Knowing When the End is Near?

[Crowlc1]

My mother is 81 and has advanced vaginal cancer. The cancer has spread to her lymph nodes and she has fairly bad edema in both legs, but still walks around pretty well. Last week she started to develop jaundice and itches quite a bit now. however, her pain comes and goes as does nausea, but often days she does not even take anything for pain or nausea (most nights she does).
The visiting hospice people think her time is short (weeks, maybe less) but she still has a decent appetite and even drinks a glass of wine most nights!
Am i foolish to believe that she might be ok for at least a few months, or is the jaundice a symptom that the end is indeed iminent? Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

[brainman]

Crowlc1, I am so sorry to hear about your mother.

Jaundice indicates that her liver is not functioning properly. If the medical team is not able to reverse that, toxins will build up in her blood. As this build up continues, she will eat less and less and sleep more and more. Again, if they cannot reverse this, she will probably die of liver failure secondary to her cancer.

As for a prognosis... since the hospice people who are there seeing her are saying that she only has a few weeks... I suspect that they are right.

You and your mother are in my thought and prayers.

[Crowlc1]

Thanks for the advice...guess I was just hoping for some better news...
Appreciate it.