If ten million dollars fell in you lap...
- Thread starter Cypress
- Start date
I'm extremely happy to hear that your father did well with the chemo. Did he ever go on the intravenous chemo through one of those ports that they put on you? Or is the oral chemo something he did as a complete alternative to traditional chemo therapy. Was he not as sick on the oral chemo?
Wow! That's great to hear! You guys are brightening my day with this thread. Were you on the oral chemotherapy?
Thorn
Member
That's wonderful to know, froggie! I'm wishing you all the very best in this. A friend of mine was diagnosed about seven years ago with small cell carcinoma; systemic but for her it was what appeared to be a fatal malignant lung tumor. The doctors zapped it with radiation to help her to breathe, but we all expected at first that she had about three weeks to live. She defied everything and recently celebrated six years cancer-free.
You and Runyon really have put things well into perspective for us all. We shouldn't ever forget these things.
That's wonderful to know, froggie! I'm wishing you all the very best in this. A friend of mine was diagnosed about seven years ago with small cell carcinoma; systemic but for her it was what appeared to be a fatal malignant lung tumor. The doctors zapped it with radiation to help her to breathe, but we all expected at first that she had about three weeks to live. She defied everything and recently celebrated six years cancer-free.
You and Runyon really have put things well into perspective for us all. We shouldn't ever forget these things.
Yeah. That is wonderful. You just never know with these things.
That's wonderful to know, froggie! I'm wishing you all the very best in this. A friend of mine was diagnosed about seven years ago with small cell carcinoma; systemic but for her it was what appeared to be a fatal malignant lung tumor. The doctors zapped it with radiation to help her to breathe, but we all expected at first that she had about three weeks to live. She defied everything and recently celebrated six years cancer-free.
You and Runyon really have put things well into perspective for us all. We shouldn't ever forget these things.
Wow, that's an incredible story. I'm so happy for your friend.
Annie
Not So Junior Member
He has other serious health issues, which precluded IV chemo. Both he and my mom had living wills written up more than 10 years ago. His initial reaction to hearing of cancer was to 'just live the best I can, as long as I can.' A few years ago he needed a pacemaker. The cardiologist suggested the one that has a built in defibrillator, and my dad said, "No, if it stops, it stops."
After speaking with the oncologist and pulmonary MD, he agreed to give the oral chemo a shot. He's been lucky, only side effects were loss of hair and losing perhaps 15 lbs or so. He gets tired more easily, had to give up golf. Other than that, not too bad.
He still gets tired?
Annie
Not So Junior Member
Oh yes. I assume it's a combo of the chemo and the tumor. Then again, he's 86 years old. He does go out at least 2 times a week with friends, oftentimes more. It's just that whenever he does something for a few hours, when he comes home he seems to fall asleep for at least 45 minutes or so. That has only been since beginning chemo in January.
Annie
Not So Junior Member
I'd imagine if he was younger, the tiredness wouldn't be such an issue. The 'upside' to being that old, the oncologist says that current thinking is that like so many other aspects of being 'elderly', the cancer does not grow as fast, even a very aggressive type as my dad has. His initial prognosis was 3-6 months, here we are nearly 8 months later and he has no pain, is still going stronger than many his age.
He's been on 1 week on; 3 weeks off since January.