My dad has had a hiatus hernia for years and depending how he slept or what he ate was often sick after a meal or when he woke up. He has never been ill a day in his life and he is only 63. About 6 weeks ago he started to feel really unwell, he wasn't eating well, he was being sick and "foamy" and could hardly burp.
I nagged at him for three weeks to go and do something about it, he told me I was worrying over nothing and he will go if it doesn't go in another week!
Finally on 30th April, he went to the GP and was sent for an Xray that same day - all clear. Which was good in one respect but what was wrong with him?
He was sent for an Endoscopy on 16th May and I received a call at work that they couldn't get the endoscope down his throat as there was a growth. I asked if it was cancer, they didn't know but had taken biopsies. I came straight home from work and went to see Dad, "what are you doing here?" he said "you're not needing to take time off work"! I had to laugh. More concerned that I had taken time off than about himself.
He was to be sent an appointment to have a CT Scan, so they must think it was cancer?
In the meantime, Dad finally let me take him to an appointment. I sort of forced myself into going but he couldn't go alone could he? We attended an appointment with a Specialist Nurse on 23rd May, she advised that she was sorry to say it was a cancerous growth and once they have the CT Scan they will be able to advise where we go from here.
We were given a booklet about Oesophageal Cancer, my dad handed it straight to me, read it he says and tell me if I need to know anything. I read the book then I did the worst thing ever and "googled" Oesophageal Cancer. Now I know people tell you that you shouldn't google what you don't know and yes I now completely agree. I didn't think about the Macmillan site until yesterday (1/6/2012).
Anyway, so the CT Scan date arrives 25 May, I was sitting with Dad in the waiting room when a Nurse came through with a jug of water for him to drink. He tells her he won't be able to drink it, no problem we will sort something. He goes away for his Scan and I go for a coffee, this is the second hospital in as many weeks and when he came out I said the coffee here isn't good let's hope you are not sent here! (The other hospital we had gone to is just newly opened and they have a Costa Coffee not a WRVS cafe like the second one). He laughed and said he would do his best to choose a hospital with a decent coffee shop!
I asked him how the scan went and we laughed all the way home with his antics first not drinking the water, then he puts on the gown and it has no ribbons to tie it so he was standing with just his underpants & sock on and the back of the gown wide open! Then he moans to the nurse that the gown has two holes in it...she told him he was a trouble maker, I'm just glad he still has a sense of humour.
More waiting....then on May 31st I get a phone call at work. I've to go and see the specialist nurse and a consultant tomorrow. I arrange to take the day off work.
1st June - The consultant and specialist nurse were sitting across a desk and we sat opposite. The consultant advised that it was indeed a cancerous growth, like we had already been told, however from the CT scan the cancer had already spread to the liver. It is inoperable and not curable. He advised we would be given an appointment to go and see the oncologist for chemotherapy to try and slow the cancer down however that was my dad's choice go and see what the options are he can decide whether he wants to go down the route of chemo. Dad asked will I lose my hair (He has about seven on his head if he is lucky) the consultant smiled it can be one of the side effects, well my dad says I have no luck do I !! We were very quiet when we left the hospital however, I am going on 7th June to see the oncologist and we will see where we go from here.
