Dad has weeks left small cell lung cancer with brain mets

My dad was diagnosed last august with small cell lung cancer, which had spread to the spine and lymph nodes. In feb this year he was told he has multiple brain tumours. He is now unable to walk, he's at home in a hospital bed with carers coming in each day. He started being sick the day he needed the bed, but is now on anti sickness tablets so he isn't suffering with this now. He's eating less, still able to get to his commode himself but with a struggle. The nurses said he has weeks left, but I don't know if that means it could be up to 4 or more? Like when do they stop counting it as weeks and as months? Might sound silly but I want to know how long 'weeks' could mean. I mean could 6 weeks still count..? I would think of that as months though if it were that long..I've found this all such a whirlwind, dad was so strong but said to me 'I'm losing the fight now' which broke my heart. I live 4 hours away from my dad and did a visit recently which was lovely but such a mix of emotions. Really struggled to get actual quality time with him, I'm struggling to plan trips and life around this unpredictable horrible disease.

If anyone has experience with this, being told there are only weeks left and can tell me their stories I would find that helpful, I am mindful that every patient is different though as I've been told many times! 

Parents
  • I'm sorry you are going through this. I too could have written this myself. 
    my dad passed away almost 4 years ago now. Started in his lungs, but had spread to his spine, brain and there was talk of prostrate too. He was diagnosed in June 2017 after having a seizure at home, alone. I lived 4 hours away and had 3 young children. I ended up moving us all in with my in-laws that lived 30mins away from my dad. He passed away on August 4th 2017.

    my dad was fighter through and through. It was heartbreaking seeing him go from a strong man, to a weak frail shell, crying through pain and his own heartbreak.

    we both so valued those precious few weeks we had together and we became so close and bonded like we had never ever done my entire life. I was right with him right until the very end, holding his hand. Looking back there were various signs of different stanges that occurred, but he was still very mobile, getting up to the toilet, but did need a lot of help getting about. He stopped fully eating and drinking about a week before he passed and just slept 24/7. He was on mild pain meds. The Dr, Carers and nurses kept saying he wasn't "at that stage yet" and didn't need them. In my heart I knew he wasn't long until passing.

    We fought and fought to get him into a hospice, we (myself and his sister) couldn't physically cope with him anymore. He agreed to go. He passed away the next day peacefully, and finally got the pain meds he needed long before. The hospice Dr was disgusted that he had pain meds refused and actually put in a complaint!

    if you can, go and be with your dad whilst you still have a chance. Believe me, it's the only thing that got my through it all. Knowing we parted with so much love and special bond.

    xx

Reply
  • I'm sorry you are going through this. I too could have written this myself. 
    my dad passed away almost 4 years ago now. Started in his lungs, but had spread to his spine, brain and there was talk of prostrate too. He was diagnosed in June 2017 after having a seizure at home, alone. I lived 4 hours away and had 3 young children. I ended up moving us all in with my in-laws that lived 30mins away from my dad. He passed away on August 4th 2017.

    my dad was fighter through and through. It was heartbreaking seeing him go from a strong man, to a weak frail shell, crying through pain and his own heartbreak.

    we both so valued those precious few weeks we had together and we became so close and bonded like we had never ever done my entire life. I was right with him right until the very end, holding his hand. Looking back there were various signs of different stanges that occurred, but he was still very mobile, getting up to the toilet, but did need a lot of help getting about. He stopped fully eating and drinking about a week before he passed and just slept 24/7. He was on mild pain meds. The Dr, Carers and nurses kept saying he wasn't "at that stage yet" and didn't need them. In my heart I knew he wasn't long until passing.

    We fought and fought to get him into a hospice, we (myself and his sister) couldn't physically cope with him anymore. He agreed to go. He passed away the next day peacefully, and finally got the pain meds he needed long before. The hospice Dr was disgusted that he had pain meds refused and actually put in a complaint!

    if you can, go and be with your dad whilst you still have a chance. Believe me, it's the only thing that got my through it all. Knowing we parted with so much love and special bond.

    xx

Children
  • Hi

    Im sorry for what your going through.

    My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer around late Feb and at the point of diagnosis we were told he had 2 weeks left. I'm actually fact my dad stayed with us a further 6 weeks and passed away at home peacefully on 22nd April. During that time we had what I call several false alarms - to the point we thought that was it and were saying our good byes. There were days when he was really low and others when he totally perked up - it can be very up and down. Towards the end Dad was less talkative and drifted slowly out of conciousness - it's when that happens you know you are near the end. All I can say is that use this time as a gift, spend as much time together and say all those things that are important. We also lost our mother to cancer 3 years ago but the difference was it went undiagnosed and her death took us by total surprise. While no experience is any easier, all I can say as hard as it is to know your losing your loved one, simply having that time to say good bye and have as much quality time really helps with the grieving process. 
     

    I don't know if what I'm saying helps at all - just cherish every moment as you reasonably can and know that time eventually heals.

    Wishing you both strength and fortitude.