Opting out of Chemo?

Jayme...
Hello Jayme,
Sorry to hear of your dad being stage 4 inoperable/
This is the same with my brother Ray (JR).
He too was inoperable at diagnosis.

I know the side effects of chemo can be pretty scary and awful to go through.
Seeing what my brother goes through I have so wished, many times over, that he would just quit the chemo.
He has suffered so very much. There were many times we thought this was it for him but he has always been able to bounce back.
I have wondered many times, if he did take my advice about stopping the chemo, if he would still be here with us today.

I know there are some who have opted out of the chemo and are no longer here, but felt quality of life was more important than enduring the side effects that chemo can bring.
This is sure the individual's decision.
There are those that will endure the suffering effects of chemo to have another day to see their loved one's faces.
My brother is one of those, he is truly a fighter.
He has suffered yes, but God has given him many days in between to enjoy his family, his children, his grandchildren.
His appetite has improved, he has been eating solid foods, playing his keyboard.
He can still walk and every time he walks in to the cancer center for his treatments they are always amazed there at how well he is still doing.
His most recent CT scan shows the tumor is still contained in the esophagus only. The cancer has not spread, the tumor has not shrunk anymore but it is not growing either.
It has been 22 months now since his diagnosis!
He was only given a few months to live at diagnosis, he has gone way past that!!
Has he suffered? Yes, so very much, but for him he is here, and isn't that what each one is doing that has this horrible disease, is fighting, fighting for their lives.
It is up to them to decide how they will fight.

What would I do if I were in my brother's shoes. I truly do not know for sure.
I think I would opt out of all chemo because I can't stand side effects of any kind of medicine, but who knows what I would really do if faced with this situation.

I will say a prayer for your dad and for you. This is hard and can be ugly and many decisions to make and always wondering if you made the right ones.
One thing I know for sure is pray, God can lead you in every decision.