Cancer...how bad can it get

[1Dream]

My mother in law has stage 4 cancer.She was diagnosed 2 years ago.
She has been in considerable amount of pain and has now been in hospital for 2 months for pain and now has sepsis.
I don't think she will be here much longer and its heartbreaking my kids are too young to understand they won't have their grandmother much longer. I don't understand why these things can happen to good people.

We lost my FIL to sepsis caused by cancer. Realistically he didn't last very long at all after his diagnosis of sepsis, he probably lived around 6 months after his cancer diagnosis however had had cancer before in a different part of his body.
I'm so terribly sorry, it's absolutely shit, thinking of you all. I miss my FIL so bloody much it hurts. He never got to see his grandkids grow up either.

@MissCrowley :( so sorry to hear, it's terrible isn't it.
My mil took me in and treated me like her daughter since I was 18 years old. It's never been a typical hate mil type story she is lovely and is always thinking of others. I don't know how we will go on without her when she is gone.22

With sepsis she will not have long left to live. Days or weeks is most likely.
Push for good pain control. As long as she has good treatment her passing can be pretty calm and peaceful. But it needs active management with drugs.
Be aware that it is not uncommon for people to rally about 36 to 48 hours before they die. Someone who had been sleeping all the time can suddenly wake up and chat away and even get out of bed seeming better than they have for months. She might not do this, but don't get freaked out of she does do this.

Also be aware that many of the horror stories on the web are from people dying without access to timely drugs. She should have a syringe driver to give steady release of morphine. She will sleep a lot or all of the time, but better than being in pain.
Go to the ward round as this is where you hear what is really happening from the Dr and can raise issues with any treatment.

If she is in hospital then her pain should be under control. Speak to ward sister and tell her you need her pain meds sorted. If that isn’t working then contact PALS - you can also tell the ward you are doing this.

I’m sorry you and your family are going through this.

I'm sorry OP. We lost FIL in similar circumstances, sepsis but had other underlying conditions when DDs were very small. DD2 was just a baby.

It still feels so sad they won't know their grandparent and are missing out in that relationship but it has become easier with the passing of time. Just be kind to yourselves and each other.

Thank you, I'm in Australia and she's in a private hospital so they are doing everything they can drug wise. They have given her methadone actually and she ended up being addicted to it so they are giving her other drugs but now more issues have risen which is hard too maintain.