Pet scan update on my dad

We got the results of my dad's PET scan last week. It's taken me some time decide how I feel about it. I wasn't there to hear it from the dr and able to ask questions. Dad is stage 4. After 2 rounds of chemo and 2 months they said there is little change so they are calling it Stable. The primary tumor had grown a little in length (define little!) but no new mets.
At first I was upset that the chemo wasn't working and they then gave him a 3rd round of the same stuff. My mom was kind of throwing fits too with the dr about changing chemo and he looked right at her with a hushed tone to his voice and said,"Stable is good at this point." Since then I have decided to look at the glass as half-full instead of half-empty. We had hoped for shrinkage but it could have been a lot worse. After reading some of your posts and doing some research I understand that it may take a couple of treatments before a response is seen.

The flip side to this is my dad feels like hell! The first 2 rounds of chemo he had little to no side effects. This 3rd round has been terrible. I don't think it is the chemo so much as it that darn stent he got last month. That thing is the devil! He is in so much pain. When I went to visit last weekend I could hardly stand to see him suffer. I told them if they did not take my advice about seeing another dr I was going to call up his and raise heck to the point they would be so embaressed they would have to move!

FINALLY! They went to my dad's Primary dr and got the pain issues addressed. I told them that he may have a "team of drs" but nobody was being the "coach". They needed someone who knows and cares about my dad personally. Someone to help navigate between the different drs. I am very relieved about their appointment. He gave them his personal cell #, email, and told them to call him anytime. The dr is going to call my dad to check in every week too. He gave him enough scripts for pain meds to kill a Rhino! He promised not to let my dad suffer. This was his honor to care for him until the end.

Two months ago our lives changed from this Beast. It started out with guns a blazin, my dad was going to be the miracle to beat stage 4. Little did we know that the Beast has a mind of it's own. One that causes so much pain and suffering it could bring the strongest man I know to his knees in tears. My dad still talks the talk a little about beating the Beast but his voice weaker and hoarse, the fire in his eyes is more like a pilot light, he is so tired and beat down. I won't, but part of me wants to tell him, you don't have to try a be hero here. You already are my hero. I won't think or feel any less of you if you want to stop. I want you to be free from pain more than I want you to stay with us a few extra months. I feel terrible for even thinking these thoughts but had to get them off my chest.

Thanks for listening my EC friends. I keep praying for everyone on this board daily.

Deb