My grandad has bone cancer - please share your experiences.

[embit]

My grandad was diagnosed with bone cancer back in November 2023. It is a metastasis from prostate cancer that he previously beat and his PSA levels are at 0 but I guess these things can happen.
Anyway, he has it in his hip and his spine (managed to get into an historic fracture from when he fell off a tractor as a teen). He is in pain and is on a lot of pain killers, he has lost around 2/3 stone although I don't know if this is from the cancer or the fact he just doesn't really eat a lot anymore but he does still love cakes and donuts. He has become quite weak, can't walk very well at all now and he has had a few falls from his legs just giving way.
We don't know how long he has as he asked the doctor not to tell him but I would like to know others experiences with this and to tell me if his rapidly increasing weakness is a sign that it won't be long now before he passes.

Please be honest with me - thank you.

Your Grandad will need a lot of support over the coming weeks/ months.
Do you have any professional help ?
District nurses, Hospice Nurses should be involved.
Also your Grandad is entitled to claim ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE - this a non-means tested benefit. If not already receiving this: Telephone and ask for an application form for your grandad to be sent to you. You can get help to complete it but it is fairly straightforward. By phoning and asking for the form the Benefit will be back dated to date if phone call I believe. You need to include details of his illness and any hospital consultants etc. But it is worth having as it can help to buy extra things he might need. For example he may benefit from having a walking frame or new, light weight bedding. My late husband couldn’t bear the weight of his synthetic duvet so we bought a soft, down filled one which was much much lighter. I hope you’re able to spend some quality time with your grandad as he does have a life limiting illness.
Sending all support and hope you can access whatever help you may need now and in the coming weeks.

My father developed metatastic bone cancer, 35 years after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, when his femur fractured spontaneously.
He died a month later.
It was very difficult and frustrating for me and my siblings because he refused to discuss his health issues so we had to second guess what was going on- he refused to let medical staff tell us anything too. I suspect he’d had bone mets for some time along with bowel involvement.
He never complained of pain, occasionally had mentioned his hip ached, refused to see his GP. Completely his choice of choice but very hard on us as we never knew how best to help.
He went into a nursing home, refused visits and said he didn’t want anyone there when he died. It was during Covid and very, very hard.
Mum died a couple of months later.