Question re Radiation Therapy and WDW Travel

[jrtoastyman]

We're slated to go to WDW in just a couple of weeks. FIL lives in the area and is planning on coming and joining us for a couple of days. Significant wrinkle developed a couple of weeks ago when he was having a tonsillectomy and they discovered a tumor. Now, he's slated to start radiation therapy, which will be ongoing during the time we're there. We had planned to he change our trip to spend a couple days with him at home, but he's insistent upon still coming and meeting us as planned.

This is the first time anyone close to me has gone through this -- is this realistic? I was always under the impression that the treatment left you really fatigued, and that is totally incompatible with running around WDW. I know he wants to see us and we want to see him and he's a proud guy, but I obviously don't want him to be in a situation that could have negative repercussions for his health or that is going to leave him feeling embarrassed if he's moving slower than normal.

Would welcome any insight, thanks.

 

[SueM in MN]

Its hard to say what his exact side effects will be.
Most people fo get fatigue, but it often tends to get worse as the treatments go on. So, some people may not be very fatigued to start with, but as they get more radiation treatments, their fatigue gets worse.
Some are able to work full time and others are much too fatigued for that.
This booklet is very informative about cancer and radiation treatment, but as they point out, people's individual situations and symptoms may vary.
http://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/radiationttherapy.pdf

It's possible you might still be able to come up with a plausible reason why you want to visit him rather than have him meet you. It would have to b a reason that helps him 'save face' and keeps his pride intact.

If he does come, my suggestion would be to plan a slow easy day, without a lot of running around. He probably won't agree to a wheelchair or ECV, by those are always options.
It's also important to realize that he might have mouth or throat problems related to radiation that make eating more challenging or affect what he can eat. That's a possibility, not a for sure - especially early in therapy. The booklet gives a lot of information about that.

Whether he comes to WDWoe you go to visit him, hope your visit is great.

 

[Alabamamouse]

I would consider the following. How far into treatment will he be? He will feel a lot different week 1 vs week 3 or week 6. Is he also getting chemotherapy? This will change the side effects. Also, radiation is Monday through Friday. You said he was in the area, but planning to come on a weekday means working around radiation treatments.

I would also consider some of the intangibles. He may want to make the trip because it keeps him from feeling the weight of cancer--makes him feel 'normal' again. The emotional impact of the trip.

 

[bookgirl]

My father was diagnosed with a tumor in his sinus last year. His radiation was on the nose/upper throat area.

While the fatigue did not hit my dad until about week 2, his throat was raw from DAY 2. The radiation even pin point radiation will still affect the soft tissues of the throat and it was really hard to even take water by mouth. Imagine the worse case of strep throat X10. From the beginning it was so painful to swallow that he had to do pain pills which did make him sleepy/less energy.

They might offer your dad a feeding tube. Tell him to take it. My dad wishes he had taken the feeding tube offer early because by the time he did admit he needed it, he was physically worn out between the radiation and his inability to get enough water/food in his system to build up any energy. Once he could get nutrition he did much better and could take lighter meds to control the pain in his throat.

 

[jrtoastyman]

Thanks for the info all, I appreciate it.