My 84 year old grandmother went into a skilled facility for rehab Jan 2018 after she burned her legs and was transferred to the same nursing home as resident due to her Alzheimer's getting progressively worse. While being a resident there the NH Dr. ordered an abdominal CT Scan 3 weeks ago for her because she had been complaining about stomach pains. NH Dr. stated the CT Scan revealed colon cancer. Uhhmm how does a general practitioner make a cancer diagnosis without a biopsy??? He advised hospice, told us to make her comfortable and prepare for the end. Ok, this Dr is at the facility 3 hours a week, but you are making a cancer diagnosis???? From that point on, it has been a comedy of errors in how this situation was handled. I had to demand that my grandmother be referred to a GI Dr. to get a colonoscopy and biopsy. The way the medical field treats the elderly is criminal!
Are you absolutely sure you want your grandmother to go through a colonoscopy and biopsy? Assume for a moment that the cancer diagnosis is confirmed. What would be the options then?
I should think it through, is all I'm saying.
Do you want to but your grandmother (with Alzheimer's) through a coloscopy and biopsy? To what end? Surgery? Chemo?
First, I'd find out FOR SURE, who read the CT scan, then I'd go with hospice and pain management.
The radiologist could be anywhere in the country and the local doc is just reading the report and passing the results on to you.
But, Grandma is up there in age and may not want any intervention, plus getting her to go thru a colonoscopy and general anesthesia could be worse than the cancer.
Please consider what the procedure could do her before making decisions.
Most of today's colonoscopy are done with anesthesia. Even that short time being under would have an effect on Grandmother's mind. She would come out more confused then ever. Is that fair to her?
If Grandmother has surgery, she will yet again be under anesthesia which will rush her Alzheimer's to yet another stage. Also need to consider the physiological changes that accompany aging, such as diminished organ function, which will affect how chemotherapy is metabolized.
My own Mom had bladder cancer, had it for a number of years, every year she went in for routine testing. Her Urologist told me that my Mom would probably pass from something else. Sure enough years later it was something else. Glad I didn't put her through the terrible fear of surgery, and then chemo at her late age. She was doing quite well without it.
If she hasn’t had those tests yet, if she were of sound mind, I can almost guarantee you she’d say no. Us old people get to the point we don’t want to be messed with, especially with things like a colonoscopy. My mother avoided that like the plague for 20 years and finally told the doctor outright, “I’m not having one!” She had gone through a mastectomy at the age of 84 and just decided she’d had it, and if cancer didn’t get her, something else would.
Has your mother had the conoloscopy and biopsy?
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