Dad's Calcium and Growing Tumors 2010

So things have taken another turn for the worst. This Friday, dad had radiation on his leg. Since then, it doesn't seem to have helped, and his leg pain increased.  Saturday morning one of the oncologists told us that his calcium had gone up due to the cancer.  They gave him very strong medicine to reduce the calcium, but it's not guaranteed to work, and high calcium can lead to coma and death.  Sometime around the same time the oncologist delivered the news that all his tumors had gotten bigger.

Previously, the doctors had said that if the Sutent didn't work we could try other drugs.  His calcium has gone down a very small amount, but at this point he is not stable enough or strong enough to try another drug.  Due to the progression of the tumors it's not likely he will be able to try another drug.  His pain and other problems have increased.  We raised his pain medications.  The pain medicine puts him to sleep, and when he wakes up he's often in pain.  The ironic part is that he looks really healthy and handsome. My mother has been sleeping overnight at the hospital since last night, and I go for about 10 hours a day and stay overnight at my parents' place.  I'm going to be living here for the time being.

Update: His calcium came down, but it's a sign of the cancer progressing rapidly. He's weak and in a lot of pain and his kidney stopped working again.