Hi everyone, this is my first post.
Quick backstory : my father in law was diagnosed with non small cell lung cancer in 2007. After surgery, chemo and radiotherapy he went into remission although suffered from longlasting health issues due to everything that had gone on.
Back to now : he has been poorly since March with acute chest pain, fatigue and breathlessness. After being given the runaround by the doctors saying it was an infection, given ABs then steroids then super strength ABs after they failed to help he was eventually diagnosed with cancer again in May.
After investigations they said it was Stage 4, with secondary spread into the abdomen. He also has fluid around his heart. Radiotherapy is not an option as he's had all his body could take first time round and they were gonna do a consult on the chemo after running tests to see if his body could process it.
Fil has been incredibly ill since being diagnosed, he's not sleeping properly, can't breathe properly, and the amount of pain he's in is really getting him down. Trying to get his morphine right has been a struggle and he was really ill at the beginning of starting it, I thought we were going to lose him then.
He was at the hospital this week for a pre-chemo assessment and was due to start the chemo the next day but the nurses were alarmed at his vitals so he was admitted to hospital where he stayed until yesterday. Fil did say prior to this that if he was to have chemo then it would be a reduced dosage with him being so poorly to start with and that if he continues to be so ill, they might knock it on the head altogether.
The in-laws haven't exactly stated what's going on internally with him but all I know is that the consultants have all decided not to proceed with the chemo as he is so very poorly. They're trying to remain positive but it's getting a bit much for my mil, who is trying to process that she is going to lose her husband of 40+ years.
Fil was desperate to come home so he did yesterday and he's getting a stair lift fitted this week to help getting around the house and his sister mentioned "end of life care" which although I knew was the case, it's hard to actually hear someone say it.
Obviously, not having chemo is going to have a big impact on possible life expectancy but I was wondering if you could give me your opinions /experience on what kind of timeline we might be looking at. I can't discuss it with my spouse as they're completely torn up about it. All I know is I've never seen anyone look as poorly as fil does now. We visited him at home yesterday and he couldn't stay awake. He also struggles to talk, replying only 1 or 2 word answers as it's too exhausting for him to talk .
Thanks in advance.
Dixey
