Thanks to Angela Wright and Freyr for the comments on my post. It really gives you pause when you read all of that. On the bright side, Mom is breathing quite well—deep breaths, full lungs—so there likely isn't any pleural effusion. As for anything else, I won't know until we get the results back from the CT scan. She’s still just as weak and exhausted as before; she hasn't improved, though she hasn't taken a turn for the worse either. Perhaps Easter Sunday and the arrival of spring will finally bring her some relief.
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I am not sure if this question has already been asked, so if it has, please direct me to the correct sub-forum where this is discussed.
My mother was diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma and underwent surgery eight months ago. She had a gastrectomy, and in addition to the stomach, they removed her pancreas, gallbladder, the omentum, and 17 lymph nodes from the gastric region. Her tumor marker results and post-op MRI were excellent—it looked as though the disease was completely gone. Despite that, she decided to undergo chemotherapy and radiation as a preventative measure based on her oncologist's advice. She completed five cycles of chemo and 25 radiation sessions. She lost quite a bit of weight in the process, but she can now maintain a steady weight and has a very good appetite. After each of the first four chemo cycles, she would recover within a week and return to her normal routine. However, after the fifth and final cycle, she hasn't been able to bounce back. It has been six weeks since she finished therapy, and she is still bedridden. She is constantly exhausted and sleepy, and walking is incredibly difficult for her. She feels like her legs simply won't support her; she’s currently using a walker and gripping walls and doorframes just to move, and she tires out almost instantly. Despite all this, her appetite is good (though nothing seems to be sticking), and she can sleep at any time. We were told that it takes six weeks for the cytostatic drugs to clear the organs and that the only solution right now is to eat, eat, and eat. Following that last chemo cycle, she has also been struggling with her balance, which makes me suspect the radiation might be to blame, even though they only irradiated the remaining lymph nodes in the stomach and armpit area. She thinks she needs to see a neurologist, but I am at a loss for what to do. We have already delayed her first follow-up appointment with the oncologist because she is physically unable to make the trip, and we were told to wait until she recovers sufficiently. Is it normal for recovery to take this long, to show almost zero progress, and to experience balance issues resulting from chemo and radiation?
I find myself wondering if she will ever be able to walk independently again—without a walker or a cane—and if she can partially return to a normal life (by which I mean basic housework, going to the grocery store, working in the garden... things that actually make a person feel useful rather than like a burden to everyone else). Every day we work hard at exercises, doing leg strengthening routines I learned during my own physical therapy when I had knee issues. What should we be doing?
My mother was diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma and underwent surgery eight months ago. She had a gastrectomy, and in addition to the stomach, they removed her pancreas, gallbladder, the omentum, and 17 lymph nodes from the gastric region. Her tumor marker results and post-op MRI were excellent—it looked as though the disease was completely gone. Despite that, she decided to undergo chemotherapy and radiation as a preventative measure based on her oncologist's advice. She completed five cycles of chemo and 25 radiation sessions. She lost quite a bit of weight in the process, but she can now maintain a steady weight and has a very good appetite. After each of the first four chemo cycles, she would recover within a week and return to her normal routine. However, after the fifth and final cycle, she hasn't been able to bounce back. It has been six weeks since she finished therapy, and she is still bedridden. She is constantly exhausted and sleepy, and walking is incredibly difficult for her. She feels like her legs simply won't support her; she’s currently using a walker and gripping walls and doorframes just to move, and she tires out almost instantly. Despite all this, her appetite is good (though nothing seems to be sticking), and she can sleep at any time. We were told that it takes six weeks for the cytostatic drugs to clear the organs and that the only solution right now is to eat, eat, and eat. Following that last chemo cycle, she has also been struggling with her balance, which makes me suspect the radiation might be to blame, even though they only irradiated the remaining lymph nodes in the stomach and armpit area. She thinks she needs to see a neurologist, but I am at a loss for what to do. We have already delayed her first follow-up appointment with the oncologist because she is physically unable to make the trip, and we were told to wait until she recovers sufficiently. Is it normal for recovery to take this long, to show almost zero progress, and to experience balance issues resulting from chemo and radiation?
I find myself wondering if she will ever be able to walk independently again—without a walker or a cane—and if she can partially return to a normal life (by which I mean basic housework, going to the grocery store, working in the garden... things that actually make a person feel useful rather than like a burden to everyone else). Every day we work hard at exercises, doing leg strengthening routines I learned during my own physical therapy when I had knee issues. What should we be doing?