Rustysmom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2004
My mom has stage IV pancreatic cancer and we finally went to see the oncologist for the first time today. She was only diagnosed last month.
The doctor wanted to try chemo, but said it would probably only add "months". My mom is 83 and very weak right now as it is, so she said she didn't want it. So the doctor is contacting hospice to call us and set up in-home hospice.
I know hospice will be really helpful, but it's all just so sad. Before this, besides pretty bad arthritis that affected her walking, she was pretty healthy. Yesterday she looked so bad. She recently had 2 bouts of terrible constipation that landed her a week in the hospital each time. The last time she wasn't allowed to eat for a whole week. She got out almost 2 weeks ago and is still extremely weak from that and she's skin and bones now. She couldn't even climb the stairs to get outside to go to the doctor. My DH practically had to carry her and then she had to go in a wheelchair. I know that bothered her because even at her age and sick and all, she likes everything just so. She still puts her makeup on in the house even when she's not going out. I know going in the wheelchair and having to be almost carried got her upset.
She's in a lot of pain, which is also why she looks horrible. The doctor gave us the patch for pain and Tylenol 3 when it isn't enough. I hope it helps. She's not starting the patch until tomorrow night because we are sleeping over for the weekend and she won't be alone if she has a reaction to it. Luckily today she didn't have the severe pain she had yesterday and I hope it stays away until I can get the patch on her.
I get mad at DH a lot, but boy, I don't know what I would do without him. He used to be a little rude to her when we would go visit every week. He would go sit in my old bedroom and watch sports and barely talk to her. But since she got sick, he's done everything for her. I don't know how I would have gotten her to the doctor today if I didn't have him. This is the only good thing to come out of my mom's sickness, because before this, I was this close to divorcing him for a lot of stupid reasons. Ok God, I learned my lesson, you can make my mom better now. Ah, if it was only that easy.
Please say a prayer that she is able to get relief from her pain and able to enjoy what days she has left, because right now she's not enjoying anything. The pain and fullness in her abdomen leaves her unable to eat more than a few bites, but we have been feeding her all kinds of things that she loves but was afraid to eat because it had too much cholesterol, salt, sugar, etc. I even gave her a 1/4 cup of beer last week with her pizza. It was the first beer she had since I got married and left the house 15 years ago. I think she enjoyed it, but of course she probably won't be able to have that again if she wears the patch, but it was enough for her. Cancer really stinks!
The doctor wanted to try chemo, but said it would probably only add "months". My mom is 83 and very weak right now as it is, so she said she didn't want it. So the doctor is contacting hospice to call us and set up in-home hospice.
I know hospice will be really helpful, but it's all just so sad. Before this, besides pretty bad arthritis that affected her walking, she was pretty healthy. Yesterday she looked so bad. She recently had 2 bouts of terrible constipation that landed her a week in the hospital each time. The last time she wasn't allowed to eat for a whole week. She got out almost 2 weeks ago and is still extremely weak from that and she's skin and bones now. She couldn't even climb the stairs to get outside to go to the doctor. My DH practically had to carry her and then she had to go in a wheelchair. I know that bothered her because even at her age and sick and all, she likes everything just so. She still puts her makeup on in the house even when she's not going out. I know going in the wheelchair and having to be almost carried got her upset.
She's in a lot of pain, which is also why she looks horrible. The doctor gave us the patch for pain and Tylenol 3 when it isn't enough. I hope it helps. She's not starting the patch until tomorrow night because we are sleeping over for the weekend and she won't be alone if she has a reaction to it. Luckily today she didn't have the severe pain she had yesterday and I hope it stays away until I can get the patch on her.
I get mad at DH a lot, but boy, I don't know what I would do without him. He used to be a little rude to her when we would go visit every week. He would go sit in my old bedroom and watch sports and barely talk to her. But since she got sick, he's done everything for her. I don't know how I would have gotten her to the doctor today if I didn't have him. This is the only good thing to come out of my mom's sickness, because before this, I was this close to divorcing him for a lot of stupid reasons. Ok God, I learned my lesson, you can make my mom better now. Ah, if it was only that easy.
Please say a prayer that she is able to get relief from her pain and able to enjoy what days she has left, because right now she's not enjoying anything. The pain and fullness in her abdomen leaves her unable to eat more than a few bites, but we have been feeding her all kinds of things that she loves but was afraid to eat because it had too much cholesterol, salt, sugar, etc. I even gave her a 1/4 cup of beer last week with her pizza. It was the first beer she had since I got married and left the house 15 years ago. I think she enjoyed it, but of course she probably won't be able to have that again if she wears the patch, but it was enough for her. Cancer really stinks!