My 57 year-old dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in April of this year. He has had several broken bones since about January. His doctor kept telling him that his bones were breaking due to coughing related to his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the fact that he wouldn't stop smoking. His doctor actually sent him away and told him not to come back until he stopped smoking. (He has been smoking since 15 and has tapered down to 1 cigarette a day.)
He went to see a lung specialist in April because he couldn't breathe well, and they admitted him to the hospital where they diagnosed him with the cancer. We took him to Emory in Atlanta where they said he is a candidate for a stem cell transplant in November.
He only started chemo 2 weeks ago due to the cancer center prolonging it. He has been battling pneumonia for several months now and is on constant oxygen. He cannot walk, but maybe a few steps with a walker, and now recently has been incontinent. He is also showing signs of delusion, at first it was only when he first woke up, but now it's more often.
I feel like these are end-of-life stages, like he is slowly deteriorating before our eyes. Is this common with multiple myeloma? Or maybe cancer in general?
This is my first encounter with a cancer patient, so I really don't know. He just went downhill so fast.
Any advice will be appreciated.
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Re: Father recently diagnosed; is he in end-of-life stage?
I’ve seen people succumb very quickly to cancer and I’ve seen people live a long time with cancer. I think there is a very wide set of outcomes possible.
People with untreated myeloma only live a few years from diagnosis. Of course, most people with myeloma are treated and will live much longer than a few years.
But that is all statistics.
What you need to do is to find your dad’s prognosis from his doctors. They know the details of your dad’s health situation and will be able to answer your questions.
Be sure to open a dialog with your dad as well as your other family members and friends.
Be strong.
Joe
People with untreated myeloma only live a few years from diagnosis. Of course, most people with myeloma are treated and will live much longer than a few years.
But that is all statistics.
What you need to do is to find your dad’s prognosis from his doctors. They know the details of your dad’s health situation and will be able to answer your questions.
Be sure to open a dialog with your dad as well as your other family members and friends.
Be strong.
Joe
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Wobbles - Name: Joe
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 67
Re: Father recently diagnosed; is he in end-of-life stage?
Hello Saccaa:
Very generally, when you are found to have multiple myeloma, and you start the induction treatment, that is the worst time. You have the multiple myeloma being active, and the side effects for the chemo starts setting in. Very likely, the GI problems would be caused by the meds.
It will vary for each person, but typically after about 2 rounds of induction treatment, you start to see a reduction in the myeloma markers, and in some cases, you start to get somewhat used to the treatment. So I do not know the answer to your question for certain. However, to the extent that he can, your father should try and hang in there. People in very bad shape like your father do frequently have the ability to turn the corner.
With respect to the stem cell transplant, your comments to me are a little interesting. If you have severe lung impairment, then typically that is a factor that will have you classified as "frail", and disqualify you from an stem cell transplant. Does your multiple myeloma doctor have a good understanding of your father's pulmonary performance? If they do not, and he is considered "frail", then there are other treatment approaches, typically less intensive, that could be applied.
Good luck to you.
Very generally, when you are found to have multiple myeloma, and you start the induction treatment, that is the worst time. You have the multiple myeloma being active, and the side effects for the chemo starts setting in. Very likely, the GI problems would be caused by the meds.
It will vary for each person, but typically after about 2 rounds of induction treatment, you start to see a reduction in the myeloma markers, and in some cases, you start to get somewhat used to the treatment. So I do not know the answer to your question for certain. However, to the extent that he can, your father should try and hang in there. People in very bad shape like your father do frequently have the ability to turn the corner.
With respect to the stem cell transplant, your comments to me are a little interesting. If you have severe lung impairment, then typically that is a factor that will have you classified as "frail", and disqualify you from an stem cell transplant. Does your multiple myeloma doctor have a good understanding of your father's pulmonary performance? If they do not, and he is considered "frail", then there are other treatment approaches, typically less intensive, that could be applied.
Good luck to you.
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JPC - Name: JPC
Re: Father recently diagnosed; is he in end-of-life stage?
Hi Saccaa14,
I'm so sorry to hear about your dad - that's tough. In general, many myeloma patients improve once they start treatment. However, it may take several rounds of chemo before he starts to feel better.
Don't worry too much about the delay in the start of treatment. They found my husband's myeloma when he had to have emergency surgery. He had to wait 8 weeks after his diagnosis in order to heal before he could start, and he did fine.
The delusions you mention could be because he is not getting enough oxygen. Do you have a pulse-oximeter at home? You can get them online or at the pharmacy, and they are very easy to use. Check with his doctor to see what his oxygen level should be at. If its too low, he may need more oxygen.
Good luck,
Lyn
I'm so sorry to hear about your dad - that's tough. In general, many myeloma patients improve once they start treatment. However, it may take several rounds of chemo before he starts to feel better.
Don't worry too much about the delay in the start of treatment. They found my husband's myeloma when he had to have emergency surgery. He had to wait 8 weeks after his diagnosis in order to heal before he could start, and he did fine.
The delusions you mention could be because he is not getting enough oxygen. Do you have a pulse-oximeter at home? You can get them online or at the pharmacy, and they are very easy to use. Check with his doctor to see what his oxygen level should be at. If its too low, he may need more oxygen.
Good luck,
Lyn
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Christa's Mom - Name: Christa's Mom
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September, 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Father recently diagnosed; is he in end-of-life stage?
Thank you everyone for responding.
After posting this, I got a call saying they were rushing him by ambulance because his breathing was very sluggish. As soon as we got to the emergency room, the doctor immediately intubated him and placed a heart catheter because his blood pressure was extremely low. They got him stable enough to be transferred to the intensive care unit and we are just waiting to see what happens next.
I don't know if this is a reaction from the chemo drugs or his pneumonia. I pray he pulls through. It was beyond terrible seeing my father in that state at such a young age. I feel like he's in a terrible place because he can't kick the pneumonia because of his myeloma, but can't treat the myeloma because of his pneumonia.
After posting this, I got a call saying they were rushing him by ambulance because his breathing was very sluggish. As soon as we got to the emergency room, the doctor immediately intubated him and placed a heart catheter because his blood pressure was extremely low. They got him stable enough to be transferred to the intensive care unit and we are just waiting to see what happens next.
I don't know if this is a reaction from the chemo drugs or his pneumonia. I pray he pulls through. It was beyond terrible seeing my father in that state at such a young age. I feel like he's in a terrible place because he can't kick the pneumonia because of his myeloma, but can't treat the myeloma because of his pneumonia.
Re: Father recently diagnosed; is he in end-of-life stage?
Hi, sorry you've been through so much already. Hopefully they are able to stabilize him in the intensive care unit. Sometimes when people have respiratory issues, plus pneumonia, you can get high levels of carbon dioxide in your blood. This can cause the delusions your dad is having. Just a possibility. Hopefully they will discover if that is true while he is in the hospital.
I wish you the best of luck going forward!
I wish you the best of luck going forward!
Re: Father recently diagnosed; is he in end-of-life stage?
I think my dad is losing his will to survive.
My dad just turned 58 and was diagnosed last April after experiencing multiple unexplained fractures. He is extremely ill, has COPD, emphysema, and was hospitalized most of last year for pneumonia after just 2 weeks of chemo. He was rushed to the ER and placed on a ventilator for a few days and then placed in a long term hospital rehab facility for 3 months after. He's on permanent oxygen. He has been a heavy smoker since he was a teen and the day he got out of the hospital he started smoking again.
He just lays around all day long, only walking to the garage to smoke and then back. He talked a big game while in the hospital how he was never smoking again and how we wanted to do all these things because life is short. And he went directly into his old ways.
About a month ago he started hurting again and so he was supposed to start chemo today. Well my mom just called saying they couldn't do it because he can't breathe again so he probably has pneumonia. All I can think is: Here we go again. And this time I doubt he'll make it.
It frustrates me so much that he will not try to get himself better. He's only 58! He still has grandkids he has yet to meet. I'm also frustrated as his oncologist who beats around the bush and never tells him how it is. He needs to scare him and tell him the truth, that if it doesn't stop smoking and being unhealthy, he will not make it!
Sorry for ranting, I just have never been through this before and have no one to talk to about it. I feel like multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that can be fought pretty easily if you just do the work. Am I wrong?
By the way, he visited a doctor at Emory who specializes in multiple myeloma and said he was a candidate for stem cell transplant as long as he gets his lungs healthy enough and can walk a mile. That was about 8 months ago.
My dad just turned 58 and was diagnosed last April after experiencing multiple unexplained fractures. He is extremely ill, has COPD, emphysema, and was hospitalized most of last year for pneumonia after just 2 weeks of chemo. He was rushed to the ER and placed on a ventilator for a few days and then placed in a long term hospital rehab facility for 3 months after. He's on permanent oxygen. He has been a heavy smoker since he was a teen and the day he got out of the hospital he started smoking again.
He just lays around all day long, only walking to the garage to smoke and then back. He talked a big game while in the hospital how he was never smoking again and how we wanted to do all these things because life is short. And he went directly into his old ways.
About a month ago he started hurting again and so he was supposed to start chemo today. Well my mom just called saying they couldn't do it because he can't breathe again so he probably has pneumonia. All I can think is: Here we go again. And this time I doubt he'll make it.
It frustrates me so much that he will not try to get himself better. He's only 58! He still has grandkids he has yet to meet. I'm also frustrated as his oncologist who beats around the bush and never tells him how it is. He needs to scare him and tell him the truth, that if it doesn't stop smoking and being unhealthy, he will not make it!
Sorry for ranting, I just have never been through this before and have no one to talk to about it. I feel like multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that can be fought pretty easily if you just do the work. Am I wrong?
By the way, he visited a doctor at Emory who specializes in multiple myeloma and said he was a candidate for stem cell transplant as long as he gets his lungs healthy enough and can walk a mile. That was about 8 months ago.
Re: Father recently diagnosed; is he in end-of-life stage?
I am so sorry for all that you and your dad have been going through. It must be incredibly hard to see him smoking again when the health of his lungs is so crucial.
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Mike F - Name: Mike F
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 18, 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 53
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