Hi LD

They are just gathering all the info they need to decide on best course of action. My partner had all of the tests you mention including bronchoscopy with biopsy. Personally, I would't read anything into it. Obviously the oncologist will explain it all but I believe its fairly standard practice.

I still have bad days when the fear, stress and panic take over so I do relate to your feelings, but trust me, it does get better when he gets started on treatment. Your Dad needs you to be calm and strong if you can possibly manage it.

Try not to worry.

xxx

Hi Monica,

How are things? Did you have your follow up on 28th? x

Yes-every weekday. Google can be our worst enemy-when Dave was having chemo I obsessed about sepsis. I had a bad cough at the time and a sore throat [you'd have thought I was the one with lung cancer] but he was fine.

No kissing though and I slept in the spare room just in case!

x

Hi ladies,

How are you both? How is the radiotherapy going Monica? Homebird - any CT scan news?

After dad doing so well things got worse as his air leak got worse and he has surgical emphysema. He literally became so swollen and his eyes, neck, chest and even voice changed! He had a second drain put in on Monday and has been switched to gravity. Hoping they will clamp it soon and he can come home. I know he is getting fed up in hospital bless him. He has done so well being up and about and would of been home if it wasnt for this. Its been tough my mum travelling 3 hours daily to the hospital and wish I could help more but been juggling the kids and work too :(

Anyway hope all is well with you xx

Hi

Sorry to hear your Dad has been so poorly and so uncomfortable. We always hope everything will be straight forward and it hits us hard when its not.

I really, really hope he will improve soon and he can get home-I'm keeping everything crossed for you.

Radiotherapy has been fine so far, but like your Mum, the travelling gets us down although we just have a 2 hour round trip. However, we are exactly half way through-one more fortnight and 10 more treatments to go. We're counting the days and have just started to think about booking a really nice holiday next year.

Thinking of you and your family,

Monica x

Thanks Monica. Thats great news its going so well and those last treatments will fly by. A nice holiday sounds just what the doctor ordered. Where do you think you will go?

I'm really hoping he will be home over the next few days. The hard thing will be not mixing with the kids and how we juggle the childcare. Mum says she still wants to come but I worry she may catch something. Her argument is she has been sat on a train full of germs every day to visit him x

Hi LD

The childcare issue is tricky, especially as it will be difficult for her to come and not cuddle or touch them too much. I'd be inclined to ask the doc what he/she thinks and follow their advice.

We booked a Rhine river cruise for September before diagnosis so we're doing that already with no insurance complications but Dave hasn't wanted to think about next year's holiday or indeed anthing in the future. He's just now coming round to the idea that he might have a future. We're contemplating another river cruise for 2020-this time to the Douro in Portugal but insurance will be tricky this time. We may need to wait a little while.

x

Hi there, so sorry that your dad is still in hospital and hope that things improve and he will be home soon. Yes it is a bit arkward for you with them looking after the children but as Monica says have a word with the nurses and ask their opinion. The traveling must be awful for your mum and I was so glad that I stayed in a hotel right by the hospital. Still hopefully it won't be too long now. No news on the ct scan so I suppose we had better stop burying our heads in the sand and give them a call. 

Glad that all is going well for you Monica and what a lovely thought being able to go on holiday. We might do a couple of coach trips if we can. We are currently waiting on a cataract operation and a new drug for the Arthritis. 

Take care Homebird.

Thanks both. He has had the drains clamped and x rays look good so awaiting a decision from the team meeting tomorrow (nobody wanted to make a decision without the consultant even though on Friday she said see you at outpatients) Fingers crossed for good news tomorrow.

Mum has said she wants to come and look after the kids, and dad will be ok at home. She thinks I am being OTT as its no different to travelling on the train with kids and visiting and I guess I visit after being with them. There were even kids on the ward the weekend. I think as long as he doesnt mix (that was what they said) and we practise good hygiene (I am OTT anyway) then what else could we do. Youngest doesnt go to nursery so shes not out mixing with germs etc. My mum is also a carer so she would be out in the community. Its so hard to know how far to take it. I actually cant find local childcare available either.

I dont think Dave should "think" he has a future I would say he definitely does. He has done so amazing! Holidays sound lovely and hopefully you can find some specialist insurance.

I am sure the CT is clear as they wouldnt leave you this long surely. My dad had cataract op too and did really well with that.

I am hoping dad is well enough for a little UK break with the kids in summer. 

Hope your both well and had a nice weekend x

Hi there, I have been thinking about you today and hope that your dad will soon be home. I am sure that he is getting fed up being in hospital for so long. To begin with you will be quite anxious but I'm sure he will get on better being home with a bit of 'normality '.  I bet the children are looking forward to seeing him.  Did they take any lymph nodes away during the operation to do a biopsy on them?

i phoned the hospital today regarding the CT scan and the secretary is looking into it. Since the sepsis my husband hasn't been able to go back on his Rheumatoid Arthritis drugs, they are trying him on an infusion on 9th April so are hoping to get the cataract done before then. It will be nice to 'tick all these boxes' and move on.

take care x

Hope by now Dad is at home. In his shoes I would be desperate to come home-such a comfort to be back in your own place. I totally get where you are with the hygiene issue. I was so paranoid about sepsis during chemo that everything was anti bac-ed to withn an inch of its life! And we never went to pubs, parties or restaurants over Christmas.

You do have to find a balance though and we're just working it out now with the holiday issue, but I think its a difficult one for all of us. Its about living life really. 

It would be lovely for your Dad to have a break with his grandchildren-and something for you all to look forward to. He was caught at a very early stage so I would expect his prognosis to be really good. Once you get through the next few weeks, I'm sure life will be sunny again.

Homebird, I'm sure that in your case, no news is good news. 

Love to all x

Thanks both. Dad is still in but drains are out and coming home today woohoo! It got in a bit of a mess as people kept clamping and upclamping so god knows what they were doing! He is cheesed off so glad to be coming out and apart from the swelling he has been fine.

He definitely wont go out or even come to see the kids yet but I dont think we can stop mum from seeing them or me from visiting him and I am with the kids at home. Like you say its balance and we can do our best but he cant be housebound for 2 months as that would affect his mental state too.

Yes they removed nodes and have confirmed they got everything and nothing in his nodes so thats great news for him. Hopefully get through this next period and like you say all will be well.

I would definitely say no news is good news :) x

Thanks both. Dad is still in but drains are out and coming home today woohoo! It got in a bit of a mess as people kept clamping and upclamping so god knows what they were doing! He is cheesed off so glad to be coming out and apart from the swelling he has been fine.

He definitely wont go out or even come to see the kids yet but I dont think we can stop mum from seeing them or me from visiting him and I am with the kids at home. Like you say its balance and we can do our best but he cant be housebound for 2 months as that would affect his mental state too.

Yes they removed nodes and have confirmed they got everything and nothing in his nodes so thats great news for him. Hopefully get through this next period and like you say all will be well.

I would definitely say no news is good news :) x

Great news. He will get a lift just from being at home. And you're so right about the mental state being important in his recovery.

I will be keeping everything crossed for him and for you too.

It sounds like a good day all round as we got a call from the hospital today to say that CT was okay and we will get an appointment for another one in June.

Hope you all get a good nights sleep tonight and knowing that your dad is home you can all relax a bit.

Take care x

Hey how are you both? X

Hi

Great to hear from you! Dave is doing really well, thanks. His 3 month scan was clear and he has been discharged from oncology back to the Respiratory team. He will just have  'gentle monitoring' from now on. You can imagine how greatly relieved we both are.

How is Dad doing?

x

Ah that’s amazing news. I bet you are so relieved! Dad’s doing so well bless him and had the all clear. Next scan is October so fingers crossed all stays clear. He said still full on looking after the girls so that keeps him busy x

Fantastic. We are both so fortunate. Keeping everything crossed for all of us. XX

Hi there, lovely to hear from you both, and so pleased that things are going okay. My husband is doing okay with the cancer side and he's just had the CT scan ready to see the specialist in August. He is on a new drug for the Arthritis, which is working well. He now has to have a hip replacement because of osteoarthritis and wear and tear on his left hip. This was a bit of a shock but in this life that we have it's sink or swim and I'm not a strong swimmer but am doing my best. He also had a cataract operation in May and he can see much better now.

Hope you continue to do well and kind regards to you both.

Wishing you all the best for the results of the CT scan-do let me know how it goes.

He'll feel a lot better after his hip replacement, I think, and I hope he doesn't have to wait too long.

I really admire your positive attitude but I'm guessing that very occasionally, it might become a little exhausting for you. You have such a lot on your plate.But, there again, we cope because we have to.

Lots and lots of love to you both. I'm thinking of you.

xxx

Thank you for your kind wishes.  You are right, it does get exhausting and I often find a 'quiet place' on my own and mutter the words "I am finding this so hard, how am I going to cope if it gets worse". Then you soldier on and tomorrow is another day and hopefully a good one. Today is a good day because after 13 weeks we thankfully got our 'blue badge' so all these hospital appointments can be free parking and less walking for him.

Best wishes to you and I will keep in touch when I have news. xx

All the best for the CT scan news. Do you have a date for the op? My mum and dads neighbour had her first hip done (shes in her 70's) and due to have the other (or has done) and was literally up walking about in no time! My mum said she was walking 5 miles after no time. Hopefully all goes well for your husband but I can imagine its a worry. 

Its' lovely to hear from you both and do keep in touch xx