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

    JUNE 4th 2011

    i am at mum and dads today.it is very quiet here as mum has gone to france to see her brother and they are flying home later on. charlie is out shopping and josh has gone to see his dad so im all alone here

    i have been going through boxes of old pics and found lots we can use for a picture board after the funeral. i have also looked at the paper my brother found with our names on it and read what you want into it but i see its a def sign from my dad.i have taken several copies of it and will get the original framed and carry another with me at all times

    charlie should be back soon as we are off for a little girly hen night for me. 10 of us going for a meal and drinks,im thinking a hangover may be on the cards as not had a drink really in ages

    i will be at mums tomorrow to see my uncle and finish the picture board of dad off so will update more then

    today i have been tearful but i feel much calmer,as if my dad is right by me,if that makes sense

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    JUNE 5th 2011

    today i finished dads pic board and mum charlie and me popped out shopping and got some new shoes for the funeral.

    its lovely to see my uncle from france and its such great company for mum and they do get on so well.

    tonight me and sean have a rare evening on our own,cheese and wine night is on the cards and just chillaxing

    im struggling to find the words at the moment to write on the card for the flowers so will have a ponder over that this evening

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    JUNE 6th 2011

    tomorrow is dads funeral and i feel incredibly  sick thinking about it. i know it has to be done but part of me wishes it would just go away. i have been practicing my poem and tribute im reading and just hope i manage it ok and do my lovely dad proud. steve and i are doing the tribute together so we can support each other.

    we think there will be about 100 or so people and many of them i have not seen in years....how bitter sweet it feels to be seeing people ive not seen in years.really makes you think that we must all keep in touch more often.

    i will post again tomorrow after the funeral.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    DEAR WENDIE, my thoughts are with you for tomorrow and i know you find the strength to do your dad proud love and hugs to you xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Dear Wendie, I felt sick too before Dads funeral and completely bawled in the morning dreading how i would be and that i didnt want to upset Dad, but i surprised myself by holding it together, and even smiling and laughing with everyone with all their memories. I was so proud of my Dad and wanted him to be proud of me - and i felt a sense of achievement (in an odd way?!?) that day.

    I will be thinking of you tomorrow and with all the strength you have had for such a long time - im sure you will have it tomorrow knowing your Dad is with you too x Take care xx