Hi All
I'm new here, and it is my 75 year old mum who has peritoneal cancer. She's had chemo and ultra radical surgery over a year ago, and was on olaparib as hers is BRCA2 related.
In the last 3 weeks, she's been hospitalised twice as she's had bowel adhesions that blocked her bowel. She only has a small intestine, and a stoma bag, and all output stopped and she was throwing up. They've treated it both times with gastrografin medicine and a nasogastic tube, as she's too frail for surgery, and wouldn't want it anyway. Her CA 125 markers are doubling every 2 weeks, it seems, at the moment.
She came out of hospital today, feeling well and able to eat, with stoma processing as expected. This evening, she's vomited everything she's eaten today, so clearly the adhesions are not fixed. She does not want to go back to hospital and have a tube for a third time. But if she can't eat or drink, what then?
She has not yet been referred to palliative care (her hospital team have been a waste of time lately, measuring her blood markers but offering ZERO other guidance or help), but I managed to insist on an urgent GP phone call for tomorrow to get that ball rolling. I am hoping there is something intravenous that they can feed her? Does anyone know?
I know we're on the last stretch, but I just want her to be comfortable and have a bit more time to see some of her family and friends before it is too late.
Thanks for reading.
Flora xx
Hi Flora72
I'm sorry to read how poorly your mum has been at the moment and it's natural that you'd want to do all you can to make her comfortable.
I can't help with whether or not she can be fed by intravenous tube but I noticed that no one had replied to your post yet. By responding to you it will 'bump' your post back to the top of the discussion list.
While you're waiting for replies it might be an idea to post your question in the ask a nurse section of the online community and one of the specialist nurses will respond withing 3 working days. Alternatively you could speak to them on the Macmillan Support Line by calling 0808 808 0000. It's free to call and they're available every day between 8am and 9pm.
Sending (((hugs))) your way.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
