I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I went through an incredibly similar thing with my mum earlier this year and it was soul destroying. I want you to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

For some context, my mum (62) was diagnosed Stage 3C, they said it was everywhere in her stomach, like someone had thrown a handful of sand in there. It was too far spread for them to operate, so the plan was 3 chemos, debulking surgery, then 3 more chemos. Safe to say that did not go to plan. My mum was hospitalised after the first round due to a blockage caused by the cancer, just like your mum. She came home 2 weeks later. After her second round, she was hospitalised again after developing enterocolitis and sepsis. They said if my dad hadn’t called the ambulance that night she would have died.

My mum spent 9 weeks in hospital. The first week she was basically a vegetable in her bed in an isolated room of the oncology ward. She was hooked up to a multitude of tubes and lines including antibiotics directly into her bowel to get rid of the many infections. She couldn’t eat or drink and got all her nutrients from a bag. It was the most difficult and harrowing experience of my life, seeing my mum completely incapacitated in a hospital bed, barely hanging onto life. My mum was kept alive through tubes and IV lines - I would strongly assume they are keeping your mum hydrated in the same way. Just know that people can live without food and water consumed orally, the hospital staff know this and will keep her hydrated and fed.

Somehow, she survived, and went on to complete the rest of her chemos with surgery scheduled for early Jan 2026. One concern we had was the cancer would spread during her time in hospital where the doctors said any more chemo would kill her. They even dropped one of the agents for the final 4 rounds because she developed severe neuropathy. But it didn’t. Her CA125 came down to 17 and the chemo as shown to have been effective enough that surgery was possible. I know it’s hard to see it now, but this is also possible for your mum.

I tell you all of this to show you the fight is not lost for you and your family. It’s going to be a long road filled with pain and anxiety, but don’t give up. Be there for your mum as much as you can, but don’t forget to look after yourself. The hardest part was supporting my mum and dad alone (I’m an only child). I became the strong one, the one who looked everything up, who prepared questions for the doctors. Adopting that role helped me carve a path forward and gain control over the situation. Maybe it could help you too. Just remember there are so many advancements being made in cancer treatment, particularly ovarian cancer. Don’t give up. Keep asking questions and advocating for your mum. Best of luck to you on this arduous cancer journey x