I will try to keep this short as possible. And thank you in advance for advise and help.
My friend who is elderly he is 89. I am also his next of kin and his main person in helping. He was diagnosed with thymus gland lung cancer stage 4, 4 months ago.
He is not accepting he has the illness mainly down to the fact he hasn't got the main symptoms.
He did go into hospital just before xmas with chest pains but since then he has been feeling very tired sleeping more (he suffers from insomnia) and on off stomach and head pains.
He still gets about lives on his own. Doesn't drive but the every day tasks he seems to still be managing with. He cooks and eats well still.
I have tried hard to get him Some help but he will not accept it. The hospice wanted him to be assessed day after diagnosis but will not allow any health professionals to his home or otherwise.
He wasn't given a prognosis and i have tried asking a few times but they tell me they cant just tell what the prognosis will be or cant help with that.
This i find very difficult because i don't know what I'm working with. I understand they cant be exact but nothing at all is very hard. I am stressing myself out terribly worrying hes going to deteriorate suddenly and the desicion will be taken out his hands and end up in a hospice which he is absolutely against.
Ive even written him a caring letter but hasn't done any good.
If i knew he had 6 months to a year say, i wouldn't be stressing myself so much. But i have no idea.
Does anyone know if it is normal or common to have no apparant symptoms but be at such a late stage of cancer?
I have friends i talk to who some say to try and think he doesnt have the illness. But i just cant do this. Im scared it will mess my head up even more.
Confused and at a loss
Thankyou in advanced just comfort will be much appreciated
