My Father

Hi, great forum, I have enjoyed reading the stories.

This time last year my mother passed away after a 15 year battle against Cancer, she fought it every step of the way and lived a great life, it got her in the end, but we cherished her final days.

Fast forward 12 months, 4 weeks ago my father thought he had food poisoning, I visited him with a doctor friend and arranged for an ambulance to take him to hospital, he was yellow from jaundice with awful pain in his side, difficulty breathing. They drained litres of brown fluid for him and fitted him with two bags, which oozed out brown fluid.

He is still in hospital, the yellow has gone he has no pain and is eating when not being ordered to fast He had a stent put it, and the doctor has told me that all the signs are there that it is cancer, they have taken biopsies but the results will not be known for a few days.Yesterday they spent hours putting cameras down his throat, same again today. The Doctor has told me it is very very complex and they have 10 surgeons "scratching their heads at this" one concern is "bile duct brushing"

Whilst my father looks more feebl than usual, he is still sure it is gallstones, I havent the heart to tell him that he is in the pancreatic cancer ward. I was able to ask the questions last year for my mother, but the doctors are not forthcoming with information regarding my dad. He is almost 75, very healthy, doesnt smoke, rarely drinks, has diabetes, does anyone have experience with this condition, I basically need to know how bad it is. ?

Many Thanks

Dara

I'm so sorry you are you and your father are going through this, all I can advise us ask questions and ask to see the consultant. My dad had the drains in and lots of brown liquid came out over a few days. And he had the stent and it worked wonders. Dad then needed the whipple operation, all the way along apart from the symptoms of jaundice and itching no scans or blood tests detected cancer. If you want to pm me then please do.x

If it is pancreatic cancer a camera down his throat is not necessarily going to tell them anything conclusive. My fella's cancer was at the tail and nothing showed up in an endoscopy unsurprisingly. Obviously pancreatic cancer is bad news but until you get the results and what can be done, no planning can take place. The waiting is awful I know, but it may be good news or at least better than expected. Useless to say 'don't worry' but try to keep occupied somehow.

Thanks for the replies, got some more information this evening, there is definitely cancer in his bile duct not sure to what extent, there is also spots on his pancreas, they don't know what these spots are yet, will hopefully know tomorrow.

Thanks

Ok, not so good news but you said your father was very healthy up to now and if the cancer is contained he may be operable. there are also some new drugs now which are often very effective. I think it is important to try to take each step at a time, hope for response, and not to look too hard into the future. Difficult I know but the only way to stay sane and enjoy life. I have spent the last nearly 2 years worrying about my fella and he is still here. If I could have looked into the future I would have enjoyed that time much more, but we can't! Good luck and let us know how it goes. we are all here to support you!

Thanks for all the love. So today was a big day I suppose. They have let my father out with a drain and instructions on how to inject himself in the stomach. I was there for the discharge and the doctor said we need to come back on the 8th when decisions will have to be made. All the results will be in from biopsies. So whilst my father is glad to be home and can honour my mother's first anniversary in the golf club, he knows there is something going on. He has lost lots of weight.

Thanks again

Has he been prescribed pancreatic enzymes for the weight loss, such as Creon? My Dad lost about 1 1/2 stone in the first 3 weeks after diagnosis and the Consultant said he was unlikely to regain muscle. So obviously it's better to prevent weight/muscle loss if possible. Drink supplements such as Fortisip, Ensure or ProCal Shot are also helpful.

Thanks for the info. The injections he is on is instead of Walfrin (heart medicine), he was only prescribed antibiotics from hospital as the drain caused an infection(so they say). NO other meds

I wonder if his weightloss is to do with a month in hospital. This week will tell, as he is eating well at home, my mum is a year dead today, cancer too. Rip Mum x