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"Chronic but not active"
by John932, Jan 02, 2008 02:19PM
My mother had gall bladder cancer, so she had it removed.
4 months later it was back, in her liver and colon. The doctor said it was aggressive, and not likely to respond to chemo. The percentage he gave for any success was 5-15%
She did 3 rounds (Once a week for 3 weeks), but he said it wasn't helping, and he knew that simply because he could "just feel it". So we should just concentrate on comfort. She is now in hospice care, in the oncology wing of the hospital. On morphine and nausea medication (Marinol).
It's been 3 weeks since her last chemo treatment, and the Doctor said he is surprised that she is still here.
Now the insurance company people want to move her to what I gather is a nursing home, because the Doctor says, she is "Chronic but not Active".
Am I correct in thinking that this means her cancer, which was a while back considered very aggressive, has now stopped progressing, and the hospice people want to move her because she has lasted too long, and may last a lot longer, so her staying where she is, is considered way too costly for them?
And my main question is, could it be that her cancer, again, once said to be agressive, has now become "INACTIVE" becuase the chemo has helped? Shoud we resume the chemotherapy?
And answer would be greatly appreciated. I want to keep my mother.
4 months later it was back, in her liver and colon. The doctor said it was aggressive, and not likely to respond to chemo. The percentage he gave for any success was 5-15%
She did 3 rounds (Once a week for 3 weeks), but he said it wasn't helping, and he knew that simply because he could "just feel it". So we should just concentrate on comfort. She is now in hospice care, in the oncology wing of the hospital. On morphine and nausea medication (Marinol).
It's been 3 weeks since her last chemo treatment, and the Doctor said he is surprised that she is still here.
Now the insurance company people want to move her to what I gather is a nursing home, because the Doctor says, she is "Chronic but not Active".
Am I correct in thinking that this means her cancer, which was a while back considered very aggressive, has now stopped progressing, and the hospice people want to move her because she has lasted too long, and may last a lot longer, so her staying where she is, is considered way too costly for them?
And my main question is, could it be that her cancer, again, once said to be agressive, has now become "INACTIVE" becuase the chemo has helped? Shoud we resume the chemotherapy?
And answer would be greatly appreciated. I want to keep my mother.
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I'm not sure what the doctor meant when he said your mother is "chronic but not active". That is another thing that needs an explanation from her doctor. You may want to get a second opinion with another oncologist to have your mother re-assessed.