Glioplastoma stage 4 dad has 9 treatments left.

The Jedi

So my dad has had a regression he was on a steroid to help with swelling and after 3 weeks of chemo the popular temodar .. He suddently had weakness in his legs and severe tiredness. His blood sugar had shot up to 500. After a few weeks of hospital care he is in  a rehab hospital and initially the first 2 days he was willing to do therapy and the last 2 days he is refusing to do therapy. He is willing to take meds but doesn't want to do any of the therapies wether its physical operational or speech. He started to refuse the food being made for him because they had put him on a diabetic diet. So luckily we found out we could bring him food from home in tupper ware. But today we met with the physician at the rehab hosptial. And this Dr.. if you want to call him that.. began to suggest that being in this rehab place was a waste and that because since dad was affected by radiation and chemo.."They put posions in him.." That what was I expecting for his prognosis. That basically Myself and My mom were being unrealistic as to his survival rate. He was suggesting we give up on my dad. I told him straight up I AM NOT GIVING UP ON MY FATHER. So he promptly said oh most likely my dad is suffering frm depression and they would give him an anti-depressent and try and get him to do rehab for 1 more week.. I am at a loss for words. What should I do?

brainep

Good on you!

Bravo for being there for your Dad - whether he can verbalize, like he could before his diagnosis, or not I am confident he knows you are there and trying to help.  Good on you!!!

As a brain cancer (Oligodendroglioma stage 2 then 3 survivor who also survived surgical infections, etc) survivor I know how important it is to have family and friends to support you...

As far as depression goes, it is common for ALL cancer patients (and often other humans too) to suffer from depression based on bad health news.  Some doctors will write a anti-depression Rx  quickly and not realize that a brain cancer patient is different...  Here's one example: https://www.braintumour.ca/6926/hollys-story-sometimes-depression-isnt-depression

Personally, I started to refuse most "standard" American brain cancer protocol and instead sought alternative healthy methods (feel free to contact me direct for more information) that have prevented 2 more "Looks like we see another tumor on the latest scan" where 1 oncologist was ready to push more chemotherapy drugs and 1 neurosurgeon suggested bringing me in for another crainotomy.   Now I am, again, "tumor-free" and while NOT like I was before all this started in 2003, pretty functional and living happily with my sweet wife.  

Again, BRAVO on helping your Dad, and my main advise is to remember we (and those like you who speak for someone who can't communicate well) are in charge of our own health care plan.  

Best always!  Brian

Brian K. Kissinger

Bangkok, Thailand