Stage 4 questions and guidance needed

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nightwolf
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2020 9:21 pm

Stage 4 questions and guidance needed

Postby nightwolf » Mon Feb 10, 2020 9:28 pm

Hi all I need some direction/advice.

My mom was diagnosed with colon cancer ~2 years ago, she had part of her colon removed, some lymph nodes and a hysterectomy because the cancer had impacted her uterus. All the cancer growth couldn't be removed in surgery because of its size and she would have bled out. Subsequent to surgery she lives with an ostomy bag and had chemotherapy.

After her first 4 rounds of chemo a CT scan showed the tumor grew to 7 x 7cm from 2 x 3cm. They then increased strength/ formulation of the chemo drugs.

After her 7th (final) session, another CT was done and showed the growth is now 10 x 10cm in size. That was in the first week of December.

So we know that nothing medically could be done, she started on alternative treatment with herbs and THC oil.

Last week on February 10th her legs began to swell and we took her to the hospital. They ultrasound her legs and found clots in both (DVT). They did blood and urine tests and found she had an infection plus blood infection of enterobacter (SP). They also gave her three pints of blood because her blood count was low and white cell count was high.

She is discharged now but has to go to the hospital daily to get ceftriaxone [injected antibiotic]. She is taking clexane injections 100 (80 + 20) daily.

Today when she came back from the hospital after the ceftriaxone, she had an incident, a black mucus/ mud like discharge came out of her rectum and fell on the floor. She didn't even feel/ realize what happened.

I want to know what could that be? Is it necrosis of her remaining colon or some sort of side effect from the ceftriaxone?

I have attached a pic of it and her ct scan report here https://gofile.io/?c=5wgMTp
I apologize if it's too graphic. I really need some guidance, should be in palliative care, how long does she have again. I hope someone can assist, the doctors don't want to say much.

Gravelyguy
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2018 6:03 pm

Re: Stage 4 questions and guidance needed

Postby Gravelyguy » Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:33 pm

Hi Nightwolf,

Sorry your mom has to go through all this. When I had my temporary ileostomy, I had several episodes of mucus poops. Even though the colon is not connected it is still producing mucus. When enough builds up it tends to come out. This didn't happen very often and was all within the first couple of months of having the ileostomy. My guess is the colon produces less and less mucus as time goes on.

Hope this helps,

Dave
6/17 dx mRC t3n1m1 very low rectal tumor 2 liver Mets 1.3 cm and .9 cm

6/17 begin 4 rounds Folfox w/Vectibix
9/17 short course radiation
10/17 rectal and liver resection LAR with coloanal anastomosis (no rectum left)
11/17-3/18 8 rounds Folfox
6/18 still NED!! Takedown
8/28/18 still NED! CEA .8 new low for me
10/18/18 colonoscopy clear
12/12/18 CEA .9 still NED!
6/11/19 CEA 1.0
12/19/19 CEA 1.0 still NED!
6/17/20 CEA 1.1 still NED!
12/15/20 CEA 1.1still NED!
12/16/21 CEA 1.2 still NED!

nightwolf
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2020 9:21 pm

Re: Stage 4 questions and guidance needed

Postby nightwolf » Tue Feb 11, 2020 4:26 pm

Hi Dave, thanks for your response and insight. Really appreciate it.
It's just so weird that she didn't have an incident all this time and just like that it happened a year after her surgery

boxhill
Posts: 789
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:40 am

Re: Stage 4 questions and guidance needed

Postby boxhill » Tue Feb 11, 2020 7:46 pm

nightwolf, have you looked into what free or low cost services are available in your area for cancer patients? There are some regional support centers that offer various kinds of comfort-oriented therapy and support. There are also visiting nurses.
F, 64 at DX CRC Stage IV
3/17/18 blockage, r hemi
11 of 25 LN,5 mesentery nodes
5mm liver met
pT3 pN2b pM1
BRAF wild, KRAS G12D
dMMR, MSI-H
5/18 FOLFOX
7/18 and 11/18 CT NED
12/18 MRI 5mm liver mass, 2 LNs in porta hepatis
12/31/18 Keytruda
6/19 Multiphasic CT LNs normal, Liver stable
6/28/19 Pause Key, predisone for joint pain
7/31/19 Restart Key
9/19 CT stable
Pain: all fails but Celebrex
12/23/19 CT stable
5/20 MRI stable/NED
6/20 Stop Key
All MRIs NED

nightwolf
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2020 9:21 pm

Re: Stage 4 questions and guidance needed

Postby nightwolf » Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:37 pm

Yup I did, I found two, one government funded (palliative) and one private (hospice). Waiting for her oncologist to write a referral letter to take to their respective administrations.
We live in a proper backward, third world Caribbean country called Trinidad. Options and treatment for cancer patients is horrendous.


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