Almost done treatment, BUT

CarolynHarvey

Hi, My dad (72) is in week 7(final week) of his treatment.  Last week they decided to stop chemo because his platelets are too low and he was experiencing severe paleness and fatigue. He is missing week 6 and 7 of that. ( i don not know if they plan to give it to him once his blood counts are back up). As for the radiation, the first 4-5 weeks seemed to go well but last week he started losing more weight bc he couldn't drink the boost. stopped drinking enough water and was feeling absolutely horrible. Yesterday he ended up at the hospital dehydrated. (we are only going on info that his wife is giving us because he was pretty adament he didn't want us around for the 7 weeks....I think bc he was worried about us being upset, I don't really know his reasoning but we are trying to respect that, it is REALLY difficult). He was given iv hydration yesterday, the doctors do not want him to have a feeding tube unless absolutely dire need, I'm not sure, maybe for infection reasons?), they gave him a double radiation yesterday bc Sept 4 was Labour Day in Canada and I guess they don't do treatments on holidays, which I find absolutely shocking. They wanted him to make that up next Monday but it sounds like he said NO and would prefer to double up on one day. They also started him on antibiotics bc he had a bit of a fever. Anyway, they made arrangements with the home nurse to come everyday for the next 2 weeks to hydrate him. We thought, ok, we are almost through this. Last night his wife called and said that he spiked a really big fever and she took him to emerg and he was admitted. Is the fever something that usually happens around this time in treatment? Or does that mean things are going really bad?  We want to run to the hospital but also know that will upset him, as he really doessn't want us seeing him like this...it is heartbreaking really bc ultimately it is causing us more worries by being in the dark...Anyway, I don't really know what to do. His wife said last night that if they say he is staying in longer than yes we should just come, she will know more today. I don't want to piss him off but I also want to see my dad...is the fever common? 

Update- his wife just called and he is admitted now for however long. they think he has an infection but dont know where it is. Could be throat, not chest, as they did xrays. They said no more radiation at this point. I am going today to see him, bc well he is my dad and I want to see him.

 

 

phrannie51

Chemo affects all blood counts...

His platelets are low....that would indicate that he has to be careful of sharp objects....but chances are his red and white cell  counts are also low (just not so low he to affects chemo, like the platelets did).  He has picked up a bug, which for most anybody else would be shook off, or something small.  But because his white cells aren't what they would be without treatment, the infection has taken hold.  Having an infection during treatment is not cancer related but treatment related.  

Regardless of what he said, he'll be glad to see you!!  

p 

CarolynHarvey

phrannie51 said:

Chemo affects all blood counts...

His platelets are low....that would indicate that he has to be careful of sharp objects....but chances are his red and white cell  counts are also low (just not so low he to affects chemo, like the platelets did).  He has picked up a bug, which for most anybody else would be shook off, or something small.  But because his white cells aren't what they would be without treatment, the infection has taken hold.  Having an infection during treatment is not cancer related but treatment related.  

Regardless of what he said, he'll be glad to see you!!  

p 

Thank you. I did go, and he

Thank you. I did go, and he was happy to see me. I'm glad I went, because I got to see that he is still doing ok considering all his body is going thru. He was talking, well, kind of talking, very hard to hear and understand but not completely gone. He is on iv antibiotics and they gave him a "pick" line? not sure of the spelling, goes from his arm in to the top of his heart. They are "feeding" him via that tonight at bedtime. His treatment is done on Friday and then I think? it will get worse for a week or two? and then he thinks in about 3-4 weeks they do a scan to see how things are?  Not knowing is torture, I can only imagine how he feels....I'm glad I saw him today, and glad he was glad to see me.  Cancer sucks.