andie

Hi Katja,

Hope you are all ok. The weather here in the Midlands is awful today, already one accident on the road outside our house.

I do think Dads slurred speach was down to tiredness, thanks for saying your Dad had experienced it too, it does put my mind at rest when someone else has experienced or noticed this. His stomach was ok this morning, so I think it is digestion problems. My problem is the time limit which I think is making my mind work overtime, and also made worse by the fact I have not seen Dad for a week, the longest since he was diagnosed.

Dad had a CT scan the other week and there had been change since his August one, more ducts were blocked but that was all that Professor Lodge said. We had been told that the stent wasn’t working due to tumor blocking the stent. I can honestly say though he isn’t has bad as I thought he would be, I think I’m just so scared he’s going to go downhill so fast. We were told though that it would be the jaundice effect and not the cancer that would do the harm to Dad. He was told he would just go more and more tired and slip into a coma. I don’t want this to happen for months, or if a miracle could happen, years, but I would much prefer it to happen like this than suffer pain.

Thinking of you too, hope you all have a wonderful Christmas x

Hi Gavin,

Hope you and your Mom are ok, i see the snow has returned! We are having it here at the moment too. Still can’t get rid of my cough but Jamie is really poorly with sickness/flu. We were supposed to be going to Warwick Castle the weekend but that will have to be done another weekend now.

Spoke to Dad about 30 mins ago and his speech sounded normal. He did say his stomach had gone down abit but at the end of the day it does usually swell a little and he feels full but the following morning he is ok, so I’m thinking that this is to do with digestion and not ascites. Perhaps the rice pudding was too heavy for him. He is not swollen anywhere else or in any pain. Just a little tired. I don’t think this time of year helps having to stay in and also I haven’t seen him for nearly a week so apart from popping to see his work friends Tuesday he hasn’t seen anyone apart from my Mom. Everyone else is keeping away as they seem to have cold and flu.

The Macmillan Nurse did phone Dad to see if she could visit but he said no! She asked about pain and his appetite and Dad said they were both ok so she agreed to send him her details in the post and that explained she was only a phone call away. I am having to take a step back as he gets defensive if you mention them, he has also stopped taking his ensure drinks, saying they won’t increase his appetite, i tried to explain they weren’t just for that but he said “I don’t need them i’m eating”. again I’ve taken a step back as he is eating 3 small meals and snacks and i don’t want to keep nagging him but if his appetite decreases then I will order them.

Dad didn’t have the flu jab, don’t think he was offered it. I didn’t have mine either, working for the NHS i’m entitled to it but I wasn’t at work on the day it was given. Wished I’d have popped in now.

Take care of yourself

Andrea

Thanks for your advice Margaret,

Mom hasn’t noticed his speech just me when i spoke to him on phone.

I think she would have noticed if his face had changed and I think Dad would have mentioned it too.

Mom did mention I’d woke him up when I phoned so perhaps thats why, another reason could be he hadn’t put in his saliva spray.

Mom did say his stomach had swollen, which worried me as I was wondering if it was the beginning of ascites. It wasn’t like it this morning, only after he had rice pudding. Mom just told me it is less bloated now. Would ascites go up and down like this or could it just be digestion problems?

Thanks again for your help.

Hugs

Andrea