Lung Cancer – Mesothelioma? Do You Know Much About It?
Posted on | January 29, 2010 | 9 Comments
I have been lucky, and have not had to deal with the nastiness of cancer. My grandpa has Mesothelioma, the cancer from asbestos. He has been in Stage 4 for the past 3 years and has defied all of the odds. They originally only gave him a couple months to a year to live, but Chemo has worked wonders. He just had a scan and the results showed it has increased in size significantly, so the last round of Chemo didn’t work. This has caused his ability to breathe to decrease, and the changed his Chemo. He had his treatment with the new stuff on Friday, and they rushed him to the hospital today because of his inability to breathe.
My question is are these signs of the beginning of the end? I know this form of cancer will eventually suffocate him, and he does have a living will, so oxygen is the only form of assistance he will receive. How long will oxygen help? I am very saddened by all of this and would hate to see him suffer for long like this. He is a good man and doesn’t deserve to die like this. Do your organs shut down due to lack of oxygen? Anyone with experience with Mesothelioma or that knows about this and can give me some insight, I’d appreciate any details no matter how graphic. I just want to know what to expect.
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9 Responses to “Lung Cancer – Mesothelioma? Do You Know Much About It?”
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January 30th, 2010 @ 2:11 am
[...] I have been lucky, and have not had to deal with the nastiness of cancer . My grandpa has Mesothelioma , the cancer from asbestos. Go here to read the rest: Lung Cancer – Mesothelioma? Do You Know Much About It? | Health … [...]
January 30th, 2010 @ 1:55 am
I understand where you are coming from. You just want the facts not someone to try to make you feel better (as if that is possible at this point). Although I deal with cancer everyday I really don’t know the answer to your question and honestly his oncologist would know the answer specifically to your grandfather better than anyone. However, I am on my way to a tumor board now and will ask one of the oncologist when I’m there and edit my answer when I return.
EDIT: According to one of my oncologists most often death is due to heart failure.
Now for the rest of your question., there is a small chance the new chemo may help pull him out of this for awhile, but it is more likely this is the beginning of the end. You will know when he loses weight, sleeps more, tires easily, coloring changes, gets confused and he doesn’t want to eat or drink much.
You may want to look into hospice so that when you and your family are ready, you have a plan. They help the entire family not just the patient and they are wonderful people. I am very sorry you and your grandfather have to go through this. May God bless both of you.
January 30th, 2010 @ 2:24 am
A DOCTOR CANNOT PRONOSTIC A DIED PERIOD OF A CANCER PATIENT . HE CANNOT SAY CERTAINTLY IN SOME MONTHS OR IN SOME YEARS YOU’LL DIE BY YOUR CANCER, BUT WHEN THE CANCER GAIN INTO YOUR BLOOD YOU WILL DIE SOON.
January 30th, 2010 @ 5:18 am
I’m sorry about your grandpa:-(
My uncle died from mesothelioma cancer… He had shortness of breath as the disease progressed, chronic fatigue… He was on oxygen for about 3 months (while on palliative care) but eventually he started declining fast… The end result is failure of the lungs and eventual heart failure resulting from the stress placed on the heart.
Be strong, lung cancer is has to be the most debilitating cancer I have witnessed!
Make sure your family ask for strong pain medication towards the end to keep him comfortable and sedated!
January 30th, 2010 @ 6:57 am
It’s a tough thing to have to watch a loved one go thru the stages of death and dieing, you have my empathy.
Having watched many clients die from mesothelioma I have to tell you that it is a lingering death, not easy to watch. No one would blame you if you stayed away, and it might in fact be better for you if you did.
How long it takes, exactly what happens can’t be predicted, I’m sorry, but no two people are the same and no two die in the same way. But with Mesothelioma, none of it is pleasant. In the last days, he will be sedated most of the time, dieing because you cannot breathe is terrifying, so most people are sedated. As his oxygen levels drop, he will be less coherent, won’t know you or anyone and eventually he will lose consciousness. After the loss of consciousness, he can linger for some time as it takes a while for brain functions to stop due to lack of oxygen. But it is usually anoxia and brain death that are the ultimate cause of death, not organ failure. Organ failure is quicker and would be a mercy in my opinion, but that isn’t usually how things happen with this terrible disease. Do get counseling for yourself and your family if they insist on witnessing this event in your loved one’s life journey… it is very hard to witness.
February 9th, 2010 @ 1:14 am
I’m sorry to hear about your grandfather. I know exactly how you are feeling. I am currently going through the same situation with my father. He’s only 63 years old. I just lost my mother due to the aftermath of a surgery. Now I am facing one of the most horrific cancers that I have ever heard of. I really dont know what to do or who to talk to about how to make it easier for my father as best as I can. He went through his first chemo treatment, which according to the doctor was successful. But what I dont understand is if it is successful, why is he having so much pain? I dont know what questions to ask or when to consider pallatic care or any of that stuff. If anyone can help, please let me know!
May 18th, 2010 @ 8:19 am
Lung Cancer scared the hell out of me that is why i do not smoke cigarettes anymore.”;.
May 23rd, 2010 @ 9:50 am
I need to undergo sedation dentistry. I take several psychotropic drugs, and the dentist is concerned.? He is worried about how the drugs I take (Sinemet, lithium, and Seroquel) will interact with the anesthetics and tranquilizers he will use. What could happen? I am willing to lay off the meds to have this work done. I read some info here: About Sedation But didn’t find all answers.
May 24th, 2010 @ 5:02 pm
I’m having trouble locating this information on the university websites. The only one I know for sure is King’s, 8 places. I heard that Bristol offers the most places, but I haven’t read anything that confirms this. Is there a set percentage of international students these universities must take out of all the dentistry places they offer?