Terminal ... again !

Wow where do I start ? 

Several years ago my Dad was diagnosed with Stage 3 Upper Lobe Lung Cancer, due to other Medical problems operations were out of the question so he had intensive RadioTherapy which badly burnt him. The RT slowed things down for a while but it started to grow again and he was given 3 months.

Told there was nothing else that could be done so he started researching alternative treatments and to cut 4 years short it worked, his Cancer became dormant and encapsulated, 14 months ago he was signed off by his consultant as there was "no point in seeing him anymore" because the tumor hadn't grown or spread. 

Fast forward to the last few months, he came down with what was at first thought Pnumonia given strong antibiotics and told to go home, since then this cough wheeze has got worse until Tuesday this week he was rushed in to hospital with breathing difficulties. The AMU unit where he was initially admitted to were just going to send him home again after an overnight stay with them, however he didn't get discharged and was sent to a Chest ward for further tests.

Was told this morning he had mild COPD and were going to discharge him again ... that was until a CT scan he had yesterday came back.

Family was called in this afternoon and we along with my Dad were told his Cancer is back and it's terminal again, Stage 4 this time as it's spread to both Lungs, Liver, Adrenal Gland and his Spine.

I don't know where I am now, I'm so angry with the NHS for brushing him off for the last 14 months, someone is going to pay for this misdiagnosis / neglegence .... 

He's going to fight it again, I know he has a great positive mental attitude to it as he's beaten it once he can do it again, but I'm sadly thinking too much too late....

  • Hey, 

    I just felt like I needed to reply to this post. I am so sorry to hear about your Dads most recent diagnosis. I felt sad and angry reading it, so I can't even imagine how you're feeling. 

    I can't believe that the consultant he was under just discharged him like that, that's just disgusting. I can't believe he thought that just because, 14 months ago, your dads tumour was dormant, that he thought it would stay that way. You have every right to complain, as you said it is negligence and even if there isn't treatment or surgery for your dad, your dad was under that consultants care, wo should have still had the regular scans and check ups to see what is going on, and to maybe give things that could help ease symptoms of any new things arising. For your dad to get that diagnosis in the first place is bad enough, but to have a consultant completely dismiss him and treat him so badly is just unacceptable. You know all of this already, but I just wanted you to know that other people would be feeling as you are now, and people probably have felt that way, as I did with my Nan. My Nans oncologist just said my Nan had breast cancer. It wasn't until she died that we found out he had had scans done on her while we weren't there, she wasn't able to tell us as she seemed confused a lot, and he had known for weeks that the cancer had spread to her lungs, brain, bowel, throat, skin and bones. He persisted that she must get out of bed and so many more things, that we urged her to do because we didn't know the cancer had spread. I know what it's like to feel so let down and angry by a consultant, I just want you to know that you're not alone in thinking that way. We ended up prosecuting the hospital, for the simple fact that we didn't want any one else to go through what my Nan did, and so that hopefully it wouldn't happen again. So do whatever you feel is right. 

    Lots of love to you, your dad and the rest of your family.

    Alexia x