8 Replies Last post: 26-Feb-2010 11:23 by tamz76  
Click to view lovemydaddy's profile

Hello

My name is Kelly,Im 31 and am happily married with 4 gorgeous children. A couple of years ago my lovely dad (now 69) started to have problems with swallowing etc so his gp sent him for tests.One test lead to another and in the end he was diagnosed with lung cancerand emphsymia.Now please forgive me as I cant remember all the medical terms for his diagnosis,long story short is that the cancer was un-operable so he has had 3 goes of chemo.

It was last May when he was diagnosed and they estimated he may have a year left.Its been one hell of a rollercoatser and I wont go into too much detail but the cancer has spread to his adreenal gland and stomach.He has not had a scan for a while and I suspect it has spread more,he has a rather large raised gland in his neck which does not look good.

We have had some serious problems with dad as he is a type 2 diabetic,along with being seriously ill after his last round of stronger chemo at xmas he has had a hypo (blood sugar too low) and also admitted with high blood sugars.With his appetite getting worse its been a battle with meds and blood sugars.

Over these past few weeks I can see him fading.He is so weak.He had a stair lift fitted last week and he was managing to move around a bit but now just sitting on the stairlift and getting up stairs is a battle. He has not eaten properly for a long time and that is getting worse and I know there is nothing we can do.My mum is calling our gp out tomorrow to discuss if we need to admit him to hospital for fluid/liquid food but I really dont know what they will be able to do ???!!!!!

He is on morphine for pain,still has most control over bowel and bladder but is on a commode downstairs and upstairs as he is too weak to get to the loo.

I dont know what to tell my eldest son,he is nearly 9 and knows his grandad is ill but not how bad.

I have lurked around reading other peoples stories on here and its broken my heart to know that people all over are suffering with loved ones too,I really need somewhere to vent and write things down.To be honest I need support and I hope I can support others along the way.

I am so sorry to waffle on but as my dad is getting weaker he is not up for chatting,I want to tell him so much but it just upsets him,shall I write a letter???

I will use this post to write down the rest of my dads battle but for now I must log off as my throat is hurting so much as I am trying to choke back tears.

Thankyou for reading

Kelly x

Click to view canasta's profile

Kelly, My heart goes out to you!

I find that I have been writing my blog every few weeks on here mainly just to have somewhere to right it down! It helps just off-loading even if no reads it but it helps somehow!

My mum is not at your Dads stage yet but I can understand how awful it must be for you and your family.

I have three children age 24,21 and 18 and can't believe that they will have no grandparents either side at their weddings! Life is very unfair and it is not how imagine life to be is it? every time I have some news good,bad or indifferent or feel ill I called my Mum! I think we all expect our parents to be there for us don't we?

I hope you get some confort from knowing you are not alone and find some support from the forum.

Take care x

Click to view katedenyer1's profile

Dear Kelly,

I am so sorry to ready your story. You must be terribly worried and anxious. If your dad is getting very ill, the first thing I would say is the hospitals/hospices can really help- i thought the same thing as you, what can they do, but my dad went into a hospice 2 weeks ago after becoming scarily weak and eating/drinking nothing for days and they gave him fluids and while he is not 'ok' and never will be, he is a huge amount better than he was, and can communicate with us and is not in pain. so have trust and faith in what they can do - they really are experts- i promise. i also want to say i felt the same way about talking to my dad - he is a man's man and does not do feelings!! but i wanted to tell him how i feel about him....after mulling it over for a few weeks and trying to find the right time, i finally blurted out how much i love him and admire him one night, and he stopped me and said he didn't want to hear that, it would make him too sad. so i have respected that, and just tell him everyday that i love him. i think a letter to your dad might be a great idea - you will know best what to do - and as long as he knows you love him, that is what is important, however you tell him. i'm sorry i have no experience in telling your child about his grandad dying, but you sounds like a lovely woman and a great mum and i don't think there is a 'right' way to tell a child sad news. when i was 10 my best friend's parents died of cancer and i remember her wanting to be told the truth and have the chance to ask questions, so maybe just be honest and allow him to ask questions and be sad, in his own way.

and come on here whenever you want to talk, i have found it invaluable, kate x

Click to view georgemcc's profile

Hi Kelly,

Anytime you need to talk, just call I will get back to you soon

George

Click to view Rachel's profile

Hi Kelly,

I just found out today that chemo is not working for my Dad, not sure how long he has. I am 40 and we all live in Portugal and getting answers is hard. I am going to get him to try some alternatives!! Will chat more another time. Today is not a good day sorry.


Rachel

Click to view honey's profile

Dear kelly, im so sorry for you nd your family. I dont know what to say my heart goes out to you take omfort in thefact he was home and had all the people he loved and held dear around him. He's pain is over know he's in a better place. You will find strength the strength to get through the next few days and to help your mum, look after your self kelly my thougths are with you and yours at this time i hope your son is ok include him in plans talk to him and be open kids ar scared of what they dont know or understand. Im here if you need Lisa.
Click to view tamz76's profile
dear kelly im so sorry to hear about ur dad i too just lost my dad on 12 jan to cancer but we didnt no he had it and i was with him on my own when he took his last breath and i have the same feelin as its not happened but i no now i will do all i can so my dad would be proud of me & that includes doin the bristol half marathon in sept for cancer never ran before and i no i must be mad and he will be laughin his socks off at me thats the only way i can come to some sort of terms with all this is to think he is lookin down on me & my children anyway enough about me take care kelly and stay strong as your dad will always be with you, tamz

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