Friday, June 12, 2009

Colon cancer, what does bleeding "out" mean

Colon cancer, what does bleeding "out" mean?
My step mother has colon cancer, and today I hear that she is bleeding "out"? I don't know what that means, does this mean that I should check into Hospice for her, and help my Dad set this up? What does something like this cost? Any info you can pass on to me would be great!
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
Um - bleeding out means that your Mom wouldn't have time to get to a hospice. It means that all the blood is running out of her body through her injuries. It usually results in death quickly unless transfusions are used and the bleeding is stopped. If she's still alive, she didn't bleed out.
2 :
Bleeding out is a term that medical folk use to say that she is bleeding and they can't stop it... so eventually she will bleed to death. I do not know your step mother's exact case so don't take my exact word for it, but that is what bleeding out means.
3 :
"Bleeding out" means that she is losing blood. In your step mother's case, I'm guessing it's from somewhere in her colon... a GI bleed caused by the cancer. Usually when we say someone is bleeding out, it is an acute situation and they die in a very short period of time. However, it is possible for a GI bleed to leak slowly. In time, if left to nature (or God, or whatever), your step-mother will eventually lose enough blood that her body will no longer be able to function and she will pass away. This can happen in minutes or days, depending on the severity of the bleed and any intervention that your family and her care providers may seek. Transfusions are a way to replace the blood, but they are a way of buying time, not stopping the bleed. Surgery can sometimes be performed, but if you're talking about hospice, I'm guessing surgery isn't an option that's on the table. As it is, if step mom is, in fact, bleeding out, there is little time to involve hospice. Should you choose this route, however, most hospice care is free of "out of pocket" cost to patients/families. They will be the health insurance company, but you shouldn't have to pay anything directly to them. I'm sorry to hear of your situation. I hope your family finds the strength and peace you need to endure this difficult time.

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