TWO WEEKS

Apr 21, 2008 at 8:22 PM

I feel that I have very torn and diverse feelings about Cancer because each of my parents have had such different experiences with it. By the time we found out about my Dad’s cancer it had spread. When the doctors first discovered it was cancer they gave him two weeks to live. TWO WEEKS. I still remember sitting on the couch when he told us. I don’t remember anything afterwards just the whole family sitting on the couch in the TV room crying. From there on out it was second opinions, surgeries, and staying with friends while my parents were at Stanford for months at a time. It was three years of ups and downs, and we slowly watched my Dad’s physical strength disintegrate. Chemo was when things got really bad. I used to go to the clinic sometimes with my Dad and sit with him while the chemo was administered through a catheter in his chest.

Central Venous Catheter (CVC): A special thin, flexible tube placed in a large vein, usually in the chest, neck, or upper arm. It can remain there for as long as it is needed to deliver and withdraw fluids.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the common term for any treatment involving the use of chemical agents to stop cancer cells from growing. More than 100 chemotherapy drugs are used in various combinations depending on the type and severity of the cancer.

Side effects of Chemo:

-Nausea and vomiting

-Hair loss

-Fatigue

-Increased chance of bruising and bleeding

-Anemia (low red blood cell count)

-Infection

Parts of the body that are affected by Chemo:

-Intestinal problems

-Appetite and weight changes

-Sore mouth, gums and throat

-Nerve and muscle problems

-Dry and or discolored skin

-Sexual and fertility issues because of effects on reproductive organs

I can't even imagine. I mean, when researching Chemotherapy there are some awful side effects and reports on it. When my Dad started doing Chemo he really started to get weak physically. While Chemo kills bad cell growth, it also has a hard time differentiating it from good cell growth, and it can kill good cells as well. That was a hard time, watching him slowly get sick for three years. It’s almost like you come to a point where you just want to know…. will he make it or not? You get sick and tired of the waiting and hoping. It’s frustrating, and so completely out of your control. That was my main concern when we found out about my Mom’s cancer. Immediately we all wanted to know…”Do you have to do Chemo?”