Our journey to date

[Eileendonald]

Just thought I would write down about my dad's journey after reading so many of your stories.

Jan 15th dad (78) took himself to the doctors as felt unwell, a cold he said but he wasn't even sniffy, doctor rang an ambulance as he was very breathless. Met him at hospital, loads of questions and tests, eventually sent to surgical triage where he was to be kept in. They did a full CT scan as ghey wanted to check his chest for his breathlessess, his bladder as he has had bladder cancer.

Jan 17th hospital rang me to go in and have a meeting with doctor. Took hubby and me with dad to a side room where we were told he had pacreatic cancer and that it had spread to his liver. Also told it was inoperable and that he would be referred to MRI and they would discuss his case the at the next meeting and to go home and take it all in.

Jan 19th a district nurse came and took details and said she would see him in a month.

Jan 22nd hospital rang to arrange appointment the following week.

Jan 28th met the consultant who then explained that cos if dad's health now, very breathless and tired looking, that he wouldn't be strong enough for chemo and also they didn't like to give chemo if it meant that you only had a couple of weeks extra to the weeks you have left. That hit me like a brick. We then left hospital with steroids to try and help him eat, creon to help him digest, paracetamol and codine painkillers.

Jan 29th macmillan nurse comes and introduces herself helps with filling in DLA firm and arranges visit fir a weeks time.

Jan 30th district nurses coming everyday to check blood sugars.

Feb 1St dad really breathless so call doctor out and gets checked for infection clots but gets the ok.

Feb 2nd called doctor again as dads speech is shallow and it's like hard work for him to talk. He isn't eating and has no energy for anything. Doc changes some med and gives or a morph too plus some food supplements.

Feb 3rd macmillan nurse comes out and can see a change in dad. Reduces his steroids as it's not working and arranges for a medical pack to come ready for injectable painkillers. Also talks to dad about what care he wants to be given and also about DNR which he says he doesn't want to be resuscitated. Arranges for doctor to come and put this in place along with statement of fact ie that he is dying and if he goes police don't get involved.

Feb 4th dad slept in chair til 5.50ish then went to bed til 9.30 when I went in to check which was hard as everything was going through my mind cos he had slept so much. While I have nipped out he has told my hubby that he feels worse today.

So that's our journey so far. It's a mixture if emotions and never done do much crying in my life. When my mum was poorly and passed she was in xx so had nurses around but hee at home I'm bewildered with what is happening and how he might go, it's so scary.

Will add on again in a day or two how things are going. Sorry for long post but hopefully it will help someone else with this awful disease.