a worried 16 year old male here

Rhoids occur inside or outside the anus and become painful or bleed a little when defecating. The veins are swollen so a hard stool irritates the tissue and becomes painful. Colon cancer is in the colon, or your stomach area. It can also produce some bloody discharge, but at 16, it's pretty safe to say you are not a cancer patient. if you are worried, see your doctor.

"Rhoids" occur much closer to the "end process" than bowel cancer would under most circumstances.
They are also many, many times more common.
If you are really concerned, see a doctor.
The idea of sitting at home worrying about cancer scares me much more than any treatment that may be required.

Evan you do not have colon cancer.

Lexi trots down the hall of the inpatient oncology unit at Northwestern Memorial’s Prentice Women’s Hospital and is greeted with smiles, cheers, and even a few tears.  The anticipated visitors sense the excitement, but understand Lexi is there to do her job and she gets right to work visiting 54 year old cancer patient Leonard Pal. Lexi is not your typical visitor; she’s a Golden Retriever bringing distraction and cheer to very sick patients.  The visits are part of a new animal-assisted therapy program launched at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in conjunction with the Canine Therapy Corps in Chicago.

“Who wouldn’t mind getting a visit by a beautiful red head,” said Pal about the five year old Golden Retriever. Pal is being treated for colon cancer which has metastasized to his liver. He’s in and out of the hospital undergoing tests and receiving medicine to manage his pain. “This is the highlight of my day; I was waiting for her all morning,” added Pal as Lexi cozies up to his bedside.

The program began this summer on the oncology unit of Prentice Women’s Hospital, part of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where Lexi, Willow and Piper, the newest dog in the program, visit cancer, palliative care and hospice patients.  The program has been so well received, that it has been recently expanded to include visits with patients in the women care unit as well as the surgical floor where many of the patients have paralysis and are in the hospital long-term.

“We are excited to be able to provide a welcomed break in the day for patients, many of whom are in the hospital for long term care. Interacting with the dogs has a noticeable impact on their mood and enhances their well being,” said Patricia Murphy, RN, MSN, director of oncology nursing at Northwestern Memorial.  

Research suggests that visits with animals may improve patient outcomes, decrease length of hospital stay, help with confusion, depression and manage pain symptoms.  

“It’s never fun to be at the hospital. It’s uncomfortable to have needles in your arm and scary to undergo tests, but when I see the dogs I forget about my treatment. They ease the burden of being in the hospital and really make a big difference in my day,” said Pal.

Interaction with animals has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, increase sensory stimulation, inspire a sense of purpose, increase social interactions with staff and reduce loneliness by creating a sense of companionship.

If a patient is unable to receive a visit from the dogs because of infection control, open wounds or compromised immune systems, the dogs are trained to stand in the doorway and wave to the patient.

“Anyone who has a pet knows the joy they bring to our lives. Sharing that joy is so rewarding,” said Judith Jaffe, trained dog handler for Canine Therapy Corps and Willow’s owner.

Lexi and Willow not only bring a smile to the faces of patients like Pal, but visitors and the hospital staff are always excited to see the pups. “The oncology unit can be very stressful for staff, families and the patients. The dogs bring great energy and happiness when they come to visit. it really brightens everyone’s day,” said Jessica Palis, RN, clinical coordinator at Northwestern Memorial.  

If interested in learning more about how you can get involved please visit Canine Therapy Corps.

About Northwestern Memorial HealthCare Northwestern Memorial HealthCare is the parent corporation of Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital, an 854-bed academic medical center hospital and Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, a 215-bed community hospital located in Lake Forest, Illinois. 

About Northwestern Memorial Hospital Northwestern Memorial is one of the country’s premier academic medical center hospitals and is the primary teaching hospital of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  along with its Prentice Women’s Hospital and Stone Institute of Psychiatry, the hospital comprises 854 beds, 1,603 affiliated physicians and 7,144 employees.  Northwestern Memorial is recognized for providing exemplary patient care and state-of-the art advancements in the areas of cardiovascular care; women’s health; oncology; neurology and neurosurgery; solid organ and soft tissue transplants and orthopaedics.

Northwestern Memorial possesses nursing Magnet Status, the nation’s highest recognition for patient care and nursing excellence, and it is listed in 12 clinical specialties in U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 “America’s Best Hospitals” guide. for 10 years running, it has been rated among the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” guide by Working Mother magazine. The hospital is a recipient of the prestigious National Quality Health Care Award and has been chosen by Chicagoans as the Consumer Choice according to the National Research Corporation’s annual survey for 11 years.  

A family member has stage 4 lung cancer. He went through radiation on the brain and chemotherapy. recent scans show that the cancer has shrunk and remained stable. however, the patient has recently become very confused, thin, and weak. The doctors insist that all of his symptoms are caused by the cancer. however, we are not so convinced. He is on many medications, including several very strong pain meds. The doctors think this is the end, and that his body could shut down anytime now. Are we in denial?

u lose your hair and u feel stressed do u need to know the rest well your doctor is the best

in my sisters late stages, she ate a lot of sweets with no appetite for real food, she slept all the time, confusion

Wasting (cachexia) is one of the signs that the cancer patient is not doing well. there is some weight loss with chemotherapy and radiation, but it comes back after a while. if the weight is not going back on, then it is a sign that there is more going on.
Weakness is also related to the wasting and lack of appetite. I who have only what you tell me cant tell you any more accurately than the doctor who is there. Have you had someone from the Cancer Society come and see you and your relative? They can provide some encouragement and perspective for you.
Best wishes in this time of wondering what comes next.

Is your family member eating enough? it may be lack of nourishment that is causing these symptoms. Did the doctors do a blood work-up to test for possible infections? Symptoms sound similar to those of someone with an infection. Could also be signs that the kidneys are shutting down and not processing toxins so well anymore. there are so many variables and cancer is an unpredictable disease. His oncologist is the one who can probably give you the most reliable answer. nobody wants to hear that their family member or loved one is at the end stage of a terminal disease. I would talk to the oncologist and prepare for whatever is next in this journey. Look for cancer support groups such as the American Cancer Society. also, if the end is truly near, Hospice agencies are wonderful. They can provide support to the patient and to family members too. Good luck on this hard road.

My grandfather went through the same thing. I think the confusion could be caused by medication. my grandfather became very weak, lost a lot of weight and could barely hold his head up, little own walk on his own. When the time comes for your loved one to know, he will know. At least my grandfather did. He called for his entire family just 2 days before he died and told us all how much he loved us and that it was time for him to go home to be with his FATHER, talking about God. I know I don't know you but I will whisper a prayer for your family as soon as I finish writing this. God bless you.

Time for a metabolic profile to see if his system is being nourished enough. Some hospitals do not to metabolic profiles on cancer patients in the later stages because of the cost..but the profile can give a better clue as to what nutrients he is lacking in..possibly as simple as being dehydrated. The symptoms you described can really be due to just about anything from lack of iron due to the treatments, dehydration, lack of food, or even possibly a blockage unknown about that is holding in toxins in the system.

To be honest..a bit of denial is a good thing. it keeps hope alive.

My prayers go up for your loved one and family.

How do you call the medical condition whereby a cancer patient presents symptoms of another type of cancer that he does not have (ex. a pancreatic cancer patient with lung cancer symptoms)?

I am not sure exactly what term you mean. for example, if a person has prostate cancer, and that cancer spreads to the bones, the person is said to have prostate cancer that has metastasized to the bones, not bone cancer.