Life expectancy - liver metastasis

csweens · Regular Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 29

Hi Dana -
I'm so glad to hear that you've had some great times with your Mom - I understand what you mean about not getting too excited but that's true of each and every day sometimes - it's sometimes hard to be thankful for what you get and where you are but guess we have to try.

Glad to hear that your sitter is working out ok - it's great that you have a good boss - mine is the same - I've worked from home (or where ever Dad's appointments are with the laptop) more than I ever have in my life in the last few months.
Thanks for praying for them both - their names are Richard and Mary -
You and your Mom are still in my thoughts and prayers.
Hope you have a great weekend together.
Cindy

Danabw · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 10:04 pm Post subject: This is happening too fast

A month ago my Mom was doing pretty good. Three weeks ago I moved in because the hospice pharmacist told me she thought Mom had about 2 months to live. A week after I was here she was unable to get out of bed without my help. Then she began to get real confused. On Monday of this week the hospice nurse said she would tell us when Mom was "close". That to her her would mean about two weeks. From Monday to today her health has declined rapidly.
The confusion has deepened, her shaking has gotten worse, she eats about 4 bites each meal and her skin is cold to the touch although she says she is hot. The hospice nurse today said she has about a week.
Mom falls asleep in the middle of a conversation and is talking in her sleep. Her stomach is so hard and has grown now up towards her chest. She is coughing a lot and has pain radiating down her arm.
I know all I can do is help keep her to be comfortable. When she is awake she is cranky because she can't think straight or say what she wants to because it always comes out wrong. I don't want to do anything to agitate her further.
Please keep my mother, Beth, in your prayers. I so don't want her to suffer anymore.
_________________
Dana

csweens · Regular Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 29

Hi Dana -
I'm so sorry to hear that things are getting worse for your mom - I can't imagine what you are going through - I don't know what to say - I'm sure there is nothing that will make it better right now - you are in my thoughts and prayers - just know that you are not alone

Cindy

laupw

[quote="Melanie Cadenhead"]My mother got liver cancer after having had a blood transfusion over 40 years ago. The blood supply was not screened back then and she contracted hepatitis c, "the silent killer". Initially her g.p. gave her 2 months to live. That was 2 year sand 2 chemos embolizations ago. Unfortunately, because both hep c and liver cancer are essentially incurable the tumors are now larger and in greater number than they were a year ago. So far she is experiencing no symptoms so she's lucky. The oncologist doesn't think doing chemo again will work and the stress and ill effects afterwards will not be worth it. She is being included in a drug trial for a new drug call Sorafenib at the urging of her doctor, who is backing the trial. The problem is twofold: you never know if you're getting the drug or the placebo and the constant testing and poking and prodding and possible side effects make it a very undesirable affair. Then there's the fact that this is not a cure, just a prolongment of the inevitable.

My mom is only 67 years old. I'm the oldest of 3 kids, with 2 of my own. I'm supposed to be the 'strong" one, but I'm having a really difficult time with this. I can't imagine not having my mother around. And every time I've gotten used to the idea of it, she's somehow been brought back from the brink. This time, despite the trial, it looks like there's not going to be a happy ending.

I want to have an idea of what to expect. Liver cancer is not supposed to spread, is it? How long do patients suffer? What is my family going to have to watch her go through? We're all really scared and upset, but I think it would help us if we had an idea of how long a patient actually suffers in the end.

I've never joined a chat room before. I've got to say it's nice to see I'm not alone in my fears and my grief.[/quote]

Hello,
Just to let you know that my mother had HCC as well. She Had a blood transfusion in 1974. It was only in January this year [2007] that it was confirmed. Like your mother, the doctors also found HCV [hep c] in her blood, so it has been in my mothers system for over a thirty year period.

This would have caused cirhorsis to the liver initially, perhpas 10 years ago, and in the last 4 or 5 years it would have cause Liver cancer.

She passed away in 12th May 2007.

Please accept my condolences.

Regards,

pwl

Danabw · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: Life expectancy

I am so sorry to hear about your Mother. This forum helped me a lot as I was with my Mom during her last months. She passed away on June 5th.
She was also given months to live and she surprised them all by living almost 2 years. She was 70 years young.
Her case is different from your Mom's in that she opted not to go through any treatments. It was probably the best two years she had had in a long time. She finally started living again and we did some travelling.
The best advice I can give you is not to mourn her while she is still here. You will have plenty of time for that later.
I am also the strong one in the family and it was overwhelming at times. One day my Mom told me that she thought I had my head in the sand about what was happening. My response to her was that I was just doing what I had to do, in order to do what I had to do. If I focused on the fact that she was dying I wouldn't have been able to care for her the way I did.
My mother's strong faith and the knowledge that she was going to heaven was a great comfort to her and to me as well. Although I miss her greatly I truly know that she is happy and no longer in pain.
What to expect. Wow. That is a hard one. Mom's cancer did spread but we don't exactly where since she was not receiving treatments. In the end we do believe that it spread to her brain and possibly her lungs. That doesn't mean that will happen with your Mother but I guess anything can happen. I wish I could tell you good things, but I found it was better to face what might happen head on.
Once Mom's cancer began to grow rapidly she was with us for 2 more months. The pain gradually got worse but the hospice pharmacist did her best to keep the pain at a minimum. She gave her Methadone because that medicine attacks the type of pain Mom had better than morphine. It is also time released so it lasted longer. The last week we supplemented her pain with the quick acting morphine. That really seemed to work for her.
Mom began to sleep a lot more and would talk in her sleep. She began seeing things and started talking about going home. She wanted me to dress her nicely so she would be ready. She also became very agitated but we believe that was in part due to the brain metastasis.
Just work closely with hospice or your Mother's doctor to make sure her medicine is doing the job. I don't believe it can completely take away the pain, but it will make her more comfortable.
Don't look at how long she has left, just cherish each moment and every conversation that you share.
I will be praying for you and your Mother.
Dana
_________________
Dana

Waycell · New User Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 3

hi all,

i am from Turkey and my father suffers primary stomach cancer and seconday liver cancer, stage ıv. i was looking for information and i ran into this forum. i just want to take your opinions and advice about the situation. please write me if possible.
my father 57 years old and 2 years ago diagnosed stomach cancer and his total stomach and half of esophagus were removed 18 months ago. he got chemo for 5 times and cos said there is no metastasis. 3 months ago he suddenly got jaundice and the doc get him into operation. they did nothing because inoperabable multiple metastasis. it was carsinom infiltration in his abdomen, liver. there was tumor which invades into hepatik arter, duedonum and portal ven. they placed a percutan dreange to discharge water blasts. it was 2 months ago. and now, every day almost 800 cc water comes via drenage. he feels severe pain in his back and he gets tramadol (contramal) 50 mg twice a day. i asked the docs for life expectancy and they were reluctant to say something.i think it works in this way in Turkey. i am helpless, i need to know some guests about when he will pass away since i live in istanbul which is 500 miles away from where my family lives. contramal seems work but i am suspicious about it. my father has high pain thereshold, and generally says nothing about the pain. in anyway, it seems (when i go to home rarely) he suffers and also hesitate to take contramal since he makes him sleepy. he says sleep is not normal but inquality. i tried to take an appointment but could not get from the doctor (this is Turkey). i just learn that whether i am supposed to acquire morphine for him. and most importantly, what is life expectancy for him? what i said above was medical examinations (tomography and MR based) 2 months ago. i dont know what to do. i know i have to go home and stay there much but he insists me not to come. i know he doesnt want me to see him in that situation, anyway i am not listening him and i will go this week. as i said, i need opinion about the process ahead. thanks for your help..

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Lung Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4
Page 4 of 4

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others