Throat Cancer Question

rockinrod
rockinrod Member Posts: 4
in Esophageal Cancer #1

My wife and I are caring for her Mother here in the Philippines. She has 4th stage throat cancer which has gone to the lungs as well. Dr has given her 1-2 years. We are about 14 months into this time period. My concern as I told my wife is what if Mama, gets to that point, without warning that her throat completely closes up and she can no longer breathe. We cannot get an ambulance here fast enough to get air to her. I was wondering about a trach/tube for her throat before that happens. She is 88 years old ,and some here have said that it would not be wise to do that if the cancer is in that location where the trach would be. I would feel terrible and awful guilty if i just sat here and did nothing. Has anyone had a similar experience. One person said, "cross that bridge when it comes". I disagree, when that happens it will be too late to help...I hate to just give up on her....If there is a chance to prolong her life I would take a shot at it. She is, BTW on O2 100% of the time, has been for awhile now...I keep telling my wife, that cross the bridge analogy is wrong. It will be too late when that thing closes up her airway. Her voice is almost gone now, and she chokes all the time when she drinks. if fear her time is short....

Thanks

Comments

  • JKGulliver
    JKGulliver Member Posts: 93
    #2
    Tough question, tough situation

    It sounds like you have a lot going on there and our circumstances state-side might be very different from yours.  Don't know if you are in an urban area or rural area.  Also, don't know if your wife and others in your circle agree or are resistant to the idea of resuscitation, should your mother-in-law's airways close.  But, I think you need the consultation of people who face this situation on a daily basis.  You say you can't get an ambulance there fast enough, but it sounds like you can at least get one there.  Your concern seems to be for the critical time before they arrive.  There might be a couple of things you can do.  

    1.  I know there are companies that provide evacuation insurance, on a temporary basis, in your part of the world.  If they need to, they will helicopter in.  They are very quick to respond, even in disaster circumstances.  For peace of mind, it might be worthwhile to take out a short term emergency insurance policy on your mother-in-law.  Check out all the companies offering this service to see if it is practical and worthwhile.  I know you can get 30 day to one year policies.  Tell them where you are and ask if they can respond within five minutes.  That is an eternity, but might make a difference in your worse-case scenario.

    2.  If insurance does not work out, can you contract or partner with a nurse, who would agree to be "on-call", should her services be needed?  Someone like this might be a phone call away and be able to quickly respond, day or night.  I would also comb your local, residental area.  There might be nurses living close by who would agree to partner with you in this way.

    3.  You can take emergency responder training yourself, so you can at least help her hold on until an ambulance arrives.  Maybe you can also lease equipment to have on hand.  It would be for use only in those critical moments.

    4.  Have you asked about a stent?  If a trach tube is not advisable, would a stent be a possible solution?

    No matter what, all the best.  Times like these can make you feel alone, even with other family members around.  Everyone on this website knows that.  We are hoping the best for you.

     

  • rockinrod
    rockinrod Member Posts: 4
    #3
    JKGulliver said:

    Tough question, tough situation

    It sounds like you have a lot going on there and our circumstances state-side might be very different from yours.  Don't know if you are in an urban area or rural area.  Also, don't know if your wife and others in your circle agree or are resistant to the idea of resuscitation, should your mother-in-law's airways close.  But, I think you need the consultation of people who face this situation on a daily basis.  You say you can't get an ambulance there fast enough, but it sounds like you can at least get one there.  Your concern seems to be for the critical time before they arrive.  There might be a couple of things you can do.  

    1.  I know there are companies that provide evacuation insurance, on a temporary basis, in your part of the world.  If they need to, they will helicopter in.  They are very quick to respond, even in disaster circumstances.  For peace of mind, it might be worthwhile to take out a short term emergency insurance policy on your mother-in-law.  Check out all the companies offering this service to see if it is practical and worthwhile.  I know you can get 30 day to one year policies.  Tell them where you are and ask if they can respond within five minutes.  That is an eternity, but might make a difference in your worse-case scenario.

    2.  If insurance does not work out, can you contract or partner with a nurse, who would agree to be "on-call", should her services be needed?  Someone like this might be a phone call away and be able to quickly respond, day or night.  I would also comb your local, residental area.  There might be nurses living close by who would agree to partner with you in this way.

    3.  You can take emergency responder training yourself, so you can at least help her hold on until an ambulance arrives.  Maybe you can also lease equipment to have on hand.  It would be for use only in those critical moments.

    4.  Have you asked about a stent?  If a trach tube is not advisable, would a stent be a possible solution?

    No matter what, all the best.  Times like these can make you feel alone, even with other family members around.  Everyone on this website knows that.  We are hoping the best for you.

     

    Thanks for your reply

    Thanks for your reply JK...

     

    Appreciate it. We're in the city a very busy and older part of town. Lots of Jeepney's, trikes, bikes, horses, carts, street vendors etc. which makes it tough to get in here quick. Fortunately we are taking Mama in this evening for another XRAY. We think the fluid around the lungs is building up again. This will be the third time since May. Too tight in here for a chopper, power lnes etc. 

    She has told us that if she goes unconscious that she does not want life support. She is 88 now, 89 in June..But I'm thinking this case scenario, the trach, would prelude the breathing tubes being shoved into her lungs. That would also mean a feeding tube as well. We have a sort of hospital environment in her bedroom. Nice hospital bed, large and small oxygen bottles, and an O2 Concentrator which generates O2 as well. A nebulizer, BP and glucose monitor, and one of those finger monitors which measures O2 level and heart rate.

    Will consult her doctors today when we go. Yeah, it's a tough situation. We're in Cebu City, Philippines second largest city, and fortunately very good med schools and state of the art hospitals! This really helps...  

     

    http://www.chonghua.com.ph

    Thanks Again!

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