Hi guys. Sending love to you all. We have just lost my mum to this cancer after only 6 months post surgery. My advice push for the chemo after and push for all the scans you can get after too. If this had been possible for mum then she might still be here. Xx

Hi

I too would advise, push push push.  My brother had been visiting his GP since March with fears of this dreadful cancer and was pooh poohed and told it was acid reflux.  Eventually at the end of August he had an endoscopy and a biopsy.  By this time he had lost 1 and half stones in 6 weeks.  He was rushed into hospital on 20th September, and passed away on 25th October without having had any treatment.  I could go into far more detail but would not wish to distress anyone on this forum.  It was obviously too late for him and I find it extremely upsetting that in spite of him doing the right thing and going to his doctor, (and advising the doctor that his paternal grandfather had died of the same disease) he was sent away and not seen to in sufficient time to give him a few months quality of life.  

Make a nuisance of yourself, push and push for scans and tests and treasure every moment you have xx

Hi Milly

Delighted to hear about progress and the fact that he is now on "minced and moist".  From the original OP side of things, that's usually the pre-cursor to getting out of there and going home - so hopefully not long!

Happy Birthday Lee! Hope your Dad is doing well as can be on the chemo.

bfg

Hi y'all.

Happy Birthday Lee 21?
 

Millie- that is really GOOD news, they will chuck him out in the next couple of days. Not sure about anyone else, but my husband chest drain was the last thing to come out, and now your guy is also having a la carte hospital food- his 'eviction' looks imminent (:

Bad day for me today, sense of humour left me and a total meltdown arrived. Other people as usual and managers at work grrrrrrrr , emotional intelligence of a camp guard !

Better a bit, and now husband has put 'Gordon Ramsey- Headteacher' on you tube. I'm not sure who is enjoying it more him or the kids!!!! Making me laugh too.

For some weird reason , when I logged on here it took me to a page ' Agnes left ***' god that made me laugh, I posted to her . Maybe karma, but I am now smiling at the thought of my bosses being a pair of t**its (((: ( triple smile = laughing +++ emoji, but this board doesn't like emojis)

I sometimes think meltdowns are good for the soul, clears junk from the ' spin cycle' brain

Anyhows

Laters, fellow travellers & keep the faith

Hilts

Hi Hllts and everyone,

You have made me laugh too! The surgeon has said he will be in a while longer, looking at next week. To be honest he needs to get back where he was before it all kicked off! Surgeon said was such a shame as he was exceeding all expectations by a long way. However he has made good progress for saying he's had two major ops in a week! Fluid coming off him and bits and pieces being removed. He has been in ICU for 2 weeks apart from 1 day in step down. 

One day at a time but such good news and he is determined!

Work will always be there and events like this certainly put everything in perspective. As you say sometimes we need a 'meltdown' to enable us to move forward again. Life eh? You sound like you have a great family unit with all it's day to day normal ups and downs and having a sense of humour is essential! 

Keeping the faith (not the TV programme!)

Milly

Hi, hope you're all well.

This is a helpful, encouraging and positive thread - so know that you're helping many, even if they aren't posting, they're likely reading  ; and they're going through this journey too, and following your updates is really uplifting.

Just a quick question, have the option of a Port or Picc line starting FLOT pre surgery and been recommended the port - and wondered what you guys had ... 

Thanks for the help.

21...I feel like it most of the time until this Last year!

41 yes but feeling much younger apart from the stress! 

Happy Wednesday folks...

Lee

Hi redski... unfortunately my Dad has been diagnosed with stage 4 and inoperable...so surgery hasn't been an option for us.

Lee

Thanks for the reply Lee and it sounds like you and your family are giving your Dad so much love and attention through his journey, it's really lovely to read !

I meant for my chemo, I'm not sure whether to have the port fitted or a picc line. Do you know which fitting your Dad used for his chemo and whether it was easy / hassle free / no infections / blockages etc - I was asked which I wanted and I have no idea !

Thanks for your help 

Hi Redski,

My husband had a picc like. I know a friend who has a port but don't really know the difference? I do know that the picc line goes to a central vein. Hilts  may help being an ex nurse and all that! 

Re FLOT ask away, I am a concerned onlooker. My husband coped pretty well. Yes there were side effects but he managed them. He had a heat pad for his throat as he had a slight reaction to the Oxaliplatin. At least it's warmer - winter when he had his FLOT and during lockdown! He drank lots of water and took warm boiled water in flasks and a cup for when he woke up at night. Seemed to help him. Hope all goes well. Cancer nurse should be able to explain pros and cons of port or Macmillan nurse. I used their help line. I found nurses good, emotional support not as good. Although sharing your feelings/fears with a stranger can help.

Keep the faith #Hilts

Milly

Hi redski,  my Dad has a cafeter fitted just below his left shoulder- everything goes through there eg. Weekly blood tests,  chemotherapy,  pre scan drugs ect

My Dad has not had any issues with this and easy quite easy and straightforward 

Hi

Milly glad to hear your husband is on the mend. Its a long slow road we are on.

Hilts glad to here the husband has returned back to work a bit of normality for yourself whatever that means in this mad world

BFG good luck with the final 4 this Thursday it will all seem a distant memory very soon.

Leechap definitely not the nicest thing this chemo but for a bit of constipation or even tingling the benefits outweigh anything else we just have to grin and bear it and be glad we have strong family's supporting us.

Redski

I have had a Hickman line (central line) and also a PICC line (on my second PICC line now), I believe the port version is the Hickman version, my understanding is some staff  prefer this version due to it not blocking as easy for administering drugs and taking bloods, In my experience the PICC line is a lot easier to install and remove, my personnel issue with these lines is my body tends to rejects them and gets infected and i end up on antibiotics.

Hi

Milly glad to hear your husband is on the mend. Its a long slow road we are on.

Hilts glad to here the husband has returned back to work a bit of normality for yourself whatever that means in this mad world

BFG good luck with the final 4 this Thursday it will all seem a distant memory very soon.

Leechap definitely not the nicest thing this chemo but for a bit of constipation or even tingling the benefits outweigh anything else we just have to grin and bear it and be glad we have strong family's supporting us.

Redski

I have had a Hickman line (central line) and also a PICC line (on my second PICC line now), I believe the port version is the Hickman version, my understanding is some staff  prefer this version due to it not blocking as easy for administering drugs and taking bloods, In my experience the PICC line is a lot easier to install and remove, my personnel issue with these lines is my body tends to rejects them and gets infected and i end up on antibiotics.