laurkcp
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My mom just finished her third round of F5U combined with oxiliplatin. She does great while the pump is connected. After the disconnect, the next 2days are tough in her. Extreme fatigue and nausea. The nausea is relieved by meds. My mom rinses with Biotin 2x a day to help avoid mouth sores. She drinks water with electrolytes to reduce the chance of dehydration. I let her sleep a lot during those days and she makes up her nutrition in the following week.
Good luck,
LaurenLisaAnn,
I know how hard it is to lose your father. Mine died 5 years ago from lung cancer and now my mom is diagnosed with cc. You did everything you could for your dad and hopefully you will find comfort and enjoy the wonderful memories.
Lauren
Jujubear,
My mom just starred with Dr. Maeve
Lowery at Sloan. Her staff is wonderful and I think she is a very accomplished doctor. She is a medical oncologist in GI. She regularly consults with Dr. Fong and his boss Dr. Jarnagin if there is a surgical consult needed. Best of luck.Lauren
LeAnn,
I was also told that Gem/Cis is usually the first line of attack. My mom was scheduled for that regimen, but because her billirubin levels rose, they were concerned that gem/cis would be too hard on her liver, which is already compromised due to the duct blockage. She started on Oxiliplatin and F5U on Monday.
Good luck. I hope it goes well for you.Lauren
Thanks Audrey. How does your husband feel after day 3? Does he recover? My best to you and your husband.
The last few days have been quite a blur and now I think it has hit the fan a bit. We headed into NYC SUnday evening to be at MSKCC bright and early for the mediport placement. AFter a few hours in recovery, we had lunch and headed over to Dr. Lowery, the oncologist. SHe told us that they ordered the chemo and they would begin. FOUR hours later, after a problem with the pharmacy, mom started the chemo at 7pm. They gave her oxiliplatin for 2 hours and then hooked her F5U pump at 9pm.
We stayed in the city that night. Mom was in pain from the port and was uncomfortable having a “bomb” attached to her. Because the pump was started so late, the only place to disconnect was in NYC. We stayed another night at a friend’s on Long ISland and headed back to NYC in the rain on Wed. night. By the time, we arrived at the chemo suite, Mom started to not feel well and became nauseous and exhausted.
I’m sure that the last few days did not help her fatigue. Have other people experienced a sharp decline on day 3? She felt great day 1 &2, which I attribute to the steroids. All of the sudden she feels as if she was hit by a freight train, she is extremely sensitive to food smells and foods that were her staple, repulse her.
I really hope this subsides in the next day or so. It is so hard on my kids to see their grandma feel so ill. I only hope and pray for my kids’ sake that grandma keeps her hair.
Thanks for giving me the space to vent.
Lauren
Thanks Kris.
It took my mom a few days to be herself after the liver biopsy so I’m sure this won’t be much different. I will let you know how Fox Chase went. She has an appointment this Friday.
Thanks Kris.
I live about 10 minutes from you! Mom is getting a medi port put in on the 13th at MSKCC and then she will have her first dose of chemo there. I miraculously got her into Fox Chase on this Friday with Dr. Dotan. I am hoping that she will act as “pinch Hitter” for her.
Unfortunately she has to have a tooth extracted this week so we have to delay treatment until the 13th.
Thanks for the advise. I will definitely call you. I tend to drive into the city. I think it is easier on my mom and I like the flexibility. I would be happy to give you a ride!
Best,
LaurenDebbie,
I am also struggling with the same dilemma. My mom (79, looks like 65) was diagnosed a couple of months ago. It is inoperable due to vein and artery involvement. I am wrestling with the idea of palliative care vs. treatment. I watched my dad die of lung cancer and I swore I would never let my mom do chemo. The fact is, it is her choice. I know she will suffer either way, but I do believe that hospice is wonderful and I also believe in quality vs quantity. My mom wants to fight and is hopeful that the tumor will shrink so they can do surgery. I cannot take this hope away.
I think your mom needs to be counseled of all her options and in the end, it is her choice. My mom is my best friend and the thought of losing her is devastating. I feel your pain.
Best,
LaurenThanks for your concern. The decision not to put in a stent was made by the team at Sloan Kettering which consisted of Jarnagin, the interventional radiologists, oncologists and the endoscopists. They are monitoring her very closely. Her billirubin is at 3.0. I have to trust them at this point that they do not want to delay chemo.
I just want her to feel like herself, but I think that thought will have to put on hold.
Poor mom. Needs a tooth pulled this week before they start. If it rains, it pours.
