CancerCompass message board discussion started by strav on 4/14/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,23055,0.htm Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My mother, who had her stomach removed back in September because of stage II cancer, has had some serious setbacks. Further surgery 2 weeks ago revealed her intestines are totally blocked and covered in what the surgeon called a sticky cellophane - that turned out to be cancer. So, now my mother, who is being fed with TPN (obviously this nutrition is the only thing keeping her alive), will be probably released  in  a couple of weeks, after her surgery wounds heal up. Her insurance will not pay for the TPN after she leaves the hospital. My dad can't afford it. So as soon as the hospital heels her wounds they will release her to die. With the TPN the oncologist gave my mom 6 months to live before the cancer gets the better of her. Without the TPN, the oncologist gave her about a month in hospice. My question is, after the TPN is removed, does this timeframe of about a month until she passes seem correct? Others have said a week to 10 days. strav Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT 7-10 days seems more correct based on what I learned while my brother was in hospice.I'm sorry for what your family is going thru. Tims Sister Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT It's been my understanding that Hospice will still administer TPN and then the insurance should cover it.  Your toughest decision will be wether or not to delay the inevitable. Good luck and God bless. Betz08 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT