Hi,
My 78 year old dad was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in November last year.
He has had 3 rounds of palliative chemo so far, and we dont yet know if its working, but apparently there is only a 30% chance that it will, so I'm not feeling hopeful.
About 3 weeks ago my dad pulled a muscle in his leg whilst getting up off the toilet. He could only walk on it with crutches and that was a real struggle and he then stayed in bed for a few days to let it heal.
I was worried that this would cause muscle wastage in his legs as he has suffered with arthritis in his legs all his life and has had some problems with them, and after a hospital stay in January for a few days, he was left in bed for the whole duration and his walking was not good after that. He gradually managed to build some of it back up though as I kept telling him to wall up and down the house.
Last week, his knee on his other leg swelled up and he coildnt weight bear on it. Again, he stayed in bed for a few days.
Now he is really struggling to walk and get up from chairs and the toilet. Thw martletts gave him a zimmer frame, which he can wall with with a lot of struggle, but still needs support.
It takes two of us to get him up from chairs etc. I'm so worried that he is just going downhill more and more now. I'm worried that he will need to go in an home soon, but that's his biggest fear and I always promised him i wouldnt let that happen.
I live 45 minutes away but have been staying with my parents since weds. I worry about them so much and how they will cope. One of my brothers is going to come and stay with them during the week.
We were in hospital with him last night as his gp said he had a fever and looked unwell and suspected sepsis. We were discharged early hours of this morning, as they said his white blood cell levels were ok, and he had slightly raised infection markers. So they have given him antibiotics.
His chemo for Monday had been delayed.
Plus he is also suffering with incontinence recently. He wees so frequently (sometimes every 15 or 30 mins) and it is with urgency. We now have him wearing very thick incontinence pads that he just wees into, as it was wearing him out getting out if bed so often. The dr has said this is overactive bladder, for which he has prescribed solifenacin, but it doesnt seem to be doing anything.
He also had a chest x ray in the hospital to see if there was infection. They found some Mark's on his lungs which they said could be infection. I asked the dr if the Mark's showing up could be the cancer spreading to his lungs. The dr said hs couldn't say from the xray as a CT scan would need to be done.
I am so worried about so much. I'm worried he is getting more and more frail. I'm worried about him but being able to cope at home anymore. I'm worried the cancer has spread.
I wonder if anyone knows if we can get carers coming in via the NHS? They really need it.
Their house is a state as my mum is a hoarder ap it's really difficult to get around, and a wheelchair wouldn't fit, so that wiikdnt be an option.
I have to go home on monday evening as I have work, but I dont know how I can leave them.
Sorry for the long post. I'm just finding it so hard to cope.
