Palliative chemo... what does this mean?

Hi

my understanding of any form of palliative care is a treatment plan other than one that is aiming for a cure. In my wife's case her cancer has never been curable but she has had two lots of chemotherapy and the second one has rendered her cancer stable. Janice has been stable now for 6 years and we only get to see the oncologist about once every 12 months.

Janice never wanted a prognosis and I struggled with that; given her cancer though any idea of "how long" is at best a guess based on averages so who knows - and of course there are plenty of other things out there - like covid!

Waiting for appointments is always a struggle and often hear from family that the patient seems to be coping better than they are themselves.

<<hugs>>

Steve

Hey I’m new here, last year my mum was diagnosed with liver metastasis, which they use palliative care treatment for I had no idea what it meant and received a letter saying this it’s not curable but the aim was to stabilise it, she’s on her third different type of chemotherapy and has now been diagnosed with brain tumour too for which they gave radiotherapy. I feel like it’s such a waiting game last week we were then told that there’s something wrong and that they need to find out what’s happening as her treatment is not making the difference it should.

I feel so alone sometimes like no one really understands when I talk about it with friends they never know what to say, nothing they say can change it and the cancer is spreading to different parts. Staying strong is so hard sometimes she’s always been so out going and now I feel so so helpless there’s nothing more heartbreaking then waiting around to see if it’s actually going anywhere and if things will work or not. I shut my friends off sometimes  because there’s nothing they could ever say to help me or make it go away. 

Hi, my husband 6 weeks ago was working, then he started to be very tired and lost weight.  Got to tired went to hospital, and now told he has lung cancer it's spread to brain, bones,liver,and adrenal glands. He sleeps all day and can barely walk. He is getting assessed for chemotherapy.  They told me he has maybe 2 or 3 months. I'm worried chemotherapy will make him feel sicker, and maybe just to have a little more time. He thinks it's just his lung and I don't want him to know, but has he a right to know? He is planning on a holiday when better, I go along with this even though he will probably not be here.

My dad had palliative chemo to help him to be more comfortable in his last 6 months (he was diagnosed in October 2018 and my nanna (my late dad's late mum) came for my dad (that how my mum told me that my beloved dad had lost his brave battle with terminal lung cancer) on the 14th of March 2019.

he was only 63 years old.

My husband passed July 3rd 2021, he was diagnosed end of May,  before that was working. All happened so fast.

So sorry for your loss, my condolences you and your family.  All my love xxx

Sorry to hear this, my thoughts are with you. 

Thank you xx

Thank you xx