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try and smile if that is possible and if you believe in prayer, it can help get eveyone through tough times, if you don't that is ok as well. I will say a little prayer for your mom if that is ok with you?
Nita
Yes, thank you, Nita.
She is not religious and doesn't believe in prayer, but I do.
The facility where my mom lives uses a hospice service that has been recommended to me by others. I will call them this week and talk about it. They'll come in and visit, and we don't have to move her.
Hopefully they can manage the injections.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweepea
I just got a call that she's experiencing calf pain and one leg is swollen and red. Numbness in her foot. The doctor wants to see her right away, so I'm on my way.
In addition to side effects- you may want to consider asking for an ultrasound to rule out blood clot
Sounds like chemo side effects- I looked up the ones you said she'd be doing-
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Abraxane:
Quote:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty swallowing or breathing; tightness in the chest; flushing; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat; hoarseness); calf or leg redness, swelling, pain, or tenderness; change in the amount of urine produced; chest pain; discomfort, pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site; fainting; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; open sores on the skin; pale appearance; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; severe or persistent joint or muscle pain; severe or persistent nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; severe or persistent numbness, tingling, or burning in the arms, hands, legs, or feet; severe or persistent stomach pain; sudden or severe dizziness, light-headedness, or headache; sudden, unexplained weight gain; swelling of the arms, hands, legs, or feet; symptoms of dehydration (eg, dry mouth or eyes, increased thirst, sluggishness); symptoms of infection (eg, fever, chills, sore throat); symptoms of liver problems (eg, dark urine, pale stools, persistent loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin or eyes); unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual tiredness or weakness; vision changes (eg, blurred vision).
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Gemzar:
Quote:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); abdominal pain; confusion; dark urine; difficulty breathing; difficulty urinating or decreased amount of urine; irregular or absent menstrual periods; irregular heartbeat; joint or muscle pain; numbness in the arms or legs; painful or frequent urination; seeing or hearing strange things; seizures; shortness of breath; sores on the mouth or lips; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual tiredness; yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweepea
Last night I got 8 hrs sleep for the first time in a long time. The last two days have been really good. Yesterday she was laughing and joking on the phone, walking down the hall, and feeling good enough to ask if we could go downstairs and use the computer today and check her email. My daughter is visiting her this morning and my plan was to join her for lunch (on my lunch hour). Now the roller coaster has started up again, and I am reeling.
This is the reality of terminal cancer. You're going to have really good days & really bad days. ~Hugs
Thanks, Roselvr. I just got her back home. She has an infection in the leg with the blood clot and is now on antibiotics as well as about 8 other meds. She is also anemic, and the doctor is watching that. Poor mom.
He fit her in today even though he had many other appointments all at the same time. I was there while three other patients were checking in to see him. First his NP came into the room to get all relevant information and begin collecting blood test results, then the doc came in. He is very hands on, really examines her and asks questions, and most of all listens to her.
He asked to see her next Fri. for a followup. I told him I'd already booked an appt. for Wed., as the staff at the front desk had told me he wouldn't be in on either Thurs. or Fri. of next week. He said, for my important patients I come in. I don't know if that's true or not, but it made us all smile. On our way out, I was behind the wheelchair pushing mom, and he came over and hugged me. He whispered, take good care of your mom, I love her. I said, I will.
Yes, thank you, Nita.
She is not religious and doesn't believe in prayer, but I do.
then I will say a short prayer for you and your family tonight. Take care and give all the love and care you can to your mom without ignoring your family and yourself. If you get run down or too depressed you won't be anygood to anyone....
Thanks, Roselvr. I just got her back home. She has an infection in the leg with the blood clot and is now on antibiotics as well as about 8 other meds. She is also anemic, and the doctor is watching that. Poor mom.
He fit her in today even though he had many other appointments all at the same time. I was there while three other patients were checking in to see him. First his NP came into the room to get all relevant information and begin collecting blood test results, then the doc came in. He is very hands on, really examines her and asks questions, and most of all listens to her.
He asked to see her next Fri. for a followup. I told him I'd already booked an appt. for Wed., as the staff at the front desk had told me he wouldn't be in on either Thurs. or Fri. of next week. He said, for my important patients I come in. I don't know if that's true or not, but it made us all smile. On our way out, I was behind the wheelchair pushing mom, and he came over and hugged me. He whispered, take good care of your mom, I love her. I said, I will.
wow.. I'm so impressed by the Dr.. so reminds me of my dads team.
I have tears in my eyes.
I've been meaning to write an update for the past two days. Things have been going well lately! Since the pain patch (phentanyl) was increased on July 13, to 37 mg., Mom has been taking only one oxycodone at night, to help her sleep. She hasn't had pain at all.
The only pain she's had was not in the cancer area: her foot became infected about 12 days ago (I forget what day exactly) and she was put on Keflex for 10 days, and that hurt for the first few days. She's also had stomach issues (alternating constipation/diarrhea from the chemo/meds/lack of food and water). I'm hoping that will get ironed out. She's been on Megase for about a week and a half, and she's been eating normally ever since. The other day the assisted living facility had a barbeque, and she had two hot dogs in buns with sauerkraut, a few shrimp, and side salads. Yay!
The doctor is wonderful, very compassionate and non-pushy. We went for a followup on Thursday, since she had chemo for the two weeks prior. Gemzar and Abraxane, so you don't have to go looking back through the thread. Other than being extra tired after the chemo, she has not had any ill effects, and the good news is her tumor markers went down! I don't know the number, but he showed us a graph. That and the fact that she's feeling much better than she was a few weeks ago has made her decide to continue the treatment for now. He said she can go every other week, if she wants, so that's what we're doing. The next treatment is next Thurs. The week after that I will be in California for my daughter's wedding, so I wouldn't be able to take her, anyway.
The infection in her foot is gone, there is just a little fluid, so he increased the medication to lower the fluid. He also decreased the Lovenox shots (for the blood clots) to once a day instead of twice.
Overall, we were both feeling so uplifted from the doctor's visit, we picked up some Chinese food on the way back and ate it in her room. She hadn't had Chinese food in more than two months and was overjoyed, to say the least!
By the way, I also called hospice this week and told them where my mom is as far as treatment, and the nurse explained to me how they handle medications for conditions that come up. If there is an infection, of course they'll give antibiotics. They'll give Lovenox shots. She wasn't sure if chemo for pain relief would disqualify Mom, because sometimes that's allowed, if it's truly for pain relief and not cure. But she felt Mom wasn't ready for hospice if she was still more in a treatment frame of mind. She suggested I have a conversation with Mom about it, looking forward. I can also talk to the doctor privately about when he'd recommend hospice.
What I don't want to happen (and I may not be able to avoid it) is for her to have an event, such as liver failure, that would mean taking her to the hospital. If she's not yet on hospice, she'd go to the hospital and that would be that. If she is already on hospice, she could die at home instead of being treated, which is what I know she'd want to do.
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