Hi all,
I'm a 48 year-old man diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer glioblastoma 4 at the start of September of this year and am currently in week 3 of a 6 week course of joint radio- and chemotherapy. I feel quite lethargic and have no energy in legs at all. One of my loves is music and reading, but finding it difficult to concentrate on this - mostly watching TV or doing not much at all at home.
I understand that my life expectancy is quite low - 25% chance of lasting until next summer according to one website - and I am starting to wonder whether I should be making an active plan for the months to come, e.g. planning trips to see the Northern Lights, or simply focusing on following the hospital treatment and hoping to be one of the 25% who does survive. I think for my family's sake the second option seems better
Is there any way of finding out my expected lifespan I wonder?
The hospital nurses are brilliant, but are focusing on successful medical treatment rather than overall life outside of that. All say that weeks 4-6 and even weeks 7-8 when the radiotherapy is finished can get really hard. Is is worth it given low chance of ultimate success?
Wonder if anyone had any insight or experiences here on what I should be thinking and whether I should be taking a more active role in planning for the coming months? .Or are there any websites or books where this is discussed I wonder? Does anyone really decline treatment and spend remaining time making most of life?
Any thoughts welcome, thanks, visgraat
