Hi,
My 78 year old dad was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in November (more information written in my profile). They said it is through most of his stomach and also the top of his oesophagus.
He doesn't want to know his prognosis, but from what I have researched, it's not good.
They offered him palliative chemo, which he had his first round off just over 4 weeks ago. He didnt have terrible side effects, a few days of nausea and fatigue.
He was due his second round of chemo Thursday last week, but the day before he experienced bleeding from his bottom and had tarry stools, and had been feeling dizzy that day and the day before, and got admitted to hospital. It was the tumour was bleeding, so they cancelled the chemo and gave him radiation treatment to stop the bleeding.
He was in hospital for 5 days and was just left in his bed for most of that time.
When he came out of hospital he was feeling weaker because his haemoglobin count had reduced due to the bleeding and he jadnt used his legs much over the last 5 days.
Before his diagnosis he already had issues walking as he has arthritis in his knees.
But the hospital phoned him on Tuesday just gone (2 days after he was discharged) to say they had booked him in for chemo next week. I was so happy that they thought he was well enough to start treatment again. I spoke to his macmillan nurse that day as well and she said the dr had reviewed things and thought he was well enough to carry on. She also said the bleed of the tumour is quite common, and wouldn't effect his prognosis.
But my dad suffers with chronic anxiety and he told me that he doesnt think he is strong enough to do the chemo as he cant walk very far and he gets out of breath.. I phoned the Macmillan nurse again and the chemo department to ask if they could arrange support for him mobility wise for his chemo appointment, and then said that could be arranged.
However, my dad's oncologist phoned him for a review yesterday before commencing chemo. I could only hear what my dad was saying and to start with it sounded like the oncologist thought he was okay to go ahead, but my dad then told him he felt too weak and couldn't walk up stairs. So the dr has cancelled it!
My concern is that my dad's anxiety is making him think he is worse than he is. Yesterday morning he had a blood test booked and he was worried he wouldnt be able to walk into the surgery. But he did...there is long winding ramp and he walked up that. He even said he was worried that when he got into the nurse's room he would be really out of breath, but he said he wasnt.
Also, he hasnt even tried walking up any stairs. I have been making him walk to the front and back of the house, and he did 7 laps of that in one go yesterday, so I really do feel he is strong enough, he is just letting his anxiety get the better of him, which has led him to cancel his treatment.
The oncologist also said to him that the chemo might not even be doing any good for him, as there is only a 30% chance it will work. I never knew the outcome was so low, but I guess that is still almost a one in 3 chance of prolonging his life.
We were waiting from a call back from the oncologist yesterday if he had received his blood results, but we never received it. The oncologist also suggested a blood transfusion to get his strength back up. That would be great, but this is also taking time and delatkng his next treatment, which is already a week and a half late.
I'm so worried and I dont know what to do.
Does anyone have any advice?
And also, does anyone have any success stories of chemo working at this late stage of stomach cancer? I know it cant be cured, but I want the spread to be put on hold for as long as possible.
I love my dad so much. I want him here as long as possible. xx
Hi Link
Welcome to the forum, I notice that you have posted a similar question in the stomach cancer forum, and it is great to see that you received an earlier response there.
I am sorry that your Dad has this diagnoisis, and also that he has had a bleed which has caused a delay in treatment, I can to a degree understand how frightening this is for both Dad and you.
I think there a few things that could be considered here, like, how is Dad doing now? certainly it has been over a week since your post and things are known to change quite quickly at times..
Treatments work differently on different people, there are so many varieties and strengths that is is difficult to give advice in situations like this. My Dad sadly did not have good results from radiotherapy for stomach cancer, but then others have had great result. My husband has Oesophageal cancer with Mets in several areas but he is in on Chemo and targetted therapy, and has amazed his oncologist on how well he is doing ... other's have not been so lucky, there is no true advise that I can give you, but it may be something to put forward to the Ask A Nurse Team which will open again tomorrow.
I am sorry for the delay in responding here.
Take Care
Lowe'
You know Link, all those emotions and feelings that you are going through just highlights the Love you have for your Dad, and it also shows to me, that you're focused in many ways on the potential negative of the situation... This is something that I did for a long time, I also have flashing moments now when I doubt the amount of time me and Dal have left. It is normal to have those types of feelings, it is part of the process to cry over an imagined loss of someone so important, but what really is important is that you Try to bring the positivity back. I do not for a moment mean that you should pretend this is not what it is, but the marvellous thing about treatments these days is that they are more specific to each person and less damaging to the body. Some people like Dal will react extremely well, and others, like my Brother in Law may not. But for your Dad, hang on to that hope, live for the day, involve him in it, even if that is just a phone call. Remember, the power that we hold as individuals is to be able to send positivity and light to others when healing is needed, focus on doing that for Dad.
When Dal was diagnosed neither My Dad nor Brother in Law was ill, we have learnt that none of us are promised tomorrow, and every day should be a blessing.. I do hope that your Dad manages his treatment well, and that those feelings that you have engulfing you at this time start to edge away, allowing you both the laughter and the love that life should bring.
I say all this remembering that when Dal was diagnosed the bottom fell out of my world and I had some climbing out of my own to do, and this is why I say, what you are experiencing is normal... Stay strong Link. we are here for you if you ever need to chat.
Lowe'
