← Return to severe weight loss with pancreatic cancer

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severe weight loss with pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Jul 25 2:29pm | Replies (9)

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@tww60223

I thank everyone for their suggestions and concern. Monday we were scheduled for another chemo treatment, but she collapsed in the waiting room, and ended up in the emergency room. No serious injury, but they gave her two IV bags of saline because she was so dehydrated.

I don't think her digestive problems are due to chemo. Before she started chemo, before she was even diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she was having problems eating. I think all of her digestive problems are due to lack of enzymes. Although I fear she has become so habituated that she vomits long before any enzymes would be involved.

I am afraid that we made a big mistake using the local hospital, but we knew little about the disease initially. I think our local doctor and nutritionist hve little experience with treating/managing pancreatic cancer.

She has become so weak, and is now having problems with memory, I think we need to start thinking about hospice.

Funny story. About four years ago I got a call from a long time friend. She said she was calling to say goodbye. She had gone to the emergency room at her local hospital, was diagnosed with cancer that had metastasized, no hope of treatment. She was in the hospice wing, and expected to die shortly. I drove down to see her (I'd known her since high school, and she introduced me to my wife). got there, met her husband, and went up to her room. I'm thinking this is going to be pretty grim. Opened the door to her room and found three guys playing guitar, and a line of liquor bottles on the window sill. I said "what's going on?" and she said "we're having a going away party!"
I ended up spending two days with her, played all of her favorite songs, eating pizza and drinking Jack Daniels, and felt like at least I'd helped give her a decent send off.

I would wish I could do the same for Bonnie, but it doesn't seem feasible.

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Replies to "I thank everyone for their suggestions and concern. Monday we were scheduled for another chemo treatment,..."

@tww60223, you may find further tips regarding weight loss and enzymes in these related discussions (even without having had Whipple surgery):
- Weight Loss after Whipple: What strategies helped you?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/weight-loss-after-whipple-performed-on-2242022/
- Still losing weight: Does timing of Creon help?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/still-losing-weight/
I'm so glad that you were able to send off your friend in such a joyous manner and getting a glimpse into hospice care. Hospice care is many things and most describe it as giving caregivers and family members the opportunity to just be a family member again - to love, comfort, cherish and to be released of medical-related tasks.

Do you have any questions about hospice care and how it differs from palliative care? Is Bonnie under the care of a palliative doctor now?