Seeking Guidance for Aunt's Complicated Ileostomy Case

Greetings to all....

I am jotting down and seeking help on behalf of my beloved aunt.

My aunt is 52 years old who has undergone major surgery due to ovarian cancer in August 2013 and was under chemotherapy. Due to obstruction, on February 26th, 2015, she underwent ileostomy surgery where she got her stoma. After the surgery, again she was on chemo but that didn't help much so the chemo medication was stopped. For two to three months, her recovery was smooth and her stoma was functioning well. Suddenly in the month of June 2015, she started having issues with her stoma.
Now the passing of stoma stool has stopped completely for nearly a month with severe nausea, stomach pain (cramping), vomiting, and also bleeding from her vagina (but not in large amount). She is really weak and admitted in the hospital for these long days with an NG tube and central long-line/venus catheter because she cannot take anything orally due to vomiting. Medication for controlling vomiting and stomach pain is on, but that seems to have no effect. Her sleep is really disturbed too.
The doctor says her disease (cancer) has increased a lot and affected most of her organs like liver, lungs (liquid piling up and becomes difficult to breathe sometimes), and inside the stomach too. The doctor says there is no chance for rectification of the obstruction as that will deteriorate her health more and moreover she is not in a position to undergo such surgery again due to her poor health condition. I know this is going to be tough and may not exist, but how I wish there is a solution for her obstruction without a surgery so that at least she can have some of her likes without vomiting out. But I always believed there is some cure somewhere else...
I came here to seek advice, guidance, sharings to manage my aunt's complicated case through medicines/natural way with your experiences.

Thanking you. God bless...

Well, it may or may not be popular, but the thing I use that keeps me from vomiting, and it works 95% of the time for me, is medical pot. It won't work for kidney stone pain and vomiting, but works pretty well on all other nausea. It helps me eat, maybe a little too well :) As far as nothing coming out of her stoma, blockages are serious. Maybe get a second opinion from another doctor. Maybe another hospital. Around here, there are hospitals that will probably kill you and one that will probably save you. Ask around, you will find the good ones. I wish you well on your journey to help your aunt.

Hi, your aunt is lucky to have you!

I'm Marsha, and I've had my ileostomy for more than 50+ years. So it was like reliving a horrible past when my mother (60) had a recurrence of her uterine cancer, and it had spread to her colon and ruined one of the tubes to her kidney.

She had to have a tube put in her kidney to excrete urine (into a bag she wore around her leg) and then ended up with a colostomy as well.

All was going well for a while (about 2 years) until waste stopped coming through the ostomy and found its way out vaginally instead. The cancer was "eating away" at her insides, and she was in agony. Vaginal tissue is not meant to have colon waste. We did seek another opinion, but there was really nothing more that doctors could do for her.

You might want to get a second opinion... but if it's found that there's nothing to be done, then making her as comfortable as possible is the only alternative. In Jan, the doctors gave her a shot in her spine to ease the pain (and paralyze her) and expected her to die within days or weeks. But she held on and "lived" another 3 months. When the pain came back, she finally realized that she was never going to get better, and she slipped into a coma.

I still cry when I think of all she went through. It's never easy to watch a loved one in pain, but watching her die in such agony is something I'll never forget. She was the one who got me through all my difficult times (as a sick kid and ostomy surgery) and there was nothing I could do for her, except be there. I wish you and your aunt the best.

Marsha

Thank you Sorchia, for lending me your experiences and guidance. And today your wishes and sharings have made me stronger to look for more possibilities in the coming days.....    May you be blessed with more strength to move on with your life!!!

Hi Marsha, very sorry to let you speak out about you and your (Lt) Mom's agony. I can feel how tough it is to take, when someone's suffering in real pain and especially everything falling out even after your best effort. I can't even imagine because it takes every bit of you even when you are normal. I really appreciate your strong character that you managed to be with your mom's difficult times even when you were going through the same. This is something I will keep in my mind.

Don't be in pain thinking about the past because you have done the loveliest part for your mom (by being there with her). Keep living to the fullest with a smile because your mom has made that for you. Take care of your health and always be happy because you are one among the millions for 50+ years...!!! nbsp

Thanks for your best wishes and also for encouraging and teaching me with your own life agony...!!!

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

- In loving memory of beloved aunt -

If life was mine to give,
I would give you eternally.
If love and caring alone could have saved you,
You never would have died on 21st July 2015.
To sit and talk a while,
To be with you that same old way,
Would be my fondest day.
But your voice of sweet whisper disappears,
Your heart of gold stopped beating,
And two sparkling eyes closed to rest.
God broke my fragile heart and proved to me,
That he only takes away the best....
- Rest in thine till I meet you again -

Sorry for your loss. The quote above is so heartfelt. Your aunt must have been so proud to have a nephew like you.

Thank you   Heidi92....     Feels lovely and good with your words when in grief. It's tough to go through such a human loss, especially someone who is dear, but one way I am happy is that - she is and will never be in pain now....

Dear helpeeker,

I am very sorry for the loss of your aunt. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. Sincerely, LadyHope

Dear LH...

A mere words won't be enough to express my gratitude to you for remembering me with wonderful thoughts and prayers in these difficult times.

Anyway, thanking you from the bottom of my poor little heart and you will always be remembered in my prayers too..

- God bless LH -

I am sorry for your loss. The poem you posted is a wonderful tribute to your love for your Aunt.

You can find comfort in Revelation 21:4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Thank you so much, Mrs. A, for mourning with me and lending me such beautiful words. May your verse enlighten and strengthen those people like me who are in grief at the moment. God bless, Mrs. A. Keep up the good work always, and someday you will find all the good things back to you.