Thanks for the welcome

adavis
adavis Member Posts: 2
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Yes, Dad was diagnosed with stage 3, and just recently offered hospice.

I believe hospice has been suggested, as he just can't get well enough for much of anything. He has been battling so many, many things. I listed many of them in my initial post. When he fell, he seemed to lose all ability to walk; so he has been bed-ridden since June. PT has been started at the rehab, with very limited success. Docs felt his overall health was simply not good enough for surgery. Not an option they said; he would not survive. He has had pneumonia 3 times, and can't shake the C-diff. The cardiac events are getting more frequent - blood pressure plunging to nothing, or a fib events. Stability just can't be reached. Every week there has been a new "development". He was able to sustain 3 wks of radiation in July, but almost died from that, once. The oncologist would like to do gentle chemo, but as soon as she suggested it, he went into a fib, then spent last week in the hospital trying to stablize. I don't think the docs are optimistic. And when he has to travel to the doc's office, from rehab, he suffers so much with dehydration, that ends back in the hospital again. EVERY WEEK!! We can't even catch our breathe. We all would love to send him to a VA, but fear the trip would take too much out of him; about a 3 hour trip. 20 min trips put him back in the hospital. Yet, after each event, he comes back, very strong mentally.
Yes, he paid Dana Farber in BOston for a second email opioion, and they offered nothing, nothing that he wasn't doing. The many docs involved are never on the same page either. Terrible health care. He is surviving in spite of, I believe.
My poor dad has not eaten or drunk anything since June. Unbelieveable.

Comments

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #2
    Welcome to our group
    I am sorry to hear that your Dad has had so many difficulties trying to complete his treatment. Sadly, it sounds like many of his medical issues could be related to his hospitalization. I wonder if you could arrange to have him transferred to the VA Medical Center in Manchester, NH via ambulance? Hopefully, if they did the transfer via ambulance, they could keep him hydrated and stable during what appears to be about a 45 minute ride.

    It sounds like his doctors are recommending hospice because of his overall medical condition; but it sounds like the deterioration of his medical condition is due to his current treatment environment.

    It is certainly a difficult decision to make but if it were my Dad I would investigate options to having him moved.

    Wishing your Dad the best,


    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    Grand Blanc, Michigan

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

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