metastatic stage 4 breast cancer

Hi pl share with us - whats her age

The most important thing, I think is for her family and friends to spend as much quality time as possible. Make memories with her. Is she able to get out to do things? If not, share a movie, talks about anything that interests her - phone conversations if you are not near - encourage friends to call, send cards, visit if she is up to it and to talk about positive things, not dwell on her illness. She already knows she is sick. She doesn't need people reminding her about it, unless she brings it up and wants to talk about it. If she has children, you could help her write a journal or letters to be read at different events in their lives, even birthday cards marked with the year they are to be opened, so she knows that she will always be a part of their lives. She could do this for a spouse or other family and friends as well, depending on her energy.

Wednesday I will be taking a friend who only has a few weeks according to his doctors, due to pancreatic cancer, back to the university where we sang together. He became a very well known choral director, and the current head of the choral department invited him to come and critique the choir. I didn't know how he would feel about it, but offered to take him so we could do some catching up as well. He is quite ill at this point, and lives with a morphine drip for pain, but he jumped at the chance and I have had several notes and calls from him anxious about the details. In all of those correspondences he has never said one thing about his illness, and I don't bring it up, but focus on memories of some of the fun and crazy times we shared when we were younger. I know this is not a big thing, but it's something he is focusing on and excited about.

Someone from a hospice (end of life care) group who I heard speak recently said that when people have reached a point of knowing that there is nothing else they can do about their illness their "bucket list" - the things they want to do or accomplish in their lives - changes dramatically. The things that become most important might seem insignificant to others, but little things become important to them.

I hope your sister has doctors who will be on top of managing her physical pain. She and all of your family will be in my prayers. I know this is incredibly hard for you!

Pat

Very beautifully said, Pat.

batool77, I don't think I have much to say but I will add the following things:

- Ensure complete symptomatic relief. If she has pain, she MUST get good and strong pain killers to keep her pain free. She should be able to eat some food atleast. If she has vomiting, give her tablets to stop that. There are some syrups, which tend to increase appetite and you can consult your doctor and give that.

Remind her of good memories. Sit with photo albums. Let her children play with her. Every moment is precious.

- As for medical part, the only option we may now have is chemotherapy. But her health has to permit that. So sit and talk out with your oncologist, as to what medical treatment, if at all, is going to give the best 'risk benefit' ratio. In the sense, lesser risk and more benefit. If at all it does not work out, give her symptomatic treatment only.

- Her comfort and her smile is our main aim presently. We can make her comfortable, for sure. To make her smile will not be easy. But we can... We very well can...

sorry to hear about ur sister correctly said dr. sumeet and pken. My uncle had also diagnosed 4th stage of liver cancer and i have seen him worrying what will happen about his wife and child when he will not be there and we used to ensure him that nothing will happen to him and very soon he will be alright and secondly every one used to tell him that we all are with each other and that with these words he was very comfortable and it helped him to face every thing. He was also satisfied that all are together with each other.

it is really difficult time for family but i think that in front of her every one should be very strong

thanx for your reply Pat, Dr. sumeet and shirdi.

I do agree with you all please any body can tell me due to weakness of bones she has too much swelled feet so how we can help her to reduce this swelling???

I also want to share with you all that if some body will start using equal mixture of "Flexseed Oil (Alsi) and Coconut oil and apply at least twice on head he/she will be able to keep their hair even during and after Chemotherapy.

It is practically seen by me. because there is no harm of this combination oil, so every body can try . some of users may complaint of loosing hair up to 40-50% but this is for sure they will have hair on their head.

apply and share with patients and their close onee even with every one . because we all should fight against cancer and its side effect, together.

I must request if any body is aware about any remedy must shere with others.

The only thing I have seen over the years that sometimes helped with hair loss was some kind of head covering that either cooled or heated the head - I don't remember which. I first saw it many years ago when some actress used it. I think if it really worked we would all be hearing about it. I can't see any harm in trying the oil treatment as long as you are prepared to deal with hair loss if it does happen. I think it would be harder to deal with the loss if you totally believed that something would work because it worked for others and it didn't work for you.

You would need a doctor's input on the reason for the swelling in your sister's feet. If it is edema, compression stockings and/or elevating the feet could help. A diuretic might also be helpful but you would certainly want her doctor's input before trying any of these things, as you don't want to make the condition worse by trying to fix it. I don't know if, by weakness in her bones, you mean that she is less able to be active, or there is something else medical going on, like kidney issues. I hope you find something that helps.

Pat

thanx pkenn,

she has cancer mets in her bones so that havbing extreme pain during moving even to wash room.

her kidnies and heart qare working fine as in last reports.

she has started to keep her feet elevated.

she is metastatic breast cancer patient of stage 4.

As the doctor suggested, Your sister should get pain medications strong enough to keep her relatively pain free. A friend has only a few weeks to live because of pancreatic cancer. He looks awful, but his pain is well controlled. Your sister deserves that.

Have her ask her doctor about compression stockings or wrapping her feet and legs with elastic bandages to keep the swelling down. Also whether a diuretic might help. These are commonly used for edema. but you need the doctor to tell you if any of these solutions would be safe for your sister. I've used all three at different times for bad edema caused by a few different reasons.

Change oncologist.37 is too young age.Goto Tata,Kokilaben or any other onco clinic.consult more than 2 additional doctors.No two doctors can make the same mistake.As long as there are not less than 2-3 opinions on the same line,consult more.

Pharmaco genetics is new way to find which drug will be effective to what extent.Check with your onco if this can be done.

She should take 5-10gms ginger in her morning tea.this might help her in relieving her pain.she should take vegetable soup,green tea once a day at her convenient time to increase her platelet counts & reduce angionesis.She can take turmeric in warm water alongwith 5 freshly grounded black pepper everyday.She should also consider taking about 100 gms paneer made freshly from cream less milk.This will help her increase WBC counts.Avoid sugar as far as possible.

My wife is stage IV BC with bone& liver metastatic & she is living absolutely normal life. She is now on weekly chemo of Taxol.

this looks awesome some one shifted stage 4 BC to Stage 1...it looks miracle to me..so i would like to ask u plz share the prescribed aryuvedic medicine so at least we guys can read about it..I wish your wife will be benefited using aryuvedic medicines...

As far as I know Ayurvedic Medicine worsens the cancer patients. It increases the rate of disease. 100 % of my patients come to me suffered after messing up with Ayurvedic medicine. May be yours is a different story. Again it depends on the primary and secondaries of cancer. Anyhow God bless her. Very Lucky.

Hi Lamchee - pl do share the reports whenever you receive so that it will be helpful for our members too