Caren

Thoughts for your dad!!

I didn't expect that ending and it brought a tear to my eye. Very touching!

Boil

Food! So he said 'open wide' and.........

Lice

Kimberly

Edited. I was going to say that I would try and make it, but I was thinking it was 6pm Eastern. That would be around 3am for me

Thank you for that He's drinking lots of fluids and so far that one 'outburst' from either end is all that has happened. But I will surely keep an eye on him if it happens again.

But wouldn't a Pancoast Tumour have shown on his Chest x-ray or C.T, or both?

Thanks, Sandra!! I guess I just needed someone to reassure me that leaving him for the time being is the right way to go. He seems well in himself just now He said that he was really embarrassed (as you can imagine) but the Publicans know that he's fighting this and having treatments and they were really good to him, telling him not to be silly and that they will just clear it away and it's nothing to worry himself over.

My dad is on day 6 of his first 21 day cycle of Chemo. He's having Carboplatin/Gemcitabine. Until now he has had no side effects at all. He went to the hospital this lunchtime for his blood test. My husband then dropped him off at his local bar and told him that he would collect him in 2 hours. When we collected him, he said that he'd had a 'turn'. He said that he was sitting at the bar, feeling fine and then out of no-where his vision went and he vomited quite violently. He said that the vomiting felt literally as though someone had just turned on a tap and it was pumping out of him. Also since arriving home he has had quite a loose bowel movement. I know that sickness can be one of the side effects, but does anyone know if it would come on as suddenly as it did and cause you to lose vision, or would you usually feel sick before it happens? Sorry if that is all a little 'detailed' but I'm quite worried I have checked his temp and that is normal. I don't want to disturb staff at the hospital if this is just a normal reaction to any of the drugs.

I hope your mum gets some good news from her results! (((HUGS)))

I'm sorry you're feeling this way too I absolutely agree with you on seeking medical advise if this becomes more than just tiredness.

Thank you both for that I think that as from September the 5th when the children go back to school and I get back to college things will probably seem to 'ease up' a little for me. At the moment with my dad being ill and the weather being bad we haven't been able to take advantage of the children being on holiday/vacation and I think that may have been getting me down a little too. I don't feel that this is depression that would require any medical assistance (I've suffered with depression in the past and know the signs) but I think all the not knowing what to expect and how to react to this has just taken it's toll a little.

Well it's only been just about a month since the 'new normal' began for us. I thought I would give you all a little insight into our life. I am 33 years old and along with my husband, 3 children and dog, live with my father. My husband is wonderful and helps with everything regarding the house and children and taking my dad to and from his appointments, but his not so wonderful at 'talking' with me about the things that are going on right now. I don't blame him for this, it's just his way of dealing with things. Right now I feel exhausted, mentally and physically. I don't feel depressed about my dad's illness, but I feel that it must be playing on my mind a lot more than I would like to admit and I'm finding it all very tiring. I am sleeping at night and doing my usual daily chores, so really apart from extra hospital visits, nothing as yet has changed a great deal in our lives. So comes the question, why do I feel tired for every waking hour of the day?!? Is this normal for a carer/daughter to feel this way, or am I beginning to let things get on top of me emotionally? I just don't know....

That's very good to hear

For around 18 months now my dad has been suffering with some shoulder pain in his left shoulder. I finally got him to speak with the Doctor, around 6 months ago and was prescribed 'Diclofenic' (Anti-inflamitary) to be taken twice a day. These seemed to help for a little while but now they don't seem to work quite so well. When we first saw the consultant (not the Onc) I mentioned this to him and he said that it would be looked in to. I then forgot to mention it with our visit to the Onc and so it was left again. My dad's keyworker came to the house last Wednesday to discuss his Chemo treatments with us and I managed to ask her about it. She said that she will talk to the Onc and they will order some bone scans to have a look at the left shoulder and collar bone. What I was wondering is........does anyone else who has LC suffer with shoulder pain, but it's not Mets, or are we possibly going to be in for another shock when he gets the results?

Adorable!!

My dad just started coughing uncontrollably (no prior symptoms) and coughed up some blood. Then the journey into this 'new normal' began......

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

My dad (Dave) is 69 years old. He was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer around 16 months ago and visits the GP monthly for an injection. The Prostate Cancer is nicely under control. My dad seemed fit and healthy and on the 31st of July '08 he went to the local Pub for a pint of beer. When he got home he started to cough uncontrollably and with this he bought up quite a large amount of blood. My husband and I took him to see the GP who didn't seem overly concerned, but ordered a chest x-ray to be done the following day. Telling us to call for the results the following Monday. 1st August my husband took him for the chest x-ray, this was done at around 1pm. 2.30pm we get a call from my dad's GP to say that he sees something on the x-ray that he isn't happy with and referred us to the Lung Specialist. We had the appointment on 4th August and were told that it looked like a possible secondary to the Prostate. Wednesday 6th he had C.T and Bronchoscopy and then on Monday the 11th we went back for the results. He has been diagnosed as having 6-7cm Adenocarcinoma Stage 3b(which is entangled around the valves to the heart and also spread to some of the Lymph nodes in that area). This is not a secondary, as they first thought. Because of his lung capacity surgery isn't an option, as they would have to remove the entire lung and the left lung couldn't cope alone. The plan is....4 cycles of Chemo (Carboplatin and Gemcitabine). If at least 2cm of shrinkage is seen then on to some Radical Radio-therapy. If not, then on the some Palliative Radio-therapy. Dad started Chemo yesterday and so far, so good Well the first Cycle of Chemo didn't go as well as expected and now he's in the hospital having a Blood Transfusion, IV Fluids and Antibiotics. We also found out today that there are metastasis to the left shoulder. Chemo has been put on hold until a new treatment plan is put into place next week. Dad has decided to stop treatments. 29/9/2008. Met with the Oncologist after a chest x-ray was taken. That one cycle of Chemo has seen a 50% reduction in the tumour!!!! The mets that we thought were to the left shoulder, are actually to the right. There are also a few spots on right hand ribcage and also a couple of lesions on the skull. Dad is very happy with the outcome of this visit and his spirits are up right now. The Onc spoke about meeting again in 2 months to discuss either more Chemo (if my dad changes his mind, which right now is looking promising) or some radiation. 24/11/08, Visit with Oncologist. No progression in Primary, but more intense shoulder pain, so they are thinking there may be some progression in the collar bone. Agreed to one zap of Radio to shoulder and one to Lung. This will be done sometime within the next week. Been told that dad is a candidate for Tarceva, but they need to see some progression before starting this treatment. So, time will tell. 25/11/08 It took dad a long time to bounce back from the Chemo treatment and only within the past 2 weeks or so has he been taking his daily walk to the shops and having a really good appetite. With this his mood has elevated too, which is wonderful. 11/4/09. Chest x-rays alone don't see any progression in the Primary Tumour but dad has had an awful cough for quite a few weeks now and is refusing a CT Scan. He passed out a few days ago whilst coughing and wouldn't allow me to consult the doctor. Other than this his health and appetite seem very good. 27th April 2009. Suffering with loss of appetite and weight loss. Starting 2nd line, Tarceva. Given steroids and Codeine Phosphate for persistent cough. CT scan being booked. Next visit with Oncologist set for 4 weeks time. 7th May. Admitted to hospital with SOB, sickness and diarrhea, loss of appetite and dehydration. Aslo bringing up blood clots. Given 3 litres of fluid, pain meds, stomach meds. Chest and Abdo x-ray taken. Significant weight loss (9-10LB in 1.5 weeks). Discharged on 9th May. Tuesday 12th May. Home visit from GP for slight deterioration and a fungal infection. Started anti-fungal ointment and also started Codeine for pain in bone mets. Oncologist has advised dad to stop the Tarceva and will be seeing him in Clinic on Monday 18th. 18th May 2009. Oncologist looked at last x-ray and CT scan and there is still significant progression even while dad was taking the Tarceva and so that has been stopped. Were told that there are no more Cancer treatments available and that only palliative care will be offered from now on. Oncologist readmitted dad to hospital, from clinic, with SOB (SATs of 90) and a heart rate of 136bpm. He's worried that dad is going into AF and wants to run some tests to see if they can slow the heart rate. He is also going to have one more Radiotherapy treatment to try and make things a little more comfortable. I asked for the prognosis and was told probably just a few more weeks, but maybe as long as a couple of months. Dad passed away, peacefully, at 7am Friday 22nd May 2009.

Hi. I'm Caren. My dad has recently been diagnosed with Stage 3b Adenocarinoma. I will post his story so far in the appropriate forum.