The setup: my dad is 74 and was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in March after a couple of months of not being able to get rid of pneumonia. He's terminal and has had palliative radiotherapy because the cancer that had metastacised to his bones was causing a great deal of pain and now is having chemo with the idea that it will also help with the pain and give him a bit longer and more importantly better time to live. He's had 5 of 6 chemo treatments as of today.
I live in the UK and he's in the US, so I haven't seen him for nearly three weeks but have been out there more often than not since the beginning of March and am going back on Saturday. When I left, he was slightly foggy-minded and a little confused but from what I understand from my mother, he's gone hugely downhill and is a quite bit loopy and sleeping constantly.
I've been reading up a bit about chemo brain / delirium and dementia but was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experiences or just a "YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS" idea about it. (One of the best things I learned from MN was the fact that my son would vomit blood after a tonsil- and adenoidectomy. It helped me not panic when it started...)
My parents tend to under-react rather than overreact and are the type to not want to bother the doctor, etc etc.
Thanks!
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Elderly parents
chemo brain in parent with terminal cancer
9 replies
tharsheblows · 02/07/2014 16:19
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