Hi all. I hope you are as well as you can possibly be.
My Dad was admitted to hospital on Weds. Today, Friday, his consultant told me that he is 99.9% sure that the HUGE growth in Dad’s throat IS cancerous. He was discharged into my care this evening.
Dad will be having a biopsy on March 22nd, & also a tracheotomy & gastroscopy? (Feeding port in his stomach & tube down his nose). It’s feared that pretty soon he won’t be able to breathe, eat or swallow. The consultant showed me the video footage of Dad’s camera down the throat experience. The growth really is huge.
Dad is 80 next month & has NEVER been ill. Before this, he didn’t even take paracetamol for a headache. He is in total denial that this is cancer & thinks after his surgery (& a 2-3 week minimum hospital stay), he’ll be ‘back to normal’.
I myself am registered disabled, following medical negligence. I can’t look after myself but now have my Dad to care for....including his ‘new equipment’.
Two things frighten me in life.....guns & cancer. I’ve never experienced cancer first hand & I’m terrified. I don’t have a partner for support. I’m the youngest of three but my brother & sister live in their own little world. Dad & I are already dead to them, so there is no point asking them for support. I have two great kids, 28 & 23, but I haven’t even told them yet.
I just don’t know where to start with everything. Dad is now living with me - as of today. I love him dearly but he’s hard work even on a good day!
So sorry you have both found yourselves in this situation. You are certainly going to need some help.
Your dad will be assigned a Clinical Nurse Specialist who may or may not be a Macmillan nurse. She will be a good point of contact for any queries. Macmillan also have a hotline available 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm and is free 0808 808 00 00
The hospital will liaise with your GP and District nurse as it sounds as if he will need a lot of nursing. Contact his oncologist and his GP to get things moving straight away. They won't discharge him into your care if you can't cope so please.......don't be brave and say you can when you can't.
I hope you get the help you need soon. It's a horrid place to be. Phone Macmillan they are a lot of help.
It's important you look after yourself too
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
