My dad is 73 has always been very active, fit and healthy. Up until 6 weeks ago he would go out walking/hiking roughy 6-10 miles twice a week as well as going to the gym. He then started to have pain in his stomach and could not tolerate food, losing over 2 stone in a matter of weeks.
Both he and my mum were pushing his doctors for tests to help identify the problem. He was sent for a blood test which indicated an infection and was put on antibiotics he was also sent for a scan around 20 days ago, the result of which we have still not officially been provided with, despite chasing (we have since found out these came back on 09.08.23 and showed PC).
Dad collapsed on Monday and was taken to hospital, where he remains. My mum didn’t originally tell me as I had my own medical appointment on Tuesday and so I saw him for the first time yesterday. He looks like a shell of his former self, he has lost so much weight, looks very frail (he appears to have aged about 20 years), he can barely stay awake or talk, his stomach is bloated and his eyes appear jaundice.
He has been told he has pancreatic cancer that has spread to the liver and lymph nodes. neither him or my mum have spoken to a doctor, despite requesting to do so. The ward sister advised of the suspected diagnosis and that next step is a biopsy to determine if chemotherapy is an option. However, there is no timeframe of when the biopsy might take place. Worse of all we are told the hospital only do biopsies once a week (Thursdays) but they don’t know if my dad will be taken today or not. We are massively concerned that his cancer already seems to be advanced any any delay in decisions around treatment plans could mean options are off the table and his life expectancy reduced further.
This is a massive shock to my mum, my brothers and me. I am at a complete loss and would welcome any advise as to how we can try to speak to his hospital doctor and push forward his tests/biopsy.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I wish everyone on here strength to fight this terrible battle.
Hi JasmineSuzanne and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
I'm sorry to read that your dad has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which has spread to his liver and it's perfectly normal to feel as you do.
Although I'm not a member of this group, I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' your post back to the top of the discussion list again.
Since you posted this has your dad had his biopsy? If not has he been allocated a cancer nurse specialist (CNS) as they can usually help with providing information about what is happening? If he hasn't been allocated a CNS yet then you could phone and speak, with your dad's permission, to his consultant's secretary who should either be able to give you the contact details of the CNS or find out from his consultant what the plans are.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
