The Doctors (2) and surgeon (1) tell us this is how to treat her physical condition. They say at her age it’s major surgery. I’m having difficulty understanding why surgery when no medical professional will say she has cancer. Why the major surgery at 82 years old for a can’t rule out cancer reason. Rule it in or rule it out. Why can’t we be certain?
Are you your mother's PoA? Or legal guardian? At 82, that is a very major surgery for sure. Even the after effects of the anesthesia, and UTIs from being catheterized will add to her recover burden. Do you think she will willingly comply with her post-surgery self-care? If not, then maybe consider other options, like hospice. More information would be very helpful so that the many seasoned RNs on this site can provide you with the best guidance.
You have to do what you feel is best for her. I wish you the very best in figuring out exactly what that is.
A hysterectomy in an 80+ woman is MAJOR surgery and no fun to recover from.
There is no excuse for a drs not finding a positive cancer DX. Sheesh, a simply PET scan and she'd glow light a Christmas tree! Non invasive and simple.
I'd be really, really hesitant to go with a dr who cannot give a clear dx but is willing to perform this surgery on her.
And, does she WANT 8-10 more years? When/if my cancer comes back, I am not treating. And I'm only 65!
What symptoms are your mother having? Does she have a prolapse? Often a vaginal hysterectomy can be done quickly. I would get thorough information about exactly' A) what condition are they dealing with B) what are the repercussions of not having surgery?
Your doctors are not giving you ANY answers that you NEED except to say it's 'major surgery' and that this is how it 'must be done.' With no reasons to back up those claims.
I call FOUL.
Either get the correct answers to your questions or find another doctor, and insist it be a woman who's doing the surgery ON your loved one who's a woman herself & needs a hysterectomy, maybe. And insist on knowing where the cancer is, how progressed it is, and if there are any other alternative treatments OTHER than surgery available. And then think long & hard before putting the woman through such a surgery, when she's 'mentally unstable' to begin with. Will extending her life (IF such a thing happens) be worth it? Does she want her life extended? Being mentally unstable, will she be able to endure the recovery process which WILL NOT BE A CAKE WALK, regardless of what man tells you it will be?
Also keep in mind that if cancer is present, there are absolutely NO GUARANTEES of anything, never mind 8-10 years of an extended lifespan! When my birthmother had surgery for uterine cancer, it wound up spreading to her ovaries and KILLING her in short order, rather than 'extending her life'. She would have been better off leaving the uterine cancer ALONE than listening to her doctors telling her how easy-peasy it was to 'just operate' on the uterus and 'remove it all' that way. Yeah, huh? Pure B.S. that turned out to be. All bets are OFF where cancer is concerned, IF cancer is at play here with your loved one.
Please demand ALL the facts before you can make any rational decision.
Best of luck to you.
So much for ratings.
1-The uterus and ovaries are the sites of many types of deadly gynecologic cancer.
2-The uterus and ovaries in an 82 year old woman are useless organs.
3- If there is a suspicion of cancer, it's better to get the uterus and ovaries out without waiting for cancer confirmation, because by that time, it could be too late.
4-In regard to the surgical risk, removal of female reproductive organs can be performed nowadays by laparoscopy surgery, which is a minimally invasive procedure. Very safe, less traumatic and with a short recovery time.
5-In regard to the anesthesia, it could be performed with spinal anesthesia, which avoids general anesthesia.
Not having surgery would allow a potentially treatable cancer, to kill the patient within a short time.
6- A successful surgery would guarantee at least 8-10 additional years in her life span.
This must be a difficult place for your family to be in. Best wishes as you decide what to do. But do keep in mind that doctors have a financial incentive to push such treatments, and it's not always in the patient's best interest.
It was after the surgery that everyone noticed she had some cognitive problems. Chemobrain is a real thing and is often caused by chemo. General anesthesia is another major risk factor for developing dementa. Two strikes! The confusion was probably there before but we were not as attentive as we were after the surgery.
Did the surgery give her a few more years? Who knows and for what? Eight more years of progressing into the depths of Alzheimer's. Cancer when we are older often progresses very slowly. Would that have been the case? Again, who knows. Knowing the dementia would have become so terribly profound it would have been a better idea to leave the cancer untreated. But, it was mom's decision, she was still considered competent.
And a hysterectomy is considered major surgery. I had one in my 40's and it was tough. Sponges were lost, the vaginal procedure became an incision so the doc could go sponge hunting. Anything could happen....
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