Need help to understand cancer?

Question

My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer about 2 months ago, we found it had spread to his lymph nodes and also to his bones so the chances of survival are slim. He is having chemo but today he i found out he needs early blood transfusions and he is refusing his medication...could this be a sign things are worsening significantly?? I am just look for people's opinions as i do not live close by to my dad and dont speak to his doctor and am having problems finding info online....please help with suggestions of meanings and possible survival time...thanks in advance

Answer 1

first of all i am a nurse and do private duty nursing and stayed with many cancer pts and seen how quickly that it affects the patients and their family. But no one really understands it til it affects a member of their own family. I have to agree with someone else that answered that hospice is the best and i know this first hand as on oct 2nd this year my dad found out he had lung cancer. a week later after a week of xrays and cat scans he found out the cancer had spread from his lungs to his throat and brain. with the throat cancer, he had lumps come up on his neck. for the last 5 yrs we thought dad was going thru alzheimers, but come to find out that some of the symptoms of brain cancer was forgetfulness and repeating themselves.i did alot of research on these 3 cancers, and it will tell you that lung cancer has no cure. all kemo and radiation does is try to shrink the cancer cells, but doesnt get rid of them completely.since your dad is refusing his meds, its possible that the kemo might have burned his throat like dad, dad couldnt take pills towards the end and had difficulty in swallowing. there is a product on the market that the dr can write a prescription for and also get it at walmart....its called thick it. just put a couple of teaspoons in his water or tea or soup and it will thicken it up enough where he can drink it with ease.from the time dad found out he had cancer til the time he died, he lived 52 days. like i said i know what you are going through as i have been there and experienced it first hand. dad died on thanksgiving day this year, its hard for me to talk about this sometimes, but, just maybe from what we went thru with dad will help someone else with lung, throat or brain cancer. i know for a fact that hospice will not come in until they are done with kemo or radiation.once they come in, they will get anything you need for him, such as hoist lift, hosp bed, bedside commode, shower seat, wheelchair and walker. they will be there any time you need them or just to talk. hospice is wonderful.we tried to get dads dr to put him on the morphine liquid drops and he refused and i am still furious about that. thanksgiving being a holiday, a hospice RN can override a drs orders which is what we did. we finally got him on the drops about 5 hrs before he died. hospice said it eased the transition from being in pain to leaving this world. all 3 kids were by his side when he left us. we told him we loved him and that we always had and that it was ok to go, that we would see him again.all that day he was unresponsive except for one time when he opened his eyes and looked at mom and said i love you babe. the sunday before he passed, we kids knew even as sick as he was, he still knew the love for mom and i had the pleasure of witnessing it first hand. he pulled her down and whispered in her ear and she smiled and said i love you too and then he pulled her down a second time and whispered something again, and again she smiled as tears came to her eyes as she said i have always loved you too. so my friend i hope that what i have shared with you has helped you in some ways. feel free to email me anytime you need to talk. [e-mail]

Answer 2

I am so sorry, it must be difficult for you not being there. I cared for both of my parents as they were dying of lung cancer[ they had not smoked for 25 years]. When the cancer started to spread to the bones, it was time to stop the anguish of chemotherapy. Of course this is the most difficult thing anyone will ever do, beside deciding for your child. It is more complicated with a parent, because they must decide, but you must tell them exactly what is happening to them, so they can make their decision. I know the absolute worst case is letting them suffer because of some misguided hope for a recovery. This is not like the movies; the doctors do not want to make this decision, they will keep giving him medicine until the end. Listen to me, I work in a hospital, everyday I see people being tested and drugged when they are past the point of no return, it is terrible to say, but there is money to be made and the hospital will try to make it. I brought my parents home and called the hospice; they are the most wonderful people in all of medicine, they understand all of the consequences of terminal illness. It made my parents last days very comfortable and a beautiful peace came over them, because they no longer had to struggle, and they had the chance, with a clear mind to say goodbye, I'm crying now but it's ok because I did the best thing for them, and My MOM"S last words were "no one ever had a better son". I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Predicting the possible survival time for your dad is always hard, there are a lot of factors that could determine that. I've seen people that are given months to live last years before they pass.

Sounds like your father has late stage disease. It is not uncommon to need frequent blood transfusions while undergoing chemotherapy to replenish blood cells. The fact that it is already in this lymphatic system and his bones in definitely not a good sign.

Is he undergoing any radiation therapy???

Answer 4

I have had several family members die from cancer. My grandfather had it and the doctors told him he had 5 years if he did not get CHEMO. Well, he did not want to but his kids did-so he did it for them although he told him everyone he knows that had cancer and got chemo died. WELL, he got chemo and got so much worse. He died a few months later.He had lung cancer as well. It made him terrible. You can't blame your father.Some people don't want to go through all the hassles.

Answer 5

Although I am not an MD, I empathize with your situation. Been there.

Have you tried contacting your local Cancer Centre to ask them for information?
What about a support group.

Wishing you all the best in your situation.

Answer 6

i am very sorry about your dad. chemo therapy and the medications make the body really weak probably making your dad sicker, and your dad knows it. i have heard of miracle stories of people recovering with chiropractic care and nutritional support. you dad needs to eat lots of fish (salmon), green vegetables, lots of fruit, and take a fish oil supplement. thats if you can get him to eat. you have to support your dad physically, by a good chiropractor and also nutritionally to give him the best chance of survival!
god be with you!

Answer 7

I agree, the best information is difficult to find.
However, i have collected some of it together, and you can read it here.

http://dgwa1.fortunecity.com/body/cancer.html

Answer 8

www.cancer-prevention.net