Stage 4 cancer and coronavirus

[Strwberry]

Is there as my hope? 😞
My dad ( 66) who suffers from stage 4 cancer ( prostate cancer that spread to liver, bones and lungs) has found out today that he has got the virus. He must have got infected on the 16th whilst receiving chemotherapy in hospital ( other than that both him and my mum did not leave the house). They both started coughing on the same day, 10 days ago. No other symptoms and the cough hasn’t been very bad. My mum didn’t have the test yet but we assume she is probably positive as well.
Is there any hope that they will recover? I’m so upset 😞

I'm so, so sorry to hear this. Of course there's hope!! Don't ever write him off until he's gone. It's really impossible to know what the future holds. So just try to enjoy life while you have it. I mean all of that with the sincerest kindness so I am so very sorry if it sounds rude - I don't really know how articulate myself well in text. 💛💛

Yes there is a lot of hope that they with recover from the covid. They are much more likely to come through than otherwise. Especially if your dad hasn't had many symptoms so far.

I'm so sorry that you are all going through this.

When my mum had setbacks with cancer, we found that the best approach was to go through them day by day. Every day is a gift. And then the days add up.

There are also helpful treatments for covid available if complications develop.

Does your dad's GP or cancer team know? Do you have a palliative care nurse or hospice involved? It sounds as though you could all do with some support.

Also, take care yourself

A relative of mine who's about the same age as your dad has terminal cancer, as well as a number of other risk factors including diabetes, and tested positive in the summer. Completely asymptomatic! Even among clinically vulnerable patients there's massive variation in symptoms and severity.

It seems to be that most people who develop a severe form of the illness start feeling a lot worse about one week from when they first get sick. If your parents are 10 days in and have no symptoms other than a mild cough, it sounds as though in all likelihood they'll be absolutely fine. I completely understand why you're worried though and I hope they both make a quick recovery

It must be a really worrying time for you but yes there is absolutely every chance that he will recover. The virus is so unpredictable there was a thread on here a while ago where there were lots of stories about very vulnerable people who had had very mild symptoms and been fine. I really hope he copes ok with it and recovers. Try and remember we hear so much about the scary cases but not so much about the vulnerable people who cope just fine.

I don't know if this will help, but my dad has stage 4 cancer (also prostate spread to bowel, liver and lungs) was told by his specialist at one of the top cancer hospitals in the country, that cancer patients don't seem to be at any higher risk from serious covid than anyone else.

He said that when the news broke at the start of the year they expected to see their chemo patients dropping like flies and it just hasn't happened.

It made me feel a bit better.

Sending you i completely umderstand how you feel xx

80 year old alcoholic relative tested positive and has been fine. He is in poor physical shape so I was surprised. It's just so unpredictable

As above you can see the examples of “vulnerable” people who were absolutely fine and there are so so many people like this, it really is so unpredictable with this virus- there is definitely more chance they will recover than not! Fingers crossed for you, it sounds like they have mild cases and I hope it continues