how long

[#1]

my mother in law is very jaundiced skin and eyes, starting to get fluid in her legs... if this isnt bad enough ,poor thing fell over the other night and broke her foot... now in a wheel chair.. just not sure how long .. anyone else out there dealt with final stages of liver cancer . just horrible . such a strong courageous woman. i just need to know how much longer we have with her xx .

[JohnK]

You do not want to know this. I am not sure anyone can tell you how long your mother-in-law has Jane Marie; it depends on whether it is primary or secondary, what stage it is at (stage 1 to 4) and so on. If you mother-in-law is anything like my wife I don't think she would want to know what her doctor’s best guess is either. I don’t think you would want to know now either. My strong advise is to stop reading now. __________________________________________________________________________ YOU HAVE KEPT READING! If it is liver metastases, secondary liver cancer (originated somewhere else) the statistics are pretty grime: 20% survival rate for 2 years, 0% for 5 years. If it is primary hepatic (originated in the liver) the survival rates are much better. In that case a liver transplant offers the best outcome (although it did not work for Steve Jobs). What will happen if the liver fails (which is what liver cancer is trying to do)? Then your mother-in-law will start to swell up and become confused. Her mental state will change. She may start to hallucinate and will eventually slide into a coma. Unless liver cancer patients die of an infection this is what normally happens. The water build up will spread to her skull/brain and the build up of fluid pessure combined with changes in the sodium and ammonia levels in her blood (a fall and increase) will cause her to lose consciousness. Your family will then be faced with the choice of whether to continue keeping her alive or not. It is an awful choice as at some stage she will become brain dead. If you can, get your husband to talk to her about it while she is still able to make rational choices. A DNR letter signed by your mother-in-law makes it much easier on the family. This is really awful and there are not any up sides to any of it. My thoughts are with your mother-in-law and you.

[#3]

John k , i have not been on here as i have been down the central coast spending the last weeks with our beautiful mum , mum in law , nannie and wife.. how true all you wrote is .. sad , sad , sad disease. it really makes me think that euthinasia should be law.. nannie left this earth on the 12th of april in a loving enviroment of her own home with all her loved ones surrounding her,, sedated until the end as the poor darling was getting very confused and scared.. enough to break your heart.. what a heart wrenching moment . what a horrific time for family to watch the decline of a love one,,, may ;nannie now be in peace.. as we deal with that she has left our side forever ,,, miss her already .. just one more phone call , one more hand held... until we meet again

[JohnK]

Dear Jane Marie, I am so sorry for you and your family. If it is any comfort (and really there is nothing comforting about this horrible, horrible disease) you mother-in-law would hve been aware that she was surrounded by those who lovered her. My thoughts are with you as you grieve.