Long overdue posting about my mother

Hi my name is Michael. My mother, age 59 and in excellent health prior to illness, was diagnosed with Stage 3 unresectable Cholangiocarcinoma this past May. After reading posts on this website, I contacted Dr. Canady and a couple others, sent her scans, and all agreed that she was not, at present, a surgical candidate. She is in Rochester, NY receiving care at Strong Memorial Hospital’s Wilmot Cancer Center. I have been regularly reading the posts on this website since the time of her diagnosis. There are so many wonderful stories of hope and triumph and I have been sharing them with my mother in an effort to encourage her to fight.

She started with Gemzar/Oxaliplatin biweekly. 4 treatments were scheduled. The side effects were extreme fatigue and weakness. Also loss of appetite. After the 3rd treatment, a CT scan was taken that showed the cancer had not spread, or grown. This was, in the words of her doctor, “good news in cancer management.” A couple days later, a PET Scan showed more or less the same thing as the CT but that the cancer was “active.” Her oncologist switched to FOLFOX and she had one treatment. This past Monday, her second scheduled FOLFOX treatment, the chemo was not administered because her lab results showed a low platelet count – instead she was given a blood transfusion. On Wednesday she met with a Palliative Care doctor to deal with symptoms of incredible weakness and fatigue. He told her that her situation was “serious” and she checked into the hospital that day to “get stronger.” She is still there as of tonight. She had a procedure to help her with the ascites, which has been a problem since April. She has had four or five paracentesis procedures since May and now has a tube which allows drainage to a bag. Her oncologist paid her a visit Friday and said nothing about chemo; just that he wanted to see her get stronger. Monday she has an appointment with him to discuss the next steps. She has had no jaundice and, prior to this week, was still walking about the house, unaided.

SO – Im asking those of you that might have had similar experience to comment. We do not want to give up the fight. It seems that a major reason for her going to the hospital is her lack of nutrition and weight loss. She cries that she cannot eat and has become skin and bones. Since being in the hospital she is eating more, but still not enough. What can we likely expect? Can people realistically improve from this condition? Her palliative care doctor said that he has seen people improve… Im dreading Monday’s appointment because I feel her doctor will recommend stopping chemo. Hopefully not. That to me would signify the end is near. If thats the case, should we contact another oncologist? How much of this situation now is willpower, and within my mother’s control? Thank you all for taking the time to read this and thank you in advance for your comments. G-d bless all of you.