Jump to content

Menu

My son's teacher/coach died from chemo


sassenach
 Share

Recommended Posts

I'm pretty jarred by it. He was diagnosed with colon cancer 3 weeks ago. Just 40 years old. He started chemo this week, and I don't know the exact chain of events, but he passed out, then was put into a medically induced coma, then died. All within 2 or 3 days.

 

I know this is the nature of chemo, but I've never personally experienced it going so bad, so quickly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Too young. I'm so sorry. 

 

My FIL had a reaction to chemo and died quite quickly.  DH had just graduated from med school, and I know he always wondered if he could have saved him.

 

My Dad had a horrible reaction to Rituxin.    Luckily it happened quite quickly after they administered it, so he got to the ER in time.  I was told that the first chemo drugs came from the chemical warfare of the first world war (mustard gas, et.)  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That happened to a friend of mine. She had surgery and was doing well, then started chemo as a follow up and it destroyed her lungs. She wasn't responsive to the drugs that are used when people have that reaction to the chemo and she was gone after just a few days. It was incredibly disorienting for everyone around her who had been pulling for her and thought she was headed for full remission.

 

Exactly what happened last month to someone I've known forever.  Even when she was in the coma in ICU the doc said they'd use a lower dose of chemo next time. I'm thinking NEXT TIME? It was so clear she wasn't going to survive. I felt so bad for her family because the doc had been so optimistic upon diagnosis. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That happened to a friend of mine. She had surgery and was doing well, then started chemo as a follow up and it destroyed her lungs. She wasn't responsive to the drugs that are used when people have that reaction to the chemo and she was gone after just a few days. It was incredibly disorienting for everyone around her who had been pulling for her and thought she was headed for full remission.

 

Same with my husband's middle brother. He had a recurrence of Hodgkin's, and his wife was pregnant with their first child. So he agreed to something new and more aggressive. It destroyed his lungs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:grouphug: :grouphug: I’m sorry for your son’s loss.

 

My Dad’s friend has permanent lung and nerve damage from chemo, too. :(

 

My friend’s mom passed away this week from lung problems... after surviving cancer and chemo treatments a few years back.

Edited by fraidycat
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am sorry that this has happened. I had a high school teacher get diagnosed in the school year, missed most of the year and died the following summer. It is always bad when someone dies of anything. 

 

My husband has studied cures for diseases (he was a pharma research scientist till it imploded in this country). He told me that chemo is like holding a gun to your head and telling the cancer "I am going to pull the trigger unless you die!!" For me I know it sure felt that way. I was feeling fine when diagnosed, then I got chemo and felt like crap (I have more colorful language to use but trying to keep this PG). Chemo is poison. It is poisoning the cancer hopefully before it poisons the person (as it did in my case). That is not to say it isn't good, but I am sure in 100 years people will be horrified over what we did to try to save people from cancer. However from this end of things, I would rather have it then not. 

 

Again I am sorry for the loss. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have two immediate family members who are alive, fifteen years later, because the chemo did kill the cancer. The treatment is hard, especially at the beginning, because they are trying to kill the cancer off quickly before it can mutate.

 

I am very sorry to hear of those who could not tolerate the chemo treatments and passed away.

 

Unfortunately, doing nothing isn't an option, and those that I know of who chose natural healing all deteriorated quickly as well. Cancer is truly a terrible disease.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm so sorry. It's terrible that there aren't better treatment options by now.

 

One of the very energetic ladies at church who is spending her retirement volunteering in different church ministries and as courtwatch escort for DV victims is going through chemo and she's a shadow of her usual self. I pray that it is effective. She's a tough lady, but it's been so hard in her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...