My Dad was diagnosed with Lung cancer nearly 3 years ago. Had Chemo and Radiotherapy but still managed to live his life, go to work etc outwith the side effects of the treatment. September 2022 after a routine scan we got told the cancer had spread. Since then he’s become a totally different man. he hardly leaves his bed, struggles to eat and drink properly due to side effects of the treatment. He was getting chemo before Xmas and is now receiving immunotherapy. We can’t seem to lift his mood or persuade him to get out of bed. The Beatson have also told him he needs to move more and eat small but regularly but he’s not listening. My poor mum is worried sick and doesn’t know what else to do. Any advice? I want to get my mum more support and hopefully get my Dad back to some kind of normality. I almost feel like he’s just giving up. I should also say he will never be cured.
Hi Jlb2529
Sorry to head about your dad, what you talk about is not at all uncommon and needs to be reported to the oncology team as it may be that this might require hospital support with for example a drip. Sometimes it does take a bit of tough love between carer and patient to get eating and drinking sorted out - but unless drinking gets under control hospital admission becomes almost a certainty and on going treatment is likely to stop.
As for your mum, could you perhaps persuade her to ring our helpline to get some support for her - 0808 800 0000 - open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm.
Thank you for posting on here, we often describe a cancer diagnosis as like a tsunami reaching out across the entire family and it is really important to keep talking as together we make a great team.
<<hugs>>
Steve
