Welcome to OCF! Im very sorry to read about your fathers diagnosis. Please do your best to take it one day at a time. We will help you and your father get thru this one step at a time. I dont want to overwhelm you with too much info but these things are important to know from the start...
For now, anyone who offers their assistance write down their contact info and tell them when the time comes you will let them know what they can do. People genuinely want to help but often dont know how. When the time comes you need a hand dont be afraid to reach out and ask for it. You will probably mostly need help with helpers to sit with your father after surgery and drivers for his treatments. Call the American Cancer Society (their avail 24/7) and get volunteer drivers lined up and also help with either prescription or transportation cost help (up to $300).
Your fathers treatment plan will likely include surgery then followed by radiation with chemo. If at all possible prior to starting any treatment plan your father should get a second opinion (hopefully at a Comprehensive Cancer Center - CCC). At a CCC a team based approach is used so all the specialists work together to make the treatment plan. Its called a tumor board where the doctors get together and discuss each individual case, the patient is able to attend as well. The CCCs also have the brightest doctors so hopefully this is an option for your father.
List of CCCs When looking at treatment plans, remember surgeons always say surgery is the way to go, same for radiologists and medical oncologists say chemo is necessary. Also remember once its been removed you cant put it back to its original functionality (even with skin graphs). This is why a second opinion is so important!
You probably will want your father to begin focusing on his intake. Eat all his favorites now, desserts too. If he is slim or average build he needs the extra pounds. Dont worry about gaining a couple pounds, he will probably be like most of us and lose weight during your treatments. When a person has cancer they burn up calories at an increased rate. During treatments and recovery he must boost his intake. If doing rads he will need a bare minimum of 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water daily. If he can do more then that will only help make this easier for him. He wont be able to eat very well if having surgery so have all his favorites now.
Hopefully his treatment facility has a speech pathologist on hand to help him right after surgery. By getting one involved early, they can help your father relearn how to eat and work on his enunciation. This is very important for OC patients who have their tongue affected to begin right away.
If he hasnt already done blood tests, make certain they are testing his thyroid and testosterone levels. If doing rads, you may have problems years down the road with his thyroid. A blood test now ensures he will know what his regular baseline thyroid levels should be. Taking a pill a day to manage the thyroid isnt a big deal, but getting the baseline level is.
Heres a couple links that are very helpful. These will help to teach both you and your father about his illness and treatments. I know you are young but you really can do this and be your fathers caregiver. I had to depend on my 17 year old son to drive me 45 minutes each way to treatment for 6 weeks. Since you took the initiative to not only find our group but to reach out for help, that shows me the caliper of person you are. We will be right with you to help. I have faith you can help your father get thru this. Being a caregiver isnt always easy so make sure you take time for yourself too. Stop back often and keep us posted.
OCF Main Site... Diet during Cancer treatments Livestrong's Cancer patients diet info Best wishes!!!
