OK back now. Forgot to say I was going out after bedtime. Have had a few glasses, and will be cogent another day . Sorry it's a bit long but these drunks do like the sound of their own voice.
OK - I was treated under the current NICE protocol for non invasive colorectal cancer. 'Twas only later they discovered the liver secondaries.
I was told about the liver abnormalities after my initial surgery. I was sent for an MRI as a "belt and braces" thing and was shocked to discover there were two secondary tumours on my liver.
The NHS now has specialist liver units so instead of being operated on by a general surgeon who does, maybe, two liver resections a year, I was sent to a specialist unit in Basingstoke (I live in the SW) where there are three or four liver consultants. So being at home is not always the right approach. I must stress that my secondaries were very small (about thumbnail size) and easily removable. I had keyhole (laparascopic) surgery to remove them. My recovery was incredible. I would expect that the Netherlands now too has specialist liver surgeons. Do not let anyone go near your father's liver unless they are a specialist. I mean this from the bottom of my heart.
After my the initial surgery I was told I needed twelve cycles of a chemotherapy commonly known as "folfox". But this was before the secondaries were discovered. In my case, as they were so small, and there was no evidence of the cancer having spread other than these small secondaries, they continued with the initial plan. Again, these twelve post-operative cycles of folfox are part of the standard NICE regime for colorectal cancer.
Folfox is given over 48 hours or so (mainly at home) every fortnight or so, so 12 cycles should take less than six months. Of course with cancer there are always complications, and you need to get your head around the fact that things will not always go according to plan. Some bits do, but it's unlikely that the full course of the illness/treatment can be predicted.
I had my chemo through a Hickman Line. I got sepsis and my treatment was delayed.
I ended up with a diagnosis in August 2007, and after surgery and complications I still have more surgery planned, possibly next month (though swine flu may knock me out until the spring). I should be OK. There are no guarantees with secondary cancer but some people do survive.
I can't tell your dad can be one of them but I can tell you that a friend I have met through all of this had eight secondaries in her liver five years ago. She had more chemo this year and the liver surgeon was prepared to do another resection this summer. You can have 75% of your liver removed and it regenerates very quickly, just like Doctor Who.
Anyway, less blethering, children. Use the words cancer, chemo, tumour. They need to know this is not an ordinary illness lest they start fretting that they need to go to hospital with a cold. Or get pipes (hickman line) when they have a sore bottom. Winston's Wish has some good stuff. I've also had some help from my local hospice but that's because it's me that's been ill. Your local hospice may have resources to share.
Ben je nederlandse vino? Ik woonde anderhalf jaar in Amsterdam enkele jaren geleden. Misschien nu ben ik een klein beetje out of practice.