Is It Nearing The End?

My mom was diagnosed w CC in June of 05 - they opened her up to attempt a resection and found it spread to nearby lymph nodes so they couldn't go ahead w the surgery so they closed her back up. After about a month of healing from that - she did chemo (5FU & Oxilaplatin) along with radiation. She further was sent home with a carry around pack of chemo for home infusion for about 6 weeks. They then gave her a month off and decided to do this thing called Brachytherapy (radioactive seed) - and to do so - she hd to get a biliary tube put in for drainage. We had to flush it with saline every day. She has had many problems with the tube. It leaked and she had to go get it replaced a couple times. On new years day she hit it in the shower and one of the stiches broke so we brought her into ER. She was sent in to interventional radiology to fix the tube, but they admitted her for a blood infection (she had warm skin, jaundice, fever up to 103.4, nausea, vomiting, rigors (shaking chills) etc - they did all these cultures and tests and she did have a blood infection, a yeast infection in her bloof, followed by another infection. On January 30th (06)she was finally able to come home after a month in the hospital. She has dropped from 115 to 87 lbs and in unable to keep down food. She has an IV bag here but it doesn't seem to be helping. Her bag has been taken off and the tube has been capped. She seems better to me since she's at home and not in a hospital bed, but I'm scared if she keeps losing weight she will just waste away and die. Any suggestions as far as getting her to eat without getting sick? I think I'm also in denial of what's really happening. I try to make it seem like now that she's back home she's just going to gradually eat and get better and be herself again when I know that's not the reality of it. Im reading a book called "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion now... would recommend to anyone on here. Not a happy book - but just makes you think you're not crazy for thinking things you do sometimes

Hi Renee,
My Dad has gone through so many tests and things. He too has gone through the surgery to remove 60% of his liver and the doctor had told us that everything looked real good for them to be able to get the cancer out. But when he was in surgery, he was only in for an hour and the surgeon sent for my Mom and told her the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes and they closed him back up to. The doctor mentioned getting him healed from this surgery and starting some chemo treatments just to help control it. He has not yet seen the cancer doctor but should be able to soon. He hopefully gets his stitches out tomorrow from this surgery.
We're all so scared and don't really know what to expect.
I do hope the very best for you and your family. My thoughts are with you and all that go through this horrible disease.
God Bless

My Dad had a similar surgery last March 22.We were told about the same thing by the surgeon.My Dad suffered some complications and set backs from the surgery but in June he was strong enough to be enrolled in a clinical trial.We were told that it was only a palliative approach versus a curative approach since his diagnosis was cholangiocarcinoma with mets to the liver.He was treated with a combination of Gemcitabine and Carboplatin.In Dec we were told the lesion in the liver was no longer there.He got a 6 week break from chemo.On Jan 23 we were told ther was no evidence of cancer per ct scan.They cancelled his chemo that day and we were told to return in March for follow up ct scan.What a miracle!
The oncologiosts were amazed.My Dad will be 79 on April 8.He is still driving daily.He is well and pain free.Don't give up hope.My thoughts and prayers are with you and your Dad.Good luck to you and your family.

Kate,

That is so weird - my dad's birthday is on April 8th too!!! He's 58 but still.

My mom is still not doing well - worse, actually. She was constantly getting sick and not eating so they did a ct scan of her abdomen and saw there was a blockage, which explains why she kept getting sick. They pumped her stomach to keep it clear so they could go in and do the test w the camera and take a sample to biopsy, and have surgery set for 12 noon on monday but the doctors have still not told us what is going on and we're not letting them go ahead and do anything if they dont respond. They were supposed to come in last night to talk to my dad and he waited around until almost 8pm and they never came back. Today he went down to see my mom and they are supposed to come and speak to him at 6:15 tonight. Wea re pretty fed up with the hospital. My mom is at UPenn and it's supposed to be world renouned and that's really not what it feels like.