My mum, 86, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 3 years ago went into a nursing home in June. Initially for respite for an infection in her legs. She started to deteriorate after a couple of short hospit
admissions for infections. Gradually she began to lose her appetite and lose weight. In November she was getting much worse. When they were washing her they saw a strange puckered lump under her brst which looked weepy. The paramedic came and took photos and the GP said it looked like squamous basal carcinoma. Her blood tests showed high liver enzymes and moderate/high calcium levels. A stoolest was done and mum was called to the hospital within a few days. By this time she'd lost 6 kilos (10 in a year), was sleeping spot and agitated. The consultant looked at her and said the blood in r stool sample was 72 and that positive was over 10. He said she was too frail to undergo any tests, cancer had most likely spread through her body, either from breast to bowel or vice versa, and she would need palliative care. I wasn't surprised but overcome with emotion having confirmation of my fears. Her medication is being increased, ora morph, morphine patches and paracetamol. She is close to having her morphine by driver. I have always visited mum every day since she moved into nursing home, except if ill. I have been ill, contagious, since last Friday so haven't been to see her and it's awful. My stepdad moved into the home in October, he has lung cancer and he is struggling watching mum deteriorating every day. It's so so hard.
