My Mother is 81 and was diagnosed with colon cancer which has metastasized to her liver. I have ques

Mahharet
Mahharet Member Posts: 8
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Comments

  • NHMike
    NHMike Member Posts: 213 Member
    #2
    Welcome to the board and

    Welcome to the board and sorry as to why you're here. Most of the folks here are either undergoing treatment, have gone through treatment or are caregivers or relatives of someone diagnosed or going through treatment. Please feel free to ask your questions but it would be helpful to know a few things such as is she in treatment or preparing for treatment, what the treatments have been, etc.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #3
    So very sorry

    There is no information about your mom.  Please provide us with a little more in the post section.  She is lucky to have you checking up for her.  Please post more info when you know it.  It might be helpful to go with her to some future appointments so you can ask questions for her.

    Kim

  • desnee2029
    desnee2029 Member Posts: 28
    edited August 2017 #4
    Welcome you will find support here.

    My dh also has colon cancer with several liver mets.  He is having his 3rd Chemo next mon.  I have learned so much and felt so much support from everyone dealing with this new normal with cancer.  Try to focus on even small positives and ask any and all questions of your medical team and this group everyone is different and this is a path no one would chose but We can all fight and share our battles and be stronger for it.  Prayers and positive vibes sent your way.

  • Mahharet
    Mahharet Member Posts: 8
    #5
    my mother. (was having trouble figuring this out)

    My mother was diagnosed July 3rd of this year.  She is 81 and we are persuing palative care for her.  I am really stressed because I just dont have any real support.  

    Hospice care is great the down side is that we are doing the home hospice care in my brothers home.   When we came home my mother wasnt doing well she slept all the time and came home with a catherter.  On our first night home the catheter was pulled out on my sister in laws watch.  We have continued on with depends.  My mother has always had a memory like a steel trap and now she continually asks me questions over and over.  Her short term memory is comprimised.  I live in Michigan but my brother and his family live in illinois.  I have a daughter and son and Husband.  My Husband and daughter are in michigan but my son lives in texas.   I have a lot going on in my head so youll pardon me and my occasional bad typing while i try to get all this informaiton out.   

  • Mahharet
    Mahharet Member Posts: 8
    #6
    My Mother(2)

    I don't know what comes next I have been trying to read up on cancer and what this all is going to look like but it all so confusing and most of the informaiton sites are directed to people that want to know different kind of medications.  I know that my mother ws informed of her cancer diagnosis she was really ill and confused at the time she didn't recognize family members.  I have gotten the feeling that she doesn't remember that she was told she had cancer.  I think it might be upsetting to her as she has short term memory loss and she would forget what she was told over and over.   

    On top of that I have been living in my brothers sunroom where my mothers hospital bed is and I watch her thru the night. when she gets up to go to the bathroom I follow behind her or walk with her to make sure she is okay.  Night before last I heard rustling I was slow walking with her as I had misplaced my glasses in the night.  When I went to the bathroom I couldn't find her and when I walked back I found her in the hall closet.  I told her it wasnt the bathroom and i walked her there.  I know she has memory issues but this is really profound.   This is so hard to see.  My mother hated doctors and would often joke that she could be being eaten up by cancer and not know it.  The irony is not lost on me.

     

     

  • Phoenix_66
    Phoenix_66 Member Posts: 118
    #7
    Scary

    So sorry you and your family are having to go through this.  I am certainly no doctor but the memory issue may be related to something entirely different.  I have some short-term memory issues as part of what the onc has called chemo brain but what you are describing seems to be more severe.  I would definately ask her doctor about that.  I too am in pallative care but not having to rely on hospice yet.  I am still responding to the chemo so far but this is my third battle with this over 11 years.

    Brett

  • Mahharet
    Mahharet Member Posts: 8
    #8
    Phoenix_66 said:

    Scary

    So sorry you and your family are having to go through this.  I am certainly no doctor but the memory issue may be related to something entirely different.  I have some short-term memory issues as part of what the onc has called chemo brain but what you are describing seems to be more severe.  I would definately ask her doctor about that.  I too am in pallative care but not having to rely on hospice yet.  I am still responding to the chemo so far but this is my third battle with this over 11 years.

    Brett

    thanks

    Its frustrating trying to get information.  I have spoken to the nurses and they feel like this is part of the liver cancer part of this.  I appreciate the reply.

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #9
    Mahharet said:

    My Mother(2)

    I don't know what comes next I have been trying to read up on cancer and what this all is going to look like but it all so confusing and most of the informaiton sites are directed to people that want to know different kind of medications.  I know that my mother ws informed of her cancer diagnosis she was really ill and confused at the time she didn't recognize family members.  I have gotten the feeling that she doesn't remember that she was told she had cancer.  I think it might be upsetting to her as she has short term memory loss and she would forget what she was told over and over.   

    On top of that I have been living in my brothers sunroom where my mothers hospital bed is and I watch her thru the night. when she gets up to go to the bathroom I follow behind her or walk with her to make sure she is okay.  Night before last I heard rustling I was slow walking with her as I had misplaced my glasses in the night.  When I went to the bathroom I couldn't find her and when I walked back I found her in the hall closet.  I told her it wasnt the bathroom and i walked her there.  I know she has memory issues but this is really profound.   This is so hard to see.  My mother hated doctors and would often joke that she could be being eaten up by cancer and not know it.  The irony is not lost on me.

     

     

    Hospice care

    When one goes on hospice care, it is agreed by the doctor and patient (or controling family member) that further treatment for the disease will not be given and that the only medication will be for the comfort of the patient.  This often includes pain meds and anxiety meds.  Either of these can impact her mental functioning.

    I was the caregiver for my sister, who had uterine cancer.  During the short period on hospice care it was not unusual for her to have mental confusion.  She slept more and more and did not eat.   This was all part of the dying process.

    Hospice care is granted for those with a prognosis of 6 months or less to live.  While some patients live longer or choose to go back on medical treatment for the disease, that is not the norm.

    I hope that your mother can have pain free and anxiety free days.

    Marie who loves kitties

     

    https://www.cancer.org/treatment/end-of-life-care/nearing-the-end-of-life/death.html  This may give you some info that you need.

  • Mahharet
    Mahharet Member Posts: 8
    #10
    Lovekitties said:

    Hospice care

    When one goes on hospice care, it is agreed by the doctor and patient (or controling family member) that further treatment for the disease will not be given and that the only medication will be for the comfort of the patient.  This often includes pain meds and anxiety meds.  Either of these can impact her mental functioning.

    I was the caregiver for my sister, who had uterine cancer.  During the short period on hospice care it was not unusual for her to have mental confusion.  She slept more and more and did not eat.   This was all part of the dying process.

    Hospice care is granted for those with a prognosis of 6 months or less to live.  While some patients live longer or choose to go back on medical treatment for the disease, that is not the norm.

    I hope that your mother can have pain free and anxiety free days.

    Marie who loves kitties

     

    https://www.cancer.org/treatment/end-of-life-care/nearing-the-end-of-life/death.html  This may give you some info that you need.

    Hospice

    Thanks for the information.  Our hospice team is really good.  I am pleased with their interactions not ony with my mother but with the rest of the family.  

  • trishtabi
    trishtabi Member Posts: 5
    #11
    Mahharet said:

    My Mother(2)

    I don't know what comes next I have been trying to read up on cancer and what this all is going to look like but it all so confusing and most of the informaiton sites are directed to people that want to know different kind of medications.  I know that my mother ws informed of her cancer diagnosis she was really ill and confused at the time she didn't recognize family members.  I have gotten the feeling that she doesn't remember that she was told she had cancer.  I think it might be upsetting to her as she has short term memory loss and she would forget what she was told over and over.   

    On top of that I have been living in my brothers sunroom where my mothers hospital bed is and I watch her thru the night. when she gets up to go to the bathroom I follow behind her or walk with her to make sure she is okay.  Night before last I heard rustling I was slow walking with her as I had misplaced my glasses in the night.  When I went to the bathroom I couldn't find her and when I walked back I found her in the hall closet.  I told her it wasnt the bathroom and i walked her there.  I know she has memory issues but this is really profound.   This is so hard to see.  My mother hated doctors and would often joke that she could be being eaten up by cancer and not know it.  The irony is not lost on me.

     

     

    My mother

    Hello I have been through a lot with my mother's cancer if you have questions ask away.

  • Mahharet
    Mahharet Member Posts: 8
    #12
    trishtabi said:

    My mother

    Hello I have been through a lot with my mother's cancer if you have questions ask away.

    Thanks for your response

    I have really been struggling with my moms cancer.  I am struggling right now with the fact that I live in michigan and my mother is in Illinois in hospice care.  I have to return to work and will be driving back to Illinois every other weekend.  I am stressed about returning to work and being away from my mom.  I have spoken to the hospice team and they will let me know when there is a decline and then i will put in for family leave and stay in illinois with mom.  I have a daughter graduating highschool this year and I am trying to balance all this and my husband and daughter.

    Marta

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