Chemo continuing at home over three days.

Hi Clougha Pike sorry to hear about your brother.

In blood cancers (I have been in my journey for 25 years) going home with a portable chemo pump happens a lot.

As you know the Community is actually divided into dedicated Support Groups (Discussion Rooms)……… so if you care to have a look through THIS LIST you will find all our dedicated cancer support groups listed……

These groups are safe places to talk to others who may have a similar diagnosis, treatment experience, to ask questions and get support from family members who are navigating the same journey.

As for the practical and emotional challenges of supporting your brother and indeed yourself you may benefit from joining and posting in our……..

     Family and Friends

……support group where you will connect with others navigating the same support challenges.

It is an emotional time supporting family so you might find this Macmillan information your feelings when someone has cancer helpful as well as this link getting help with your emotions.

Hello CP. My husband was diagnosed with advanced oesophageal cancer in August last year. His treatment was on a drip on Wednesday, which was a trial drug(or placebo), followed by an immunotherapy drug, followed by chemo and then sent home with a pump for the chemo for 46 hours (or until the pump was empty). This was a fortnightly cycle. He's on 2nd line treatment now because the 3rd CT scan showed further spread. Next chemo will be weekly on a drip for a few hours, 3 weeks on, one week off. I read that his 1st line chemo, FOLFOX, is commonly used for Pancreatic cancer. His Dad sadly died of this aged 68. 

Thanks for your kind and informative reply. 

Thanks, sorry that your husband is suffering and he lost his dad quite young. My brother did not let me know that he had been very ill and in hospital or diagnosed until the week he started chemo. I've been in touch by text and email, but only three phone conversations. I know two people who lost older relatives very quickly to pancreatic cancer, and without giving details I mentioned this for the first time last week knowing he had a comparatively good result at his first scan. Initially he was just treated for diabetes, when he was having digestion problems. I know he is having steroids that he did not have initially. He is continuing to work when he feels well enough as he is self employed working from home. I don't feel I can ask too many questions, as his time feeling well enough to speak to me is limited. His second wife who is very kind, is looking after him and working, she turned 50 in 24 but he had been in hospital the day before so no celebrations, my brother is 61. His doctor used to say he was in good health for his age, but told me before our mum's funeral, in 2017, that he found out there had been a clerical error and he was 53 when his doctor thought he was 63!