Downslide or getting worse?

[amieb]

How do you know if it is just a "bad day" or if he is getting worse? How do you know when treatments are not worth it? How do you know when to stop fighting and just be comfortable?

He is not ready to stop fighting. But every day I see him get worse and I am doing everything I can without him getting any better.

Any help? I read him all the survivor stories from this forum and they made him smile. He wants to fight. He wants to survive. I just want to make the right decisions to let him do just that.

Thanks

[Muriel]

I guess you know whether it's just a bad day or things are getting worse, by how he feels a couple days later. You probably can't answer that question with just one bad day - need a series of them.

How do you know when treatments are not worth it? How do you know when to stop fighting and just be comfortable?

The answers to those questions are different for each person.

He wants to fight. He wants to survive. I just want to make the right decisions to let him do just that.

Those are decisions that you have to let him make. Just let him know that you will support him whatever decision he does make.

Best wishes

Muriel

[SandraL]

I am so sorry to hear that your dad is having such a a tough time. But glad to hear he wants to keep fighting. He will know what is best for him and his doctors I am sure will give him good advice. And he is lucky to have you there to support him. Hang in there and my prayers are with you.

[KatieB]

You keep doing what you are doing and you keep loving and spending time with him. And you listen.

You need to listen to see what he wants and follow those cues too.

We aren't doctors with scan machines so we can tell what a bad day is comparatively to cancer progression. It takes time. If he continuously is going downward, you will need to have a frank discussion with his doctors.

My dad wanted to fight until the end and he did.

There were times in the beginning that I was sure treatment was killing him and then he'd get a month reprieve and begin to bounce back and regain strength and energy. We made wonderful memories during his "good" days.

He actually passed away when we thought he was doing so good. And there are stories of survivors who had a miserable time with treatment to come out the other side cancer free.

I'm sorry I don't have alot of answers for you in this regard. Just keep being the wonderful daughter that you are and keeping holding onto hope and the fact that people DO survive who have lung cancer. Sometimes that's all we have and it will get us thru the difficult times.

Keep us posted. Am saying a prayer for your dad and for you.