Hi everyone,

My dad was diagnosed in March of this year with mesothelioma.

We were all devastated and its been very difficult to come to terms with.

We thought chemotherapy was keeping it at bay but now his consultant has said this isnt the case.

Has anyone had a positive reaction to any other types of treatments?If so I would love to hear from you.

I hope everyone is doing okay.

Stacey :-)

Hi Stacey,

I'm sorry to hear that your dad is suffering from the same cancer as mine.  My dad was also diagnosed with it in March but he has not taken any course of treatment as he didn't want to weaken his immune system and that fear alone stopped him from having chemo. I wanted my dad to try photodynamic therapy, it is being tried at Royal college hospital in London, but even that has its drawbacks as it only seems to be in its infant stages of testing. apart from that there doesn't seem to be too many positive reactions to treatments.  Its an awful disease and watching my dad just deteriorate every day is the hardest thing ever.

I hope you can find some kind of treatment which may help, if your dad wants to talk to someone in the same position then I would be happy for him to talk to my dad, if that would help at all.

I'm not sure if this helps, but hope it does a little.

take care, God bless.

Laura x

Hi Stacey

I was really sorry to hear that the chemo hasn't worked for your dad.  I can't speak from personal experience, but you might find it helpful to go to www.mesothelioma-and-me.com, where you can read about Debbie's experience with chemoembolization - a technique being pioneered in Frankfurt - and also mistletoe treatment.  

Debbie is very helpful.  I can let you have her e-mail address if you like. Send me a PM.

Linda (Oxford Woman)

Hi Linda,

Thank-you for your reply.

I actually read about Debbie's experience on Friday night and forwarded the article to my dad. Her email address would be fantastic, thank-you.

What is mistletoe treatment please?

My dad is so frightened its heartbreaking to see him like this. I wish it would all just stop and he wasn't having to deal with this. He's such a lovely man, why does it always happen to the good ones?

Hope you are ok

Xxx

Hi Laura,

My dad was quite lucky with his reaction to chemo with regards to feeling unwell etc...he was quite grumpy for a few days after and felt a bit sick sometimes but other than that he was fine. It's such a shame it hasnt worked. I really hope this new treatment has some effect. I seriously don't think he could cope with more bad news.

What is photodynamic therapy?

I'm scared he's just going to give up the fight and I can't lose my dad, I just can't.

I will ask him if talking to your dad would help but to be honest he is quite shy.

Your message really helps, although it breaks my heart to know another family is having to deal with the same things mine is, its good to know someone else knows what we are going through.

I hope you are okay Laura,

Stacey xxxxxxxxx

Hi Stacey,

Thank you for your reply, it is truly awful we have to watch our Dad's suffer in this way. 

Photodynamic therapy is a form of light therapy, they inject some die into the cancerous area and then they are laid under  strong lamps and the light invades the die which only clings to the cancerous cells and destroys them. Only trouble is the unknown side affects as it is still being trialled.  and it can only reach tumors which are close to the surface as the light has to penetrate it.

I wish there was an amazing drink they could take and just rid themselves of this disease.  Is your Dad's lung full of fluid?  My Dad's lung has about 5L inside it and has totally collapsed his lung he was draining it daily but the tube got blocked and had to be removed. so now he just has all this fluid on his lung, the drs said it may be dispersed through his urine but not sure if thats happening.

I sympathise with you Stacey and how you feel right now as we are in the same position.

private mess any time and we can support each other through this or at the very least help to answer each others questions.

Take care, God Bless

Laura xxx

Hi Stacey

So sorry chemo hasn't helped your Dad.  My husband is having chemoembolisation at the clinic in Frankfut where Debbie was treated.  She has been a great help to him, giving him contacts for Professsor Vogel, and practical advice as to how to get to the clinic, and where to stay in Franfurt.  I am sure she would be happy to talk to you if you use the link in the previous post.  It is very early days, and I don't dare hope for too much, but G had his second treatment on Wednesday.  The first treatment shrunk the tumour by ten per cent, which apparently is a good first result, so we can only hope and pray for further improvements.  The set up in Frankfurt is so different from that in the UK.  Everyone at the clinic is so pleasant and helpful and they really do seem to care about their patients.  I hope your dad can be accepted on to the programme. It is certainly worth checkng it out.

Best Wishes

Daffie

The trouble is this is such a nasty one that there is no real hope but I keep fighting and that is the answer to have a positive mind.

I was diagnosed in March too but I have had to have the fluid drained and the Talc op at Guys in London.

I have just had the drain taken out and been on 2 weeks holiday and came back to a Kidney Function test friday with the hope my only kidney will get through Chemo.

I have to have my wounds Zapped with Radiation on the 8th of October.

Then the Chemo will start.

I have put my blog on to help to let others see you can get through with a lot of laughter and a lot of help from friends and family.

I wish your father well and to be able to keep going --dont give in one day they have to be able to cure this --we may be the ones.