Just an update. we took my mom to hospice today. history: spot removed in 2003, diagnosed at stage iv in June 2011 by a bump under the biopsy site and a bump in her lymph node. Turns out it was in both lungs, her small intestine, and her brain (in addition to her lymph node and leg). All under 3 cm. She had SRS for a < 1 cm lesion in her brain in the fall, then a craniotomy in December for a brain lesion that was bleeding. She was bleeding internally from the small intestine tumor, needing 2 units blood weekly, and was risking an obstruc
Just an update. we took my mom to hospice today. history: spot removed in 2003, diagnosed at stage iv in June 2011 by a bump under the biopsy site and a bump in her lymph node. Turns out it was in both lungs, her small intestine, and her brain (in addition to her lymph node and leg). All under 3 cm. She had SRS for a < 1 cm lesion in her brain in the fall, then a craniotomy in December for a brain lesion that was bleeding. She was bleeding internally from the small intestine tumor, needing 2 units blood weekly, and was risking an obstruction, so she went ahead with a bowel resection January 5.
I never imagined my mother would never come home. She suffered so many horrible complications following the bowel surgery. my understanding is that she developed a bowel leak/fistula so they had to put a drain in and she wears a sac that drains out her bile. They were unable to fix it despite two endoscopic procedures that are apparently cutting edge at SK (they go in endoscopically and put in these high tech clips that close the tissues and dissolve after the hole heals). totally neat (if it worked).
she received the most excellent, caring, compassionate care at SK. i cannot recommend it highly enough.
Anyway, we had scans this week that showed that the cancer recurred in the brain at the spot where it had been before, as well as multiple other spots in her brain, and also went to her stomach and adrenal glands, where it had not been previously. SK docs told us they would do whatever we wanted to do, but we knew it was time. my mother expressed two weeks ago that she did not want any more brain surgery, and WBT is crap, from what i understand.
the new brain mets are what's going to kill her. she's not all there anymore, and this has happened within the past week to week and a half. the doctor told us that in essence, because the tumors were in the frontal lobes (bilateral) she was essentially experiencing a lobotomy (i was a little surprised he used that word but hey, i guess it gets the point across). she can answer yes and no questions (are you in pain being the most important one) but is totally iffy on other stuff. she recognizes us and can tell us she loves us, for which i continue to be grateful.
i feel a little weird. i seem to naturally fall into talking to her as though she's a three year old. she doesn't answer anything other than yes or no questions. she *seems* to like it when i will say a funny rhyming phrase to her, and she will say it back. for example, we were talking about it snowing today and i said, "oh no, look at the snow" kind of to myself, just to be silly. I then turned to her and said it and her face all lights up and she repeats, "oh no, look at the snow."
eh. cancer sucks.
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