Chemotherapy for Bowel Cancer

Hi there,

My dad is starting chemotherapy next week following bowel surgery to remove part of his lower bowel. He will be on a 3 week cycle with iv followed by two weeks of tablets. Then a week off, total treatment being 6 months all being well. I'm very worried about him and I want to be prepared to support him as much as possible. 

Has anybody experienced this and would be willing to share their experience? Is there anything I can get to help make him more comfortable. He's in his 60s and was quite fit before all this.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks,

Katie

  • Hi there ...

    What a wonderful daughter you are ... all I can say is things I've learned on here .. as I didn't need chemo .. but I've been on here 20 months now ... and from listening to others, feeling so exorsted is one of the main ones .. needing to rest and sleep a lot more ... tell him to listen to his body .. do easy things, but soon as he needs to stop and rest , do it .. sickness is another ... bowel habit changes .. aching bones ... yet he may get all or none of them ... every chemo is different ... everyone reacts differently ... go with the flow ... and you being there to hold his hand through this will mean more then you'll ever know. .

    Talking and sharing tears and hugs and listening even though you both will have feelings you'll need to share ... holding feelings in , helps no one in the end .. it's about walking hand in hand on the same path .. so if you get days where you just want to cry .. then cry .. but after you get feelings out , get you and dad a pair of vertual boxing gloves on and get ready to kick cancers butt right down that path your on .. 

    Sending you both a vertual hug ... Chrissie xx

  • Hi Chrissie,

    Thank you so much for those lovely words. I welled up reading them. We are a close family and will do everything we can to support him. Thank you so much for sharing your advice. 

    Katie xxx