Good morning all,
Well I was hoping it would be my hubby who would be blogging this morning but I'm afraid you're stuck with me again.
He is still in hospital and at the moment it looks like he will be in there until at least the end of next week. Just to let you know where we are at....
1/ The surgery on his bum was a great success and things are healing nicely which is good news.
2/ He is currently being fed gloop through a tube down his nose - it was a horrible experience for him getting it put in and it made him sick initially but things finally settled down and he is tolerating the feed and his weight has stabilised - so more good news.
3/ We are still awaiting the results of the biopsy on the infection in his stomach which is frustrating as the pain is getting worse and they won't treat it until they know exactly what is causing it. Dr Belusu and Eleanor came to see us on Friday and Dr Belusu said that due to the radiotherapy many of the cells in the top of his stomach were dead and the infection likes to breed on this 'dead' area. We are hoping to get the results on Monday and hopefully get some treatment going.
The bad news is that because the pain and the swallowing are worse he is unlikely to be able to come home until they can sort both of these out which will take a while...so I'm home alone at the moment and taking the opportunity to get up to all sorts of mischief (not -sadly!)
He is constantly tired as the ward is noisy at night and is finding the increased pain quite hard to deal with and although he is getting a lot of pain relief it often doesn't seem that effective to be honest. It is hard to see him looking so poorly but he's in the right place and we just need to keep him there until he's on the mend. He sends lots of hugs and thanks to everyone - it's wonderful to know you're all there praying for us and thinking of us - it's what's keeping me sane at the moment.
Take care -will blog again when we know more
Flo xx
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
News from the hospital bed!
Hi folks
Me again - just heard from David re the results of the endoscopy. All good news! The tumour has responded well to the radio and chemotherapy and seems to have shrunk. There was no sign of any spread and no thickening of the oesophagus!!! Fantastic!!!
The pain is being caused by the radiotherapy burn and also he has picked up a bad infection in his throat and oesophagus. They are going to give him antibiotics and probably feed him through a tube for a couple of days to let everything heal.
Phew!! Thanks so much again for your thoughts and prayers.
Will get David to blog once he is home.
Love to all
A relieved Florence x
Me again - just heard from David re the results of the endoscopy. All good news! The tumour has responded well to the radio and chemotherapy and seems to have shrunk. There was no sign of any spread and no thickening of the oesophagus!!! Fantastic!!!
The pain is being caused by the radiotherapy burn and also he has picked up a bad infection in his throat and oesophagus. They are going to give him antibiotics and probably feed him through a tube for a couple of days to let everything heal.
Phew!! Thanks so much again for your thoughts and prayers.
Will get David to blog once he is home.
Love to all
A relieved Florence x
Florence Update
Hi all - quick update for you!
Many thanks for all your kind comments on the last blog, my poor hubbie has been in a lot of pain and discomfort over the past couple of weeks and it has really got him down as you might imagine. This is the first time since the diagnosis that he has had any prolonged period of feeling unwell and not being able to eat, drink or poo without experiencing severe pain has not been a great deal of fun as you can imagine!
After a lovely day of thanksgiving and celebration on Sunday when we had the privilege of being asked to be godparents to Alfie and standing with Nick and Sarah at the christening of both Lucy and Alfie, David finally he gave in (I was about to kill him myself!!) and was submitted for observation on Monday at Bedford Hospital acute admissions. After various proddings and pokings etc. he was put on a drip and had surgery on his bum on Monday night.
I went to see him yesterday afternoon and although tired and rather doped up ( he is having morphine every 4 hours) he was able to get some food and drink down which was a very positive step. The surgery went well apparently (thanks to Mr Skipper who came in especially to perform it!) and although he has an enormous bruise which I'm sure makes you all wince ( it did me!) he seems to think that things are feeling a little better down below - time will tell I'm sure!!
Crunch day is today as he is having another endoscopy this morning to determine what is causing all the pain when he is swallowing. They will then decide if he needs any further surgery or treatment. I will give you an update once I know more but please pray that it is just damage from the radiotherapy and not anything more sinister.
Thanks again for all your prayers and phone calls and visits (David and Graham) and offers of help. I know it's a cliche but when you feel you have no strength left God steps in and carries you and that's where I feel we are (again!) at this moment. It's a very simple truth but very precious.
Florence xxx
Many thanks for all your kind comments on the last blog, my poor hubbie has been in a lot of pain and discomfort over the past couple of weeks and it has really got him down as you might imagine. This is the first time since the diagnosis that he has had any prolonged period of feeling unwell and not being able to eat, drink or poo without experiencing severe pain has not been a great deal of fun as you can imagine!
After a lovely day of thanksgiving and celebration on Sunday when we had the privilege of being asked to be godparents to Alfie and standing with Nick and Sarah at the christening of both Lucy and Alfie, David finally he gave in (I was about to kill him myself!!) and was submitted for observation on Monday at Bedford Hospital acute admissions. After various proddings and pokings etc. he was put on a drip and had surgery on his bum on Monday night.
I went to see him yesterday afternoon and although tired and rather doped up ( he is having morphine every 4 hours) he was able to get some food and drink down which was a very positive step. The surgery went well apparently (thanks to Mr Skipper who came in especially to perform it!) and although he has an enormous bruise which I'm sure makes you all wince ( it did me!) he seems to think that things are feeling a little better down below - time will tell I'm sure!!
Crunch day is today as he is having another endoscopy this morning to determine what is causing all the pain when he is swallowing. They will then decide if he needs any further surgery or treatment. I will give you an update once I know more but please pray that it is just damage from the radiotherapy and not anything more sinister.
Thanks again for all your prayers and phone calls and visits (David and Graham) and offers of help. I know it's a cliche but when you feel you have no strength left God steps in and carries you and that's where I feel we are (again!) at this moment. It's a very simple truth but very precious.
Florence xxx
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Update
Hi Guys,
Apologies is this is too much info but......
My health is really not too good at present. The Addenbrookes radiotherapy has left me with ZERO appetite and a very painful oesophagus. Eating and drinking hurts like mad and I'm loosing weight which is not ideal. Really don't went a stent but may have to soon. The polyps removed from my tail end earlier in the month were all benign - which is good news but the surgery was (and still is) painful. No gory details but you can imagine! May have to have another procedure this week to rectify a spasm that won't go away. Pure joy!
Feeling a little sorry for myself which is not my style so I'm going to pull myself together, rise to the occasion and either go shopping (always a tonic), build a fire and watch a movie, or perhaps both.
On the movie front I've seen two at the flicks recently 'The Road' and 'Avatar'. I can recommend both but the road is unremittingly depressing; quite the bleakest thing I've ever seen but brilliantly acted by Vigo Mortesen (Lord of The Rings). Avatar totally lives up to its press - see it in 3D.
Can't be too ill can I as I managed a night out with my mates night, poker (with matchsticks) at which I'm unbelievably crap. Quite clueless.
I'll probably regret blogging this but faith levels are low at present. God seems quite distant and getting to church is a battle and not much of a priority which perhaps it should be. Been 100% for God all my live but suddenly realised how many family days haven't happened because of churchy stuff. How many evenings in the past we haven't seen our kids because of one event or another. It's bizarre really but we are not really going much at present and not particularly missing it. Taking a spiritual sabbatical. No doubt I'll be inundated with comments (that will teach me to be so self disclosive) but please, keep it nice!
So guys; thanks for checking in.
Regards
David
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Addenbrookes Update
Hi everyone..
I spent last week in Addenbrookes hospital Cambridge have 5 consecutive sessions of radiotherapy on my oesophagus and upper stomach. Rather than traveling each day I stopped over there in a budget hotel on my own and then Teresa joined me and we booked into somewhere a bit posher! I can recommend the Felix Hotel in Cambridge.
I'm feeling OK, quite tired from the chemo tablets and I have absolutely no appetite at all. Seriously I make myself eat because I know I have to. I never feel hungry and more than a few mouthfuls leaves me feeling sick. If you are praying for me then a return of my normally healthy appetite would be a good place to start. Thanks.
Looking forward to welcoming my cousin Julia and her boyfriend David for lunch today and then a quiet week next week getting over the treatment. Might just have planned a night out with my mates next Friday (for medicinal purposes you understand). I have a scan booked again in early Feb to check that things haven't spread further.
Promise I'll keep blogging and letting you all know what's happening.
Love
Dave
I spent last week in Addenbrookes hospital Cambridge have 5 consecutive sessions of radiotherapy on my oesophagus and upper stomach. Rather than traveling each day I stopped over there in a budget hotel on my own and then Teresa joined me and we booked into somewhere a bit posher! I can recommend the Felix Hotel in Cambridge.
I'm feeling OK, quite tired from the chemo tablets and I have absolutely no appetite at all. Seriously I make myself eat because I know I have to. I never feel hungry and more than a few mouthfuls leaves me feeling sick. If you are praying for me then a return of my normally healthy appetite would be a good place to start. Thanks.
Looking forward to welcoming my cousin Julia and her boyfriend David for lunch today and then a quiet week next week getting over the treatment. Might just have planned a night out with my mates next Friday (for medicinal purposes you understand). I have a scan booked again in early Feb to check that things haven't spread further.
Promise I'll keep blogging and letting you all know what's happening.
Love
Dave
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Round #3
Hi Troops,
Well back from France to frozen Britain, it wasn't balmy there but certainly warmer than here!
Chemo starated for the third time today for ten days and I've five days of radiotherapy @ Addenbrookes in Cambridge next week. Not really looking forward to it but, needs must.
For your prayers (good to pray specifically) let's ask the Almighty to use the treatment to halt the spread. Who knows I might even hear the glorious word 'remission' one day.
This is cheeky but if you are not great at the prayer thing I've written one for you!
OK, thanks for checking in!
Dave
Well back from France to frozen Britain, it wasn't balmy there but certainly warmer than here!
Chemo starated for the third time today for ten days and I've five days of radiotherapy @ Addenbrookes in Cambridge next week. Not really looking forward to it but, needs must.
For your prayers (good to pray specifically) let's ask the Almighty to use the treatment to halt the spread. Who knows I might even hear the glorious word 'remission' one day.
This is cheeky but if you are not great at the prayer thing I've written one for you!
Dear Lord,
The bible is full of stories of you healing people. You haven't changed. Heal Dave. Stop the spread of this nasty disease, use the treatment, his doctors and your power to put him right. AMEN
OK, thanks for checking in!
Dave
Saturday, January 2, 2010
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Friday, January 1, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!!!
Hi everyone and New Year Greetings from Brittany. Hope you have a great 2010 and all the happiness, peace and prosperity you can handle.
We’ve had a great Christmas and are enjoying our New Year break here, reserves are built up for round #3 of treatment in January. I’ll keep you briefed as to dates and how it’s going as the month progresses. The aim is to halt the spread into my stomach. They are holding further intravenous chemo in reserve to handle secondary spread as and when. It’s amazing to think that it was the presence of ‘specks’ of malignancy on my diaphragm and inside my body cavity that denied me the chance of surgery (only ‘human’ cure) in the first place. That spread was absolutely stopped in its tracks and, did not originally (and has not since) developed into anything nasty.
Health-wise I’m doing OK, swallowing happens (with some water) but I do feel sick sometimes. This is a very small price to pay for still being around. I’m very blessed. Diagnosed in 2007, given 9 months and still here in 2010. Brill – roll on 2011. Got loads planned for 2010 including decadent holidays with my lovely wife and family, mad breaks away with mates and lots of boating when the sun shines again. I utterly intend to live life to the full so brace yourselves for all the details!
I’ll blog next in a week or so after we are back from France and the treatment’s started.
God Bless
Dave xxxx
We’ve had a great Christmas and are enjoying our New Year break here, reserves are built up for round #3 of treatment in January. I’ll keep you briefed as to dates and how it’s going as the month progresses. The aim is to halt the spread into my stomach. They are holding further intravenous chemo in reserve to handle secondary spread as and when. It’s amazing to think that it was the presence of ‘specks’ of malignancy on my diaphragm and inside my body cavity that denied me the chance of surgery (only ‘human’ cure) in the first place. That spread was absolutely stopped in its tracks and, did not originally (and has not since) developed into anything nasty.
Health-wise I’m doing OK, swallowing happens (with some water) but I do feel sick sometimes. This is a very small price to pay for still being around. I’m very blessed. Diagnosed in 2007, given 9 months and still here in 2010. Brill – roll on 2011. Got loads planned for 2010 including decadent holidays with my lovely wife and family, mad breaks away with mates and lots of boating when the sun shines again. I utterly intend to live life to the full so brace yourselves for all the details!
I’ll blog next in a week or so after we are back from France and the treatment’s started.
God Bless
Dave xxxx
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