My little brother

FormerMember
FormerMember
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He was diagnosed with some rare form of pancreatic cancer last year which causes him to over produce insulin, that's how they found it. 

It has spread. He has it in his liver and his stomach too now. Also his neck has tumours as well 

He has had one form of chemo. They have him on another one but they cut the dosage because it gave him nosebleeds. The next one will make his hair go grey. The other chemo option they said will make his hair fall out and he won't do that one he says.

He is tired all the time, in a lot of pain. They give him oramorph and all sorts of things. But he is always in pain or asleep. 

It's a really rare form of pancreatic cancer insulinoma?  I'm probably not getting it all right here. I find it quite confusing to keep up.

 Basically the doctor said last year that not matter what we do this will kill you. Time frame unknown. But since he spent 6 months out of a year on chemo and now he has even more tumours, so not looking good 

My brother appears cool as a cucumber about all of this. Chemo all the time. Freezing his sperm so he could have kids maybe. And for that I am grateful, I've only seen him cry about it once. Doesn't mean he isn't upset of course. And his girlfriend who has stuck by him even tho he is going to die and he told her to leave him and she won't.

I don't ever show him but I am finding all of this very distressing. It's all I can think about all day all night, I can't sleep properly every area of my life is going down. I'm sitting on a train. Writing this message now half crying. It's messing my life up but that is rubbish, my brother is the one with the illness, I feel ashamed I am even writing this. 

There is no cure for my brothers illness. And this troubles me I can't do anything none of us can. 

  1. Thanks for reading
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi, don’t feel bad for finding it hard to deal with, we all manage these things differently, some people keep it together, some fall apart. Some stay in denial and others want to talk about how they feel. We are all different.

    My lovely husband has incurable stomach cancer, diagnosed xmas eve (merry Xmas)! He is now on his 2nd line chemo as first lot didn’t work all that well and disease continues to spread. I am still working through it all although my hubby doesn’t now as he is too tired most of the time. It is hard to know why to do for the best with treatment but we cling onto it as a lifeline. We talk like we’re both going to be around for years as that is how it works for us, but I know that is not realistic so I try to prepare myself for what is to come.

    The main thing is that you are being there for you brother, I’m sure no one will expect you to hold it together all the time, I know I have my own little meltdowns sometimes.

    Just thought I’d reach out. I’ll be thinking if you all.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Thank you for your kind reply. 

    Your husband's cancer came at Christmas, my brothers was his 25th birthday.  Thank you cancer....

    My brother doesn't work too much atm, isolation and working from home a few days. But he is tired often and in a lot of pain and side effects from multiple drugs.

    I'm sorry to hear that the first line of chemo.hasnt worked fingers crossed that the next attempt can do something for him (and you) they have lots of different types don't they?

    Betwee me and my brother we don't talk about time frames or death. But with my mum who is a nurse I can talk more freely. So I understand you and your husband are talking about the future. More comforting than talking about the alternative. Also who wants to think.about death for however long until they die?

    I try to be there for my brother but my whole family live in one city and I live about 70 miles away. I feel a lot of guilt about this. I should be there. But my family tell me I have to live my life. But I won't get these years back when he is gone. 

    Thank you for your reply, although sad to hear about your situation you have helped me feel a litter better. I'll be thinking of you both too. Hope you have a nice day. 

    Chris