help me to understand

[Beccaf]

hi.

My father has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. They have said that he is too weak for any interventional treatments. They have told him that they will give him two or three rounds of radiation to stem the bleeding , and he has steroids and antibiotics and will have a supply of oxygen at home in case he needs it.

He has been poorly for a while but this is a new diagnosis. He has had copd for many years.

he is breathless, weak, lacking in appetite, fatigued, has lost a lot of weight (now around 8 stone) , and has been coughing up blood.

He says they have not said how long he may have.

I’m struggling to get my head around things as one minute I’m thinking this is the worst it gets, and the next minute I’m thinking maybe they can do something. He lives many miles from me so it’s hard to tell how he really is, but he kinda sounds ok when I speak to him.

I know in reality this is really bad. What I’m wanting to know really is what should I expect?

I can travel to see him and will be with him next week.

I know he may have been told more about what to expect and I think he may try and shield me from some, so any advice from anybody would be very much appreciated

Thanks so much in advance

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Dear Beccaf

Welcome to the forum and so sorry to hear about your Dad. It can be difficult to know what is going on until you see him. It is understandable, given his severe COPD, that he is not well enough for standard treatment and hopefully the radiotherapy will provide a degree of shrinkage of the cancer.

The oncology team will maybe know more when they do a check CT scan after the radiotherapy treatment is finished. It is quite a distressing and stressful time for you and you may find your emotions come on unexpectedly, are intense and quite overwhelming, I hope you have people to support you at this time.

You will be able to assess him better when you see him, as you know what is normal health and activities are. Hopefully there is some care at home for him or it may be he needs to be referred to the community oncology team.

You may find our booklets of use in understanding the process and living with lung cancer: roycastle.org/help-and-supp...

Our booklets range from diagnosis, the different treatments and living with lung cancer.

You may be able to speak to your dads lung cancer nurse specialist, (whilst he is there and he gives you permission) in that way you could ask the staging and prognosis.

Hope you hear from others in the forum and below are some links to our support services: roycastle.org/help-and-supp...

If you are looking anything up online, we would advise you to keep to the following websites that provide accurate and up to date information.

roycastle.org

cancerresearchuk.org

macmillan.org.uk

We offer a one of patient grant of up to £150, which is means tested and you can find the online application form through this link: roycastle.org/patient-grant...

Please know that you are not alone, as this can feel quite isolating. Our ask the nurse helpline is open Monday to Thursday 0900-1700 and Friday 0900-1600 (excluding public holidays) on 0800 358 7200, alternatively you can email the nurses at [e-mail]

Kind regards

The Roy Castle Support Team

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I just wanted to send my very best wishes to you and your Dad when you see him. It’s so difficult to take in, and you probably like me have loads of questions that only the consultants can answer. I hope you find the support through the Roy Castle helpful too. X