Radiotherapy?

Hi Chichi

There is no doubt that radiotherapy is a really tough treatment but your fathers team expect that he will get through and it will benefit him otherwise they wouldn’t offer it. I suspect he may well need to spend some of his treatment time in hospital. 
Maybe the questions to ask might include , is the treatment aiming for cure? What sort of quality of life is to be expected. What are his chances without treatment ? 
I was 68 when I finished treatment and it took me a year to be any where near normal though three years after that I’m almost as good as new….. but all this without surgery or chemotherapy and 20 years younger than your father. 
Time for some honest answers. I hope you get them from his oncologist. 

Hi Chichi. I have to agree with Danis words. Treatment is tough, I was 61 when diagnosed I had 35 radiotherapy and 2 of a planned  3 chemo. I’m over 4 years post treatment I still get dry mouth in the night. I was very fit when diagnosed but it took me a good 2 years to get anywhere near as fir as I was. Niw over 4 years I’m back to cycling and walking as well as before. I was almost 30 years younger than your dad. I too woukd ask the oncologist what’s the aim is it palliative or are they looking at cure plus Hiw many sessions are they looking at. 
Tough call to make they wouldn’t offer if they didn’t think it would help but ask about quality of life. 

hugs Hazel x

Thanks,  Hazel. 

They said 20 sessions.

I think I am concerned about his quality of life, especially at his age. 

I know he's got limited time left either way.

 Hi. i started to get problems with swallowmaround the 10 -15 session that when I had n g tube fitted. Have a good talk with oncologist to ask are they looking at palliative treatment ti maybe give you a few more years. Difficult decisions to make. 
Hazel xx

Hi. This sounds like palliative treatment and though it might cause him some problems with pain and discomfort he shouldn’t be in as much trouble as I was with 30 sessions. 

Chichi123 said:

They said 20 sessions

Tough questions. What does your father want? 

Can I ask, what exactly is meant by palliative care?

My dad is quite confused by it all. He was quite an active man until recently and I don't think he was prepared for the effects of the operation.

I think he's quite overwhelmed by it all tbh.

Palliative care means to relieve pain and improve quality of life. It applies to all of us undergoing treatment not just folk who are dying 

Hi Chichi123 and a warm welcome from me.  Sorry I am late to the conversation, but I had a procedure yesterday at short notice and that rather took it out of me.

I would agree with what Dani and the others have said.  It does sound like palliative treatment, but you need to ask your clinical team to confirm that. 

As we age it becomes more difficult for the body to accept treatment the way it did when we were younger and find an acceptable quality of life afterwards.  Having recently been the prime carer for my elderly uncle I think it is really important to have the conversation with your father as to what he wants.  Clearly he may rely on you for guidance, but you will do the best you can for him even if it feels emotionally painful for you at this stage.