what if
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Sarah…….there is some value in the home service in that your Mom is looked after in a limited but important way. I think you are making a good decision by not canceling the service.
Happy Holidays to you as well. enjoy.Hugs
Marionthank you, Marion
I am very happy that my mom is doing ok now and spend quality time toghther with family. Let us know what you will find about “aggressive ” treatment in terms of hospice care. we are getting a home nurse twice a week and i feel that is not helpful at all. all he does is checking blood pressure and ask how my mother is doing. i kind of wand to cancel the service but decide to keep for the future when she is doing worse later. Happy holidays!Sarah
Sara….the likelihood of obstruction is lessened with the metal stent. When it does occur the metal stent can be cleaned out, or often times, plastic is inserted. In any case, your Mom should be fine for some time to come.
I am in the process of investigating with Hospice their terms of “aggressive” treatment and whether an external drain would be considered the same intervention. I will keep everyone informed.
In the meantime, dear Sara, try to relax. Your Mom is feeling better, a good time for you to catch your breath as well.
Hugs,
MarionDear Sarah,
I went through a similar experience and can truly empathise when you say it is heartbreaking to see mum fading away. My mum never wanted interventions, but when she got jaundiced, we convinced her to have the stent with explanation it was not a prolonging treatment but symptom relief. Which is what it is. As Marion said, please do ask your physician to explain to hospice, it is not a treatment at all. There is no prolonging of life due to stent. It is only to ease the jaundice and itching, it is very much palliative care.
I wish you strength and courage to see this time through.
Hugs
RanganiHi, Marion
My mother is doing better after last discharge 2 weeks ago. At that time she had plastic stents inserted inside of original metal stent she had last September. Her jaundice is better and eating better last week. I just worry that in the near future she will have another episode of obstruction/ infection. We will take her to ER when it happens even though we will have to cancel hospice care. When I called hospice , they consider stent as aggressive treatment and have to discontinue the service. Of course we can resume hospice when she discharge from hospital. For now She does not get much benefit from hospice b/c mother is very independent with her activities. She is weak but still has no problems with ADL. I came back my home for a while and will go back to see her and stay. I ,myself has problem with sleeping now and very tired already. I know it will not long time but no one knows how long this will be, I want to my best. It just heart breaking to see my mom is fading away.huiyoungkim…..I don’t get it. Palliative care involves easing of symptoms, stent replacements fall into this category. Perhaps your Mom’s physician can work this out with hospice and you may want to reach to the organization leader to clarify. Please let me know if I can be of any help to you.
Also, there are several hospice services available. Check around and let me know how things go.Hugs
MarionThank you for the quick reply and caring words. i am from Phoenix but my mother lives LA area. She is staying with my brother now since we feel she should not be alone. She never had a oncologist since her diagnosis. Basically her primary physician took care of her until hospice care. i have been visiting her on and off and i will be helping my brother as much as i could for coming month. When they found tumor last December, the biopsy result was benign. But by this June she had chills and high fever, low appetite, which led to have stent and we heard the tumor grew . Since June she had to go thru 3 more admissions and more stents and flushing of stents. every 2 month or so it becomes obstructed and we had to go ER . Now she is under hospice as drs recommended. So far she is doing ok after flushing stents 2 weeks ago. But i am worry about it will be blocking sometime, what we have to do. My mom knows there is no cure but want to have symptom relieve treatment such as stents if possible. i talked with hospice people about it and they said it is up to us to go to hospital but hospice care will be discontiued. It will be heartbreaking to see her with jaundice and no appetite and nausea and fever and do nothing.
Another thing that I was always wondering is her shoulder pain of last 3 yrs. Her Dr said it had nothing with cancer but i am sometimes suspicious of referring pain. Thankfully it is under control with antiinflammtory meds now after trying so much suffering. Her dr was so indifferent to her shoulder pain for 3 yrs, now he gave the meds working for her. i am sad and afraid of coming weeks or months. Just hope and pray that she will not suffer for a long time.te shoulder pain is under control with cerebrex, anti inflammatory meds,
huiyoungkim….I too would like to welcome you to our site. Regarding your question of possible intervention due to stent blockage, I think that unless your Mom feels otherwise, you should consider taking her to the hospital. Stent replacements relieve symptoms only, they don’t cure the patient. Are you concerned for hospice to respond negatively to the intervention?
Hugs
MarionDear Sarah, welcome to our remarkable family and the best place to be for CC Support! My husband had plastic stents which needed to be changed 6 weeks to 3 months. The metal stents stay cleaner longer but if your Mother starts to run a fever and gets chills she really needs to get the stents changed.
I am also living in Phoenix, Gilbert area. May I ask what Oncologist you are going to and at what Hospital Mother is being treated? I am assuming they are doing no treatments due to her age? Please keep us updated on your Mother as we truly care.my 87 yr mother was diagnosed with cc this June. she went through 4 admissions and 3 metal stents and some plastic stents inside of metal ones, She is now under hospice care as drs recommended. She is very alert and independent so far. My concern is when she becomes severely jaundiced and have high fever, should i revoke hospice and go to ER to evaluate stents? last time dr flushed stents and put plastic stents inside of metal and seems to be working well . Anyone has similar experience?
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