Scared for my Dad.

[WhenMarnieWasThere]

Before Christmas he was hospitalised with kidney failure. We didn't realise, but he had a lump in his bladder area that caused a blockage and that caused the failure.

He's catheterised and has been recovering his strength while going through tests and scans.

A few weeks ago we were told that he has a rare form of cancer (SCC), that the local hospital couldn't treat so he was being sent to the Christie.

We saw the specialist today and he spelled things out. :(

His lump is much larger than he'd been led to believe. He will need drastic, body altering surgery and will need a permanent stoma.

IF the chemo they will give him will shrink it and make it operable.

IF the scan he was then sent for shows it hasn't already spread. If it has spread they have already said they won't operate.

He first had symptoms back in July/Aug and I wish, wish, wish that this had been spotted back then. Everything his GP did (testing blood levels for prostate cancer markers etc) was appropriate and it is one of those things that it grew somewhere tricky to find, so it had plenty of time to grow before it was diagnosed.

They will review his CT scan/MRI etc this week and we go back on Friday for the news. I am praying that it hasn't spread and that they will give him the chemo. And that he can then have his operation.

:(

Big hugs to you. I have no experience of this but I really hope it hasn't spread and his chemo goes well x

Hi OP so sorry to read this.I do also have a Dad with small cell prostate cancer.His was inoperable in 2012.Like your Dad he was tested for regular prostate cancer.Mum sent him for tests as she has incurable cancer and noticed him peeing alot.He had chemo which worked then he had until last aug symptom free then it returned in his bladder.Dad is on chemo scans next week.They left Dad months before treating him.It is in his bladder and lymph node.
Small cell cancer is aggressive however responds well to chemo.It is rare outside of the lungs.
I wish you and your Dad well and hope he can start chemo asap.

Thanks to you both for your lovely messages.

Dad's isn't prostate, but that's what was suspected at the start. Prostate would have been simpler. And would have been treatable by the local hospital.

It's squamous cell cancer of the urethra/bladder/penis. :( He only had it diagnosed when the blockage it was causing made his kidneys shut down as he couldn't pee. But didn't make enough of a fuss to get treated before it nearly killed him by shutting down his kidneys.

I'm hoping that his chest xrays are clear and that treatment can be effective for him.

we thought Dads was regular prostate,slow growing and were devastated it was small cell (squamous has been used).Rare cancers are harder to find out about but my Dad so far has had longer than predict (my Mum has too stage4 cancer since 2007).So hard to watch our lovely Dads suffer though.
Treatments are progressing all the time which is good. xx

I luffs you Marnie and I will be here for you whatever happens. I know you are hurting and my hand is here whenever you need it can't say this in RL as there will be tears. From both of us

, luffs you too. And you know it! :)

whatisforteamum, your story gives me hope that there is still time, even if they come back with 'inoperable' or something on Friday. It is soooo hard watching those that you have always viewed as invincible become vulnerable.

Some good news is that the CT scans etc were all clear so he's starting his chemo regime. Phew.