Hi,

just before Chirstmas my dad who was 61 years old at the time, was diaganosed with Bowel Cancer. In January he underwent surgery to remove the cancer but about a week after he had to under go emergency suregery to as the connection had a leak. this resulted in him being fitted with a stoma. He was in hospital for abot 5 1/2 weeks. It was heartbreaking seeing him as he lost about 5 stone during his stay. shortly after being discharged the oncologist diaganosed him stage 3/4 (apparently they had to remove 33 lymph nodes). He started on the standard chemo and after his second session he suffered a blood clot on his lung. This set him back quite a bit. after he was discharged from hospital they wanted to build up his strength before chemo again but unfortunatley was hospitilised again this time due to kidney problems. a few weeks later they tried him on a lower dose of chemo but last weekend and week after the chemo he was back in hospital. They have now decided not to continue with the chemo. I am not sure what happens next. The reason i am on here is because i am really worried about his mental state as he is just getting worse and worse shutting himself from everyone around him. All he does is lie in bed all day every day. he wont go out. will hardly eat doesnt even shower any more. he wont talk to us, we have offered so much help but he doesnt even say how he feels. this week i lost my temper with him as its so frutrating. He has two little grand daughters who he used to dote on but he just isnt interested in seeing the any more. I keep being told that he is dealing with it in his own way and to let him be but its just so sad to see him like this. I just dont know what to do. I just wondered if this is "normal" and if anyone has experienced this before i would be so grateful for any advice. thank you