Dear Kimmy,
My mother seems to be a few months "ahead" of yours, and since I also struggled to get any information on what to expect - maybe you'll find our experience helpful.

Her prognosis back in February was "a couple of months", then "a few months" when she was moved from the hospice to the longer term palliative care in April. The form for EI Compassionate care benefits was signed by the radiation oncologist on February 26th, "a significant risk of death within 26 weeks (6 month)". That "deadline" is less than a week from today...

The only pain she suffers from on and off is in her back - seems to be getting worse after she's up for more than 3 hrs in the wheelchair (her right side is paralyzed, and she wasn't standing up even on her remaining "good" left leg for more than 4 months - we use lift & harness to transfer her to the chair and back to bed) The assumption (my daughter's and mine, the doctor didn't seem to have an opinion that he wanted to share) is it's because her muscles are getting weaker to support her weight (that she also gained, like your mother, as she eats more than she ever did because of steroids - and doesn't move)

She had two infections that were treated by antibiotics, and an occasional heartburn, toothache or headache (that she used to have when she was healthy) - the nurses just give her Tylenol for those.

Overall, she stopped watching tv (just an occasional movie when we visit and pick it) and reading, just sleeps a lot and eats (chews very slowly and sometimes forgets to swallow, so it takes more than an hour to feed her) A couple weeks ago all of a sudden she "forgot" how to smoke. We were joking in the beginning that usually "smoking kills" - but it was keeping her alive (as she had to get in the wheelchair to go outside) Don't ask me about getting her dressed and out in February and March, rain or hail or snowstorm - lucky for her I'm also a smoker, so could relate (my daughter said she'd just put me on the patch lol)

She stopped asking for a cigarette at first. Or even if she did, she'd just hold it and roll it in her fingers. As her left hand is shaking a lot lately, we were worried that she might burn herself, so would try to hold it for her, and put it in her mouth. And she would just bite it - and won't inhale... And now her back pain is back - and she doesn't want to get up to go outside anymore (before she'd go for a cigarette despite the pain)

I remember reading "The signs that death is near" articles and thinking that stopping smoking would be the one sure sign for my mom. But, then again, she wasn't a heavy smoker before (only smoked a few cigarettes a day since I remember her), so we'll see...

She didn't have the surgery (her main tumour is too deep and close to the brainstem and others are small and scattered, so we were told right after the diagnosis that it's inoperable) and chemotherapy, only ten session of full brain radiation. We don't know how much of her memory loss is because of the tumour - and how much is the side-effect of the treatment. Some days she's more alert, on others barely says a word. Sometimes she mixes up my daughter and me (i was puzzled when she said to me, "Too bad your mom isn't here" - and then my daughter told me that she often calls her with my name) She remembers the faces (for example, recognizes the nurses when we meet them outside), but can't memorize the names. I heard her mumbling to herself after repeating the name of a new person, "I'll forget anyway.." - almost made me cry...

I went through the difficult stage of wanting to yell at her or shake her or do something - anything! - to get her "snap out of it!", to see that my mother is still in there somewhere... and then hating myself when she'd give me an innocent "I don't understand what you want from me" baby look... Reading a book about a woman with dementia helped to overcome it.

First few months it was hard to believe that only back in January she was living on her own, smart and independent. We celebrated her 69th birthday on April 27th - at the hospital...

And no, also no seizures yet - but we did suspect she might be having mini-seizures when her foot is twitching and she goes even more blank than usually... And I thought that she's having "the rattle of death" when she started "snoring" while awake (especially when eating) - it was weeks ago, and she's "Still alive" (her favorite reply when somebody asks how's she :))

A virtual hug from me to you, stay strong - and enjoy what you can...