CancerCompass message board discussion started by dreamcatcherchris on 3/16/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,22060,0.htm Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I have a close friend who was diagnosed jan 15, 2008 with advanced pancreatic cancer. He has went from 230 pounds to 146 since august. He has had one chemo treatment (gemcitibine) and was supposed to have his second one a week later march 13, 2008 but was in the hospital having a stent put in his bile duct to relieve the jaundice. He throws up everyday and he came home fri the 14th from hospital and is not doing very good. I have made him smoothies and oatmeal  and tried to prepare healthy foods and he takes a bite and thats it. Hes very weak and doesn't really have family support so i take him to all his drs appts make sure he has medicines and if he gets new symptom i call the dr . He is bloated in his stomach and legs swelling and only urinated once yesterday. I don't know what to do he wants the chemo because he thinks it will prolong his life till may to see his son graduate but i don't know that he will make it hes so weak and just very ill i don't even know that he could even make the trip or even if the chemo is gonna help or worth it because he is so weak and the cancers so advanced, we are gonna ask the dr tomorrow. I don't even know the stages or when its getting to the point of him being bedridden everytime i call the dr with a symptom they just call in a new med and none of the nausea meds at home work. If anyone has gone through this or going through this i need some advice and info.  dreamcatcherchris Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/16/2008 dreamcatcherchris wrote:I HAVE A CLOSE FRIEND WHO WAS DIAGNOSED JAN 15, 2008 WITH ADVANCED PANCREATIC CANCER. HE HAS WENT FROM 230 POUNDS TO 146 SINCE AUGUST. HE HAS HAD ONE CHEMO TREATMENT (GEMCITIBINE) AND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HIS SECOND ONE A WEEK LATER MARCH 13, 2008 BUT WAS IN THE HOSPITAL HAVING A STENT PUT IN HIS BILE DUCT TO RELIEVE THE JAUNDICE. HE THROWS UP EVERYDAY AND HE CAME HOME FRI THE 14TH FROM HOSPITAL AND IS NOT DOING VERY GOOD. I HAVE MADE HIM SMOOTHIES AND OATMEAL  AND TRIED TO PREPARE HEALTHY FOODS AND HE TAKES A BITE AND THATS IT. HES VERY WEAK AND DOESN'T REALLY HAVE FAMILY SUPPORT SO I TAKE HIM TO ALL HIS DRS APPTS MAKE SURE HE HAS MEDICINES AND IF HE GETS NEW SYMPTOM I CALL THE DR . HE IS BLOATED IN HIS STOMACH AND LEGS SWELLING AND ONLY URINATED ONCE YESTERDAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO HE WANTS THE CHEMO BECAUSE HE THINKS IT WILL PROLONG HIS LIFE TILL MAY TO SEE HIS SON GRADUATE BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT HE WILL MAKE IT HES SO WEAK AND JUST VERY ILL I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT HE COULD EVEN MAKE THE TRIP OR EVEN IF THE CHEMO IS GONNA HELP OR WORTH IT BECAUSE HE IS SO WEAK AND THE CANCERS SO ADVANCED, WE ARE GONNA ASK THE DR TOMORROW. I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE STAGES OR WHEN ITS GETTING TO THE POINT OF HIM BEING BEDRIDDEN EVERYTIME I CALL THE DR WITH A SYMPTOM THEY JUST CALL IN A NEW MED AND NONE OF THE NAUSEA MEDS AT HOME WORK. IF ANYONE HAS GONE THROUGH THIS OR GOING THROUGH THIS I NEED SOME ADVICE AND INFO.   CCs Kid Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/16/2008 CCs Kid wrote: On 3/16/2008 dreamcatcherchris wrote:I HAVE A CLOSE FRIEND WHO WAS DIAGNOSED JAN 15, 2008 WITH ADVANCED PANCREATIC CANCER. HE HAS WENT FROM 230 POUNDS TO 146 SINCE AUGUST. HE HAS HAD ONE CHEMO TREATMENT (GEMCITIBINE) AND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HIS SECOND ONE A WEEK LATER MARCH 13, 2008 BUT WAS IN THE HOSPITAL HAVING A STENT PUT IN HIS BILE DUCT TO RELIEVE THE JAUNDICE. HE THROWS UP EVERYDAY AND HE CAME HOME FRI THE 14TH FROM HOSPITAL AND IS NOT DOING VERY GOOD. I HAVE MADE HIM SMOOTHIES AND OATMEAL  AND TRIED TO PREPARE HEALTHY FOODS AND HE TAKES A BITE AND THATS IT. HES VERY WEAK AND DOESN'T REALLY HAVE FAMILY SUPPORT SO I TAKE HIM TO ALL HIS DRS APPTS MAKE SURE HE HAS MEDICINES AND IF HE GETS NEW SYMPTOM I CALL THE DR . HE IS BLOATED IN HIS STOMACH AND LEGS SWELLING AND ONLY URINATED ONCE YESTERDAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO HE WANTS THE CHEMO BECAUSE HE THINKS IT WILL PROLONG HIS LIFE TILL MAY TO SEE HIS SON GRADUATE BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT HE WILL MAKE IT HES SO WEAK AND JUST VERY ILL I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT HE COULD EVEN MAKE THE TRIP OR EVEN IF THE CHEMO IS GONNA HELP OR WORTH IT BECAUSE HE IS SO WEAK AND THE CANCERS SO ADVANCED, WE ARE GONNA ASK THE DR TOMORROW. I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE STAGES OR WHEN ITS GETTING TO THE POINT OF HIM BEING BEDRIDDEN EVERYTIME I CALL THE DR WITH A SYMPTOM THEY JUST CALL IN A NEW MED AND NONE OF THE NAUSEA MEDS AT HOME WORK. IF ANYONE HAS GONE THROUGH THIS OR GOING THROUGH THIS I NEED SOME ADVICE AND INFO. Unfortunately, many times, by the time pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, it is already stage 4, meaning it has invloved other organs.  Your friend sounds quite ill, and it is questionable whether chemo will be beneficial, as it really drags a person down, especially those with no reserve.  Keep being the support system you are. Keep watching over your friend.  Attempt to keep your friend comfortable.  CCs Kid Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Your friend sounds like he is going through, exactly, what my father now is.  My father is 57 and  was diagnosed 2/07 and has been doing chemo every since.  Beside chemo side effects he was doing very well.  My father is now going down hill with the cancer growing just in the past two months.  We will have a visit tomorow with the Onc to see if we will stop chemo at this point as he is too ill. We have brought in hospice just on Friday and they really seem wonderful and they are what we need right now.  THey will provide a home health aide 2 hours a day to help him bathe, prepare meals, change sheets, laundry, etc.  You may want to look into this if the doctor states he can't have chemo.   We make him a lot of soups, give him ice cream, milk shakes, carnation instant breakfast has good nutrition, gatorade to make sure he is hydrated.  Also the hospice nurse recommended small meals about 5-6 times per day.  Because of all the bloating in the abdomen it is pushing on the stomach and he can't eat too much or it will cause vomiting.  If his feet are bloated, elevate them that may help.   My prayers are with you and eveyone suffering through this terrible disease.    4myPapi Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT I stumbled on this message board when looking up GTX.  My father wasdiagnosed on February 8th, 2008.  He will be starting his first dose ofchemo tomorrow.  He has a 2 cm mass in the pancreas with metastasis tothe omentum and duedonum.  It was inoperable and he was initially given2 weeks to 6 months.  We are hoping that this treatment will give usmore precious time without him losing too much quality of life.  Wewent to Sloan but they did not suggest this therapy. A local hospital,St. Frances, suggested this therapy as it has had some promising results.  He has very little appetite and isweak but in no pain.  He did have a resectioning also.  This came on sosudden. He thought he had the flu, then a bladder infection and thenjaundice and then given a death sentence! It seems so unfair.  I doworry that it may be genetic.  It is nice to hear someone else'sstory.  It is difficult to talk about it to those so close to it. Thanks. debbiez Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/16/2008 4myPapi wrote:Your friend sounds like he is going through, exactly, what my father now is.  My father is 57 and  was diagnosed 2/07 and has been doing chemo every since.  Beside chemo side effects he was doing very well.  My father is now going down hill with the cancer growing just in the past two months.  We will have a visit tomorow with the Onc to see if we will stop chemo at this point as he is too ill. We have brought in hospice just on Friday and they really seem wonderful and they are what we need right now.  THey will provide a home health aide 2 hours a day to help him bathe, prepare meals, change sheets, laundry, etc.  You may want to look into this if the doctor states he can't have chemo.   We make him a lot of soups, give him ice cream, milk shakes, carnation instant breakfast has good nutrition, gatorade to make sure he is hydrated.  Also the hospice nurse recommended small meals about 5-6 times per day.  Because of all the bloating in the abdomen it is pushing on the stomach and he can't eat too much or it will cause vomiting.  If his feet are bloated, elevate them that may help.   My prayers are with you and eveyone suffering through this terrible disease.   I'm sorry to hear about your father. They gave my friend 3 mths to live in january. The dr called in some lasix today for his feet and legs being swelled and he said his stomach feels bloated and he has no appetite. Do you know why their stomach gets bloated and their feet swell? Let me know what happens if he stops the chemo, hospice will not come help unless hes given up and is not undergoing any therapies, i just think the more better quality of life you have outweighs doing chemo and being so sick . Good luck with your father. My prayers are with everyone and their families who are going through or went through this disease its so awful.   dreamcatcherchris Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT I'm pretty sure that the bloating is caused by the fluid accumulation.  The CT-scan showed that my father has ascitic fluid in the abdomen which causes bloating and puts pressure on his stomach making him feel full all the time.  I'm not sure why the legs swell up though.  He handled the chemo very well today. He isn't sick at all--just tired.  I agree, quality of life is very iportant...but right now he wants to fight.  The time will come when he will chose to stop...but he was not willing to give up without trying.  My prayers are with you all as well.  This is very difficult for all involved! debbiez Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT In my fathers case he has cancer in the lymph nodes this is cuasing bloating in his feet.  The lymph nodes are what drains your body and they are not functioning properly.  His abdomen if bloated from the cancer too.  My father doesn't have a stent but I know some people have a blockage.  Hospice said they could drain the fluid in the abdomen but it will just come back.  Perhaps we will consider it if it will give him some type of releif. Today the onc opted not to give my father chemo, since my father is having a hard time getting out of bed.  Hospice is going to put him on a whole new pain management regimen.  They are taking him off morphine and putting him on methedone.  Once pain is controlled they will reconsider the chemo.  I will keep everyone posted. 4myPapi Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/17/2008 4myPapi wrote:In my fathers case he has cancer in the lymph nodes this is cuasing bloating in his feet.  The lymph nodes are what drains your body and they are not functioning properly.  His abdomen if bloated from the cancer too.  My father doesn't have a stent but I know some people have a blockage.  Hospice said they could drain the fluid in the abdomen but it will just come back.  Perhaps we will consider it if it will give him some type of releif. Today the onc opted not to give my father chemo, since my father is having a hard time getting out of bed.  Hospice is going to put him on a whole new pain management regimen.  They are taking him off morphine and putting him on methedone.  Once pain is controlled they will reconsider the chemo.  I will keep everyone posted.yes my friend has it in his nodes and the stent was to open bile duct it was blocked thats why he was jaundice and today he decided he will try one more chemo treatment, he had a really good day. my prayers are with you! goodluck  dreamcatcherchris Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/17/2008 4myPapi wrote:In my fathers case he has cancer in the lymph nodes this is cuasing bloating in his feet.  The lymph nodes are what drains your body and they are not functioning properly.  His abdomen if bloated from the cancer too.  My father doesn't have a stent but I know some people have a blockage.  Hospice said they could drain the fluid in the abdomen but it will just come back.  Perhaps we will consider it if it will give him some type of releif. Today the onc opted not to give my father chemo, since my father is having a hard time getting out of bed.  Hospice is going to put him on a whole new pain management regimen.  They are taking him off morphine and putting him on methedone.  Once pain is controlled they will reconsider the chemo.  I will keep everyone posted.yes my friend has it in his nodes and the stent was to open bile duct it was blocked thats why he was jaundice and today he decided he will try one more chemo treatment, he had a really good day. my prayers are with you! goodluck  dreamcatcherchris Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/17/2008 debbiez wrote:I'm pretty sure that the bloating is caused by the fluid accumulation.  The CT-scan showed that my father has ascitic fluid in the abdomen which causes bloating and puts pressure on his stomach making him feel full all the time.  I'm not sure why the legs swell up though.  He handled the chemo very well today. He isn't sick at all--just tired.  I agree, quality of life is very iportant...but right now he wants to fight.  The time will come when he will chose to stop...but he was not willing to give up without trying.  My prayers are with you all as well.  This is very difficult for all involved!yes it is difficult and he decided today to have chemo and if he is sick like he was the first time hes done.god bless you and goodluck dreamcatcherchris Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/16/2008 dreamcatcherchris wrote:I have a close friend who was diagnosed jan 15, 2008 with advanced pancreatic cancer. He has went from 230 pounds to 146 since august. He has had one chemo treatment (gemcitibine) and was supposed to have his second one a week later march 13, 2008 but was in the hospital having a stent put in his bile duct to relieve the jaundice. He throws up everyday and he came home fri the 14th from hospital and is not doing very good. I have made him smoothies and oatmeal  and tried to prepare healthy foods and he takes a bite and thats it. Hes very weak and doesn't really have family support so i take him to all his drs appts make sure he has medicines and if he gets new symptom i call the dr . He is bloated in his stomach and legs swelling and only urinated once yesterday. I don't know what to do he wants the chemo because he thinks it will prolong his life till may to see his son graduate but i don't know that he will make it hes so weak and just very ill i don't even know that he could even make the trip or even if the chemo is gonna help or worth it because he is so weak and the cancers so advanced, we are gonna ask the dr tomorrow. I don't even know the stages or when its getting to the point of him being bedridden everytime i call the dr with a symptom they just call in a new med and none of the nausea meds at home work. If anyone has gone through this or going through this i need some advice and info. I haven't been on in a while because i was stying at my friends taking care of him. I just wanted to let you all know he was diagnosed in january and he passed away monday april 7, 2008 and i was beside him holding his hand. He held strong till his son got there sunday and an hour and a half later took a turn for the worse , his son left at ten on monday and he passed away at 8 after i put the phone to his ear when his son returned home and he told him to go to sleep it was ok it was time to rest and that he loved him. I hate this disease so much!!!!!! Good luck all you are min my prayers!    dreamcatcherchris Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/16/2008 debbiez wrote:I stumbled on this message board when looking up GTX.  My father wasdiagnosed on February 8th, 2008.  He will be starting his first dose ofchemo tomorrow.  He has a 2 cm mass in the pancreas with metastasis tothe omentum and duedonum.  It was inoperable and he was initially given2 weeks to 6 months.  We are hoping that this treatment will give usmore precious time without him losing too much quality of life.  Wewent to Sloan but they did not suggest this therapy. A local hospital,St. Frances, suggested this therapy as it has had some promising results.  He has very little appetite and isweak but in no pain.  He did have a resectioning also.  This came on sosudden. He thought he had the flu, then a bladder infection and thenjaundice and then given a death sentence! It seems so unfair.  I doworry that it may be genetic.  It is nice to hear someone else'sstory.  It is difficult to talk about it to those so close to it. Thanks.How is your father?  dreamcatcherchris Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT