Just a quick addition to what Eileen had to say. Many hospice facilities now allow patients to be on palliative treatment/medication while they are on hospice care. A six-month prognosis is still the standard for entry, but many people come so late to hospice that they (and their families) miss out on many of the benefits. I would encourage you, when you feel ready, to contact hospice in your area and see what they offer, how they might be able to help you and your husband right now, and what services are available. If they don't feel Jim is appropriate for hospice care, they will certainly tell you that, but at the same time you might get some real help and support right now. And it doesn't mean you are giving up on him or his life.

My thoughts and prayers are with you both.
-Tricia

when rob was in the hospice there was a french woman in the room opposite him.she was collected every day and taken for chemotherapy treatment at the local cancer centre but as i have said in our pm's paula ,things may be different in the states. i get the impression you would be looking at home hospice care to start with so don't see why this should be a problem.

take care
love liz

I disagree with Eileen. Palliative care care should never be stopped because of hospice. It is given to mitigate pain and sometimes will prolong life slightly. If RT is given for palliative measures then, almost always, the purpose is to shrink the tumor to relieve pain.

Palliative definition

"Relieving or soothing the symptoms of a disease or disorder without effecting a cure."

The American Heritage� Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright � 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Which is the basic hospice charter...

It's really not a factor of what kind of treatment you are getting as much as did the doctor write the order for hospice care. It is possible to get a full treatment protocol and be in hospice at the same time.

I may have mislead you. What I meant was as long as he can continue his radiation treatments, why not consider hospice now. Since you can go on and off it, if his doctor found a new treatment that could be considered to extend his life, you simply stop hospice until the new treatment ends. If the treatment is unsuccessful, then go back on hospice. Many people wait too long before enrolling in hospice. Once one is considered terminal and is willing to refuse life saving measures like resusitation, then one is eligble to my understanding. I was only suggesting you investigate it now so you know when you should enroll.

Take care,
Eileen

Does hospice require a presctiption. Won't the Dr.'s tell me when it is time for this? I don't want to go asking these questions as I'm afraid they will think I am being way too premature?

I thought the same thing myself but when I spoke with someone at the Hospice near us, she didn't think that I was jumping the gun.
They are there to help even if the time is not imminent. I think that this is such an individual thing that they want to help as soon as you need it. As for the prescription I don't know.

Paula, how are YOU holding up? Ask Hospice if they have any help available for you if you need it. The woman I spoke to was so kind. I haven't taken advantage of her offer of counseling yet. We are waiting for the results of Neil's scan from Friday. It's really frightening how similar our husband's stats are.

Just wanted to let you both know you are in our prayers.

May your God go with you girls.
Marica

Thank you Marica - prayers is what is needed most. As for me, Sue, I don't know what I'm doing. Jim slept most of today. I cleaned house and found myself on my hands and knees schrubbing the floor in the bathroom...all I could think of was that the bathroom is such a germy place and that if I used Lysol and scrubbed really good, then it would kill the germs and Jim wouldn't get any infections. What a dumb thought!

This board is my support - I read it all the time; I have very little family and I don't bother his family because I don't want to upset them. I cry all the time when I'm by myself or typing on the board. I hate this emptiness that I have. I am soooo scared...there is so much on our plate and I don't know how we will do it, but I trust that God will see His plan through and I'm not to question the plan. I looked at the similarities, Sue in our husbands and you are so right, they are very, very similar. When Jim and I were in the Dr.'s office last week, there was a skeleton that had red dots on it, showing where this cancer often metastises...leg, lung, chest, etc. Jim had 'em all, except for the skull. Jim asked about how long before it would go to his brain and the Dr. told him that typically SCC doesn't go to the brain, but just the skull. So, I kept looking at the skeleton thinking this is exactly what the inside of his body looks like - a textbook skeleton with red dots - so simple, but yet don't have a cure....

Sue - when will you find out the results of Neil's scan?

Sue and Paula,
My heart goes out to you both. My prayers are with you for strenght and comfort as you support your husbands.

Sue and Paula,

hang in there its just a phase and will pass away, i know its easy said than done, but it works, believe in "Everything Happens for good"

U both are in my prayers .