After an anxious wait of 10 days, the PET scan results were finally revealed to us yesterday.

Now you would think, the results would have been revealed to us from someone we knew, such as the lung specialists or the respiratory nurse, or even an Oncologist (if we had one). Nope, not this time, as usually the lack of compassion, empathy and experience showed it’s ugly face again.

The plan for the day was to visit my fathers GP to go over the blood test results that were taken two days before. Then we were to attend an appointment with a private Orthopedic surgeon to discuss the possibility of replacing my fathers knee privately. The last call on our schedule was to visit the hospital and speak to the lung specialty with regards to the PET scan results.

In reality, expecting to see my fathers GP of 15 years, we instead were seen by a new part-time GP. Expecting to go over the blood results, we were told that the PET scan results had been received via fax that morning from the hospital.

After trying to convince the GP not to give the results out as we had an appointment with the lung specialist in the afternoon, the GP pronounced it was my fathers decision and if my father asked for them he was obliged to reveal them.

The results were not good, the cancer had spread and there is no possibility of radical radiotherapy or surgery.

We spent 20 minutes consoling my father, I tried to re-iterate that these results didn’t really matter as the risks verses benefits of the offered Radiotherapy procedure meant we were not going down that route anyway. This was just another knock out punch, something I promised myself would not happen, I wanted to protect my my fathers already very fragile mental state. The GP then said that the only thing they can do is address each symptom as it occurs and make my fathers last days as comfortable as possible.

I then asked about the blood results, the doctor saw that the hemoglobin levels had dropped to 7.9. He advised that a blood transfusion was needed as it has dropped below 8. He made the necessary phone calls and I was asked to call back on Monday.

Our next port of call was the Orthopedic surgeon.

Today was the first day of the holy month of Ramadan. I have decided that this year I will try my very best to pray 5 times a day. I’ll pray for my fathers life, pray for strength, pray for forgiveness and pray for guidance.

It has again been quite a fruitless day. I chased the respiratory nurse at the hospital this afternoon only to be told that the results will be given to us in person tomorrow. Apparently my fathers case and results were discussed during the panel meeting and the specialist would like to discuss the next step with us.

This is where I have a problem. Every time my father has attended a hospital or clinic he has been disappointed and the experience has chipped away at his moral and mental strength. He is drained at the moment and I am afraid the meeting at the hospital will do more harm than good. Unless of course it is very very good news, which in our experience has not been the case.

The diet and nutritional supplements he has been taking have proved very positive. The day sweats, shivers and fever have reduced. Exactly what the palliative treatment would have accomplished. Chances are that we will still go for radiotherapy or chemotherapy though.

So tomorrow we will be going to the GP to discuss the results of the bloods he gave yesterday, then we are off to see the private Orthopedic surgeon and lastly if we rush we will be able to see the lung specialist who will tell us the bad news about the PET scan results. I’m being realistic.

We have decided to go ahead and arrange a PET scan on the premise my father is going for the Radical option. This is purely a formality to enable this to happen. The results will dictate whether we go for the gentle radiotherapy building up to the Radical option.

We should get an appointment time sometime next week.

I have also arranged an appointment with the NHS knee specialist on the 3rd Sept to discuss when and if he can go ahead with treatment.

Speaking to the Private sector, they are fairly certain that once radiation therapy has began, my father’s immune system will be too week to withstand any knee replacement surgery.

Let us pray.

On the 21st August my father, myself and brother in law attended an appointment with the Lung Specialist. It was the news that we were dreading, praying and hoping not to hear. The biopsy results confirmed that the large grapefruit like mass was as suspected a grapefruit sized malignant tumor. The same sqaumous non-small cell cancer cells had been detected as in the brushings obtained during the broncoscopy the week before. The consultant was of the opinion the cancer had been gestating for the last two years.

We felt like the world had ended as the consultant spoke. Then things went from bad to worse.

The consultant showed us the CT scan pointing out the tumor. It looked very big and he was fairly sure that the lymph nodes were infected preventing the first option of the 5 he then gave.

Options:
1. Surgery
The size and position of the tumor as well as the strong possibility that the lymph nodes are affected prevents us from choosing the surgical route. Even if the tumor is removed, the lymph nodes would in time infect the other lung. How much time, well the consultant spoke of months rather than years. Additionally, the tumor is very close if not on the lung lining making surgery an even riskier prospect.
2. Radical Radiation Therapy
This is an option, an option that was given during the panels MDT meeting. The premise being, reduce the size of the tumor and the lymph nodes killing the cancer thus buying more time. The drawback, in the process of doing so, as the lymph nodes are located in the centre of the chest there is a high possibility that the gullet would be permanently damaged rendering my father unable to swallow. In addition to this, there will be some major scarring of the left lung which will impact my fathers breathing and extreme tiredness. The consultant was unable to tell precisely how much, but basically said, ‘some patients can suffer some shortness of breath, others can be wheel chair bound. Chances of success are between 20%-30%, success is an increase of around 4 months life. Before moving forward with this option, a PET scan is required to access whether the cancer has spread.
3. Chemotherapy
As this is sqaumous non-small lung cancer, from past experiences radiation therapy is more effective. chemotherapy can be used perhaps afterwards to kill any existing cancer cells in the body.
4. Gentle/Palliative Radiation Therapy
This is to reduce any symptoms such as shortness of breath and allow my father to improve the quality of life. The aim is not to extend life but to provide a better life. The side effects are tiredness and some shortness of breath.
5. Do nothing
My fathers symptoms will really begin showings and he will most likely survive up to 6 months.

The consultant advised that there was a lot to think about and honestly gave my father between 6-12 months survival. We highlighted that at present the only symptoms my father is displaying is some very mild shortness of breath and daily sweating and some fever. The actual pain is originating from his arthritic knee which he has been treating with painkillers for the last two year whilst waiting for replacement knee surgery.

The consultant agreed with us that the knee is having a large impact on the quality of my father’s life and has decided to write a letter to the knee specialist advising that he urgently progress this as soon as possible before my father begins treatment for his cancer. We are prepared to do this privately if required.

So the plan is as follows:

1. Replacement knee surgery / Make appointment for PET Scan
2. Change my fathers diet drastically to increase the strength of his immune system
3. Begin large dosage of cancer fighting supplements
4. Obtain fathers test/medical records and see consultant at Dove clinic to talk about IV Vitamin C therapy.
5. Once knee is relatively healed, begin mild radiation therapy moving on to radical radiation therapy.
6. Investigate chemotherapy option.

We are also hoping to obtain a second opinion once we have a copy of the medical file.