I am new to the board. My father was diagnosed a with oral cancer a few weeks ago. I am sort of lost at this point because we are on opposite sides of the country so I don't have the advantage of getting a lot of the information about what is going on. What I know is that he was diagnosed with cancer in his soft palate, throat and one of his lymph nodes and it is inoperable. He got his first treatment of chemo two weeks ago. They put a port in his arm and he got chemo for one week, then has two weeks off. The plan is to do the chemo and start radiation soon. He was given a feeding tube already. He spent last week in the hospital because he had blisters inside his intestines, I think because of the chemo. He has started to lose his voice and was told he may end up having to get a voice box. My hugest problem is that my dad is trying to be protective so he hasn't told me anything about what stage the cancer is and if the dr's have told him his chances of survival. Can anyone help me with what information I have as far as what I can expect? I am on an emotional roller coaster because I am so scared that this may be terminal and I won't know until it is too late. It is getting harder now because he can barely speak anymore so I can't even talk to him much. He is alone out there except for my grandmother. Unfortunately, she is is disabled, she had to have one leg amputated so she is very limited herself in traveling and helping him. I have three young children and I am not in the position to leave work to go care for him. Of course if I knew if he was terminal, I would make the sacrifice and go there to be with him. I am just trying to get as informed as possible to know what we are facing.
Thanks,
Terri