Daddy

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2007
Daddy
4
Tue, 07-24-2007 - 10:47am
My dad was diagnosed with colon cancer 2 weeks ago. Since then the news just gets worse and worse. Three days after diagnosis, we were told the colon cancer is in his liver and his stomach. Two days after, they tried to put a stent in his colon to bypass the tumor there and open him up so that the pain lessens in his abdomen. The stent failed and he was into surgery that day to cut out part of his colon. They took that tumor and part of his colon, some fatty cancer in his stomach and his appendix which had cancer on it as well. That surgery is a rough one and he's still in the hospital today. They're waiting for his digestive system to function normally. And just an hour ago I was told the oncologist visited and said if the chemo works perfectly he has a maximum of 2 years. And chemo works about 50% of the time. 2 years. This would seem like a lifetime if I got to see him everyday. But my family lives in Wisconsin and I live in Arizona. And I'm heading out to Australia for 4 months starting in 2 weeks. So now it's like I'm counting the times we get..Christmas...maybe next summer, maybe the Thanksgiving after that. When do I need to fly home to actually stay there with him in the end. I'm going to start crying at work..so I'm going to stop typing now. Thanks for letting me vent. And any support would be very much appreciated, especially if you live in Flagstaff, Arizona.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-11-2004
In reply to: briamber
Tue, 07-24-2007 - 3:09pm

BRIAMBER


I am sorry about your Dad's diagnosis. Here is hoping that he is improving today. My uncle was diagnosed 4 years ago with prostate cancer. He then developed stomach cancer the next year. They said the chemo had a 30% chance of working. He didn't want to do the chemo, but my Dad, his BIL, bullied him into it. The DR said the chemo would give him another couple of years. Today he is still cancer free. Go figure.


I don't know any words to give you about living far away. My sister was the one that lived hundreds of miles away while Mama succumbed to Alzheimer's and our sister battled lupus. There were days I envied C, being far away from it.


I am sure that when Philly gets back she will know TONS more.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-21-2003
In reply to: briamber
Thu, 07-26-2007 - 6:38pm
So sorry about your dad's diagnoses. I know it sounds grim, but people beat the odds all the time. Spend what time you can with your family cherishing the days you have together. I wish there were more I could tell you. I hope your dad is resting comfortably and treatments give him more time than the doctors are guessing. Hugs, Lauri

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2003
In reply to: briamber
Fri, 07-27-2007 - 5:58am

So sorry to hear about your Dad.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2007
In reply to: briamber
Fri, 07-27-2007 - 1:11pm

I am so sorry that your family is going through this and I understand your pain. I lost my father to multiple myeloma in 1994 after two excruciating years. Even though you can't be there to physically hug your dad or touch him as often as you'd like, you can still do things. I found that my father felt isolated a lot because he couldn't get around much. He loved talking on the telephone though, so call your dad often to just chitchat. Send him video recordings, tapes and things and ask him to make them for you. Not only does it give you both a way to stay in contact but it gives him something to do to occupy himself.

Cry when you need to cry - it always made me feel better. In the meantime, I'll keep praying for you.