So worried

Momof3JHawks
Momof3JHawks Member Posts: 1
in Peritoneal Cancer #1
I have been doing as much research as possible online and it is so frustrating. My mother-in-law has been diagnosed with PPC. She had debulking done last week. Her omentum was 2 inches thick with cells, they had to take her spleen, appendics, an ovary, they did a resection of her colon & liver, as well as taking 40% of her stomach, and drained another 4 liters of fluid. Today a port was placed to start chemo in 3 weeks. A serious concern right now is weight loss. We've been told it's stage III but the extent of the surgery has me very fearful. Most of the family lives several hours from her. What questions should we be asking? How can we help her? Any feedback is appreciated ladies. I had never even heard of this kind of cancer.

Comments

  • Carolyn68
    Carolyn68 Member Posts: 39
    #2
    PPC
    Sorry to hear that your Mom has PPC. As you will find out, even tho we all have PPC on this discussion board, we are all different. It sounds like your Mom had major surgery. I have PPC Stage 3C. But, Only had total hysterectomy. I was on a clinical trail with carbo.taxol/avastin for 6 months, then had avastin for the last 10 months. When I started with chemo I weighed 150 lbs and now at 140 lbs. I lost the weight when I got a bacterial infection....but, eating better...not sure I want to gain the lbs back, but want to at least know that my body can. There are lots of people that don't loose any weight at all. However, I am sure your moms doctor will advise you that your mother should eat small meals many times a day....your diet and water intake is very important. This is a very rare cancer...I had never heard of it until I was diagnosed with it. Some of the reading online is scarey.. listen to what the doctors/nurses say and this discussion board is very helpful....when I first started chemo I drank ENSURE to help with calories. Does your Mom have any help? My doctor was so good to inform us....and then being on clinical trial we had a booklete we were given to read and udnerstand treatment and PPC. My doctors office had pamplets with info etc. One question to ask if your Mom should have a brac 1 and 2 blood test....to determine genetics for herself....and also for her family.
    Good luck.....and stay on board....we would like to follow your Moms progress. I hope you have some good holidays considering everything else. Just be patient....this or any cancer is one day at a time... God Bless You and your family...and, of course, your MOM!
  • Best Friend
    Best Friend Member Posts: 222
    #3
    hello
    My mom had her chemo b4 debulking. This way it's less they had to do while operating.
    There is alot to know about this cancer so doing research for her is wonderful.
    I just know that in the beginning we knew it would be difficult. She really should have someone who will be there through chemo. I have seen alot of stuff in my life, but nothing like what my mom was like during chemo. I know some people are fine, but she was pretty bad. She had carbo/taxol. She barely ate like a wk after her chemo treatment, and i would shake her up a ensure....they have ones for weightgain. I always got the one for just immune health and overrall nutrition. They weren't her fave. In the beginning she was so constipated also and it was like something she knew if she drank it, she would have to go to the bathroom.
    She won't want to eat alot. The night of and day after chemo she still felt half decent so we would get her to eat something she really wanted. Than for like day 4 and 5, i would atleast try ensure and some toast. She ate tons of salmon. I don't know how she stomached it but she ate tons of it.
    This cancer is scary. She is on break now from chemo but she goes for bloodwork this week to find otu her numbers. Anything can happen, at anytime. She needs help to know she can get through to the next challenge. It's doable. Mom was diagnosed in April. She was done her surgery and chemos by the last week in October, and now she is enjoying christmas time and eating everything in sight, getting her hair back, and living life until she is told it's time to go again.
  • AussieMaddie
    AussieMaddie Member Posts: 345 Member
    #4
    The same but also different
    Hi,

    I think that there are people who join this forum who have had cancer spread from other parts of the body like the ovaries or the bowel. When it gets to the peritoneum, they generally follow the same precedures we do.

    As has been said, same but different. My oncologist was very reluctant to put me down as being PPC but I see that he does that now. Scans don't show it anywhere else. In my experience, the weight loss can be managed so long as she doesn't succumb too much to nausea caused by the chemo. Make sure she is on plenty of anti-nausea medication. Af for not being able to eat as well, I'm going through that at present but finding that if I eat smaller quantities more often, that helps. Even things like ice cream which go down easily. Because diahorrhea (sp?) is always a problem, I must take a certain amount of liquid laxative a day, but that's not a hassle.

    Because in so many other respects my experience is different, I don't feel I'm able to help you further at this time.

    I hope you find, as I have , that having a group like this to turn to helps you a lot.

    Take good care,

    AussieMaddie

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