I really need (please) an oncology nurse who has the time, and who could help me with questions concerning my husband who has liver ca, secondary.
Major health issues unrelated to CA for past 20years. RA, polymyositis, greenfield filter placed last year for blood clots, hx pneumonia, 3cm tumor removed last year from colon...
Extreme weakness ULE, not quite total assist, cannot transfer self, currently is in recliner 24/7, is experiencing skin breakdown coxyc area, which I'm applying carecream on.
Appetite decreased 80%, excessive sweating, (shirt, chair completely wet) is on prednizone 20mg q day, triam (diuretic) 25mg bid, stool softener program (has hx impaction)...trying to push fluids on him, but he is very tired, weak...urine is DARK orange. Pain med is morphine 15mg q 4h....had a scrip for time release 30mg bid, but uninsured, too expensive, hubby said don't worry about it, I'll do on what I have. ( I know sweating is SE of morphine, but EXCESSIVE)
His PP doctor is very surprised his oncologist is wanting to start chemo on him..due to his general health.
Drugs for chemo (which starts in 2days) are fluorourcil, irinotecan, and leucovorin.
I asked his oncologist, if Roy (husband) could handle this tx, she said yes, SE were minimal..so I said "so I can take him for the tx, bring him home, put him in his chair then go to work"?...Yes she answered....hmmmm I'M CONCERNED!
The oncologist nrs told me yesterday, diarrhea was a BIG SE.
Roy also has a 1x1/2 solid mass (ultra sound done) on his thyroid that PP believes is also CA, and oncologist says she is 90% sure unrelated to liver CA.
Soooo, endocronoligist apt on FRI am, and if he believes surgery is needed, we need to cancel chemo apt that afternoon.
I need some guidance!...I'm freaked out to say the least, I feel like no one is directing us in the right/correct path!
I asked the nrs yesterday what chemo tx is for, and its for palliative measures only.
When I voiced my concerns c the oncologist DR, about his poor health, hx, she answered c, "well I've had 2 pts whose liver tumors shrank"..I was stunned & should have asked "out of how many?" & were they the same stage as Roy"?
Liver is unoperable, largest tumor 8cm, both lobes.
c out chemo, DR says few mths, to less than a year.
I'M SORRY FOR RATTLING....I just need some guidance, like I mentioned, and you all are the pros. I haven't been a nurse long, (just since Mar of this year) & work in long term/subacute facility.
Seems like I have to pull teeth to get any answers!!
Nrs couldn't answer me when I asked if it was terminal or even what stage it was. (she had his chart in front of him).
Exactly how rough is his chemo tx going to be for him?????????
Can he do chemo c his health being the way it is???????
Am I/we doing the right thing here??????
When he had surgery last year for the colon CA, we had to wait 3wks, cuz he was anemic, and borderline malnourished, bloodwork that I see right now shows he is on that path again.
Will they look at his lab work again before chemo tx on FRI and realize this, or will it matter???????
I am my husbands advocate, his wife, caretaker. They discovered his colon CA last year only because when he was in the hospital for his PE and had the filter placed, then had bowel impaction they were going to dc him home.
I was in nrsing school then, and looking at the lab work which was drawn q day. I noticed his RBC cells were off the wall, brought it to the dr attention, and only then did they discover the colon CA.
That's why I'm hesitant.. are they giving me the best advice in his tx for his liver CA and the thyroid problem???
Please I know you all are the best/experts for helping me...I'll try not to be a pest.
I'm soon to be 49yrs, Roy is 59yrs, have 3 grown children, live on a ranch, family in another state, neighbors are Amish c no phone. I work 10min away (if I speed). I love animals, nature, and love to laugh, although that's been tough lately. Just some personal hx on myself incase one of you feel a connection c me.
You all are the best, I love being a nrs...
God bless,
Peace & love
Sherri
jemb
693 Posts
Sherri, sorry that you and hubby are having such a rough go of it.
Hopefully, the doc is just going to see what can be done to prevent a recurrence. He may discontinue the chemo if your husband is not tolerating it, or may change to a different treatment.
Was Roy neutropenic?
I agree with the idea of writing down all your questions, and definitely ask the doc how the chemo will affect the prognosis, as well as the prognosis itself.