Hi all,

I'm new here, and thought this might be a good place to go for advice.

My beautiful mum was diagnosed with lung cancer (having never smoked a day in her life), back in 2009. She was initially given 18 months - 3 years to live, which she has massively outdone, thanks to her own fighting spirit and a brilliant trial drug called Tarceva. Expectations were then 3 - 5 years, which we are now approaching. 

Earlier this year she was advised that the tarceva was no longer working, and that she should try chemotherapy. Radiotherapy had already been attempted but made her VERY sick. The docs suggested a 1/3 chemo 'dose' over three weeks, replacing one strong treatment, with a week gap, followed by the same again. This was repeated three or four times. It did not appear to do much, and was therefore stopped. However during this time my mum started to have terrible trouble swallowing, due to the radiotherapy, and lost lots of weight. She then began to pick up infections, and her lung began to fill with fluid. 
 

Due to the fluid build up, mum has become exceptionally breathless, unable now even to walk in the shops. She now has a permanent drain in her lung, to be used at home, but the swallowing is still terrible (she is now in hospital for this) and her appetite has almost totally gone. Worse still, I think her fighting spirit has too.

I genuinely think if the swallowing issue can be sorted then she will build strength again and be ablet to fight on, but I am terrified that she's stopped trying. Has anyone else overcome dysphagia and been able to enjoy food again?

Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance for your help. I'm just so worried.

Anna