Hello all
Mum has endometrial cancer with secondary bone cancer. This was all diagnosed following a fall in October last year where she broke her right femur (weakened due to the mass in her lymphs and soft tissue in her leg). Since then she has been in and out of various hospitals with her last stint in St James, Leeds. She has had no chemotherapy as she is not strong enough for it but did have one treatment of radiotherapy the last week in January in order to try and lessen the pain for her journey home. We were told mid January that the tumour has spread quickly and worse case scenario was 6-8 weeks (that was 9 weeks ago today). She had 'accepted' it as much as she could and told anyone who listened that she was determined to see the Coronation in May.
Up until a few days ago I would have laid odds that she would do just that. However her meds have changed to slightly reduce the morphine and introduce amitriptyline (says it is painful when people touch her) and lorazepam for her anxiety when the carers come (they are fantastic but as Mum is bedridden they wash her, look after her catheter and change the pad she is on and clean her up. This involves having to roll her onto her 'good side' and causes her some pain which is why she is anxious). Again after this she normally comes to a bit. However the last 3 days she has slept more and more and eaten less - today I haven't yet got her to eat anything other than a couple of grapes (it's dinner time as I write this).
Is this normal? Is this the first set of signs that Mum is at her end of life? Anyone any good tips for getting people to eat something? I struggled to get her to take some of her tablets as she wasn't swallowing her drink.
She just seems to have deteriorated so quickly.
W
Hi Nelly1970
Sorry to read about your mum, it does sound very difficult though I have seen all sorts of things happen when there is a change of medication.
Have you got a contact number for her oncology team? If so I would give them a ring and see what they say, it might be she needs a bit more support and of course that support extends to you too.
If you cannot get hold of her team it may be worth ringing the helpline here as they can give more direct support, 0808 808 00 00 (open 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm).
Hope that helps a bit at this time.
<<hugs>>
Steve
