'off topic ' , but help hoped for

hi crew

my dad , who is due to turn 80 this august [hopefully] , has just been diagnosed with cancer , and following surgery in brisbane , is due to embark on consultation regarding having chemotherapy.

Have people here had relatives this age undergo this , and if so , what is / was the success rate ?

I just wondered if , with the effects of chemo on the average body [let alone a 79 year old one] , whether chemo or no chemo , in terms of quality of life ?

anyway …any help / sharing of people’s experience on this MOST appreciated .

thanks ,

ben

[p.s. - the cancer is in his forehead , above his left eyebrow , apparently , if this is useful information at all]

No experience ben, but my thoughts are with you and i hope all goes well mate.

Read your pms!

Stefano

sorry mate. no help to offer, but i prayed for your dad.

Quote:

hi crew

.

Have people here had relatives this age undergo this , and if so , what is / was the success rate ?

I just wondered if , with the effects of chemo on the average body [let alone a 79 year old one] , whether chemo or no chemo , in terms of quality of life ?

Aloha Chipfish –

My Mom gave Chemo a try for a while but gave up. That was years ago. I believe now-a-days they have many; many new drug types and combinations of drug types that they give. They are really specialized and, from what I’ve heard, are having success much more so than in years past when my Mother was sick.

I think Chemotherapy is for people who are motivated to go through it and live past it. It can be rough. Consult with as many experts as possible. Believe me, I’m no expert.

Good Luck, I hope this tough situation works out for you and your Father.

From the other side of the Earth—

==epac

Hi Ben,

all the best for your dad, hope he is well soon!

i’m sorry Chip, i don’t know too much about chemo.

i do know about the power of prayer and mine will

be with both you and your father.

Hi Ben,

Your dad has a tough fight. Chemo is tough on the body. I’m not a doctor as you know. But I think it is important to weigh the chances of beating the cancer with chemo as opposed to finishing life with a higher level of quality. Chemo makes you very sick, in general. My mother in law is a few years older than your dad. She has lung cancer. It is slow growing. She opted for no chemo and enjoys a pretty good life. My uncle fought the good fight and lost. Went with the drugs. They made him very sick, but his personality was one of F…k this sh…t. I’m fighting it. Mike

Aloha chipfish!,

I’m chemo certified and worked in a Hematology/Oncology clinic for two years, both pediatric and adult.

Quality of life is the most important factor.

yes age is a factor…

what stage and what type of cancer?

Lots of new FDA approved chemotherapy is void of the unwanted side effects. Not familiar with Aussie meds?

Do an internet search for “living with dying”

This will help you cope with all aspects of cancer and its treatments.

Hi Ben,

There are many types of chemo for the many different types of cancer that afflict us. What sort of cancer has he been diagnosed with? That will determine both the utility of the chemo, and its affect on his body. With that information I might be better able to tell you about the options, etc.

Best wishes,

Andy

there is a cure for cancer called the grape cure…eating grapes for 1 mth or 2…the cancer has no impurities to live on and eats itself…first thing stop feeding it impurities… eat pure food …sprouts, wheat grass…it can come from the work done earlier with chemicals or aspestos?

Mate your lucky most dads die younger…let him know how great a dad he is…the last words i told my dad were that i loved him…

hello,

My grandmother had some at very old age. Her first chemotherapy were horrible the secondary effects were multiplied by all the forbidden things she couldn’t do. After some sessions we left her do anything, just feel good and do anything she liked… everything changed.

Remember, he has not many years in front, leave him enjoy them.

David

Aloha Ben

So sorry to hear about your dad.

I don’t know about the Chemo thing but you know I lost my mother due to emphysema summer of 05 and we just lost my wife’s mom summer of 06. It has been a tough couple of years!

My heart and prayers are with you.

I read “The Grape Cure” I think it was back in the late 60’s. There are always jugs of pure grape juice in my fridge and grapes when in season as well as raisins.

The human body is an amazing thing and likely God has made available the solutions to most all our needs if we could just find them through all the distractions. False hope is a tragic thing and everyone will have a time when they will move on. May it still be a long time coming in your Dads case.

Greg Griffin has a great testimony regarding a similar crisis very close to him. Maybe he will share it. It is a powerful message of Hope.

Hey Ben -

really sorry to hear 'bout your Dad…a close relative of mine has been undergoing chemo for the last 3 years (off ond on)…it’s tough…

spend lots of time with him now -reminisce…

got no religious offerings i’m afraid…but i can give you my best wishes…from what i know of you - your Dad’ll enjoy every visit from you.

Hi Ben, my dad is the same age so I feel for you.

Hope he gets through it and has many more years of enjoying life.

the wisdom of avoiding reading this thread failed me today.

our sense of mortality is brought to ground zero

at the time in our lives when our fathers become mortal.

the organism lasts only so long.

when we ‘‘choose’’ our means of passing

whether it be escape from the top of a tall structure

or a slow debilitating degenerative disease

is much the same as a protracted treatment

fraught with side effects and grim perspectives.

I for one vote for miraculous remission.

these miracles can be brought on by strict diet regimines.

these miracles can be brought on by prayer.

these miracles can be brought on by the laying on of hands.

these miracles are all within us.

the treatments are unfortunately secondary.

the primary miracle is the belief in the ‘‘cure’’.

the belief in the disease brings on progressive disease

If one chooses to live,then no disease has a chance.

the cure,and the belief in said cure

regardless wether it is red kryptonite

papaya peels or a trip to lourdes

is the only concern.

When My mom was suffering from cronic fatigue

syndrome

I had the insight to tell her she had two choices

to survive it or not.

I am blessed she chose to survive.

my father’s prostate cancer

was a different story

he chose to gracefully pass away.

He did it with dignity and hospice.

allowing the entire family to benifit

from the healing of bringing together

of all the alienated relations

brothers and sisters

to his bed side

to celebrate a life of honor and respect

toil pain and trial.

I am gratified to be decended from such a man.

and woman.

the choices we make are best inspired by a higher voice.

tally ho dad

grace be with ye

make the choice you make be viable

…ambrose…

by no means a humble opinion

my opinion is a gift

given to me by my life

observing people I respect

Ambrose ,

Beautifully said…and profound…

Chip,

Having lost my father rather slowly - parkinsons and dementia - I too kind of avoided this thread plus, have no experience with cancer in my family.

But, alot of good advice here about attitude - both your Dad’s and your family’s - be positive for him, be with him, most of all - love him.

Best to you and your Dad.

Pete

Chip, can’t help you but i wish the best for your dad!

My thoughts are with him and possitive vibes are on the way from Galicia!

Coque.

thanks very very much everyone for your support , sharing , wisdom , encouragement and prayers !

swaylocks is a great community in good and bad times and i can’t thank you guys [and raaaach] enough !!

update …

dad is due on the goldy to talk things over with a specialist on thursday .

 the main concern also in my mind at least being the chemo /' radio therapy , how it will react with the medication he is taking for his [?sp?] crohn's disease  





cheers 

ben

Ben,

If you can tell us what type of cancer more specifically the community can probably give you more detailed info/advice/accounts…you have basically a worldwide support group here with a collective thousands of years experience. Skin cancers are very different from interior tumors…makes a big difference in how things are treated…again it will help if he has someone with him when he meets the evaluating doctor…also he ABSOLUTELY MUST TAKE A LIST OF ALL MEDICATIONS HE TAKES including dosage…will save him a lot of stress when filling out papers and like with the Crohn’s thing the medicos must know this. While every case is different there really are so many improvements in medical treatments over the past 20 years or so it’s heartening.

Nels