Mary:
My sister also stopped eating and drinking and became dehydrated. I thought it was the end too but they put her on decadron (a steroid) to reduce the brain swelling from the brain tumor and the radiation. They also gave her IV fluids in the home for two weeks. She just started the new drug, Iressa. She is like a different person. She was only on the decadron for one day and we went out for lunch. I think it was because the brain tumor was affecting her appetite. Good luck. Has your husband been on decadron at all? You can only take it, I think, for a few months but that may be enough time to do another chemo or get on this Iressa and see if that works. It is so scary and horrible. I wish you luck.

Mom's Cancer has too progressed. She is on Iressa and now in the hospital. She no longer takes the vits. and herbs. She is on 100% oxegen, no for 2 weeks after she coughed up blood and could no longer catch her breath. The cancer shows up a week later in her liver and about 4 days after in her lympyh nodes. She has just finished the radiation for the lymph nodes and upper chest. She is now eating less and sleeping more. Her docs favorite expression right now is "her sickness is spreading" They no longer call it cancer (which ticks me off!) The docs figure that she has only about a month now to live. I too am scared, not only for me, but for my dad, and my children. No one should go through this. I am sorry.

Thank You both for the replies.

Yes, my husband was on Decadron when he was released from the hosptial...and WOW did he eat...he put on 15 pounds the month he was on it - which he needed as he had lost so much weight from the pneumonia and the surgery he had to save his life - they had to drain his lungs and his heart sac...three incisions. :(

I will call and ask about Iressa...I believe we heard about it via an article in a magazine...the Taxol is not doing its job obviously. I swear I have to 'play doctor' and I don't have the white coat...but his oncologist is just too darn laid back and we want him to be AGGRESSIVE w/this cancer. Geesh. I called the nurse yesterday - and told her I need to speak to the oncologist...she said he just got back from the Bahamas...and is now just catching up!!! I was LIVID...I threatened to pull him out of that cancer center and put him in another one...I just could not BELIEVE she had the GAUL to say that to me...I told her I COULD CARE LESS about the doc's trip...MY HUSBAND IS DYING...I NEED TO SPEAK TO HIM NOW...he was put right on the phone - and I got assertive w/him...and got his med's called in and action taken...I should be the doctor the way his oncologist is. GRRRRR...it boils my blood as we hired him to HELP US...not aggravate us. :p

I am sorry for you both...I know how hard this is...I have two children and we will be without him someday soon...the prognosis was less than one year...and that is a scary, tough reality. I will lose my soul-mate...my best friend...the love of my life - and my poor children will lose their Dad. :(

God Bless,

Mary

Dear Mary:
I agree you have to be very aggressive. We have a system. Whenever my sister goes to the dr., I go with her, along with her husband and a friend. If you want to find the Iressa yourself,call Astra Zenica, the drug company, and find out where they are doing the compassionate use studies. The drug is free in the study. We got mixed news yesterday. My sister's lung tumor has shrunk but her kidney tumor seems to be causing problems. We will move on to the next thing though if the Iressa doesn't work. They told her a few weeks ago to get hospice but she is fighting and told them she is not ready to die yet. She is only 39 and also has two children.

Good luck and keep fighting. Did you have your husband apply for Social Security Disability? He has to be out of work for 6 mos., then he can get it.