Is he really in no pain?

My 90 year old Dad has been diagnosed with bowel cancer, with lesions on the liver.

Both of these are thought to be secondary, they don't know where the primary is.

He is at the stage of not eating very much, and sleeping a lot in the day, but with restless nights.

My sister is caring for him at home, with carers calling twice a day.

He insists that apart from the usual aches and pains from an aging body, he has no pain,  is this normal?

Thank you

  • Hello, and thank you for posting

    I am so sorry to hear about your dad; he does sound incredibly poorly now.

    We often associate cancer or dying with pain. So it can seem very unusual when there is no pain involved. But actually, some people deteriorate without any pain.

    If you or your sister remains concerned that Dad might be hiding pain, then do talk to his palliative care team or carers. They will also be able to explain other ways we look for pain, like how some people hold themselves or change facial expressions.

    Take care at this time, it's so hard to lose a loved one. This information from our website on caring for someone who is dying may be upsetting to read, but it may also be helpful to you and your sister.

    If you would like to talk to our nurses on the helpline then call 0808 800 4040. Lines are open mon-fri,9-5.

    Sarah.