Dad's cancer

Thyresa11
Thyresa11 Member Posts: 6
in Colorectal Cancer #1

In October 2016 my father went to the ER with a complete bowel obstruction. He had years with loose stools and blood on us stool too but he ignores the signs until it was necessary. He got an emergency surgery that day after receiving news that the mass found was cancer. He has an irreversible colostomy. The cancerous mass was the sizes of a man's fist. We never had an actual staging for the cancer, but it hadn't metastasized at that point. As soon as his surgery healed, which ended up being almost 3 months, he started radiation and a low dose of chemo in late 2016 for about 6 months, every week. He had little complications, other than a little over drying of the skin on his buttocks. For the next months, until December 2017, he got chemo, 3 types. Once a week, combinations. I'll look for the exact names in a little since I tried to keep things documented. During all this, he didn't qualify for any sort of medical aid and most expenses were out of pocket. We managed, somehow, but they did some blood work in March and they scheduled him for a stomach CT scan consequently. Prior to march, he had an MRI in december that said everything was ok. CT results show a new spot on his liver, and a "rapidly growing"  black spot in his stomach. He also has a bad pain in his leg that won't go away. My dad is 52, no other health issues. He is taking this hard and has given up. He feels he is going to die, and I'm taking things rough. I'm an only child and I am not losing hope. New here and looking for a shred of light.

Comments

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #2
    There is always hope but when

    There is always hope but when you get news like that after thinking you've beaten it, it's a real blow. What's the next step? More chemo? Will they biopsy the spot on his stomach? It's an unfortunate step back but I'm sure his team will have some ideas to help him. There are many successful stories on here. 

    Good luck to him and keep us up to date on what's happening.

    Jan

  • Thyresa11
    Thyresa11 Member Posts: 6
    #3
    JanJan63 said:

    There is always hope but when

    There is always hope but when you get news like that after thinking you've beaten it, it's a real blow. What's the next step? More chemo? Will they biopsy the spot on his stomach? It's an unfortunate step back but I'm sure his team will have some ideas to help him. There are many successful stories on here. 

    Good luck to him and keep us up to date on what's happening.

    Jan

    He is scheduled for a lung

    He is scheduled for a lung needle biopsy on the 17th. He had a scar nodule in 2016 but it wasn't malignant. This is a new "spot" they found. I'm praying everything is okay and it goes well. Thank you for the time to reply Jan. 

  • Kazenmax
    Kazenmax Member Posts: 463 Member
    #4
    It's tough.

    Very, very hard stuff. Look through this board. There are lots of stories of survival. Maybe if you could share some with him, it would help. I am also facing mets on my lung. I plan on fighting again. We are with you through this.

    K

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #5
    Hope

    It's hard to say what is going on with your father until they do further testing.  Don't give up hope as there is always a possiblility that it isn't cancer.  You can't already assume it is even with an initial scan unless they do a biopsy.  If it is, there are treatments out there than can abate this disease and stop it, also an option is surgery if qualified.  Please wait until all diagnosing is done but never give up hope.

    Kim

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