because my mother takes pain killers and when we started hospice they said that the wouldnt supply that specific pain killer but they do supply an equivulent which was a 15mg tablet of morphine. They asured us up and down that this would not knock my mom out she wouldnt have a problem everything would be ok...but that was not the case my mom was drinking from cups with no juice in them eating food that wasnt there....so we called and explained to them that our pain medicine worked fine for alomost two years and this morphine isnt equivlent and then from that they approved to pay for my moms original pain killers. cdp212 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/18/2009 MEEMERZ wrote:Hi - I don't have answers to your questions.  I want you to know that my heart goes out to you.  I lost my Dad to cancer 30 years ago and my husband is battling throat cancer now.  This is a dreadful disease.  Good luck and God Bless You.  I will keep you in my prayers.Cheryl   Oklahoma City Cheryl,I'm sorry to hear about your experiences with cancer also. You're right, it is a nasty disease. Thank you for the support. Take care of yourself, too.Nikki nixichic03 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Hi - I don't have answers to your questions.  I want you to know that my heart goes out to you.  I lost my Dad to cancer 30 years ago and my husband is battling throat cancer now.  This is a dreadful disease.  Good luck and God Bless You.  I will keep you in my prayers.Cheryl   Oklahoma City MEEMERZ Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT My mom, 67, has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (secondary liver, small bowel, throat). Two different types: adenocarcinoma in liver/bowel and squamos cell carcinoma in the throat. The tests began in January after months of abnormal blood work, fatigue, and stomach pain. Last week, her oncologist said she has less than 6 months to live. She does not believe that chemo will help my mom any as far as comfort or life expectancy. She is living at home with my brother and we are all chipping in pulling shifts. Hospice in involved as of last week. Her color still looks ok. She is swollen in the belly, but not terrible. She is still having bowel movement, sometimes even diarrhea, but loses control often. She sleeps normally now - taking naps - but awake often.She is very weak - needs walker/wheelchair, stairs are impossible, and she needs assistance bathing etc. From one day to the next we don't know what to expect. Her pain varies - mostly in the belly and shoulder - somedays not much at all. She eats on some days and on others relies on Boost, Ensure, and Carnation. She is on the Fentanyl patch with some percaset (?) to supplement. Hospice is switching her to morphine pills by the weekend. I understand that she is in a bad situation. It is comforting and educational to read other similar stories. I am just wondering what to expect as far as red flags that the end is near and how soon. How long do I have with my mother?  What will we be experiencing in the coming months? All of the help and advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you. nixichic03 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT