Hello everyone, I've scrolled through many posts and found wonderful information (and a supportive environment) and realized I should introduce myself. My name is Christina; 39yo mother of a 5 yo girl. My father was dx with Stage IV BOT cancer in September 2016, and 2 weeks later diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal Cancer (unrelated to BOT). He began receiving weekly chemo (Folfox) on 11/17/16, and began daily IMRT on 11/30/16, with a plan for a total colectomy once chemoradiation concluded and he had some time to heal.

He was tolerating treatment well until 1/1/17 (though it's difficult to tell, because he doesn't like to "complain") when he started to have severe difficulty swallowing, and was in a lot of pain. I made the decision to get him and bring him to my house on 1/2/16, and was shocked when I walked through his front door - he looked terrible (I had seen him 5 days prior, and talked over FaceTime on 12/31). I stayed up with him the night of the 2nd because he had so much excessive, thick mucus and couldn't swallow and his heart rate was over 150. We went to his regular radiation appointment on the 3rd and met with his radiation oncologist (who I had been in touch with via his cell phone for the last 24-hours around the clock - he is wonderful!) who brought us to the ER to be admitted, and Dad has been in the hospital now since the 3rd. He was dx with sepsis, tachycardia (due to existing AFIB and the infection), neutropenia, severe dehydration, and beginnings of malnutrition. He was given an NG tube, and a PEG was placed yesterday. Sepsis is now cleared, heart rate is (mostly) under control and white count has come back up a little. They are testing the PEG now with saline, and we're waiting for his first feed (hopefully tonight). Remaining question is that the ER chest CT showed some chest lymph nodes that looked enlarged - his oncologist and radiation oncologist want a biopsy (once discharged) before we resume treatment.

I am not letting him go home to his condo, he will be staying with me until he completes treatment and feels able to be at his own home (Plus my house is about 30 miles closer to the hospital where he's receiving tx). With everything going on with the hospital (plus my work and daughter), I haven't had time to even think about or prepare for what that will be like, or require. Any advice, support, ideas, experiences are appreciated. Thank you all so much.