What to expect with chemo

My husband went through a similar course of treatment that is being recommended for your father.  He was also 65 when diagnosed 9/2012.  The chemo was a lighter dose to enhance the radiation.  The side effects of the chemo were minimal but he did take anti-nausea meds daily so that probably helped.  The radiation was the more difficult treatment.  Initially he could swallow soft foods but after the completion of the radiation and chemo his esophagus was so swollen he could barely swallow liquids.  His surgeon did give him a j-tube prior to starting the chemo/radiation so he only lost about 10 pounds during the time between diagnosis and surgery thanks to the j-tube feedings.  Everyone reacts differently and I think that is partly due to different techniques of the radiation and the different chemo meds used.  Depression and a feeling of helplessness can be expected.  My husband experienced a lot of anxiety.  He had his surgery 1/8/13 and is now having post-surgery chemo and herceptin.  This is a rough road for the patient and the caregivers.   My prayers and best wishes go out to your father, mother and your family.  Try to stay positive. 

My husband is 72 and has just recently completed the 5 weeks of Proton Therapy and a daily oral chemo, Xeloda, along with a weekly Chemo drip for 5 weeks at MD Anderson. He handled both chemos very well experiencing no hair loss nor nausea. The radiation did fine for the first 3 weeks and then he was unable to eat almost anything. Week 4 he began to lose weight. We asked about a feeding tube and were told it would be too risky. They kept scripting him some form of pain medication, hiccup pills, spasm medications, etc. By the end of his 5 weeks of treatments, he was unable to tolerate anything other than water. As he was now dehydrated, they put him on IVs to up his vitamins and minerals but still didn't do a feeding tube.

5 days post treatment he was unable to void, etc and his ankles were very swollen. A few days later he had lab work done and appt. with the oncologist, not the PA, where he was diagnosed malnourished and depleted mineral levels. Still no feeding tube! He ordered more IVs, some with glucose and some with vitamins/minerals to be given daily for 9 days. Unfortunately, no one was monitoring the fluid intake, though his ankles and legs were getting swollen to point of looking like 2 fence posts - because of malnutrition there isn't albumin/protein and the water isn't able to be absorbed into the blood stream so it just builds up in the tissues. Also, due to lack of protein his muscles deteriorated to the point where his skin just hangs off his body. Still no food intake - nutrition shakes would not go down without extreme pain. Three weeks to the day post treatments we went to the MDA emergency room. They did everything for him; took labs, EKG, Ultrasound, scans. He was suffering from extreme malnutrition, and had been over hydrated so they had to start him on a diuretic IV immediately. The ER doctor thought he needed a feeding tube and admitted him to the hospital that night.

3 days later a wonderful GI doctor, Dr. Stroehlein, performed a gastronomy - feeding tube, and did a balloon dilation of Jay's esophagus. He is now getting nutrition.....through the feeding tube as well as eating small amounts of real food. It's only been 9 days and he's starting to get back some color and a little vitality. We feel we are on the road to recovery.....not from the cancer part, but from the nearly killing him part!

Sorry to be so long....I'm 68 and was very able to care for my husband throughout the treatments and afterwards. I agree with the others that probably they will need you the most after his surgery and during the recovery period. I wrote all of this so as to encourage you to exhort your mother to be pushy when she perceives a need that isn't being resolved until it is taken care of. If I could go back I would do it so differently....contact the patient advocate to assist with concerns and insist that something be done to help my husband.

God bless your parents as they make all the decisions with which they'll be faced and give them strength to endure.