Meet The Contributors

Mandy ~ I am a stay at home mom who has been on a medical roller coaster ride going from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what is wrong with me. All of the doctors agreed that there is something medically wrong with me, they just don't know what... Basically, just about every time that I go to the doctor, I wind up with a new diagnosis. It is very frustrating. I hope that some of these links will maybe help you or lead you in the right direction.

Ferd ~ I have had the honor and pleasure of practicing Internal Medicine for over 25 years. I am now enjoying sharing my thoughts and experience in the blogosphere in a number of ways. I am grateful to Mandy for including me on her excellent blog, Texas Medical Freak!

Friday, November 7, 2008

My last post was an update on my grandmother and her fight with Pancreatic cancer. Originally the doctors had told her that she had two to six months to live. She decided to start the chemo treatment (not to save her life only to give her more time, she had one chemo treatment.

Two weeks ago, I my dad called to tell me that I needed to get to my grandmother. The doctor had told a family member that the cancer had spread much faster than they thought that it would and that she had hours to days left. It had spread to and completely attacked her liver. I emailed my husband and he arranged to take off work and called my sons school to get his work for the rest of the week so that he would not have so much homework to make up after we got back. We packed the car and drove to my grandmother. By the time that we got there they had already moved her to the hospice section of the hospital. When we got to her room, she recognized all of us, I did not think that she would one of the symptoms of liver failure is mental disorientation or confusion. I am glad that she did recognize us, mainly my youngest.

By Saturday, her liver and kidney function had deteriorated greatly. They had her on a saline drip and my dad asked if there was any medical necessity for it. When they told him no, he had the saline stopped. Then late Saturday night. my dad called me to tell me that she was gone.

I am so glad that I got to spend time with her in the end and that she recognized me. But, I was so hoping to be able to spend time with her before she go so bad. It has really been hard for me and the kids, since it has only been two years since we lost my mother. I don't think anyone can ever get use to death but, it really makes it hard when loved ones go so close together.

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