What we’ve learned since the end of March…

I would also like to welcome you to the site that no one wants to have to join. I had stage II CC, had a Whipple with clean margins and no lymph node involvement. I opted for chemo and no radiation. It was not an easy decision and I took a lot of things into consideration. I got a lot of feedback on this site as well. From what I was told, chemo is for distant recurrence and radiation treatment is for local recurrence.

I think the choice of chemo and radiation is very personal and there are really no clear cut answers or solutions since the statistics just don’t exist to guide people with CC (unlike breast cancer for example).

The best advice I can give is that once the choice is made (yes/no chemo/radiation) that no one second guess the decisions that are made. You can’t go back and change things, so second guessing is just not productive.

My thoughts are with your family and your father and I wish you the best.

-Randi-

Hello Dirutledge and welcome to our extraordinary family but sorry you had to find us. Congratulations on Dad’s successful surgery. My husband was 73 when first DX, Stage II and his CC was contained in his bile duct valve however, we could not be sure it had not spread to the Pancreas. He had an aborted Whipple and then 3 weeks later the full Whipple and with clean margins. 4 ONCS and Radiologists all agreed that Chemo would not help his kind of CC and he also opted NOT to go the Chemo route, choosing quality over quantity. He did fine for 3 years with visiting the ONC every 3 months, LABs and every 6 months Pet Scans. After 3 years the CC returned where his Duodenum used to be, and we opted for radiation to bring the tumor down then Cyber Knife (a true miracle). This bought him another 2 1/2 years of quality. It then returned again to the same place and he opted for no Palliative Chemo and still hung in another 5 monthsl When we would look back we would feel that we would not have changed a thing we did. We had asked the ONC what he would do if Teddy was his father. Also when it came to the Palliative Chemo we asked again and the ONC said it would buy him a month or so. Not worth it! I used my gut feelings about it all, I like to say I graduated from Gut 101. Found this new site immediately and it was truly my salvation and saved my sanity which is why I am now addicted to my CC family.
So, after all that is said, it should be Dad’s decision as long as he is able to make that decision and with the support of your family.
About the weight loss have Dad graze on food during the day instead of big meals. Hospice suggested I give Teddy Carnation Instant Breakfast which can take the place of a full meal for any meal. He loved the vanilla and I would blend in a banana. Comfort foods were what he liked the best. Beef is too rough on the stomach but things like homemade soups full of chicken, chicken stewed or over noodles. Buttered noodles, oatmeal, cream of wheat, lightly scrambeled eggs with melted cheese.
Radiation required no prep as far as food. The biggest thing is that about the 3rd week they start getting totally exhausted. It lasts for about a week after the radiation.
Where is Dad now going to be treated. He should be at a major Cancer Center as not all hospital are up on CC. Wishing you all the best and please keep us posted.