I cannot stop crying, I look at dad & I can't accept that this is what he has become....he is having a problem at the moment, actually it started yesterday at the hospital when I went to pick him up...he will be sitting in a chair then his eyes go all foggy looking & he starts to grab at things, could be his pyjamas or just into thin air, then his legs jerk it's like he wakes himself out of whatever is happening...I asked the nurse at the hospital yesterday what was happening & he said dad was having micro sleeps, also today dad was leaning on the verandah rail (both elbows resting on the rail)next minute this "micro sleep" happened again & dads legs buckled under him.......I called the Aged Care Assesment team this evening & they seem to think it's because dad is so exhausted...The last time dad had this happen to him was when he was in ICU over christmas with pneumonia.....If anyone can help in maybe giving some insight I would love to hear from you. I'm just finding things at the moment are really hitting me hard... ... View more

Thanks you all so much for your lovely comments....Things are going ok, the nurse was here this morning & dads blood pressure is low, they have asked I stop his BP meds tonight & tomorrow morning & they will check him again tomorrow 🙂 ... View more

Hi Silly I think I would be lost without this site 🙂 ... View more

Hi Leesa Keep up the fighting spirit... Be mad at it as Wombat said, A Positive mind is a very powerful weapon. Alison ... View more

Thanks Silly It all seems to be going well, dad is very sore but it is amazing how in just 48 hrs things have changed. They didn't do the tube with the pouch they actually put the tubes into the saliva glands & they then go into another tube that directs all the secretions down into dads stomach. Dad is hardly coughing now & there is no more secretions soaking dads shirts (we were constantly changing dads shirts due to them becoming soaked in a matter of hours) Today I took dad out in the wheelchair & we sat in the sun, it was lovely. Cheers Alison ... View more

Excellent news about your dad..Enjoy your trip 🙂 ... View more

Hi Tim Nice to hear that you & your wife could go out & just do "ordinary things". I find doing things like that make me smile...I take dad for a walk some days when I visit him in hosp, we unhook him from his neb, grab a wheel chair & off we go... I have found a nice little spot in the hosp grounds where we can sit together & just listen to the birds chirping & feel the sun on our skin...when I look at dad I can see he is enjoying it, just a break from being stuck in a hosp room...So enjoy the "ordinary" & I hope that there will be many more days like that for yourself & your wife. Warm Wishes Alison ... View more

Hi Manda So sorry to hear about you Dad, it's so devastating getting the news that the cancer cannot be cured. I care for my Dad & it's not easy seeing the one you love fade away. My dad has throat cancer & it took us 3 months to convince dad to go see a Dr, in Oct 2010 dad got a husky voice but dad said it was a reaction to the fumes from the deck oil that he used & he didnt wear a mask..During those 3 months dad did go to his GP but she kept prescribing antibiotics !!! Finally Mum took him to the Mater Hospital & he had a CT Scan, 3 days later we were taking him to a ENT Specialist, then into hospital for a biopsy, 1 week later we were told he had a malignant tumour on the right vocal chord...Dad had 3 weeks of intense radiation...that was so cruel, I know what you mean about the excess mucus I don't know dad slept because he was constantly bring mucus up, in June 2011 we were told the tumour was gone..we were so happy..In Sept 2011 dad went back to the ENT specialist & he found a tumour on the left vocal chord..to cut a long story short dad had a total larengectomy on 29.09.11...what was meant to be a 3 wk hospital stay ended up being 3 months, dads wound dint heal due to the radiation, this also caused a fistula to the saliva glands, dad is now fed thru a peg in his tummy. we got dad home for one night & the next day he ended up in ICU with Aspiration Pneumonia..He has been in for 2 weeks now but since yesterday he has improved 🙂 We pray that dads wound will heal so he can have a flap put in, but at the moment we just take each day as it comes. Sorry for raving on but we are going thru a very similar exp..I am lucky to have Mum & a great fiance to help me thru this..If you ever need to chat just msg me. Sending hugs your way Alison 🙂 ... View more