I've posted a few times about my Dad, lives in NW Iowa, and his battle with cancer. Several members have expressed condolences and offered up prayers. I'm starting this new thread to consolidate things into one thread.
I'll give a quick overview:
In 2015 he was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. In 11/2015 he had has bladder removed and had a urostomy bag put on.
Christmas of '21 he says the Dr's found a mass on his left kidney. He'd taken himself to the hospital for lower pain in his lower abdomen.
I was able to take him to 2 Drs appts over Christmas Vacation. The first appt the Dr could only verify that there was a mass. Unfortunately since the mass was an incidental find the scans weren't conclusive. The Dr ordered a CT Scan with contrast. I was able to take him to that appointment as well. After that we came back to Texas.
The Dr saw the scans and ordered a PET/CT Scan. My Dad's Girlfriend & my younger brother took him to Omaha for that. That Dr said it's stage 4 cancer in a couple of locations. Adrenal Gland on left kidney, spot on a lung and lower right leg and was inoperable.
Dad says he asked the Dr how long he had left. The Dr told him 4-6 months if he did nothing or chemo didn't work. Possibly maybe 1-2 years with intervention. Dad was than referred to a Dr close to home, same Dr who treated Dad's bladder cancer.
2/25/22 I took an extended leave of absence from work.
2/26/22 I flew home to Iowa. They started Chemo in March we did 4 cycles of it. The Dr ordered another PET/CT Scan to compare to the previous one.
4/21 we saw a Radiation Oncologist. She ordered/ prescibed 10 radiation treatments for Dad's leg. She wanted to wait to start those till after the PET/CT Scan.
Last Friday 4/29/22 we had the PET/CT Scan.
5/4 we had another appointment with the Chemo Dr.
He said the tumor shrunk in some spots, stayed similar in others and shrunk in others. The Dr didn't say it was a failure because the tumor(s) were reacting to the chemo. However since it wasn't significant or immediately noticeable the Dr said it was ineffective. I chose to not get into semantics. Than I realized what the Dr said. Chemo didn't work. We're 4 months into 4-6 months .
The Dr wanted to try a different approach. Immunotherapy. He went over the risk and such. Dr also shared that it's less toxic to the body. He also offered up to do nothing and call in Hospice to keep Dad comfortable.
Dad asked me what he should do. I couldn't hardly breathe let alone speak. I choked out "Fight!" but quickly followed that up with "that's a selfish choice on my part!" Dad looked at Dr and said Ok, we'll try that and see once what happens.
I was elated. The Dr also consulted with an Orthopedic Surgeon about the bone cancer in Dad's leg as it's effected the bone and there's some bone missing. The Surgeon recommended Zometa. It'll help control the calcium in the blood and help the bone regrow. On 5/4 Dad got his first infusion of Keytruda and Zometa. While Dad was getting his infusions I was in the waiting room, like usual, one of the RN's came out and went over the things to watch for with his new medicine. I had to choke out a bunch of words and questions. I was hurting inside. She answered them all. She was awesome. She even brought me some Kleenex and a new mask. Said she knows its hars to breathe through your mask when it gets wet from a runny nose. I smiled abd gave her a thunbs up. I didn't trust myself to speak. So now it's Saturday. Dad's still weak, he has no appetite, but he's been feisty the last couple of nights. I've told him as much. He apologized. I said no need! It's a compliment!! How many days has there been when all you've done is sleep... I hope it means you're improving.
5/9 we start 10 days of radiation [emoji1695] it helps with the leg.
So to recap.
Chemo: ineffective
Trying Immunotherapy
Kyle sad when found out, not as sad now
I'll give a quick overview:
In 2015 he was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. In 11/2015 he had has bladder removed and had a urostomy bag put on.
Christmas of '21 he says the Dr's found a mass on his left kidney. He'd taken himself to the hospital for lower pain in his lower abdomen.
I was able to take him to 2 Drs appts over Christmas Vacation. The first appt the Dr could only verify that there was a mass. Unfortunately since the mass was an incidental find the scans weren't conclusive. The Dr ordered a CT Scan with contrast. I was able to take him to that appointment as well. After that we came back to Texas.
The Dr saw the scans and ordered a PET/CT Scan. My Dad's Girlfriend & my younger brother took him to Omaha for that. That Dr said it's stage 4 cancer in a couple of locations. Adrenal Gland on left kidney, spot on a lung and lower right leg and was inoperable.
Dad says he asked the Dr how long he had left. The Dr told him 4-6 months if he did nothing or chemo didn't work. Possibly maybe 1-2 years with intervention. Dad was than referred to a Dr close to home, same Dr who treated Dad's bladder cancer.
2/25/22 I took an extended leave of absence from work.
2/26/22 I flew home to Iowa. They started Chemo in March we did 4 cycles of it. The Dr ordered another PET/CT Scan to compare to the previous one.
4/21 we saw a Radiation Oncologist. She ordered/ prescibed 10 radiation treatments for Dad's leg. She wanted to wait to start those till after the PET/CT Scan.
Last Friday 4/29/22 we had the PET/CT Scan.
5/4 we had another appointment with the Chemo Dr.
He said the tumor shrunk in some spots, stayed similar in others and shrunk in others. The Dr didn't say it was a failure because the tumor(s) were reacting to the chemo. However since it wasn't significant or immediately noticeable the Dr said it was ineffective. I chose to not get into semantics. Than I realized what the Dr said. Chemo didn't work. We're 4 months into 4-6 months .
The Dr wanted to try a different approach. Immunotherapy. He went over the risk and such. Dr also shared that it's less toxic to the body. He also offered up to do nothing and call in Hospice to keep Dad comfortable.
Dad asked me what he should do. I couldn't hardly breathe let alone speak. I choked out "Fight!" but quickly followed that up with "that's a selfish choice on my part!" Dad looked at Dr and said Ok, we'll try that and see once what happens.
I was elated. The Dr also consulted with an Orthopedic Surgeon about the bone cancer in Dad's leg as it's effected the bone and there's some bone missing. The Surgeon recommended Zometa. It'll help control the calcium in the blood and help the bone regrow. On 5/4 Dad got his first infusion of Keytruda and Zometa. While Dad was getting his infusions I was in the waiting room, like usual, one of the RN's came out and went over the things to watch for with his new medicine. I had to choke out a bunch of words and questions. I was hurting inside. She answered them all. She was awesome. She even brought me some Kleenex and a new mask. Said she knows its hars to breathe through your mask when it gets wet from a runny nose. I smiled abd gave her a thunbs up. I didn't trust myself to speak. So now it's Saturday. Dad's still weak, he has no appetite, but he's been feisty the last couple of nights. I've told him as much. He apologized. I said no need! It's a compliment!! How many days has there been when all you've done is sleep... I hope it means you're improving.
5/9 we start 10 days of radiation [emoji1695] it helps with the leg.
So to recap.
Chemo: ineffective
Trying Immunotherapy
Kyle sad when found out, not as sad now
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