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Rectal Cancer - Hospital Recommendation

Colorectal Cancer | Last Active: Apr 7 7:26am | Replies (48)

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@mrt2024

It's truly overwhelming to absorb everything. I'm grateful that I'm not facing this alone; my three sisters and mom are all here to support my father. My father seems okay if he is not pretending. That's a relief. However, my oldest sister's pessimism weighs heavily on us. Despite my efforts to share survival statistics and details with her, she remains unconvinced. We make an effort to maintain a cheerful atmosphere around my father, but her attitude makes it challenging.

I'm trying to understand her feelings, but we all need strength to cope. Our conversations have prompted me to delve into the possibility of recurrence. Questions flood my mind: Will it return, and when? The odds of recurrence within five years are around 28%. Is it inevitable? He is 66 now. If it recurs in a decade or earlier, could it metastasize? Will he endure chemotherapy and surgeries again? Will his suffering be severe?

Even though it is difficult, I don't want to dwell on these uncertainties, I want to focus on the present. I hope for his successful treatment with minimal side effects and complications. However, maintaining optimism can sometimes be challenging.

My mother is another worry. At 76, we fear the toll this ordeal might take on her. She's currently unaware of the kidney cancer diagnosis. We've decided not to tell her until after the surgery.

@dsh33782 Thank you for sharing that. Our appointment with the urologist is this Friday. We don't know yet which treatment will be the first, rectal or kidney cancer. It is stage 1 and I don't know if it is gonna be partial nephrectomy or full nephrectomy. Unfortunately, my father also has stage 3 kidney disease. He has been on pill for about 6 years. Is there anything in your mind that I should ask to the doctor?

Thank you both.

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Replies to "It's truly overwhelming to absorb everything. I'm grateful that I'm not facing this alone; my three..."

@mrt2024
I understand your concern about recurrance. I also worry about it, but am now very encouraged that treatments are available and seem to work well. After partial removal of right kidney, my kidney functions are working normally now.
And although the side affects were rough during chemo and radiation for esophageal cancer, I survived at age 78 and am felling well now. I hope you can encourage you father to look for brighter future after treatment. I hope your visit with urologist goes well, and you can learn what the recommended plan is and feel comfortable with it. I'll be interested to hear what you learn?