mom with pancreatic cancer and fractured hip...help!

Specialties Oncology

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I am an RN (School health) and my mother diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2010. She is not a candidate for whipple procedure, and radiation/chemo has been awful. Several in-patient hospitalizations for dehydration (unrelenting Nausea/vomiting) and weight loss exceeding 40#. She fell and broke her hip and now there is talk of hip replacement surgery. Recent hgb=7.4 before 2 Units blood transfused. What complications do you suspect might occur if she goes ahead with hip surgery? Do you know of any non-surgical interventions that could help? She thinks doctors are next to God and she doesn't seem to understand that she is a poor surgical candidate. Any information/suggestions you could give would be helpful. Thanks!

a hip fracture can cause a lot of pain...i have seen the patient undergo surgery for pain control even when they aren't the greatest surg candidates

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