Topic: Cancer

[Red_Mist]

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience of dealing with the nausea associated with cancer and the problems of not eating/drinking enough (and dehydration) because of it. I know that's a question for the doctors really, but they just tend to prescribe the injections or tablets, but I'm thinking any suggestion for something that worked for someone else would be worth considering. Any food or drinks that went down well? This is for my dad by the way, not me. He seems to be able to keep rice pudding down, sort of, sometimes, but not much else, not even tea or water. Bit of a wits end with it trying to find something else. Man cannot live on rice pudding alone!

[John C]

Red Mist, Googling anything to do with cancer is horrific reading but perhaps if you narrow your search you may get far more advice than on here mate.
We all hope things turn out well for you.

[Red_Mist]

True John. Just a hell of a lot of pages of past experience here, off chance that someone comes up with something worth trying. It just doesn't seem right they can't control it, but they can't so it's a case of finding a way. Otherwise it's back into hossy and a drip. Thanks anyway mate, appreciate the reply

[Barneylfc∗]

About to lose my last grandparent to this fucker of a disease. He's had a great innings at almost 90. He's spending his last days at home, pretty much in pain just rotting away. Can barely speak, can't eat or drink, and just wants it all to end. My mum was told today he's got no more than a week left 

[JohnnoWhite]

About to lose my last grandparent to this fucker of a disease. He's had a great innings at almost 90. He's spending his last days at home, pretty much in pain just rotting away. Can barely speak, can't eat or drink, and just wants it all to end. My mum was told today he's got no more than a week left 

Good innings for your grandad lad - sad that it is ending in the way it is.
Hope it ends relatively without pain for him - and for his family. Thoughts and prayers with you all.

[Slightly Less Mediocre Baron Bennekov]

Thoughts and prayers to you and your family, Battle Cat. I hope he gets a painless time. God bless!

[ollyfrom.tv]

Just got back from my cousin's funeral. He died a few weeks ago from stomach cancer. Fought it for 5 years. Bastard disease.

[Barneylfc∗]

Was in my Grandads earlier. The support worker/carer/nurse or whatever advised my mum and aunts/uncles, all to say whatever they wanted to say to him tonight. They all went up together and every one of them came down crying their eyes out. I haven't lost someone I cared about in a long long time. I have regrets about not visiting him enough, but it's too late for that shit now. I seen him last 2 weeks or so ago, we had a chat and a joke. He was able, just about, to stand up, shake my hand, and walk us to the door. I don't want to see him now and see the suffering and pain he is going through. I'd rather remember him being able to function for himself. I just know that the next call I get from my mum could be that call.

[John C]

I have regrets about not visiting him enough,

It's natural mate but don't have regrets, reverse it, consider that he was fortunate to have reached an age to have witnessed & appreciated how you turned out.

[Barneylfc∗]

So my grandad passed on Boxing Day. Our first action of 2015 will be to bury him. Fucking grim way to start the new year. He'll be sorely missed and is now at peace.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

So my grandad passed on Boxing Day. Our first action of 2015 will be to bury him. Fucking grim way to start the new year. He'll be sorely missed and is now at peace.

Yourself and the family have my sympathies.  I am sorry to read of your news.  Take care friend.

[telekon]

Pappa passed away early on New Year's Eve. In memory of him I'd like to write down some thoughts in his honour and to clear my head a bit. My brain is still all over the place, so sorry that it's a bit messed up.

It was almost a year ago he went to the local clinic since he got exhausted after just walking down the stairs. They directly hired an ambulance and he was taken to a hospital where they pumped out 8 litres of water from his pleura (or was it lungs, can't remember) over 3 days time. After a few nights he was sent home and then shortly afterwards to some tests. They did a CAT-scan as far as I remember but didn't find any tumor. He was still advised to see a lung specialist. Some more tests were done, and I think he was diagnosed with cancer in late February.

He was given treatment for the cancer, chemotherapy but not radiation. He didn't lose his hair and as far as I know he had none or very little side effects from it. He was doing fine, more or less, until just after my sisters wedding at the end of August. By that time he was already informed that it had spread to the skeleton and liver. In September he started to lose weight and he got worse but was still okay living at home with his lady friend. At the end of November he was for a few days admitted to the hospital, sent back for 3-4 nights, but then got very ill due to a problem with his heart.

He was taken to the heart specialist for 24 hour care. They managed to lower his pulse through medication. Around this time I decided I had to go back (I live abroad), and I was able to take 2 weeks unpaid leave on topof the 2 weeks I already booked for holidays as my boss was very sympathic. Around this time he was on morphine and sedatives around the clock. I've lived abroad for 5 years now and he always picked me up at the train station when I was back home 2-4 times a year, so it was very sad not meeting him there, yet the joy in him when he saw me coming through his hospital room in early December was priceless and immediately removed much of the anxiety that I had about his condition and hospitals in general.

Around the 20th he was moved to a palliative unit. He was very ill and suffered but the sisters of mercy cared very well for him, and we were still there visiting him every day. Between myself, my sister, and his girlfriend, we covered all the waking hours by his side. On the 28th he was no longer able to eat, and that caused problems with his heart medicine since it wasn't able to take that intravenously. He was between chairs with the other medicine but it was sorted on the 29th. He was fighting very hard but on the morning of the 31st he could no longer hold on. My sister was there over night and when she called it was a mixed feeling of sadness, chock, but mostly relief that the disease left him and that he would no longer suffer.

I was very hesitant on seeing his dead body, but the priest came to give the last rites and we all decided to go. I could barely look at him, and the room was filled with intense void and darkness. It was very strange and I had to look away most of the time. Like perfect symbolism between death and life, my 3-year-old nephew saw me coming out of the room at the other end of the corridor and ran towards me with his arms open giving me a great hug. It was as if death was left behind me and life was coming towards me.

One of my dads favorite songs was My Sweet Lord by George Harrison (who also died from lung cancer and looked a lot like my dad). I told my sister about the song as we were still at the hospital waiting for the undertaker. She played it from her phone and I cried for the whole duration. I don't often cry, but I've never cried like that. Again there where mixed feelings. The terrible sadness and desperation, feelings of great loss, the beauty of the song and the fitting lyrics. It felt like a great cleansing and a very profound moment.

I'm not a religious or spiritual person, but when we came back around lunch on Wednesday, I could somehow feel his prescence in the living room with the fireplace. I've never felt anything like it but it was quite palpable, he was there in the room - not as a person or a ghost, but his presence was there somehow - his love was there.

My dad lived outside Stoke in his early 20's so this was the early 70's. Since then he's been a fan of Stoke City. Not a big fan but he's been following them since then and always looked for their result in the morning paper. When they played Liverpool he was a bit torn since he didn't want to see me upset. At the funeral agency today we've already chosen My Sweet Lord and a couple of hymns, and the representative asked us for one more and I thought of You'll Never Walk Alone. I think he would have loved it and the message it has. We decided to have it at the end of the funeral.

Pappa was the nicest person you'd ever meet and people really liked him. For him to get such a disease is the greatest of injustices. It's not even real. But he also lived a good life for most of his 62 years. He was very loved and will be very missed. I hope it will get easier because now it's very tough, not to mention all the practical stuff and bureaucracy, when all you want to do is mourn and try to relax a little.

A big thank you to everyone in this thread and to the people who showed support during difficult times. For everyone fighting the battle and have friends and family fighting it: you are awesome! Meet them and talk to them a lot. You will not regret talking to them too much, but you will probably regret not talking to them enough! Much love to you.

[JohnnoWhite]

So my grandad passed on Boxing Day. Our first action of 2015 will be to bury him. Fucking grim way to start the new year. He'll be sorely missed and is now at peace.

May he rest in peace BC - and while you continue to talk to him when you need to, he'll never be far from you.

[JohnnoWhite]

Pappa passed away early on New Year's Eve. A big thank you to everyone in this thread and to the people who showed support during difficult times. For everyone fighting the battle and have friends and family fighting it: you are awesome!

Meet them and talk to them a lot. You will not regret talking to them too much, but you will probably regret not talking to them enough! Much love to you.

Sorry to hear of your Dad's passing mate - and on my birthday too. But your consolation is always the love he left behind him to comfort his family.

Great advice at the end of your post. RIP your Dad.

[John C]

In memory of him I'd like to write down some thoughts in his honour and to clear my head a bit.

That was a really lovely post mate, I felt every word. And there's a coincidental timing when I read it.
Condolences.

[Slightly Less Mediocre Baron Bennekov]

Beautiful post, telekon. My condolences to you and your family. God bless!

[slaphead]

Looking for a bit of advice or info here guys, I'd rather not look this up because you get so many mixed answers, I'd rather hear from people I am quite familiar with, have respect for and believe what they say - in other words the community of RAWK
Not to go over old ground too mcuh, but my young daughter is in remission at the moment
She has aggressive surgery just over a year ago, and without going deep into it, the long and short of it is she had a 50/50 survival rate, and about a 10% rate of surgery being deemed a success
Anyway, the surgery was done, she survived and the operation was a success - to the naked eye at least
So here's where we are now
During surgery she lost adrenal glands and a lung, which is fine
After surgery the Surgeon - fella in Southampton called Robert Wheeler, who I owe my life to by the way, told us that he got the tumour out, and he scraped all particles that he could see away around the Vena Cava
Yesterday my girl had an Ultrasound, of which she has had a few since surgery
We then met her Olcologist, who is good, and he knows it
Which is ok, but he's always sure of himself, and for me, as long as you don't let him just talk at you and be done with you and pull him on things, its fine
He looked at her scans and he said "looks ok but they are measuring something here, well I'm not very good at reading Ultrasounds, I'd rather work with CT scans"
I pulled him up and said "I've never heard you say that before, that you're not sure how to do something"
he laughed it off, but I said again, "normally you are 100% sure one way or the other - is something wrong"
Thethings is, he's always read these for us in the past and said they were ok
he said "listen, I'm not great at these, but if there was a problem they would have came straight over. we'll get a CT in March, but IF the report shows anything we'll get her in sooner"
The thing annoying us now is, we seen them measuring something in Ultrasound, and it was around her Vena Cava
So here's my question, has anyone had, know of or read anything to help me understand if measuring the Vena Cava is completely normal, or do they only do it if something of interest is there
I'm confident its nothing to worry about at all, but my missus is worried sick

[John C]

My 25,000th post on this fantastic site has to be dedicated to this thread and the fight against this horrible disease. So many lovely women & men, mums & dads, siblings, friends and family have suffered an enduring journey or worse due to Cancer. When it arrives it's an unexpected life changing challenge. People embark on a journey that non-suffers can't comprehend unless you love that person.

Then it's bewildering how people fight against that vile disease.

Bless suffers and those that suffer with them and fuck off all forms of it.

[Red_Mist]

Bless suffers and those that suffer with them and fuck off all forms of it.

Amen to that John.

Sadly dad lost his battle last week. I'm a bit all over the shop at the moment, but i want to give hope and encouragement to those still fighting. He originally got told he had cancer 7 years ago and the prognosis was not good, but he battled and won and had several years in remission during which we had many memorable times with him. When it came back over 2 years ago, they gave him 6 months tops. He made it to 2 years and more, no problem. And again we took him to places he'd always wanted to go and had some fantastic times. So never stop fighting and keep on going for those you love, and those that love you. We'll celebrate his life next week, and I'll take his scarf (a 60s shanks classic) to the match on Sunday, and sing for him, and then send it on where it belongs, with him. YNWA dad.

[JohnnoWhite]

Have a memorable day Phil - and I am certain you'll do your Dad proud lad. May he rest well in peace.

[telekon]

Great post Red_Mist. Bless your dad and your family. Happy to hear that you could share good moments with him over the last years.

I chose to have You'll Never Walk Alone at the end of my dads funeral and it's a decision I'm very proud of. It was the strongest version of the song that I've heard at that time, it felt the most powerful, even though I well up to it occasionally before that. Your dad will be so proud of you for taking his scarf with you on Sunday. All the best to you.

[Crimson_Tank]

A fitting tribute Red_Mist. My thoughts are with you in this difficult time, laying a parent to rest is not an easy thing to do.

Keep your head up mate,  PM me if you need to.

RIP YNWA

[John C]

He originally got told he had cancer 7 years ago and the prognosis was not good, but he battled and won and had several years in remission during which we had many memorable times with him. When it came back over 2 years ago, they gave him 6 months tops. He made it to 2 years and more, no problem. And again we took him to places he'd always wanted to go and had some fantastic times. So never stop fighting and keep on going for those you love, and those that love you. We'll celebrate his life next week, and I'll take his scarf (a 60s shanks classic) to the match on Sunday, and sing for him, and then send it on where it belongs, with him. YNWA dad.

So sorry to hear that mate. Really, really sorry for you and your family. Your post is short, but so poignant about the battle against this fucker and how people can fight it fearsomely yet lose.
Best wishes to you RM.

[Red_Mist]

So sorry to hear that mate. Really, really sorry for you and your family. Your post is short, but so poignant about the battle against this fucker and how people can fight it fearsomely yet lose.
Best wishes to you RM.

Thanks for your very kind words John.

Have a memorable day Phil - and I am certain you'll do your Dad proud lad. May he rest well in peace.

Thanks Johnno, i will mate

Great post Red_Mist. Bless your dad and your family. Happy to hear that you could share good moments with him over the last years.

I chose to have You'll Never Walk Alone at the end of my dads funeral and it's a decision I'm very proud of. It was the strongest version of the song that I've heard at that time, it felt the most powerful, even though I well up to it occasionally before that. Your dad will be so proud of you for taking his scarf with you on Sunday. All the best to you.

Thanks telekon. Just re-read your posts on the previous page, I'm sorry i couldn't comment at the time. God bless you and yours too.

A fitting tribute Red_Mist. My thoughts are with you in this difficult time, laying a parent to rest is not an easy thing to do.

Keep your head up mate,  PM me if you need to.

RIP YNWA

cheers CT, really very much appreciated.

[soxfan]

Looks like a very well made documentary series starting on PBS this week. Ken Burns is a tremendous documentary maker. Thought some of you might gain some insight. Good luck everyone. Stay strong.

http://video.pbs.org/program/story-cancer-emperor-all-maladies/

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/VqZs-F2soaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/VqZs-F2soaw</a>

[soxfan]

Bump. Didn't want anyone potentially interested in the above series to miss the start of it. It's gotten rave reviews.

Best wishes everyone. 

[androulla]

Keep fighting everyone. Stay strong and positive xx

[Agger]

Haven't posted on RAWK for a while but I just found out that my dad has prostate cancer (medium risk). He's a doctor himself so he's pretty cool about it and knows what he has to do.

Just wondering if any Rawkites experienced this themselves or perhaps close relative? How was it? How did it go? The treatment, the risks, etc.

All I know about prostate cancer is that it's the "kindest" sort of cancer and treatable and he'll most likely live for a long time (he's 62 this year), but I'm a bit shaken up.

[Chakan]

Haven't posted on RAWK for a while but I just found out that my dad has prostate cancer (medium risk). He's a doctor himself so he's pretty cool about it and knows what he has to do.

Just wondering if any Rawkites experienced this themselves or perhaps close relative? How was it? How did it go? The treatment, the risks, etc.

All I know about prostate cancer is that it's the "kindest" sort of cancer and treatable and he'll most likely live for a long time (he's 62 this year), but I'm a bit shaken up.

Sorry to hear mate. It's always a shock when you hear the C word.

My dad was diagnosed with that about 3/4 years ago. His was very mild, and they did tests and whatnot throughout the next couple of years. I can't remember what treatment he had for it, but they adopted a "wait and see" tactic I think. Regular tests and see if anything grows. So far nothing has changed possibly even gotten better.

[Terry_Tibbs]

Haven't posted on RAWK for a while but I just found out that my dad has prostate cancer (medium risk). He's a doctor himself so he's pretty cool about it and knows what he has to do.

Just wondering if any Rawkites experienced this themselves or perhaps close relative? How was it? How did it go? The treatment, the risks, etc.

All I know about prostate cancer is that it's the "kindest" sort of cancer and treatable and he'll most likely live for a long time (he's 62 this year), but I'm a bit shaken up.

My old fella (now 74) had it approx 5-6 years ago and opted for the radiotherapy treatment, the folks retired and moved to France and over there he was having treatment every day Mon to Fri for approx 6-8 weeks which thankfully cleared the cancer but he's now been left with nerve damage in his legs which means he now has to walk with a zimmer frame and several times a month he has a bad fall as his legs have given way resulting in the expected broken legs, ankles etc.

Talking to him about it he's still of the opinion that given the choice again he'd take radiotherapy over the other option to have an op to cut it out.

Like you the mention of the C brings your whole world to a stop and left the whole family in a state of shock and worry but the Drs, like your Dad, were of the similar view that yep it's cancer but it's not an aggressive cancer per se and they can treat it relatively easily with a good success rate.

After the initial all clear he was having check ups and tests every month, then every 3 months, and now he has blood tests twice a year just before going to see the Cancer specialist. 

[Agger]

Sorry to hear mate. It's always a shock when you hear the C word.

My dad was diagnosed with that about 3/4 years ago. His was very mild, and they did tests and whatnot throughout the next couple of years. I can't remember what treatment he had for it, but they adopted a "wait and see" tactic I think. Regular tests and see if anything grows. So far nothing has changed possibly even gotten better.

My old fella (now 74) had it approx 5-6 years ago and opted for the radiotherapy treatment, the folks retired and moved to France and over there he was having treatment every day Mon to Fri for approx 6-8 weeks which thankfully cleared the cancer but he's now been left with nerve damage in his legs which means he now has to walk with a zimmer frame and several times a month he has a bad fall as his legs have given way resulting in the expected broken legs, ankles etc.

Talking to him about it he's still of the opinion that given the choice again he'd take radiotherapy over the other option to have an op to cut it out.

Like you the mention of the C brings your whole world to a stop and left the whole family in a state of shock and worry but the Drs, like your Dad, were of the similar view that yep it's cancer but it's not an aggressive cancer per se and they can treat it relatively easily with a good success rate.

After the initial all clear he was having check ups and tests every month, then every 3 months, and now he has blood tests twice a year just before going to see the Cancer specialist. 

Thanks guys. Just wanted to hear from som people who've went through the same thing so cheers for that.

And I'm handling it quite well, in my opinion, because I can't imagine anything would go wrong. But you never know...

Fingers crossed.

[Lady_brandybuck]

Haven't posted on RAWK for a while but I just found out that my dad has prostate cancer (medium risk). He's a doctor himself so he's pretty cool about it and knows what he has to do.

Just wondering if any Rawkites experienced this themselves or perhaps close relative? How was it? How did it go? The treatment, the risks, etc.

All I know about prostate cancer is that it's the "kindest" sort of cancer and treatable and he'll most likely live for a long time (he's 62 this year), but I'm a bit shaken up.

Sorry to hear that mate, I hope your dad gets a speedy recovery and gets a full clear sooner rather than later

[Agger]

Sorry to hear that mate, I hope your dad gets a speedy recovery and gets a full clear sooner rather than later

Thanks mate.

[Raul!]

Haven't been on here for a while.

Sorry to say that my Dad, incredible human being and helper of anyone who needed something,  passed away yesterday. His first round was 10 years ago. Got another form of it three years ago, dealt with it and then it recurred early this year. May post more later but for now, all I need to say is that I wouldn't have been half the person I am but for him. And he's the one who told me that Liverpool was my club, back in 1973.

Needless to say, I'm devastated, but the messages of literally hundreds of folks who he's done things for over the years make me feel better and incredibly proud.

[Crimson_Tank]

So sorry to hear this Raul. Losing a parent is never easy. I am, however, glad that you are getting letters and messages of support and gratitude from those he helped and those who remember him fondly. My experience is that such correspondence can be difficult at times but it is important and it helps you see how kind and generous your father was, how many lives he touched, and how great a man he was.

RIP.

PM if you need to chat mate.

[telekon]

Deepest of sympathies, Raul.

I lost my dad 6 months ago to cancer as well. He was similar to your dad too as we got told by so many different people what a kind and good-hearted person that he was. Take pride in the fact that you were raised by him. You obviously knew first hand what kind of person he was. Honour his memory. I realized that that was the best thing I could do; try to be as loving, kind, and generous as he was.

All the best to you and your family.

[RedSince86]

Haven't been on here for a while.

Sorry to say that my Dad, incredible human being and helper of anyone who needed something,  passed away yesterday. His first round was 10 years ago. Got another form of it three years ago, dealt with it and then it recurred early this year. May post more later but for now, all I need to say is that I wouldn't have been half the person I am but for him. And he's the one who told me that Liverpool was my club, back in 1973.

Needless to say, I'm devastated, but the messages of literally hundreds of folks who he's done things for over the years make me feel better and incredibly proud.

Sorry for your loss.

R.I.P

All the best.

[Red_Mist]

Sincere condolences Raul. He sounds like he was a fantastic fella. R.I.P.

[JohnnoWhite]

May his spirit live long in and through you and all of his children. Condolences to you all.

[John C]

Sorry for your loss Raul, really awful for you mate.