@mnmbeck

Hello. I don’t know how I found this thread today, but my young, healthy, handsome dad was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma late last Oct (2025). He went to the ER with severe side pain as well as vomiting & diarrhea. That night he was diagnosed with Stage 3. He was happy & vibrant when chemo began. He was always active, had never been overweight, never drank or smoked, was tall & lean with a thick head of hair. We thought without question that if anyone could kick this thing’s butt, it would be my dad.

Oh how wrong we were. The first couple of months of chemo, my dad was a champ, still busy in his office, in his yard, in garage, living his normal life. But his weight was dropping & he was already naturally thin. By March of this year, he’d had 2 blood clots from chemo & small stroke. Why they didn’t have him on blood thinners to begin with, I’ll never know.

In April they told my father he was too weak for any further intervention. Scans revealed that this aggressive monster of a cancer had already metastasized to his lungs, kidneys & bones.

He was tired, often in pain. He settled his affairs. We all slowly watched his life force drain. On a Tuesday evening in May, my father passed away.

I have never been so shattered, so broken & felt more alone in this world.

I’d like to connect with anyone who has experienced a loss at the hands of this vile cancer & know how you were able to move forward. All the best. n