Chemotherapy question

[aureliacecilia]

I'm really sorry if this is a stupid question but it's all new to me. My dad has been diagnosed with bowel cancer which has spread to his liver and lung. As the cancer is widespread he is due to start chemotherapy shortly - I don't know exactly when. I'm expecting a baby in the next two weeks and I wondered if he will be able to hold the baby if he is having chemotherapy. (Yes, I am aware of the Covid rules before anyone jumps on this.) I'm fretting as I've booked an elective repeat c-section for three weeks' time (at 41 weeks) and I'm worrying that by the time I've recovered enough to travel he'll be having chemo and unable to hold his first granddaughter. Might chemotherapy mean he can't do this? I know it's the least of our concerns at the moment - this is probably quite trivial in the grand scheme of things - but I don't know what the future holds (whether this treatment is palliative or not - I suspect it is) and I don't want to miss out on this. I suppose I'm asking whether I ought to try to move my section date forwards by two weeks (I was happy to have a natural delivery if I went into spontaneous labour before 41 weeks but I'm content with having another section and will seek agreement to have it at 39 weeks if necessary).

Sorry you are going through this hard time with your father. When my sister was going through her chemo treatment, it tended to be cumulative in its effect for extreme fatigue. She was alright for the first few weeks and then it hit her sideways, but only for a couple of days and then she’d rally before the next round. I think it varies massively from person to person, how well they were before treatment started and just how the chemo personally affects them. I don’t think he’ll struggle to sit and cuddle a new born, he’ll be so chuffed! Good luck with everything 💐

Thank you very much. My dad is early 60s and his "performance status" is 0 or 1 at the moment so he's got a good chance at responding well to treatment, I think. It's just such a shame the cancer is so advanced. Thank you for the insight into how your sister reacted to chemotherapy too.