Bowel obstruction think we are at the end of the road

Slow-runner

So my husband was diagnosed about 19 months ago stage iv Mets to liver lung peritoneal lining. Handled fulfox,fulfuri, tace procedure x2, an unsuccessful couple of months in a clinical trial, an oral chemo capcitamine(?) then lonsurf with avastin and most recentlynback to avastin, oxcal(?) and irennican.  My spelling on these meds is terrible but... Any way Buck now is in the hospital with a bowel obstruction. Doesn’t seem to be just one section. There is hope that it is waking up but if not they are suggesting a peg tube and TPN if he wants to continue treatment. This would mean no true eating by mouth as it would just vent out the peg tube.  Asked if this is reversible and the answe was something like, not usually.  I’m fearing that we have come close to the end of the road here yet I continually think of JanJan and they many challenges she has conquere.  Our regular onco doc is away right now. We are being seen by others in the group. We are at Penn and have always felt confident in the care provided. Guess I’m just looking for hope. Two weeks ago Buck was putting in a new kitchen now I feel he may never enjoy it.  Anyone? Mary 

Trubrit

Dear Mary

I am so sorry to hear that your your hubby is so unwell.  You know there is always hope, but you also know that there will be an end, you just don't know which one is which right now. 

So, I say go with the hope.  Let the good Doctor's do what they need to, to give  relief to what Buck is going through now, and then take the next step. 

And yes, Jan has been through so much, others as well. Hold on to that, and move forward. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. 

Tru

JanJan63

Hi, I'm glad that I inspire

Hi, I'm glad that I inspire some hope for you, that's really important to me. So do I have this right? They keep trying different things to varrying degrees of success or no success at all? And now he has a blockage or several blockages? Do they know why he would have them? 

I feel like I have a partial blockage right now but I can't think of anything that would have caused it. And there's a stomach virus going around so it could just be that. When you have cancer it's easy to attribute every little thing to the cancer but we also just get sick so I think that's what's going on for me right now. Lots of gas, which can be very painful. My ostomy bag keeps filling up like a balloon.

I'm wondering what they'll do for him if he has a complete blockage or several. I thought they immediately did surgery for that. Maybe they think it will rectify itself? Mine always do but they're partial, not full. Some take longer than others. I can give some advice as to how to eat to avoid them if that will help him. Right now I haven't had one in months. I have a stricture on one area that causes issues.

I hope he feels better soon. Blockages are miserable. I usually have to go to the hospital for fluids when I get them. As for the different chemos, I don't know what that means. They need to find something that works but are tsruggling to find one?

Jan

Slow-runner

Trubrit said:

Dear Mary

I am so sorry to hear that your your hubby is so unwell.  You know there is always hope, but you also know that there will be an end, you just don't know which one is which right now. 

So, I say go with the hope.  Let the good Doctor's do what they need to, to give  relief to what Buck is going through now, and then take the next step. 

And yes, Jan has been through so much, others as well. Hold on to that, and move forward. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. 

Tru

Thanks

Thanks Tru, you're right, we just have to get through this hurdle and then figure things out. The change just happened so fast.  In God's hands. Mary

Slow-runner

JanJan63 said:

Hi, I'm glad that I inspire

Hi, I'm glad that I inspire some hope for you, that's really important to me. So do I have this right? They keep trying different things to varrying degrees of success or no success at all? And now he has a blockage or several blockages? Do they know why he would have them? 

I feel like I have a partial blockage right now but I can't think of anything that would have caused it. And there's a stomach virus going around so it could just be that. When you have cancer it's easy to attribute every little thing to the cancer but we also just get sick so I think that's what's going on for me right now. Lots of gas, which can be very painful. My ostomy bag keeps filling up like a balloon.

I'm wondering what they'll do for him if he has a complete blockage or several. I thought they immediately did surgery for that. Maybe they think it will rectify itself? Mine always do but they're partial, not full. Some take longer than others. I can give some advice as to how to eat to avoid them if that will help him. Right now I haven't had one in months. I have a stricture on one area that causes issues.

I hope he feels better soon. Blockages are miserable. I usually have to go to the hospital for fluids when I get them. As for the different chemos, I don't know what that means. They need to find something that works but are tsruggling to find one?

Jan

Think of you often

Hi Jan, I think of your trials and triumphs often and relay your story to Buck when he needs to hear it.  I am a nurse yet feel so incompetent when it comes to dealing with Buck's doctors.  I never have the right questions to ask, feel I never probe deep enough.  Thank you so muich for reading and responding to my post. I think we have 1-2 more days to see if his bowel starts working, if not they are recommending a PEG tube in his stomach, not even talking colostomy. I'm hoping his oncologist is back Tuesday, will feel better hearing our options from him. Thanks again for listening.  Mary

JanJan63

Slow-runner said:

Think of you often

Hi Jan, I think of your trials and triumphs often and relay your story to Buck when he needs to hear it.  I am a nurse yet feel so incompetent when it comes to dealing with Buck's doctors.  I never have the right questions to ask, feel I never probe deep enough.  Thank you so muich for reading and responding to my post. I think we have 1-2 more days to see if his bowel starts working, if not they are recommending a PEG tube in his stomach, not even talking colostomy. I'm hoping his oncologist is back Tuesday, will feel better hearing our options from him. Thanks again for listening.  Mary

I don't know what a peg tube

I don't know what a peg tube is but I'm sure it's no more pleasant than any other thing they do to us. I thought that if a person had an obstruction they did surgery and that was that. Do they know why he got it? It would be nice to know why so he can prevent it in the future. 

What have the suggested he eat in the meantime or nothing? When I have the partial blockages I have to drink lots. It helps move things along. I've had them last anywhere from a couple of days to over a week and been sick from it for two weeks. As long as he's drinking he should be okay, we can go without eating for much longer. Is he passing anything at all? If he is then he must have a partial rather than a full blockage. So that's promising. I hope I'm not saying anything you already know with you being a nurse.

Ugh, I hope this passes, literally and figuratively, and he gets back on track. Blockages are miserable.

Good luck!

Jan

RickMurtagh

blockages...

I just had one that lasted four days...with a slight fever on the last day and for two days after that.  I just wait to see if the fever spikes over 100 then always plan to go to the hospital.  They know what they are doing and I am confident that if something needs being done or corrected they will do it if called upon, but in ten years I have only had 8-10 blockages that lasted more than a day.  Surgery is always a risk, but maybe that is what Buck needs.  Get second and third opinions.  Talk to the docs that do special procedures at the hospital you go to.  Mine came up with all kinds of ideas to help with all kinds of problems I was having.  Mary, I found out I had cancer after putting in a pretty sweet pantry off our kitchen and was worried about having a backache the next day, took some aspirin, and the rest is history.

Kitchen done?  if so, Buck can enjoy it now - job well done!  If not, make a plan to get it done (maybe with some help?).  Plans for the future may help get Buck through some tough spots, give him something to look forward to.  Future plans helped me get through the here and now of chemo, neuropathy, failed reversal, etc.  Maybe they might give Buck some hope for whatever is next...

 

Best wishes,

Rick

Slow-runner

Buck is a trooper

So we had the PEG tube placed (at least that got the NG removed) and TPN is started.  His bowel function seems to have returned so I am hoping that we can clamp this PEG tube and eventually get rid of it.  He is to come home tomorrow, will get TPN every night, our doc had actually messaged Buck on his medwebsite while he was away but I hadn't been on that until just the other day. Anyway, that was comforting. He says Buck is still a candidate for chemo and we just need to build him back up first.  Buck is feeling better, sent our boys and sons-in-law down to the house to continue his project and is already talking about getting back to it next weekend. What a roller coaster ride! Mary 

Twinzma

He is a trooper!

So glad to see that he is improving! Just another bump on the rollercoaster ride from hell I suppose! Happy he his comming home, he will do so much better once he is able to rest from home. Hang in there honey and take care of you as well! It's not easy for us wife's! If you need to talk, feel free to message me anytime! Hugs!!! 

Ruthmomto4

I am glad he is doing better!

i hope he continues to do well!!