← Return to Anyone chosen palliative care? What are the last months/weeks like?

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@happyjack

I found those also and started reading them but have not finished yet. I did have an infection and sepsis weeks ago that resulted in a trip to the hospital. I am on palliative and if I had been on hospice the sepsis may have taken me. BP was 70/40. If I set up I went back over as no blood was going to my brain. My CA 19-9 numbers had reached 1300. But several weeks after IV and oral antibiotics, it was down to 55. My nurse was convinced that I had cancer again. But the CT scan that found the infection did not show any tumors. Seems it was the infection that caused the high CA 19-9 numbers. I have a follow up scan next week and will see what if anything it shows. Either in the way of infection or cancer.

My nurse seems to ask every time we speak about my appetite. I guess that is what I need to watch for. Once I stop wanting to eat it will for sure be time to switch to hospice.

I am still able to go shopping and can cook and do dishes. I have been cooking for family and doing dishes as much as I can. Figure I will help out as much as I can while I can before I will need help with most everything. I just want to die well if there is such a thing. I hope it is fast and happens before I need a lot of care from others. Not up to me though. My home state does not have death with dignity laws. I will just have to see when it is my time.

Take care and I wish you and everyone nothing but good things going forward with cancer.

Jump to this post


Replies to "I found those also and started reading them but have not finished yet. I did have..."

Dear Happyjack..you have such a great attitude and I have appreciated your postings the last few months. This posting was so relevant (maybe) and helpful to me at this time. My routine blood draw showed CA19-9 just leaped to over 300, but the CT scan showed nothing. And my blood pressure at night is often 80/50 or lower. As I haven't been feeling well I figured, "this is it" and I'm the one who eschewed chemo after my 2 weeks on the formula with the pump. I did have the Whipple in May, 2023 and radiation for a small metastasis June, 2024. I just turned 85 so can't complain about whatever happens.
Courage to both of us and the rest of our support group, Carrie