When is terminal actually terminal?

Hi

First sorry about your dad.

My way of thinking is, terminal is when you may live long, but there’s no cure for what you have at present. Prognosis is when after viewing all the data, that they give an estimate of time left to live, this again can be proved wrong as people have gone on to live for some time after this date.

Has he been through all the chemotherapy or Arbiraterone or enzalutamide or any of the other medications? 
Hope this helps.

Stay safe

Joe

Thanks for your reply. He had  hormone treatment and radiotherapy about 7 years ago when he was first diagnosed. That was deemed successful. Even now is PSA is undetectable. 
He’s not had chemo or anything else. He was admitted to hospital about 6 weeks ago with hydronephrosis after complaining for 3 months to the gp about urinary issues and agonising back pain, but she flat out refused to see him. He ended up needing emergency double nephrostomy, which will be required forever more. He’s at risk of spinal cord compression now as well. Anyway, the consultant urologist at that time wouldn’t offer any treatment and said “it’s best to let nature take its course”. 
Four weeks later, he had an appointment with a different urologist at the same hospital who said about a TURP, biopsies, hormone therapy etc and it felt like finally, someone was doing something, even though it had taken them weeks to decide. 
The next day, palliative care arrived and signed a DS1500, so that was a kick in the teeth. 
Ever since he was discharged, they left a 3 way Foley catheter in (don’t know why, no urine goes to his bladder) and he’s been bleeding into it. 
We have mentioned this to everyone - palliative care, urologist, district nurses etc., and I said I believed he was severely anaemic. Nobody seemed interested. Last night he was admitted to hospital again, as an emergency because he was losing 400ml of blood a day via the catheter, and was so weak he couldn’t sit up. This is a man who was doing heavy DIY and fixing cars a few months ago. 
I spoke to the hospital today and they have done nothing so far. Not even given him his pain relief. I’m so tired of having to fight to get any sort of care for him. 

I forgot to say, when he had the nephrostomy was when they found the mass of the scan. My dad asked how long the tubes would need to be in for and the doctor said “forever, because your cancer is so advanced”. That was the first we knew about cancer, nobody had even mentioned it until then.

Thats how we found out.  

Hi AM123

I was diagnosed incurable but treatable, around 6 years ago,
I would never describe my diagnosis as terminal, even though it may end my life at some future stage 

My take on the word terminal, is a diagnosis that will cause your death within a time limited period (end stage cancer)

Best regards 

Mally

Mally, that's my interpretation too.