Can anyone help me plz

helen831 · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 10

My mums just turned 60 and we found out she had SSLC in oct started chemo straight away, had her last course dec 26th, went for more tests to see if the cancer had slowed down, but was no good chemo didnt work, it seems it had cleared the lungs partly, but the problem being it had already spead to her lymph glands and liver before chemo, and she went down to a size 10 but over this past month she has ballooned around her stomach to a 14 but has no meat on her bones. they have said that she Maybe has a month left, but to look at her talk to her you wouldnt think she is gonner die, and im finding it hard to accept this, loads of questions going over and over in my head, hows it going to happen, will the liver fail, just so many I dont know where to start, can anyone give me some idea of what to expect so I can prepare myself, I have offered to look after her when the time comes as I dont want her going into a hospice or stuck in hospital and I know she doesnt want that.

Helen

THE 1 · Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 1:47 am Post subject: Re: Can anyone help me plz

Dear Helen,

I'm really sorry to hear about your mom. It is quite common for cancer patients to lose all muscular mass, like their neck, their shoulders and their legs shrink to the bones and if there is liver enlargement due to Hepatocarcinoma, the stomach swells up.

your mom is lucky to have a daughter like you who is so concerned. My friendly advice to you would be NOT to panic, and NOT to try taking evthing in your hands... I'm afraid neither I, nor anyone else here would be able to tell you what to xpect in future, so pardon me in this regard.

As for the chemotherapy, have the Doctors tried any other regimen besides the one that was unsuccessful? Did they give Oral chemotherapy (Xeloda, Sorafenib?) or did they give her systemic chemotherapy?

Regards,

THE 1
_________________
if GOD brings you to it, HE alone will bring you through it.

helen831 · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 10

Hiya, thanks for replying to me, she had intense chemo and combination tablets as well, and none worked so nothing they can do for her now. Its just a case of spending as much time as possible with her while I can.
Will let ya know how everything is going soon xx

THE 1 · Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:36 am Post subject: Re: Can anyone help me plz

yeah, do that while you may... serve her the best you can and sooner or later u'll realise how important it is for her that you give her your time. Best of luck n God Bless.

Regards,

THE 1
_________________
if GOD brings you to it, HE alone will bring you through it.

helen831 · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 10

Well its been a while since I last posted so I thought I would let people know how everything is going..... Mum got told the end of Jan that they could not do any more for her they said 2 months maybe ..... well its coming to the end of those two months and shes still going strong and fighting it, her stomack is really swollen now and she looks very withdrawn and gets confused alot and forgets things or makes things up and gets very tired and has mood swings. the mcmillian nurses have put her on permanant painkillers now she was told to take them 4 times a day to relieve the pain she has in her tummy and side they have given her anti sickness drugs as well to help with her being sick as this started to get worse about a month ago and didnt tell the nurses.
Its hard and has been very hard since september and the hospital is amazed at how well she looks but as they said she could turn aolt worse very quickly was just wondering if anyone else had experienced this its hard not knowing what to expect and not knowing when its gonner happen this has been the hardest 7 months of my life and I know it has not hit me yet and I know its get closer and closer everyday has anyone shared this experience and could they give me any advice.
Thank you
Helen

THE 1 · Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 12:10 pm Post subject: ......

Hey Helen, i might particularly seem to know how you feel. My mom's hepatocellular carcinoma has spread over to her lymphnodes and the Doctors seem to have no idea what to do any more. They had recommended a particular regimen of chemotherapy previously, which has not worked one bit after 2 complete cycles and the cancer is progressing at a very fast pace. Though the Doctors haven't given us a deadline as in how long she has to live, but since there's nothing more they can offer, I guess its ample evidence for us to understand that there are no chances. I'm taking her over for a PETScan once again to see whether further metastases has occurred.

I just pray that your mom miraculously recovers, just like I pray for my mom.

P.S. You mentioned your mom is often confused, this is usually caused by toxic gases flowing up to the brain when the patient has constipation. usually doctors offer "lactulose" as a remedy to control constipation and hence reduce confusion. this in particular takes place with liver patients.

Regards,

THE 1
_________________
if GOD brings you to it, HE alone will bring you through it.

helen831 · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 10

Thank you for your reply they have given her stuff to help her go to the toilet now, last weekend she was rough and my sister called the dr and they have now given her morphine 20mg 4 times a day and steroids is this the start of the end? she is still eating and drinking but sleeps for hours on and off, and gets tired easily and has terrible mood swings is this normal?

THE 1 · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:46 am Post subject: Re: Can anyone help me plz

unusual sleeping sequence, getting tired easily, mood swings etc., these are all the issues my mom is facing as well. The thing is, the immune system of the body goes down to almost zero, and the drug (morphine) that they've currently prescribed for her has adverse effects on health apart from easing the pain. So we really can't do much here except pray that God Almighty helps our moms and gives them the patience to endure this phase of life...

Best of luck to you and your family. And you know what? i still haven't given up hope... waiting for a miracle. :-s

Regards,

THE 1
_________________
if GOD brings you to it, HE alone will bring you through it.

Aggieduck · New User Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Maryland

Hi,
My stepfather has cancer in his liver that we think originated someplace else, but the doctors could never tell us where. He has been taking chemo since July 06. On Wednesday when I took him to his treatment, he walked from the parking garage all the way to the doctors office by himself. When he came out of the treatment, someone was pushing him in a wheelchair. I didn't see that one coming. He was nauseus, and weak and slept most of the way home. They never even gave him the chemo, just fluids. The doctor said that the chemo wasn't doing any good anymore and that all they could do was make him comfortable.

When he was first diagnosed with the liver cancer, he was weak and had lost about 70 pounds. He didn't want to eat because he said he couldn't taste any of the food, or that it tasted bad. After maybe the 2nd or 3rd session of chemo in September 06, he got his appetite back and had picked up weight. He did great for months. Then about two weeks ago he was having shortness of breath and stomach pains and was admitted to the hospital. They said there was "fluid in his stomach and around his heart." I'm not sure what this means because I get all of my information from my mother who doesn't want to talk about any of this because its too painful. All she would tell me was that the cancer had spread and that the doctor told her to start getting their affairs in order. To my knowledge no time table or life expectancy was given. He has had two more doses of a different chemo drug, but as I have previously stated, the doctor says that it's not working. He is back to losing weight, not eating, and being really weak. I'm just not sure he is going to bounce back again. What do you do when the doctors give up on you?

I'm so scared!! I'm being really strong for my mother, but I am so SCARED!! What do I tell my four children about their Pop-Pop?? They are 6, 3,3 and 5 months. They are too young to understand death and the sun rises and sets on Pop-Pop.

Reading the posts on this forum really help. It helps to know that others are feeling my pain, and can understand what I am going through. As for life expectancy, I have been reading posts from others as they document their journeys and the stories seem to lean toward one and three months after the doctors shift to the "just keeping them comfortable stage."

I'm praying for your strength. Please pray for mine.
_________________
Aggie

helen831 · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 10

My mum passed away peacefully at home with me and my brother beside her at 02:10 on the 18th may.

She was amazing and so strong willed and fought it all the way, my mum was a fighter and hid the pain. She managed to come up and see me and my family in yorkshire 2 weeks ago in which I could see she had deteriorated and asked me to come home with her, I new then that she needed me. Its strange how she new she said this trip was the last thing she had to do, ( give my daughter a piece of jewellery) as soon as I got her home within 30 mins everything started changing and with that she never went out of the flat as she couldnt walk and was bedridden all I can say is Im so glad from start to finish it was 8 days and not months, and she got her wish to die at home and not somewhere strange.

Cant help but go over and over the past 2 weeks especially the last few days and them last few hours, still expecting her to ring or see her. I know it will get easier cos everyone says it does but I have the funeral next week and I know then that is when it will really hit me, im still in a daze physically and emotionally.

But I would like to say thank you to everybody for the support from this website wheather it be through replies or just reading other peoples stories it has and did help me emensly to understand SCLC.

And if anybody needs any help or questions answered feel free as this is what everyone has done for me.

brainman · Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 8:11 am Post subject: Re: Can anyone help me plz

I am so sorry, Helen, about the death of your mother. I have been following, although not replying, to your messages since you first joined the forums, because others where of so much more help to you and I know so little about lung cancer. However, I do what to reach out to you and to let you know that you have been in my thoughts and prayers and will continue to be during this very difficult time. My father died last September of cancer and my mother died almost 9 years ago of cancer so I do know how hard it is to loose a parent to this aweful disease.

I am also grateful for your willingness to help others. So many times members join the group during a crises in their own lives and drop out after the crises comes to an end. Helping others can be a form of therapy. Having said that, make sure you give yourself time to grieve the death of your mother. I live in the house where my parents lived for over 20 years. I can still hear their voices.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

helen831 · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 10

I would just like to say thank you to everybody who has helped and supported or just read what I and everyone else has written and maybe have a little better understanding of SCLC. This is not an easy time as everybody knows and I know friday it will break my heart again to say goodbye to my mum but I know in my heart and head she will always be and no one can take that away from me. I will continue to use this site and mayby hopefully support someone like everyone supported me.

Thank you for all your condolences
Thank you
Helen

THE 1 · Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 1:50 am Post subject: Re: Can anyone help me plz

Helen, i am so sorry to hear about the demise of your mother...

I logged in to inform everyone here that my mother passed away peacefully on the eve of 22nd May.

Helen, my mom wished for exactly the same thing and her wish was granted by GOD ALMIGHTY. She wanted to die at home... She passed away with my dad and youngest brother by her bedside, i was abroad and I had to return in a rush........unfortunately, wasn't there by her bedside when she was departing, will probably regret it for the rest of my life. For the past 6 months she was with me, I had taken her to Singapore for treatment... Chemoembolisation was successful but chemotherapy for the cancer that had spread outside the liver wouldn't work... later on she turned out so weak that all treatment had to be stopped. Then I brought her back to my father's place where she wanted to be... I had just left her for 17 days and the 18th day i got a call that she was with us no more......

Her burial was conducted yesterday evening after having completed all the legal procedures... I and my brothers buried her with our own hands. I sincerely hope that every person who dies from a disease as deadly as Cancer finds an easy entrance to heaven.

I really don't know what i'm saying here.........Anyways, ev1, thank you for accompanying me here, i was very lonely, and now, i'm even lonelier... The affections of a mother can be replaced by none.

Helen, your mom was a lucky lady to have you and your brother by her bedside.......Just remember her in your prayers, thats the best we can do now to serve the departed.

Regards,

H.Q.
_________________
if GOD brings you to it, HE alone will bring you through it.

THE 1 · Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 2:05 am Post subject: Re: Can anyone help me plz

@ Jim H (admin):

I am so sorry to hear about your parents........... I know now, how it feels to lose a parent........................ my mom was so full of life that it never occurred to us that one of these days we'll have to bid goodbyes.....all of a sudden she was diagnosed with last stage of liver cancer....we were recommended a liver transplant, but the cancer had spread way outside the liver and the transplant surgeons denied any possibilities of surgery.....even after that, she was bold enough to fight it for 8 long months and never complained... Her will power was the strongest out of our whole family........ she was the star of our family which kept us three brothers and our dad smiling all the time, and when she fell sick, we were all so shocked and tried all we could to get her the best treatment in the world......... Nevertheless, everyone is destined to go away one day..... we shall cherish her memories for the rest of our lives.

In the end, Jim, i'd like to thank all those who're managing this forum......helps people like me and all others like me to share some of our pain in the hope that others will feel lighter in their pain.

I'll be around if anyone needs my help.....

Regards,

H.Q.
_________________
if GOD brings you to it, HE alone will bring you through it.

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