Originally Posted by PimTac
As I mentioned earlier, I've lost both my parents, my dad to cancer too.
Make sure someone in the family is with him during doctor appointments. That way the instructions are known to two people. Also you may have questions or something you've noticed that you want to bring up.
Doctors like to control things like diet. I'm in the camp of letting your dad eat what he wants within reason. Having said that Some things may not be good though. If your dad is on opioid pain medicine, foods that are constipating should be discouraged as opioids are constipating themselves. Hydration is a good idea. Alway have water available close by.
Get him out of the house when you can. Going to places he enjoys like parks etc. Eating out , visiting old friends etc. Keep him involved in family matters and ask him for advice when things come up. Feeling useful makes someone feel better in many ways no matter what condition they are in.
If pain is a problem or will soon be, talk to the doctor about a pain management plan. I understand this is Canadian Healthcare so the details may be different than what is expected in the US.
Finally, make sure your mother gets a break now and then. This is hard on her. Getting her away for a couple of hours gives her the opportunity to express her feelings and concerns and will relieve some stress on her as well.
I hope this helps.
My mom is good at talking with his oncologist and taking notes / expressing concerns. My mom is 10 years younger and really young at heart for being 60. She still works as well to keep active.
His oncologist is really nice and not the traditional doctor type. He is even open to alternative things in compliment with his treatment plan. He is also a specialist in the type of cancer my dad has. We have exceptional treatment in the city we live in that is on par with the rest of the world because it's a research hospital flush with money both government and private donations. I'm confident he is getting the best possible treatment.
I have dinner with them a couple times a week and on the weekends my dad and I are usually doing stuff he/we enjoy. No worries there. We are forever tinkering with something (he enjoys this), going somewhere and changing the pace.
Pain is already an issue and has been for quite some time. It will get worse and they have him on a management plan that has been working well so far. His oncologist is really good at preparing him and setting him up with what he needs. He has monthly visits with the oncologist along with regular scans and blood work prior to these visits.
I'm working with my mum as well, its hard to get her away from the house because she worries about him but I make a real effort to try as much as possible to give her a mental break.
Thanks for the advice. It's great to know I have been doing the right things.
