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by risto
Fri Aug 03, 2018 2:49 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Goodbye
Replies: 25
Views: 10789

Re: Goodbye

It has been just over 2 weeks and I've been busy with mostly bureaucratic tasks, and I start work again on Monday. Thank you all for your posts and understanding about my feelings. The sadness and emptiness is profound, but partially thanks to your comments and partially thanks to follow up from ber...
by risto
Mon Jul 23, 2018 10:16 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Goodbye
Replies: 25
Views: 10789

Goodbye

My DW died on July 19, after living with stage IV colorectal cancer for just over 3 years. Her last month went something like this: She had an inoperable malignant small bowel obstruction on June 18, had a venting g-tube placed, then had an infection in her pleural cavity for which she started IV an...
by risto
Sat Jun 30, 2018 9:21 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: My mom is dying
Replies: 24
Views: 9417

Re: My mom is dying

I'm very sorry to hear that. My DW and your mom are on a very similar trajectory it seems. I know what you're going through. So sad. I'm glad that you're there for her.
by risto
Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:47 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Empyema
Replies: 4
Views: 1261

Empyema

This morning, my DW, still in the hospital, awakened with a fever and high heart rate. Blood tests indicated an infection somewhere. CT and ultrasound found empyema, an infection in her pleural cavity. After talking with the doctors, they said it would be very difficult, painful, and time consuming ...
by risto
Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:23 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: G-Tube placed
Replies: 11
Views: 2033

G-Tube placed

My DW was hospitalized Monday, and the CT scans show that portions of her small bowel are "matted with tumor" so they do not believe she will have any significant resolution of her obstruction. Therefore they recommended, and my DW accepted, having a venting G-Tube placed. The procedure wa...
by risto
Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:56 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: This might be dumb but....
Replies: 2
Views: 955

Re: This might be dumb but....

My DW was on short term disability, then long term disability with Social Security. Nice thing about that is early eligibility for Medicare after 2 years.
by risto
Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:50 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Back to the Hospital
Replies: 5
Views: 1464

Back to the Hospital

My DW has been vomiting quite a bit over the past 5 days. This morning, she woke up vomiting, with a 102 degree fever. After consulting with our oncology team by phone, we followed their recommendation to get her to the ER, and from there, she has been admitted into the hospital. The CT scan prelimi...
by risto
Sun Jun 17, 2018 3:37 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: A cautionary tale
Replies: 15
Views: 6658

A cautionary tale

A stage IV colorectal cancer patient died earlier this month. He was keeping a blog called http://mikeyversuscancer.com . I don't know whether he was a member of this forum or not. His blog documents his decision at one point in his journey, to forgo evidence based medicine and instead go with natur...
by risto
Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:52 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Vertebroplasty
Replies: 3
Views: 1180

Re: Vertebroplasty

Hope it is successful and she quickly recovers!
Is it related to her disease, such as bone mets, or did she have an injury?
by risto
Mon Jun 11, 2018 6:11 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Symptom management at home
Replies: 14
Views: 2598

Re: Symptom management at home

They attempted parecentesis on my DW however they were only able to get a half liter. It was challenging for them to even get at this small spot. We were told that it is because the fluid is accumulating in a lot of small pockets that are walled off from each other by scar tissue, tumors, or whateve...
by risto
Tue Jun 05, 2018 2:43 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Symptom management at home
Replies: 14
Views: 2598

Re: Symptom management at home

I suggested the girdle to my DW and she looked shocked... her abdomen is too tender and painful to put pressure on it like that. She tried compression stockings but that made the fluid all go up to her abdomen which she found to be worse than just having the swollen legs. She has been vomiting a lot...
by risto
Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:25 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Symptom management at home
Replies: 14
Views: 2598

Re: Symptom management at home

Is home/outpatient Palliative Care available through your hospital system? Karen, Thank you for your reply. Yes we have been receiving outpatient palliative care from our cancer center for about the past year, and they have been great. We have been considering getting home care too but we're not su...
by risto
Thu May 31, 2018 6:21 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Symptom management at home
Replies: 14
Views: 2598

Symptom management at home

A recap: My DW has been dealing with a number of very unpleasant symptoms. It all started January 23, with a small bowel obstruction, then surgery to correct that, 37 days in the hospital, then discharge to heal. But 6 weeks after discharge she started getting ascites and edema, so she went back to ...
by risto
Wed May 23, 2018 5:55 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Naturopathic Practitioner- Philadelphia
Replies: 3
Views: 630

Re: Naturopathic Practitioner- Philadelphia

Be careful with that. You may want to do some research here first:
https://www.naturopathicdiaries.com/
by risto
Sun May 20, 2018 10:37 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: A Question for Caregivers
Replies: 20
Views: 5207

Re: A Question for Caregivers

I can totally relate. My DW is not on hospice but at home we have an oxygen generator, which is loud but not unpleasant sounding, though it is a constant auditory reminder that my DW has pleural effusion so can't get quite enough oxygen. She has been on TPN at home since March 1 because she barely e...

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