judyb75

Hi everyone.
My Mom had an SUV value of 8.8 on her main (and only, so far) tumor.
Can anyone explain what SUV values are, and what they mean?
Thanks,
Linda

Hi Lahalsa,
First of all I want to say I'm sorry that you have encountered what so many of us have but happy that you found this site.  Having said that thank goodness being diagnosed, even with small cell, doesn't have the outcome these days as it used to!  It's really very difficult to tell another person what to expect because, as you said, it's different for everyone etc.  I didn't experience the nausea that some do but did have complete hair loss from the chemo, THAT was probably the most difficult for me but it grew back after about a year.  My hair has always been slow growing.  AND I'm also still kickin'  after having been diagnosed with small cell in my left lung upper AND lower areas in July of 2019.  I do still experience fatigue and as a person that LOVED to walk that has certainly changed my being able to do as much of that.  Still able to be independent and take care of myself and all that that entails and I'm grateful for that.  YES I thank God AND the great oncologists and their staff that I had and continue to have the support and caring of.  I hope you have that same kind of people and medical staff surrounding you.  My thoughts and prayers will be with you.  Just keep the faith, be positive and keep on keepin' on! 
I posted more of my situation somewhere on here, maybe on my profile.  It's been awhile so I'm not really sure...
Take care...
 
 

Hi Lahalsa,
First of all I want to say I'm sorry that you have encountered what so many of us have but happy that you found this site.  Having said that thank goodness being diagnosed, even with small cell, doesn't have the outcome these days as it used to!  It's really very difficult to tell another person what to expect because, as you said, it's different for everyone etc.  I didn't experience the nausea that some do but did have complete hair loss from the chemo, THAT was probably the most difficult for me but it grew back after about a year.  My hair has always been slow growing.  AND I'm also still kickin'  after having been diagnosed with small cell in my left lung upper AND lower areas in July of 2019.  I do still experience fatigue and as a person that LOVED to walk that has certainly changed my being able to do as much of that.  Still able to be independent and take care of myself and all that that entails and I'm grateful for that.  YES I thank God AND the great oncologists and their staff that I had and continue to have the support and caring of.  I hope you have that same kind of people and medical staff surrounding you.  My thoughts and prayers will be with you.  Just keep the faith, be positive and keep on keepin' on! 
I posted more of my situation somewhere on here, maybe on my profile.  It's been awhile so I'm not really sure...
Take care...
 
 

Hi Nur,
I don’t really have much advice to add to Tom and Lou, but just wanted to send my sympathies. I can’t say I know how I would feel in your shoes, but I believe I would prefer for my mum to be comfortable and have a good sleep. Knowing how my mum is, she does show signs of dementia when sleep-deprived, so it might help a bit. Can you ask your doctors for stronger painkillers and/or sleeping pills. What she is getting seems very lightweight for someone in her condition. I myself get diphenhydramine and a light painkiller (same strength as analgin) for my joints. Seems at a minimum codeine or even a stronger opioid may be called for in this case. Of course, entirely up to you, but if your mum is in pain and not sleeping, this could make all the difference to her quality of life and mental well-being.
All the best wishes, Rikke

Nur,
Aside from hypertension, your mom's symptoms appear to be consistent with end state lung cancer. Again, I'm not a doctor so I can't comment on the use or appropriateness of medications but her mental behavior--sometimes saying inappropriate things--is unfortunately typical.
During time when your mom is lucid, tell her of your recollection of fond childhood memories or important family milestones. Give her a daughter's peace of mind that she excelled as a parent.
This part of life is difficult for all of us. Ensure your mom is as comfortable as possible. 
Stay the course.
Tom

Nur,
My opinion on vitamins as cancer therapy--while taking vitamins is sometimes necessary to supplement people with dietary problems, nothing I've read suggests that vitamins have any effect on lung cancer, any type of cancer for that matter.
A dry cough that often persists is unfortunately a symptom of lung cancer. The tumors in the lung and perhaps in and around the airway are irritating, thus causing the coughing reflex. There are several home remedies you can try. Use a steam kettle to generate a flow of steam and place a towel over your mom's head and position her to be close to the flow of the steam. Have her breath the steam deeply. This sometimes eases the coughing and breaks the persistent cycle.
There is a long-used medication that should be available in Uzbekistan called Albuterol Oral Inhalation. It is a class of drugs called a bronchodilator and it works by relaxing the lung tissue thus relieving the irritation. This drug is available as a stand-alone inhaler, or in ampules to be used with a device called a nebulizer. There are many of these machines available for sale on Amazon. I would not use the battery powered devices. They are not very reliable. Sometimes in the United States, doctors offices lend these devices to patients when prescribing Albuterol. When I was prescribed Albuterol treatments, my frequency was 6-times per day.
I wouldn't know about difficulty moving one's arm. It could be related to a spread of cancer to her spinal chord and an interruption of nerves to the arm or it could be completely unrelated to lung cancer. Is there any pain when your mom's arm is moved? Is the pain in her arm or at the base of her neck?
Stay the course.
Tom

Tom,
Today I was with my mother for about two hours. During this time, there was no cough even once. The daughter-in-law says that the cough is mostly in the morning, after a long rest.
She was bathed today and she says that there is no pain when moving her arms and legs. But there is inaction, she does not raise her right hand, when she walks she drags her right leg.
The oncologist attributes everything to cancer, tomorrow we will try to bring the therapist to my mother.
Unfortunately, in our country it is not like in the states. That is, doctors of several directions do not work comprehensively with cancer patients. Each doctor must be treated separately. This is very sad.
By the way, dementia is ruled out.
Nur

Nur,
I'm sorry to hear that the coughing is getting worse.  Please speak with your doctor to see if there is anything that can reduce the frequency.  

Your mother has so much going on that your main focus should be her comfort (palliative care) throughout this process.  But there are simple, non-invasive tests that a doctor can do to get a sense of whether a person is showing signs of dementia.  I would NOT put her through the electroencephalogram or MRI or the many other tests at this point.  My point is that it would be good to see if that is a probably complication here as her reactions to any treatment could be affected by it.  Again...no complex dementia testing, but simple one on one session with a doctor who knows the right questions to ask.  Best of luck to you and your mom.  
Lou

Now my mother is with my brother and he says that her cough has become more frequent. Previously, he was only during meals - a dry, rare cough.
She also began to move her right arm less. Will massage help?
Nur

Lou,
You are very attentive. I also thought that my mother had dementia, because in December 2021 I noticed that she began to confuse the doors in the rooms (moreover, she said that she knew what she needed in the bath and knew that she was going to the bedroom, but she still went in there), began to ask who it was next to my daughter-in-law, pointing to her son, ... But this behavior soon passed. True, we did not contact a neurologist, because trips to an oncologist began.
Does it matter to take her to a neurologist now? Our oncologist says that no one and nothing will help with oncology.
Nur

Tom,
Thank you so much for your detailed answer. It's very useful information and warm support for me.
I have one question: can my Mom take a vitamin complex (B6, E for example)? Our doctor said that nothing help person when he has cancer! I want to know your opinion too.
 
Nur

 

Tom's answer is excellent. I'd like to share a personal end-of-life story if you don't mind. My sister-in-law was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer with a dire prognosis. We engaged hospice care for her and my husband acted as her caregiver. She was given morphine to control her pain for a few weeks until one day she just slipped into a coma. She never regained consciousness. We were relieved that she had a peaceful end to her suffering. 
Surround both your parents with warm family moments. You will have done your best and that's all we can do for our loved ones. Best wishes to all of you. 

Thank you, my dears,
I am very glad that I found this forum and you as well. Thank you for your responsiveness.
At the moment we decided not to tell not only Mom, but also Dad (he is 80 years old)! We are afraid that he will also fall down and Mom will only get worse from this. Dad is in a good mood now, but at a loss - why Mom is not getting better ...
As for the treatment, it will be very difficult for my Mother, so for now we are taking care of her as much as possible. 
Unfortunately, We don't have the hospices you are talking about. We will take care of Mom ourselves for the rest of her life.
At present, the condition is stable, general weakness is observed, as I already wrote, she does not hold a spoon well, she eats for a very long time. So I need any advice from you: for example, I was advised to give her food through a tube (that is, give her a tube through which she will suck up liquid food) so that she does not suffer with a spoon. fruit pass through a fine grater. What else can I do?..
Sometimes it seems to me that she does not understand what is happening around. Once she even asked: "What is happening to me?"
As I said, she began to speak little. Answers only basic questions. To the question "Would you like help?" always answers "No" - because she never needed anyone's help.
By the way, we did not observe the symptoms of lung cancer that are written about on the Internet, except for a sharp weight loss. Now she also says that nothing hurts her. But the doctor said that people her age tend to keep quiet about their pain. Is it so? What might worry her in the future? What do we need to be prepared for? I know this is a strange question, because every body is different from cancer, but still I would like to know what was bothering you and how did you deal with it? Is this palliative care?
Also, I did not dare to ask the doctor how much she had left to live? But I saw such messages where the doctor says how much the patient has left to live. How do they foresee it? What then can be said about my mother?..
Today she seemed to me less active than yesterday, more sleepy. Is this characteristic of cancer?
Regards, Nur

Nur, I understand the cultural differences, but if I were in your mother's situation and competent to make decisions, I would want to be the decision maker, not my loved ones. I had responsibility for my father's end-of-life medical decisions, and that responsibility was overwhelming, even though I had his wishes in a written document (advance directive). 
Best wishes to you and your family during this difficult time. 

Thank you for your feedback, any words are appreciated for the time being...
This analysis was done by a radiologist. His opinion is not to torment the patient, just take care of him, give attention, love.
radiologist: The dimensions of the formation are 7.0x6.2x6.8 cm, with germination through the interlobar fissure into the reed segments, connection with the root of the lung. The structure is heterogeneous. In segment IX, there is a subpleural area of induration measuring 2.4x2.5 cm, with a density of -20+25 HU, with partial preservation of an air bronchogram. In the left pleural cavity, there is an effusion up to 2.4 cm high in the axial plane. Lymph nodes: paratracheal and aortic 10-18 mm, at the root on the left up to 14 mm; right up to 10 mm; Hypodensus formation in the IV segment of the liver without changes. The sclerotic focus in the 5th rib on the left is unchanged. Unexpressed hydropericardium.
I talked to the doctor, and according to his conversations, he did not instill in me hope for the recovery of my mother. But he explained what needs to be done to start treatment. But first you need to tell your mom everything. Mom will not survive the operation - this is the removal of the left lung completely. Our doctor said that it is up to the mother to decide whether she is being treated or not. But mom doesn't know about her diagnosis! My brothers say it's better for her not to know.
Thanks for your links - very useful information. I got acquainted with all of them, but does it matter if my relatives say that she will not survive the treatment (chemotherapy) and that perhaps this will hasten her end.
sorry, but sometimes it seems to me that I don’t understand anything, that I just sit and watch my mother die ...
Nur
 

Nur,
Welcome here. To reinforce Lou's point, we are not doctors. Sometimes we can answer a question about medical terminology and perhaps words common to a radiologist's scan report but we certainly can't assist in diagnosis.
I understand your mom is frail and two attempts at using a flexible bronchoscope did not yield a biopsy. Lou mentioned a guided needle biopsy and that is a less stressful way compared to a surgical biopsy. But, a biopsy is required to determine the type of lung cancer before treatment can begin. So basically you are left with surgical methods. Here is some information about the type of biopsies used in diagnosing lung cancer. The two surgical methods cited are a Thoracicoscopy/VATS and perhaps a Mediastinoscopy. You might want to ask your mom's doctors if these procedures can be performed on your mom. These are less aggressive than a full opening of the chest (called a thoracotomy). A thoracotomy would indeed be challenging for your mom given her complicating medical conditions. 
Another important criteria for treatment is the stage of lung cancer. Staging defines the number, size and locations of nodules or masses in your mom's lungs or other organs. Do you have insight into your mom's lung cancer stage? Here is information about lung cancer staging. If, for example, your mother's cancer is small and situated in a single lung, surgery might be an effective treatment method.
What should you do? If it were my mother, I'd help her understand that a biopsy is necessary before treatment can begin. The biopsy yields the type of lung cancer and each type has differing treatment methods. Here is information on the types of lung cancer. I'd tell her about the medical risk implied in a surgical biopsy and help her make a decision. Then I'd support her decision.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have more questions, ask away.
Stay the course.
Tom

Hello everyone. Before writing, I read many stories, and many of them inspire the best. My mother is 78 years old and the oncologist confirmed she has lung cancer. Unfortunately, today we do not know what kind of lung cancer it is, what degree and what treatment can be. The reason is that two fiberoptic bronchoscopies did not give any results due to the fact that the device did not reach the right place. The doctor said that you need to make a puncture of the chest in order to get to the tumor. But at the moment, mom is very weak, she has lost weight literally before our eyes, she can barely hold a spoon in her hands to put food in her mouth, she can barely move, she became uncommunicative, does not want to communicate... We live in Uzbekistan and there is a different mentality here that does not allow us to tell our mother that she has cancer (when we only had suspicions, she heard about it and it seems to us that this led to the fact that she only got worse) . The doctor said that it was up to her to decide whether to be treated or not, to continue the diagnosis or not ... Why am I writing to you? The opinion of patients with this illness is important to me. What should we do?
Can I send pictures or discs with MSCT results here? Maybe our doctors don't tell me much...

I have Large Cell Neoecrodin Non small cell lung cancer.  It supposedly acts much more like SCLC than NSCLC and has the same first line treatment.  So I tend to follow this forum the most. Had lower right lobe removed, Chemo (cis/etp) and adjunctive radiation. I should be NED.....will find out soon enough.
As for depression, I just finished treatment last week and almost immediately went to a dark place for a solid three days.  By far the most depressed since all this started in January.  Yesterday was the first day I felt mentally better since last week. No idea why, just glad the cloud has passed.
Wishing you all the best
Peace
Tom.

I was diagnosed in Feb 2019. Had a brain MET and some nodes in the lining of my right lung. It happened very fast. One day I'm shoveling snow and feeling good, next day I'm wondering what the heck happened and my life changed. I experienced shortness of breath, so they did scans and a thoracentesis (draining fluid from my chest), a biopsy, then they gave me the news. SCLC. They immediately put me on chemo with carboplatin, etoposide and tecentriq, which was recently approved for first line treatment. They found that I was allergic to etoposide, so they substituted paxlitaxel, and I still have weekly infusions of it to this day. One of my doctors suggested whole brain radiation in May, but we refused. Then the brain MET disappeared, which I think was due to tecentriq, but no one knows for sure. Only God knows. It's gone. For now. Paxlitaxel side effects are not pleasant, but I can still play some golf. I'm now a frequent flier at the cancer center and still not an expert on this disease. There are so many things going on now in research that I could never keep fully up to date. I rely on my medical team to be the experts, to be up to date on SCLC and to do their thing exceptionally well. I ask tons of questions and still make the final medical decisions. But I think the most important aspect of this disease is attitude! Positive or negative, that's the only thing I can control. I see some patients who are so depressed they make me feel depressed. That's not a good way to go through this thing. I've experienced this depression and can say that it's really ugly. I've even heard that negative attitude can affect not just the patient but also the disease. So I'm in charge of my attitude and rely on the help of family and friends to keep me positive. Avoid negative crap always. So that's the extent of my SCLC experience. I suggest that patients and supporters stay focused on positive attitude. Do whatever is necessary to keep your wife's attitude positive. That's a very, very tough task, maybe even tougher than the treatment of this disease.

Agreed. I get crap for saying this, but I think it speaks volumes that just about 85-90% of those that post on this site are NSCLC. It is the same on Team Inspire website. My husband is at 18 months with ES SCLC - with brain mets, developed MAC disease, and had a RUL wedge resection to try and remove some of that MAC infection. He is doing ok, but I am constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. The cancer is NOT gone, just stable. He now has another cavitated tumor growing again per his last scan in July - just watching right now because he refused to do anything about right now, because he is asymptomatic. And he preferred to not have "maintenance " treatment. The immunotherapy (Tecentriq) he received actually caused the MAC disease, so he is not interested in that again. I am a realist, and I know at some point this will rear it's ugly head. Don't get me wrong I am grateful for every extra day - but that is what it is just "extra" time, which brings little comfort to me and his children. 
 
I do wish and hope for the best for your wife and your father
 
 
I do wish and hope for the best for your wife and your father

Nur, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's cancer. It sounds like it is very advanced and she is frail. One issue most of us on the forums have is we are in the US and we're only familiar with the US medical system and customs. We know what diagnostic tests and treatments are available here. But we don't know what's available or commonly done in other places, or how expensive treatments are paid for. As Tom notes,  in the US a person with a Stage 4 diagnosis would not be treated by surgery. And we don't know what kinds of chemotherapy or radiation are available in Uzbekistan, so some of our suggestions may be of treatments she can't get.
My mother died of cancer. She had treatment and then had a recurrence. She had some more chemotherapy but then chose to stop it because the treatment was causing her to become more and more disabled. Near the end of her life she had hospice care which relieved her pain and allowed her to die peacefully.
If treatment isn't  possible for your mother, hospice, or something like it could be a good option. Here in the US, hospice is available if  a person is expected to live less thatn 6 months. Choosing hospice would mean stopping any any treatment that is meant to cure the cancer and focusing on keeping the person pain-free and comfortable. That usually means pain medication but it can also include equipment like  a hospital bed, a wheelchair, something to help a person from bed to chair, etc, depending on what the person needs. If the person is at home with family, there is usually a nurse who visits, and someone to help the family know how to best care for the person and what to expect.
I wish comfort and peace to your mother, you, and your whole family.
Bridget O

Nur,
Answering your questions is so very hard. Unknown to us is your mother's attitude toward life. More plainly, sometimes these conversations border on how one wants to die. So while we might understand the nature and extent of your mom's disease, and her age, and other health complications, we have no insight into the prospective of your mother. How she thinks? How she feels about life? This is the terrible situation that Lou speaks of.
Your mother has a very large tumor, spanning several lobes of the lung, with a pleural effusion, and with apparent disease spread to many lymph nodes. This description of your mom's cancer might stage at IV, not treatable by surgery in my country. The lymph node involvement suggests there might be cancer in other areas of her body (her brain for example) or small metastatic areas in other organs. Normally, someone in my country would have a PET scan and brain MRI certainly before a surgical decision. I'm not sure removing your mom's lung would improve her outcome. Again, keep in mind I am not a doctor.
If your mom is at Stage IV, she would need to have systemic treatment (chemotherapy perhaps coupled with radiation). But to begin systemic treatment a biopsy would be required to determine the type of chemotherapy needed to fight her disease.
Your relatives are right to point out how arduous chemotherapy can be. I had 18 infusions and each was a nightmare to endure. But I had these treatments at age 53 and I was in relatively good health when I began treatment. I can't imagine having chemotherapy being frail and unable to hold a spoon.
I don't know your mother. I don't know how she would accept information about a disease that will likely end her life. But, you should not sit and watch your mom die. We have an end-of-life treatment called hospice care. This provides pain relieving drugs and other medical services to ease the process of passing. Is hospice care a treatment available in Uzbekistan? If so, arranging such care for your mother whether you tell her about her diagnosis or not is something you can do to ensure your mom feels no pain or discomfort from her cancer. 
Stay the course.
Tom

Nur,
Having a loved one with cancer is always a terrible situation.  I lost both my parents to cancer and understand how helpless you must feel.  But right now you need to make a decision regarding telling your mother and not telling her.  Are you sure the doctor said that your mother would not survive the operation?  If that is the case then I would have expected the doctor to discuss a different treatment such as chemo and/or radiation.  

WHAT I'M SAYING NOW IS MY OPINION ONLY:  Please go back to your doctor and make sure you heard clearly that your mother will not survive the operation.  I'm not saying that is not true, but if it is and no other treatment will offer hope then you need your mother to decide what risks she is willing to take or not take.  If she decides to not have treatment then you need to arrange for Palliative Care or Hospice (where the patient is kept comfortable and pain-free until the end of the disease).  

My father had terminal cancer and my stepmother didn't want to tell him how serious his cancer was because she felt it would be too hard on him.  He kept asking me what was wrong with him and I told him the truth.  Once he knew everything, he made different treatment and comfort decisions and always thanked me for telling him what his condition was.  

In summary, please have a conversation with the doctors.  Make sure what you are hearing and what treatment options might help your mother more than harm her.  Then decide with your brother what is best for your mother and then you can help her to take the best steps for herself.  Your love for her is obvious and strong...be clear on everything now and help her to get through this as best as is possible.
Lou

Nur,
First of all, I'm sorry to hear about what your mother is going through.  Proper full diagnosis of Lung Cancer is rarely something that happens quickly.  In almost all of our cases we had to have multiple tests before a full diagnosis could be made and then a treatment plan.  I have no knowledge of the medical system in Uzbekistan, but it sounds like they are having to take the testing easy with your mom because of her present condition.  Let me share a few things here.
I'm sorry, the people in our forums and organization cannot review your mother's records and assist in the diagnosis.  We're not equipped for it and your mother would not benefit from it.  You need to meet with the doctors there to see how they will proceed.  You did say they were going to do a biopsy through the chest and they may actually go through the back.  But regardless of how they go they can make your mom comfortable and will use a rather long needle to go into the lung and take a biopsy so they can determine the kind of cancer it is.  They can also use the tissue sample to look for biomarkers and other tumor characteristics.  They will be able to tell about tumor size and any metastasis via CT Scans and PET Scans.  CT Scans can show location and size of nodules or tumors while a PET Scan will help to indicate of a growth is benign or malignant.  In my case they did surgery, went into the lung and took a biopsy.  They then determined it was cancer and removed a part of my lung.  Depending on your Mom's condition they'll need to use diagnostic methods that she can tolerate.  Even once the diagnosis is made she may not yet be strong enough for the treatment.   Being hit with Lung Cancer is hard on the patient and the family.  One thing we do not do well, especially in the beginning, is Ask the Right Questions.  There is a section you can read called "What To Ask Your Doctor".  and you can find it here.  It contains very helpful information that can help you in the beginning and along the way. Learn about the best places for your mom to go for medical treatment in your area.  People often do that here in the USA and it helps them out later on. You will likely hear from others very soon.  You and your mom will be in my prayers.
Lou

Nur,
I am very sorry to learn about the lack of hospice care in your country. Basically, hospice care focuses on eliminating pain and discomfort as the disease progresses and bodily functions start to shut down. Again, please recall that I am not a physician so do not consider my suggestions as medical advice.
When lung cancer is not treated, it almost always spreads to other parts of the body. This spreading (called progression) is what causes symptoms to appear. Lung cancer commonly spreads to the brain, bones, liver and other organs. The first realization that cancer invaded your mom's brain is generally dizziness or difficulty walking or talking. There will not be pain associated with a spread to the brain, but there can be substantial immobilization effects. She may need help walking; indeed she may need a wheel chair. So be mindful of your mother's steadiness on her feet and deterioration of speech or movements of hands and arms.
When cancer spreads to the bones, pain symptoms often appear. This pain can be quite disruptive. Late stage treatment is prescribed in the form of morphine given orally or by injection. A general practice physician ought to be able to help you obtain morphine and suggest the appropriate dose. The object is to administer just enough morphine to eliminate pain but keep your mother aware. Obviously as the cancer progresses and pain increases, the morphine dose will need to be increased but again a general practice physician ought to be able to help with dose adjustments.
Older folks do tend to under report pain or discomfort. I experienced that with my mother. But facial expressions are hard to hide. Watch your mom's face as she tries to shift in bed, walk or perform other activities. Her wincing will tell you she is experiencing pain even if she doesn't admit it.
There will come a time when feeding your mom solid food should be halted. As the body declines, the intestinal system slows then stops working. So constipation may set in. Moreover, constipation is a common side effect with morphine (all narcotic pain killers). So ask your mom's general practice physician about starting a course of laxative medication along with morphine. The idea of moving to a liquid diet may be a good one. Certainly, do not limit the amount of water your mom way want to drink.
Palliative care is a medical discipline that minimizes the pain and discomfort from side effects caused by medical therapies. For example, I had palliative care to deal with severe joint pain as a side effect from chemotherapy. Palliative care is not curative nor is it hospice care. 
As the disease spreads the amount of weakness and fatigue your mother experiences will increase. That increase should be expected so your mom appearing less active in future days can be characteristic of cancer spreading. No one can forecast the amount of remaining life one has with any precision, even in situations with extensive metastatic cancer. Sometimes, for example, the cancer stops metastasizing without treatment. This kind of remission cannot be predicted or forecasted. How do doctors forecast lifetime remaining with end state disease? There is unfortunately a lot of data available on the stage (extent) of cancer and time before death. These data are not very accurate but they are accurate enough to suggest months or weeks of remaining life. That is very likely the way your mom's doctors derived their forecast. I wouldn't hazard a guess of how much lifetime your mom has.
What might be most important now is to focus on the quality of remaining life rather the amount of remaining life. Spend as much time as you can with her. Talk about family memories and enjoyable events so she can relive her life experience in her mind. Surround her with family and friends and let her know she is loved.
Stay the course.
Tom