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Urgent Request for info What is this ?

 
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DianeFrankowski
New User


Joined: 04 Dec 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Florida
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 2:54 am    Post subject: Urgent Request for info Reply with quote
My husband was diagnosed in April, 2009 with pc. He underwent cyberknife followed by continuous weeks of chemo (gemzar). He started making instantaneous yet irrational decisions. In Nov. 2008 he wanted to move to Philadelphia to be closer to his family. I went with him. About 3 months ago he seem to just "snap" and told me to go back to Florida that he didn't need me anymore. I finally came back to Florida and withinin 3 days of my leaving he has in ICU. The oncologist said the gemzar was killing him so they stopped it completely. The oncologist said there was no other option than Gemzar (which i do not believe is correct)....before I left the cancer was contained in the pancreas and had not spreaad. after 4 weeks of no chemo at all...it has spread to kidneys (working at 20%), liver and lymph nodes. My questions are (1) is Gemzar the ONLY chemo drug available for pc patients and (2) could this have happened even if chemo was continued and not stopped. The dr. has now said he has 6 mos to live and wants him out of the hospital and into a hospice facility. The dr said there is nothing that can be done for him any more. Please help.....I need to get some answers and desperately want to be with him. For some unknown reason after many years of marriage I don't understand why he all of a sudden wantd me out of his life. He just wasn't in his right "head" and went so far as to take all money out of joint accounts and put them in private accounts. He is giving away our community joint property to his children. What can I do? I'm not interested in any material things....and yesterday he said he loved me and would let me know "when" I could come up to Philly from Florida to help him (which I suspect will happen because he wants to go home and not to hospice but cannot go home unless someone is with him 24/7)....I really need some guidance. He revoked my rights to find out anything about his condition and gave a medical power of atty to his son. All of this took me completly by surprise. Have you ever run across anything like this before? Diane Rolling Eyes
_________________
Diane
Caregiver to husband diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in April, 2008
Blog: http://pancreaticcancer-joe.blogspot.com/
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wannaknow
Senior User


Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 118
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2009 9:27 pm    Post subject: Not sure where to start Reply with quote
Diane:
But I'll stick mostly to Cancer.
You wrote in the 1st sentence 4/09 but at the bottom it has 4/08 so that m/b the start.

1) Other Chemo - yup, you will see Tarceva mentioned often & my Mom was on Xeloda. You can do some Google searches or searches on this forum and see others. Oncology is a cross between science, art, black magic & snake oil depending on the Oncologist. So depending on what they "see" and where the cancer is located - they pick the chemo they think will work best. Often the patients like my Mom are on 2 types at a time. Gemzar is very popular & is usually linked with another.

2) Options - Based on what you said, the fact that they stopped chemo & it spread (probably would have with or without chemo) to other organs it appears to have taken a turn for the worse. Don't know if the hospital he is in specializes in cancer - if not, then changing hospitals & seeking a 2nd opinion with a different Oncologist would seem more than appropriate.

I'll stay away from the marriage & legal matters but will say that a counselor & attorney probably should be on your consultation list. Your local Hospice may also be a resource to provide guidance.
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Guytron
New User


Joined: 08 Jun 2009
Posts: 6
Location: Rogue River, Oregon
PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Urgent Request for info Reply with quote
My dad was on Gemzar for 3 months but then the tumor markers started going back up & they put him on Eloxatin every 3 weeks & oral Xeloda 3 weeks on 1 week off. There are definitely other alternatives to gemcitabine.

Good luck in your struggles and know that others care.
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