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end of life signals for pancreatic cancer patient

By Anonymous May 27, 2009 - 11:24am
 
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I'm going through this with my mother. She was diagnosed (from what I believe) in May. It is currently almost October (5 months later) and I now see her decline. I, at first noticed her weight loss...but she put on a strong front. Now, she, in my opinion is a Guinea pig in a sense that her pain management, and her appetite medication is trial and error. I too have seen her eat like a champ, other days I hear she only eats a yogurt and several Iced coffees through the day. If she loses her desire to drink Duncan Donut's iced coffee, I know she's losing it..(trying to find humor through this) It's hard for me to watch her totally "with it" but trapped inside a body that is shutting down. All your information has helped me Susan, thank you all for being out there.

September 25, 2012 - 4:42pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to brownidmama99)

As someone that is caring for a special person that is going through the end stage of pancreatic cancer I was seacrhcing around for information on the end of life signals and came acrosss this site and the message that you left in 2012. I admire your stength of character and courage and share the views expressed.

Gwyn
Wales
UK

October 11, 2013 - 7:02pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

hi my nan has pc we are finding things hard right now and not really sure what to do here is my story maybe you could give me advice . my nan was having trouble with going to the toilet she was very lose and going very often also she turned bright yellow ,she then desided to go to her doctor who then sent her for a scan after that a ct scan the results was as bad as they could be she has pc the trouble is she wont let anyone or any doctors tell her what she has wrong with her all she knows is she has cancer but she refuses to be told what kind . ishe has started a mild kimo that is makeing her so un well . me and my aunte have been doing all the talking to doctors for her .they have told us she is stage 4 with this desease . im worried at the moment as her belly looks like she is 6 month pregnant her feet can not even fit into shoes /slippers . she has not really been out and she doesnt often want visitors its really worrying us as she has always been so active she was never home she always loved our company .what really are the last signs as i really dont have any idea what to be expecting .i lost my mum 2 years ago and now this my mum was 46 and has hit me very hard as well . im doing my best for my nan when she lets me also my aunte is also but we think my nan does belive the kimo will make her better none of us have the heart to tell her she is dieing please help any advice ? and what happens to people weeks before the end ?

August 31, 2012 - 4:15pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

My grandfather right now is in his mid 60's. Im not sure when he was diagnosed with p.c.but he was put into the hospital three weeks ago. My family and I came down 9 days ago. At first everything seemed ok, he was talking and hugging, he had to have a oxygen mask and the big weight loss and that seemed to be the least of his problems. He wanted to live, but the doctors couldnt do anything about the cancer yet because he had double pneumonia and three blood clots in which needed to be taken care of. He had been taking breathing treatments for his pneumonia so that it could break it up and cough up the liquid. Over the next few days, all he wanted to do was sleep, but had too much pain to sleep. He became accustomed to my mom taking care of him hand and foot, and always wanted more pain medicine. After a while, his sentences became shorter, and he got upset at all the visitors who visited (he got at least 1o a day). Once he was able to sleep, he seemed to rarely wake up from it, just to wake up and moan and yelling "no" to the pain he was receiving. You could feel the rattle in his lungs, which still has the fluids in it from the pneumonia , which he is too weak to cough up. He now cant even talk, and when he does "wake up" or have his eyes open, it looks like he is staring into the distance, rather than at the people who are surrounding him with love. The only movement we can get from him his the flinging of his arms when he is agitated or uncomfortable. He has been like this for 3 to 4 days. The doctors gave him 24 hours three days ago, but he still gasps for breaths (8 breaths a minute). We talk to him all the time, I play the ukelele until he falls asleep(he was a bassist). I'm not sure if he can hear you, but the fact that the moment i thought he was asleep and stopped playing, he woke up and started to fling his arms around. I started again and he calmed down and slowly fell asleep. His mother who is 92 years old thinks he will wake up and become well, in which we all hope will happen. But he has been in a delusional state consciousness or just sleep and I just want to ask, the longest some one with the last stages of p.c last?

April 22, 2012 - 9:27am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi Susan, let me tell you about my grandmother's case
she's 78 years old and has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the doctors say it's in its terminal phase
some days she is hungry and eats more than she has been eating for the last few months but then her stomach starts making noises and she has to go to the bathroom immediately, she often has diarrea
what concerns me the most is that her feet, legs and abdomen are extremely swollen, so she cant walk
i dont know how much longer she will resist, she seems to be tired of living like this, do you think she still has a long way to go in order to find peace ?

January 26, 2012 - 11:01am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

My boyfriend has pancreatic cancer. He will allow himself to be emotionally attached in any way. One night he grabbed my hand and put it on his chest and told me he feels he is going to be gone soon, and when he leaves he wants me to take his strength. That was two months ago. Every night I watched him in this horrible pain that he explained as contractions and a pain that starts at his chest and goes all over his stomache and his chest again. He said it already affected his torso. I was just with him last weekend and everything was fine. I haven't seen him since and he is not answering my calls. I know he is still around but I dont know if he is somewhere sick and passing away. I haven't had the opportunity to meet his family yet although he lives with my brother. I was told he went to his sisters house, whom I don't have an address for, I text him and I'm getting no responce. His behavior is very weird. I'm afraid I may be losing my best friend. I don't know what to do. He doesn't want anyone outside of who already know's his condition to know anything. I will not be able to live with myself if something happens to him. I can't even sleep. What do I do? Is a drastic change in his behavior a sign that he is getting worst?

January 21, 2012 - 12:09am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

I have to be honest with you, as someone with PC, death and dying is personal. It isn't about you. You are blameless in every way; don't worry. Your boyfriend has a lot to consider -- practically and philosophically speaking, and that requires solitude. Give it to him, no questions asked. He's leaving this place and that's an enormous thing with which to be confronted!

June 8, 2012 - 4:04pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I heard a passing comment that end stage pancreatic cancer pain can be hard to manage. Does anyone have stories or information about this? I am the primary care giver to a friend with pancreatic cancer.

January 7, 2012 - 2:05pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

My sister was diagnoised with Pancreatic Cancer a year ago. She is now home with Hospice Care. This week she has retained a lot of fluid, somewhat disoriented, speech is slurred almost like a stroke victim, one eye has gotten week. Is it possible for a stroke to have occurred? Her skin color is very pale. She is out of breath if she walks a short distance. Is this normal?

September 17, 2009 - 1:20pm
(reply to Anonymous)

Hi,
I am sorry that your sister has been diagnosed with cancer, and now you are worried that there is more going on with her medically.

A recent study (2006) discusses the link between "co-morbidity" of stroke in cancer patients. The article costs $34 to access online, or you may access it through a university library or ask your sister's doctor how to access the journal, Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports: http://www.springerlink.com/content/m82731447211l0r5/ (Article title: Stroke in cancer patients, Issue: Volume 6, Number 3, Date: May, 2006, Pages: 187-192)

The abstract of this article states, "cancer and its treatment may have a strong effect on stroke risk", but that, "patients with cancer still have the same stroke risk factors as the general population, and atherosclerosis still remains the most common cause of stroke in cancer patients."

The symptoms you listed may also be from her cancer. Were you able to read the link from Susan's previous post, detailing the symptoms of pancreatic cancer from the National Institutes of Cancer? Many of the symptoms you mentioned are listed as end-stage pancreatic cancer (loss of vision, decreased ability of body to use fluids, disorientation/confusion, loss of reflexes).

I hope this information helps; please let us know if you have any additional questions.

September 17, 2009 - 1:57pm
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