Need help, dad has stage IV cc with extensive liver mets

May 26, 2004

Hi everyone,

My dad (68 years old, colonoscopy 2 years ago removed benign polyp,

father died of colon cancer at age 57) was diagnosed with stage IV

to the liver and had surgery to remove the polyp on 5/16/04. The

took out 14.2 cm including part of the ileum and cecum. Liver is

involved, both lobes, not resectable according to surgeon. They put

in a port-a-cath on 5/20 and released him from the hospital on

5/21. Surgeon dicharged him and said to eat regular food and sent

him home w/ Tylenol w/ codeine for pain! He vomited on 5/22 and had

no appetite, didn't really eat after that and was readmitted

yesterday 5/25 with severe dehydration and jaundice. I just flew in

from the west coast last night and spent today getting a hold of all

his medical records and talking to various people at the hospital.

They had him on a full liquid diet but he still threw up (pudding?

how is pudding liquid?) and mostly mucous after the pudding.

Finally started the TPN IV at 6 pm, gave him morphine for pain and

Reglan for nausea. I don't know how he will be able to get any

treatment when he is so weak. I have made an appt at Sloan

Kettering for June 14 to see specialist for cc with liver mets. I

am worried he will not be well enough (they wanted to wait 4 weeks

post surgery for appt and when I made it, he was about to be

discharged and I thought he would be on his way to recovery). I

want to get him out of that hospital and somewhere else. There is a

lot more info but I will start with this, does anyone have advice or

suggestions, I have only been home 24 hours and feeling like I

cannot do this alone. At least I did get my hands on all his

records, mainly because the medical records person was so great and

I also went to Patient Relations.

Sorry this is so all over the place, tried to get in the pertinent

info for now.

Thanks for any help,

Ellen

May 27, 2004

Ellen,

I am so sorry that you have need to be here,but you have definitely

come to the right place to find support and good advice.The people on

this board are all very compassionate and willing to share their

knowledge and experiences,so welcome. Now,take a deep breath and slow

down long enough to absorb the information and have a serious

conversation with your dad about his wishes and his choices.Because

as hard as it is,as caregivers,not only do we need to educate

ourselves about the disease and the options,we have to know & support

the patient and his/her choices. You've made a good start in getting

records,have you read them?It may be a good idea to sit down with his

doctor and have the diagnosis explained more fully.There is much

variation in a stage IV diagnosis and this will determine what your

father's options are.Many options do exist to extend the length of

quality time for even those with poor prognosis so you are wise to

seek the opinion of a good oncologist at a major center.

About him being so weak,this is totally normal.A bowel resection is

MAJOR abdominal surgery. It takes the body a minimum of 4-6 weeks to

heal from any major surgery(the muscles,tissue and organs that have

been cut or manipulated during the procedure)it can take even longer

to gain strength back-and that's when a body is otherwise healthy!

And,just for your info,a full liquid diet includes anything that is

primarily a milk or clear based liquid,ie.milk,juices,ice cream,cream

soups, pudding,yogurt,ensure,etc.as well as clear liquids of apple

juice,broth,tea and jello.

Hugs & Prayers,

H

S/O 'Hubby'52,diagnosed 7/31/03 inoperable stage IV,

5/20/04 CT scans show significant progression of disease,CEA^1060,

discontinued 3rd-line chemo(avastin/cpt-11/5fu/lv)

Awaiting " Plan D "

> Hi everyone,

> My dad (68 years old, colonoscopy 2 years ago removed benign polyp,

> father died of colon cancer at age 57) was diagnosed with stage IV

> to the liver and had surgery to remove the polyp on 5/16/04. The

> took out 14.2 cm including part of the ileum and cecum. Liver is

> involved, both lobes, not resectable according to surgeon. They

put

> in a port-a-cath on 5/20 and released him from the hospital on

> 5/21. Surgeon dicharged him and said to eat regular food and sent

> him home w/ Tylenol w/ codeine for pain! He vomited on 5/22 and

had

> no appetite, didn't really eat after that and was readmitted

> yesterday 5/25 with severe dehydration and jaundice. I just flew

in

> from the west coast last night and spent today getting a hold of

all

> his medical records and talking to various people at the hospital.

> They had him on a full liquid diet but he still threw up (pudding?

> how is pudding liquid?) and mostly mucous after the pudding.

> Finally started the TPN IV at 6 pm, gave him morphine for pain and

> Reglan for nausea. I don't know how he will be able to get any

> treatment when he is so weak. I have made an appt at Sloan

> Kettering for June 14 to see specialist for cc with liver mets. I

> am worried he will not be well enough (they wanted to wait 4 weeks

> post surgery for appt and when I made it, he was about to be

> discharged and I thought he would be on his way to recovery). I

> want to get him out of that hospital and somewhere else. There is

a

> lot more info but I will start with this, does anyone have advice

or

> suggestions, I have only been home 24 hours and feeling like I

> cannot do this alone. At least I did get my hands on all his

> records, mainly because the medical records person was so great and

> I also went to Patient Relations.

>

> Sorry this is so all over the place, tried to get in the pertinent

> info for now.

>

> Thanks for any help,

> Ellen

May 27, 2004