Eileen - I am so sorry to hear about your mom. My dad was diagnosed in Dec. 2006. He was eligible for resection, had it with clean margins in March 2007 but by July was declining with a recurrance. Sloan in NYC said could do nothing so we went to a local surgeon who suggested we get my dad to the VA. He was admitted and they put in 2 external drainage bags to releive the jaundice (done by an interventional radiologist). Stents may be another option (done by a GI dr). He was ok for a while and then couldn't eat or drink. They were able to pump his stomach and do an ERCP (GI dr) to find a blockage at the connection of the stomach/intestine. They inserted a stomach drain (I believe the IR did my dad's) - which allowed all of the fluids to be released and they then put him on a feeding tube - went through his nose to his intestine by I would think a J-tube to the intestine may be better. My dad would have passed on in July had it not been for all of these efforts. He is now in hospice care and has slipped into a coma and we are no longer feeding, etc. We have told him that it is now ok to let go. He has lost over 80 lbs due to this terrible disease. Never had been in the hospital a day in his life prior to the gall bladder removal that discovered this. There are things that can be done to lengthen time and to provide palliative care for your mother. Get 1, 2, 3 or even 4 dr opinions. Every dr is different. Main thing is to do what your mom wants. Hope that helps. Prayers are with you.
On 10/31/2007
cpaeileen wrote:
My dear sweet mom was diagnosised on May 30 of this year with stage 4 gallbladder cancer. They can not operate because the tumor on the liver is the size of a grapefruit and is making it impossible to operate. MD Anderson gave her 6-8 months..more if we did chemo. She did the chemo for a while but now throws up constantly and is too weak to do any more chemo. Yesterday the doctor in Nacogodoches told her that she has jaundice and there is nothing else to do for her. He is calling MD Anderson today. They are talking about a tube to drain the stuff that is making her throw up. She is so weak now she doesn't even try to make it to the restroom..just throws up all over herself.
Can someone out there help me? I feel so helpless. I have tried to get Dad to ask for hospice but he says he can handle this. She is 67, he is 68. They have been married 51 years. Is there something natural to help relieve the nausea? Is there some supplement to help with the jaundice? She has given up. Does anyone know once the liver stops how long she has? Also, how do you let them go? I don't want to see her continue in the aweful life of throwing up and in pain, but I don't want her to leave.
Thanks, Eileen