CancerCompass message board discussion started by Jmo29 on 3/3/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,10074,0.htm Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My best friend (40 years old) was diagnosed with GBC in May 2006 at Stage IV with it already spreading to lymph nodes.  Surgery was ruled out because it had progressed so far and she was accepted into a clinical trial.  After 4 rounds of chemo with the trial, they have discontinued the treatments because she was not improving or even remaining 'the same'.  They did allow regular chemo (tamoxifen) for a few weeks but have now even discontinued this because she is so weak, tired & still obviously getting worse.  Doctors did finally bring up the Hospice service this past week to her parents.  My friend is in a lot of pain, extremely exhausted and just sick & tired of being sick & tired.  I am in so much emotional pain seeing this process and watching her be so sick and in so much physical pain.  She is not a person who will discuss her emotions through this process (she never has been this person) and prefers conversations to stay 'clear' of these topics.  She is not in denial  - she is very aware of her situation and the outcome that appears to be coming (pretty quickly in the past month), she just isn't someone who flushes it out in conversations with anyone.  I haven't been through this experience before with such a close friend/relative/etc with a terminal cancer diagnosis and am looking for help in a couple areas......if doctors are bringing up hospice at this point - is the end near?  what can I do to help my friend right now?   She enjoys hearing everyday conversations, updates on our lives but gets very tired easily and we have to keep our conversations very brief.  I feel so helpless and so very very sad with all of this and wish I could do something.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Jmo29 Sat, 03 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT Hospice probably means the end is getting close.  We brought hospice in about one month before my wife passed (see My Search in this section).  Helping a loved one cross is a blessing.  Be strong and make the remaining time special. Rick Wamba138 Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT