stricturing tumour

[akhems]

my mum collapsed on sunday and was taken to A&E where her blood pressure dropped very very low and diagnosed with pneumonia.

since then her bottom has been bleeding a lot and she can't tolerate transfusions so they stopped that.

She's hallucinating and seeing things, which the medics seem unconcerned about but they aren't very forthcoming with information.

she's had various CT scans and a sigmoidoscopy and on her notes I saw it mention something called a stricturing tumour and something like a 'shaw colins' tumour - I can't remember exactly because I saw the notes by accident, they're not keeping them in her room.

Surgery has been mentioned but she's not sure what kind and she's not well enough to withstand that anyway at the moment. Problem is I can't get hold of any of her doctors and as her English isn't fantastic I'm not getting enough information about what's going on with her.

So I suppose I'm asking if any of you can tell me a bit more about what this is while I try and pin down her doctor?

I'm really worried about her, she's 81 and until now relatively healthy, to see her deteriorate so fast is terrifying :(

So sorry to hear about your Mum.

I can't help much with information, partly because it is difficult to know anything with the details you have.

The hallucinations may well be due to the infection she has, and will resolve as and when that resolves. Obviously it is very distressing for both of you.

A stricture caused by a tumour is when the tumour goes around the organ, in this case probably her bowel and forms a tightening, like a drawstring. This means that faeces cannot get through (or only some can). This causes back-pressure on the bowel behind it as it fills up with clogged poo, fluid and gas.

Her main problem is probably the low blood pressure, which is probably caused by the infection more than blood loss from a bleeding tumour (although that will not help).

You can try speaking to Macmillan for advice

details here

I would arrange to speak to her doctors though, either on the phone or in person. If she is hallucinating then she probably does not have capacity, which means that they should be involving you as next of kin.

Thanks Jaybird.

I've just got home from the hospital.

Someone finally came and talked to me this afternoon. There is a tumour at the end of her colon which is blocking everything up. They don't know yet if it's malignant or not (hopefully will have the result of the test tomorrow) and there will be a multi disciplinary team meeeting in the morning to discuss treatment etc and then they will discuss options with me.

They've moved her from a lovely side room into a horrible crowded ward and won't let her keep the small room even tho I offered to pay :(

sorry to hear that akhems.

good luck tomorrow... hope you get good news.

There are two reasons why they have moved her from the side ward. One is so that she is in clear view of the nurses station and kept under closer view, because she is so unwell.

The other reason, which sounds less likely, is that there is someone who needs the side room more.

Try not to be cross about it and look at it as positive.

Good luck.