Papillaris bile duct cell tumor, pain control

My mom was diagnosed feb 07 with cholangiocarcinoma, she has done wonderfully until now.
She is fatigued and weak, water makes her nauseous, and she is experiencing upper right side pain.
She says it feels like gas. What can I do to ease her pain? What can be a substitute for water?
Will she stop wanting food? She is eating less and less, she says she feels full.
I gave her anise tea, and place hot towels soaked in epsom salt on her side.

The ct scan 09/26/08 revealed the following:
1. There is an area of infiltrates with partial consolidations at lateral segment of the right lower lobe.

2. Evaluation of the abdomen demostrates evidence of an heterogeneous lobulated infiltrative lesion which occupies the anterior half of the right hepatic lobe. It demonstrates heterogenous enhancement thorughout the peripheral aspect with areas of central hypodensity condition to be consider within the differential diagnosis included primary neoplasm -vs- metastatic process. (what on earth does this mean?????)
Dilatation of the biliary duct system at level of the hillus is observed. The gall baldder is moderately distended. The pancreas is not enlarged. Nevertheless, the main pancreatic duct is dilated.
3. The spleen, both adrenal glands and kidneys shows no gross anatomical abnormalities.

My mom is 59 years old.
It's hard to see my mom slowly deteriorating, how can we give her quality of life?
How do I find out about hospice?
I guess my mind is full of questions.

[Thomas D Schiano, MD]

she is having symptoms of cholangitis or bile duct infection.  sometimes the placement of a stent in the bile duct can help any blockage which could help her symptoms.  medications like zofran can help her nausea. It sounds like she has advanced bile duct cancer and this is not metastatic disease from outside the liver.  this should maybe be looked into (therapeeutic endoscopist) before hospice.  I hope she feels better.