| Author |
|
Bethanne
New User
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 1
|
 Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:27 am Post subject: My Dad has been diagnosed Stage 4 Prostate Cancer |
 |
|
Hi Everyone,
I have been reading this forum and have gotten a lot of great information, so thank you.
I am asking for some additional information regarding Prostate Cancer for my father.
My Dad just turned 91, has never been ill in his life and most people would never know that he was 91. Needless to say he was diagnosed this past April with Stage 4 prostate cancer, I don't even want to discuss the lack of care his GP gave him. He hasn't had a PSA test since he was 80, the GP didn't think he needed one. The diagnosis was finally realized due to severe back pain, which began in December, his GP again misdiagnosed him. In April he became very ill and was admitted to the hospital and finally diagnosed.
His Gleason scores are anywhere from 7-10, his PSA is off the charts. He has been started on hormone therapy as of the beginning of May, he also has had radiation treatment and since the radiation treatment he has gone down hill. The oncologist told him that after the radiation treatment he would feel great, well that was not true at all. He has been losing weight rapidly, he was 185 and is now down to 145. I have gone to appointments with him and the oncologist said, I can't tell you how long you have to live, but the prostate cancer will not be the cause of your death it will be something else. Yeah she's not that great either.
Here is what has happened to him since May:
1. Hormone therapy began with a shot every 3 months
2. Bone IV treatment every month
3. Pain killers daily, tramadol and pain patch every 3 days
4. 15 sessions of radiation
5. Fracture in his lower spine, the spine has cancer throughout
6. He has fallen twice and has had 2 sets of staples in his head from the fall. due to the fracture in the lower spine
7. He has now been diagnosed with a horrible case of shingles
8. The oncologist has refused us hospice care
9. He has not gotten better, in fact he has gotten much worse since radiation
10. He is not well at all and I am beyond frustrated with the oncologist, and her poor bedside manner and lack of helping my family
I need help as I am wondering what is going to be next for him and when we need to demand hospice care for him. My Mom is trying to take care of him, however she also has been very ill and the last thing my Dad wants is to end up in a nursing home, he is adamant about being at home and we want his wish to be at home.
He is walking with a walker and they are sending him to PT to help with his walking, they gave him a cane which made him fall this past Saturday, 4 more staples in his head from this fall. The shingles are on his left side and are on his leg, the left side has been weakened due to the fracture, and are now on his back.
Any help would be appreciated. My Dad has been my idol and is the kindest man I have ever met. I need some advice as to help him live his life to the fullest and most comfortably, we never want to see people we love suffer.
BethAnne
Daughter of the most wonderful man in the world |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Replicant
Moderator
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 742
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:25 pm Post subject: hi |
|
|
I'm sorry to hear about your dad.
I wouldn't wait. I would see what hospice in your area has to offer.
Best wishes.
_________________
Replicant
Dx Feb 2006, PSA 9 @age 43
RRP Apr 2006 - Gleason 3+4, T2c, NXMX, pos margins
PSA 5/06 <0.1, 8/06 0.2, 12/06 0.6, 1/07 0.7.
Salvage radiation (IMRT) total dose 70.2 Gy, Jan-Mar 2007@ age 44
PSA 6/07 0.1, 9/07 (and thereafter) <0.1
http://pcabefore50.blogspot.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
mkane09
Experienced user
Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 71
Location: East TN
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: My Dad has been diagnosed Stage 4 Prostate Cancer |
|
|
Fire your oncologist and get another. Get him into a hospice program right away. Oh, fire the physical therapist that took him off the walker and put him on a cane. These are, of course, just my opinions....
God bless your family....
mkane09
_________________
PSA 6.48, biopsy Gleason 3+4, robotic prostatectomy 9/17/08, pathology Gleason 4+5, pathologic stage T2c, positive margins, first post-op PSA 10-15-08 0.10; 2nd post-op PSA 0.18; SRT completed May 22, 2009. 1st post-radiation PSA, 8-4-09, <0.06. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
Search 
Email Digests
Register to post
Profile 
Check private messages 
Log in
What is this ?
We subscribe to the HONcode principles. Verify here. All content and posts are copyright.
