Decision dilemmas – Is there a right or wrong answer

Dear Ask The Doctor: My mother is 80 and weighs 80 lbs. She is very frail. She is on medicare and lives in a personal care home. About 4 yrs ago she had colon cancer which they removed about 6 inches. She didn't opt for chemo due to her frail condition. Just recently they did a blood transfusion as she was very low on blood. Now they want to check into another colonoscopy. Is there anyway medicare will pay to have the prep part of the procedure done in a hospital where she can be monitored. Also would you even recommend the procedure for someone her age and frail condition.

Dear Kathryn: There is no right or wrong answer in this case. The questions that need to be answered are - Will this investigation change future medical management? And what is in my mother’s best interest? 4 years ago your mother recovered from major abdominal surgery but did not undertake chemotherapy, due to her frail condition. Therefore if colonoscopy was abnormal now, requiring further abdominal surgery or chemotherapy would she be currently fit for these procedures? I advise talking to your mother and finding out her views on further investigations and interventions. In addition to this I advise consulting her physician or gastroenterologist for a fully informed decision on future interventions.