My mom has a few questions

becky0999 · New User Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 5

I hate to ask, but she has asked me the last two times I saw her. She wants to know how she will know that things are about to end. She thought maybe the cancer would have to go to another organ or something I told her I didn't think it was that at all. As far as we know she has a large mass on her pancreas and several on her liver. She thinks that her liver or pancreas will have to stop functioning for it to kill her. She basically is trying to figure out how she will know when things are that bad. She doesn't want to lay in bed for months and months and is trying to figure out if there is a symptom or something that will clue us into when the time is getting closer. She so thinks this is unfair that there is no way to make this easier for her. I don't think she is to the point of needing hospice yet, I don't know when you get them involved. She isn't in terrible pain at this point. She just lays in bed from the fatigue and other things that are bothering her.

The only thing I knew to tell her was that most people seem to start sleeping tons and/or have terrible pain. My thought was that the lack of eating would lead to more fatigue and possible orant shut down. I don't know what else to tell her. Any ideas on what how I should answer her questions?

Right now, she is trying to get over shingles. As if she wasn't sick enough she had to get that. Her cancer doc said that they can talk chemo when the shingles are completely gone. She is trying to way the pros and cons of the chemo. He basically told her she would be trading the symptons of the cancer for the side effects of the chemo. I think she might try one or two doses, if it makes her really ill she will stop. Not sure on that yet.

Her symptoms at present:
diaherra
nausea
fatigue
burping/gas
pain in the back and side
slight jaundice even with the stint
loss of appetite
weight loss (about 22 lbs in a month)
weird taste buds. Her taste are magnified. Sweet is really sweet, everything just taste funny. Not sure if this is cancer related or not.

brainman · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: My mom has a few questions

Becky, I would write down all of her questions and take them with her to her next appointment. Also, make sure her medical team is aware of all her symptoms. They sound like chemo related symptoms. Her medical team may be able to help your mother. As always, you and your mother are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
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/

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Pancreatic Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

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