the journey

2 minute read time.

my amazing dad has been battling cancer for nearly 2 years now(wish i had found this site then)i thought i would write a diary /blog of how his treatment is going. it all began back in april 2009 when a urine infection showed up a tumour on his right kidney.he was whisked in to hospital to have the kidney removed within a week and the op was a success.he felt great after the op and back to normal within days so it came as a great shock to us all at his 3 month check up that the cancer had returned.they found small nodules on his lungs and tumours in the bone(hip and bottom of back) by the start of october dad had been given the cancer drug sutent.the side effects he felt made him lose weight all his hair went snowy white,had no taste for food and nausea. the nausea was controlled with different drugs.one of the good things about this treatment was you got a 2 week break in each cycle so on his 2 weeks off his appetite returned and he started to feel better. the sutent meds kept him ticking away for 14 months.we got the news end of nov begining of dec 2010 that a tumour in the spine had grown from 7cm to 18cm so the sutent was not keeping the cancer at bay so he was removed from it. this came as a huge blow to mum,dad myself and brother as who knew what the next step would be. he suffered with pains in his legs and a scan showed a non malignant tumour compressing the spine making the legs painful so he had 2 lots of radiotherapy which def helped and shrunk the tumour.dad was told of a new drug that they wanted him to trial.sadly he was not suitable for the trial due to blood counts etc but was told there was a fairly new cancer drug called everolimus(afinitor) they wanted him to try. this however would need funding.the price was very high but like the sutent(which needed funding we were optomistic.the news back 2 weeks later was no PCT had turned us down but dads consultant had applied to another company and they said yes.dad has been on the new treatment 10 days now.the main side effect of this is such a sore swollen mouth with ulcers which stops his ability to eat and drink.he does seem quite out of it at the moment so we are contacting mcmillan nurses and his cancer nurse.

7th march 2011

dad has been admitted to hospital.for the last 4 days or so he has been quite out of it.he is very dissorientated ,grabbing for things that are not there,hallucinations,sleeping 22 hours a day.we have spoken to a nurse and she seems to think it could be to do with his type 2 diabetes as he had a urine reading of 27.8(very high) we were told to take dad to his cancer ward at the hospital where it seems it is not the diabetes but a build up of morphine pain relief(mum did stop giving him this 2 days ago as pain was ok and because he seemed so out of it)they have kept dad in for at least overnite and the morphine has been stopped. they have also stopped the cancer drug for now as his poor mouth is so sore so they want to try an get him back to better health before restarting the drug again. i will update when i have more news.

Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    MAY 19th 2011

    this evening has been a bit busy for me ...i took the kids back home tonight and then headed back to mum and dads with sean. by the time we got back it was 22.30 and dad has been dozing in chair. the list can wait for another day. dad got slightly agitated so i gave him very light gentle massage movements across his feet and he loved it and i now think this is my new job when i am here. mum and the nurse are settling dad down for the night and if needed i will go in and give more gentle massage.steve is in the office and we have spoken with mum about getting a letter drawn up for relevent companys etc to say that we can talk or sign things on behalf of dad so i guess we are making a start on what needs to be done. had a chat with sean when we were on way back after dropping kids off at home about things etc. even though i think we have faced up to it on our own as sean pointed out we have not really all sat down together and faced things and  had a good cry together. i know its very difficult for sean as well a t the moment as not only is he very attached to my dad and has a lot of time for him he also lost his step father several years ago to cancer. hopefully we will all get a restful nights sleep .im sorry mums birthday couldnt have been happier for her

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Wendie you need to see a solictotr and get a power off attorney that way you can deal with companies etc on behalf of your dad, its very easy ans not overly expensive and alot of solicitors will come to the home to do it as well, justgot to find a good one in your area.

    hugs hunni

    sam

    xxx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    MAY 20th 2011

    dad had a very restless night and didnt really sleep untill 4.45am this morning. he is now quite tired and the lovely nurse who cam in to wash him this morning persuaded him to have a little lie down on the bed...unbelievably he agreed and she helped him to the bed.she was fab and made him feel so at ease and he seems to really enjoy her company.

    he didnt stay in the bed long only about half hour but better than nothing.

    he is slightly agitated still and i have cooked him some bacon and eggs which he ate half of

    we are going over the park now for alittle walk then i will sit with dad while mum goes and gets her food shopping.she so needs just a little escape.

    i will go home later and then pop back this evening for a few hours. steve my brother and his wife tina and their 2 boys are staying over night at mum and dads tonight

    have spoken to mum and it seems in mum and dads will they both have power of attorney so it seems all we have to do is contact solicitor and get this activated

    will update more later

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    MAY 21st 2011

    i didnt go back to mum and dads last nite.my brother,his wife tina and their 2 boys stayed over night with mum and dad.i decided to stay home and spend some time with my 2.

    i rang mum and dad this morning and spoke to steve and dad had another bad night.very anxious and agitated.it seems its the steroids are maybe a big factor in this so i think they may be stopped...in fairness they were given to boost dads appetite and to be honest that has more or less diminished so seems pointless being on them and being off them will relax him then hopefully that will work.

    i am popping in this afternoon and my friend is meeting me there to give dad some gentle reflexology.i am out this evening on my hen night which i know dad will want me to still go on but wont be far away if i am needed.

    fingers crossed for a more restful day and evening for my wonderful dad

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Wendie hope you manage to have a good hen night sure you will have a hang over to cope with. xxsamxx