Bowel cancer that has spread to liver and part of a lung.

So glad you joined in the forum . Great to hear others are encouraging people to seek support. It’s a great idea to get support for yourself too ! It gives you strength when you need it the most and makes you more able in return to give that to your mum!

I am sorry to hear that your mum has to face treatment. It’s hard to process the amount of information at the beginning. However getting the treatment plan in place really does give some firmer ground and makes you feel it’s starting to get tackled !

Getting prepared for starting chemo is a good idea as the more prepared your mum is the better . Hopefully chemo will be effective at controlling the disease . My own mum has had a spread to her lungs and liver ! Chemo actually opened up other options ! 
It will take time for her to get into a good routine but the staff will take good care of her . 
Ask anything you like or as it crops up in the future and hopefully we can assist . We also have a helpline 0808 808 0000. They cover all aspects from side effects , emotional impacts or finances so a good all round resource to keep in mind . Her time will also give her contact numbers .

Take care and it’s great to see you giving your mum so much support !

Court 

Hi jimjam,

Sorry to hear about your mum and I've no doubt you're feeling overwhelmed.

Similar to your mum I was diagnosed at 56 with stage 4 bowel and spread to liver. I was initially told I was inoperable but after 3 months of chemo and 5 weeks of radiotherapy I had both bowel and liver resections. I have had other challenges along the way but am coming up to 3 years after diagnosis. Am currently having chemo as I have it in both again but remain well and active. The main thing I have learnt is that nothing is certain with this disease and there are ups and downs along the way.

There are always glimmers of hope and we all need it. Once your mum has met with her oncologist things will be clearer and her treatment plan will be in place. Ask lots of questions to those involved in her plan and seek support here to. As you gather more information and knowledge you will be able to make more sense of it all.

Best wishes

Martin

Sorry, my bowel is clear and I have it in liver and lungs, forgot what I have!

Thankyou for your reply's. We just don't know what the options are as yet and my mum is dreading Wednesday as she is thinking they are going to say there is nothing we can do! I'm sure they will off her chemo but she has lost so much weight! She is now 8st from 10! She is also getting out of breath very quickly. Did any of this happen to you or your parents? Anxiety is really setting in with uall now  xx

My mum was so possative when she was first diagnosed but the past couple of week she seems to have lost hope! I've been reading out people's story's on here to her (as she won't come on herself) just to try get that hope back. Since the nurse came out from the local hospice to talk about end of life care she has just really lost her spark xx

A lot of people report finding that a very difficult conversation .  It’s entirely up to her if she wishes to have that conversation at this juncture ! She could wait and see what the oncologist has to say . My mum had chemo at seven and half stones . We were worried for her but she managed . 
If there is any way possible for her to tolerate chemo they seem to try and do that . She is also a lot younger than my mum, she was  67 !

Additionally shortness of breath can be a bit misleading in that anaemia can cause it too ! If she has a bleeding bowel tumour it can result in this !

Can i asked who referred her to the hospice ? Was that before oncology has spoken to her ?

Your mum still has the right to decide which conversations she wishes to have and when . My own mum has never had any discussion on her prognosis . She will know when it’s appropriate but not before then . Her first comment to her oncologist was a boundary on that one ! However very open to working with her team and compliant with their guidance .

How is her appetite? 
Our helpline nurses are great at supporting this type of situation. 0808 808 0000 if you want to try them ,

Hope the oncologist gives her some hope and direction on Wednesday.

take care ,

Court 

Hi court, this Wednesday will be her first oncology appointment and it is over the phone! I'm not sure who got in touch with the hospice. It was a macmillan nurse who works at the hospice. She was talking about end of life care and how she could choose to come to the hospice if she would like. I found this really strange when she hasn't talked to the oncologist yet! Then 2 days later the nurse sent her a leaflet about telling youg children your dying! That was the first time she cried! In her mind she feels they have already decided her fate. Its been 2 month since her diagnosis to the oncology appointment wich in my opinion is way too long x

Sorry, her appetite is really good  I got her some frtisips too wich she adds to fresh cream and ice-cream just to try build her up a bit. Xx

It certainly is a long time ! 
That’s a positive her appetite is good and you are doing all the right things by building her up ! 

Thats very strange to have contact with the hospice before speaking to an oncologist. Do you know the extent of the disease in her liver and lungs ? 
To be honest I can see why she found that upsetting . 

Take care ,

Court 

No not really they just told her in hospital that she had bowel cancer then phoned her a day later to say that it had spread to her liver and some nodules (if thats the right word) on her lungs. She was at work with me when she started with really bad pain to the point she could hardly breath or walk so I phoned 111 and they sent her to a&e . She had been losing weight but she had gone off chocolate and coffee and all sweet stuff so she put it down to that even though we were all begging her to get checked out she wouldn't have it! (Stubborn bugger) she had been having a bit of pain for a few month but not to that extent. She has suffered with constipation for as long as I can remember! X