Cherie,

If your father is not getting enough fluids, he is probably dehydrated which can cause many problems. Test his skin by pinching it - if it doesn't become level with the rest of the skin, he is dehydrated. This is easily corrected by having IV fluids daily.

People underestimate the problems of dehydration -the major ones I saw in my mother were muscle weakness and "fuzzy" thinking. It's an imbalance in the electrolytes of the blood - things like potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium. My mother spent 5 days in the hospital with the same symptoms as your dad.

Please make sure your father's medical oncologist is aware of his condition - and make him investigate. It took a few phone calls to my mother's doctor and two trips to the ER before it was resolved.

Cynthia