Mother in Law update

[charney]

MIL is very down at the moment, constant nausea is making her very tearful, they have told her to double her anti sickness pills but this is not making any difference. when she gets up in the morning she feels ok but as soon as she eats the nausea kicks in. She is having to force herself to eat and does not enjoy food at all. We worry that she will stop it all together. She feels very uncomfortable in the top of her abdomen and her stomach does look a little swollen. She had a CT scan last week and goes on thursday for the results. She has her 76th Birthday this month and when asked what she would like she said Im probably only here for a few months so dont waste your money. what can you say to that! it makes you feel so awful, She was so amazing when she had pneumonia and fought so hard to get over that and now she is going through this. this is one wicked disease

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi Charney,

So sorry to hear about your MIL and the problems she is having with the nausea. This is horrible for her, and of course it will make her feel down. It is very draining feeling nauseated all the time.

May I ask - what anti-sickness is she on? There are a wide variety of anti-sickness tablets available, and it may mean that she needs an additional tablet as well as the one she is taking. Also, is she taking them at least half hour before she eats? This is the best way to take them. Things like ginger and mint are good natural remedies for nausea ie: ginger biscuit, ginger ale or peppermint tea/cordial. These are things she can try as well as the medication. Also, steroids are very good for nausea, so maybe a short course of these will help? They also help the appetite.

Nausea is exacerbated by an empty stomach, so try and ensure she has something in her stomach as much as she can tolerate. Even some dry toast, or plain food. Small amounts often. Ice-lollies and things like jelly are often welcome and easy to tolerate.

If you need further help, please do not hesitate to contact support@pancreaticcancer.org.uk

Kind regards,

Jeni.

[ma2houra]

poor MIL poor u poor family.

cancer sux

[JOC]

Hello Charney

I bought my Dad some sea bands for nausea and they helped for a while

x

[charney]

thank you for your replies, I will definately suggest the sea sickness bands,

she has her results today

best wishes to you all

cheryl x

[charney]

well MIL finally had her results today, after the hospital mixed up the date she was supposed to get them, she was told 2nd but should have gone 1st. after waiting around

a couple of hours for them to fit her in she was finally told that she now has lesions in her liver and spleen and is to go next wednesday to discuss. what actually are lesions, are they spots on the liver and spleen? does this mean secondaries on these organs? Cancer is one wicked disease, especially so it seems PC

love and best wishes to you all

cherylx

[charney]

My mother in law all of a sudden seems to be getting quite poorly, she is in a lot of pain and continually feeling sick, she gets tired very easily and is upset that she cant

seem to walk very far. She is quite confused and is very forgetful, has anyone else experienced this. she woke up this morning forgetting that her doctor was coming today

and also her macmillan nurse, this is very unlike her. My husband and his sister are very worried. my husbands sister is due to go on holiday this saturday, and of course does not want to go but she needs a break and has been with her mum nearly everyday for weeks now and we have told her to go. My MIL macmillan nurse has been very blunt telling her that she prob has 3 to 4 months but that she wont be here at christmas and its since this that she seems to be going down hill, are they always this hard? she doesnt come across as a very warm person when you think they would be. you just feel so helpless

not being able to do anything.

thinking of you all

cheryl

[charney]

my mil has had a really strange episode this morning, she had no idea what day it was, when asked if she had taken her pills she said she wasnt on any pills and hadnt been for years. when asked if that was the case what were the pills next to her kettle she replied that there were no pills next to her kettle when clearly there were. her neighbour popped round but 5mins later she said no one had been in. she has her macmillan nurse and a doctor with her at the moment but gradually as the day has gone she is getting her memory back. Has this happened to anyone else ? very worrying

cheryl x

[laura]

hi cheryl. so sorry to hear of MIL's decline, as you say , is it to do with the way she was told the prognosis,? i know these days its all about "being up front" but not everyone can deal with the bluntness,? i know i find it difficult, and we r not in a bad place at the moment.

if it was me in your place i know i would have a word with the mac nurse, explain how YOU feel and ask please could she be a little more empathetic, she may of had a bad day and other patients with need, but that does NOT allow her to be off hand, WHY is she doing that type of care?

sorry to go on but i feel so strongly about care, its so individual and you need to try and address that with her!

im sorry your all having such a rough time. and really hope MIL gets some kind care, and you to? thinking of you cheryl, lots of love laura xxxxx

[laura]

cheryl, sorry totally did not give you an answer, cant be sure, are "they" saying MIL has had a/several T.I.A.'s ? sounds as thou it might be. xxxx

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi Cheryl,

Sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. What have the Macmillan team said about this? Is she still under the care of an oncologist? Has the GP been out?

These would be symptoms which would need looking into, as they are neurological symptoms, and indicate that there could be a problem within the brain, such as a tia (transient ischemic attack) as Laura said, or something else.

Just ensure they are aware of what happened.

Hope things settle down soon.

Jeni.

[charney]

hi thanks for your replies

She was fine as they day went on. her macmillan nurse and a consultant doc from a

hospice came out to check her out, and just said she was fine and had just had an off moment. they are checking her for a urine infection as she hardly drinks at all struggles to have 1 glass of water a day so they said it could be an infection in her kidneys. they have changed her anti sickness pills, not sure to what as the dom? were not working. she has also been told to go back on to oramorph 4 times a day for the pain. All in all it was a very strange episode she had, but seems ok now.

laura

I hope Bri is doing well, it is lovely to hear a positive side.

cheryl

xx

[laura]

hello cheryl,

glad things have picked up for mum, if she has got urine infection, this would account for the odd behaviour, could you try getting fluid in via those sponge lollies they use for keeping the lips moist, would she drink flavoured water easier, would she suck flavoured ice cubes, does she like jelly,? all counts as fluids, custard and blancmange slip down easily, so difficult when all your trying to do is help,

if shes aware now, could you tell her that would be better to drink than to have a drip put in?

yea we are ok thanks, bri pretty much as before, we have a comparison ct scan on monday and see oncologist on thursday for result. so a tad anxious always am b4 scan!!!

take care, big hugs to you, love to you all, laura xxx

[charney]

hi laura hope everything is good on monday. not a good day today. I went early this morning to see my Mil (sounds awful keep calling her that, her name is Audrey) and she had had a stroke in the middle of the night and woke up this morning with no speech and little movement down her right side. I took one look at her and dialled 999, fortunately she only lives 5mins from a hospital and the ambulance was there in minutes. she is now obviously in hospital and quite poorly. laura and jeni you were right on your TIA diagnosis.

, this is obviously what she had and yesterday her speech was very muddled how this wasnt spotted the other day. it never rains but it pours. the bizarre thing is that she is no longer in pain or feels sick, must be that part of the brain that is affected.

cheryl xx

[laura]

oh cheryl, i am so sorry to hear about audrey [mil] lol! i do so hope she is in a "good" ward?,, comforting that her nausea and pain have dissapeared isn't it ?

i too find it hard to understand that the dr and the mac nurse, who you say were with her when you posted, how on earth was it missed? think i would be asking questions!

well a little respite for you, at least there are staff around all the time.

love and hugs to you cheryl, and yours, let us know how things go,

love laura xxx

[charney]

I hope everything went well yesterday Laura and that you

have more positive news on Thursday

love and best wishes to you

cheryl xx

[laura]

hi cheryl, thanks so much for thinking about us, when you have so much going on ! yep, will be glad when thursdays been and gone, always get bit twitchy, so does brian, normal i guess, just dare not get complacent with this damned p.c.

i will post on thursday when we get home, to the present now, how is audrey? is she being well looked after? how are you??? love laura xxxx

[charney]

not good news, Audrey is very very poorly, they scanned her again on friday and she had had another stroke, she also now has a DVT in her leg, there is nothing they can do, pallative care only (a morphine driver.) it is just a matter of time. not a good time

my sister in law was in Turkey and has had to come back, both she and my husband are devastated, all I can do is be strong and be there for both of them.

cheryl x

[rachelqt]

Hi Cheryl

Very sorry to read about your MIL Audery. Just a message to say im thinking of you as it is such a difficult time for you and all the family. I do hope she will be comfortable and pain free.

Takecare..Rachel x

[laura]

hi cheryl, so sorry to hear that audrey is not very good, i hope she is in a good place mentally, and being cared for appropriately, difficult time for all your family, and words dont help to much, but just to let you know you are in our thoughts, all of you,

love laura xxxx

[louiepc]

Sorry to hear about Audrey, I hope that she is not in too much pain.

It is a terribly hard and difficult time for the family, I am sure you will be strong for your husband and sister in law, take care of yourself too.

louie x

[charney]

thankyou for your replies, Audrey died just after ten last night

a very brave lady who tried her hardest to battle this awful disease

xx

[Ella50]

So sorry to hear the news about your dearest mum in law..

Another tragic loss of a brave lady, my heart goes out to you and your family.. but now pain free...

Take care of yourself

Love Ella xx

[DRAD3]

So very sorry to hear that Audrey has died. My heart goes out to you and your family. Another sad loss to this awful disease. Sending you my love and thinking of you at this heartbreaking time.

Deb

x

[suef]

Dear Cheryl,

So very sorry to hear your sad news, what a terrible disease this is. Do take care of yourself at this difficult time.

Much love,

SueF