This is just a devastating disease, There is very little research into it and therefore the survival rates and life expectancy are very low, when it is detected majority of the time it is too far gone for surgery, The doctors at the freeman hospital in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England were stunned at the speed of this disease in my dads case, here is my story of the worst part of the rest of my life.
My dad ( 58 yrs ) was diagnosed with this monstrous disease on 4th august 2006 after being told he was being tested for gaul stones when he developed jaundice.
On 3rd August the local hospital carried out an u.s.s, on 4th August they carried out a c.t scan and told my dad that he had cancer although at this point they were unsure what type of cancer he had also they did not know the root cause but said that he had metastic liver cancer, he was transferred to The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle Upon Tyne on 9th August where he was quickly assessed and various tests were done, a stent was placed in his left side to try and relieve the effects and assist the drainage of bile, this proved to be unsuccesful so a second stent was placed in his right side to see if this would help, Dad underwent further tests and still no improvement was noticed, we were however told at this point that dad would die from this but they did not know when, this was on 18th august. On 22nd August the doctors inserted a 3rd stent into Dads bile ducts, hoping for a miracle but to our horror this did not help and we were told to prepare for the worst. On Thursday 24th August Dad began to deteriorate rapidly as the build up of bile was causing kidney failure,I stayed with my dad on that night, I could not leave his bedside, trying to comprehend that my dad, my hero and my best friend was fading away, the following night my mam and my younger brother stayed also , We were told that dad would have a peaceful passing but my dad would not give into this and struggled for a while. The staff at the Freeman were brilliant, they comforted us and also let us make 3 calls from dads bedside to Tenerife so that my older brother could say his goodbyes to dad. They called for the hospital chaplain and he was also in my dads room when he pased away, My Dad has always been a fit strong man but this bastard disease killed him just 22 days after diagnosis, dad had always complained of stomach pains throughout his life and following many many tests, nothing was found. He was only 58yrs old.
enjoy every day you have, live it to the full and pray for a miracle, the doctors and nurses at the freeman hospital in newcastle are the nicest people we could of had looking after dad , and he knew it. dad will be terribly missed. he died on august 26th. i cry each and every day just thinking of the times we shared and the years ahead that i face without dad in my life, i will always remind my children what a terrific loving grandad they had, my oldest son is only 3 yrs old, my next child is due to be born in december, sadly my dad will not see his 8th grandchild, if its a boy though he will carry on my dads name.
god bless you all
john