I don't know quite how to start this post. Dad took ill while we were in the Gambia last week; a flurry of blood tests and scans have provided the following information:
- exceptionally high CRP reading (normal is <3.0 - dad's is over 300)
- high ALP & ALT
- extreme pain in the hips and legs
- constipation
- acid reflux
- jaundice
- unsteady on his legs and prone to fainting / losing consciousness momentarily
It was a battle this morning to get a GP to come out to him but we did eventually get him into a car to the GP surgery, from where we had to take him to the hospital for more bloods and an x-ray. He has had an endoscopy, there is a liver scan on Friday, CT scan is on an urgent referral but the general view is that he either has end stage liver disease or PCa mets to liver and bone or pancreatic cancer. The doctor's view is that it is most likely advanced PCa. They have told him to stop taking his blood pressure meds and statins and this afternoon, we managed to get them to prescribe some proper pain relief.
Three weeks ago he was dancing 5 nights a week, he is due to do the Camino again in May. His PSA in January was 1.1. Dad has been quite tearful today and says he just feels very, very sad. We have cried together; John has lifted him, dressed him, undressed him for the scans, dressed him again.
When Stan died, they had missed the advancing PCa because his PSA had fallen to 1.2 - they told us that it is extremely rare for an aggressive cancer to stop producing PSA as it progresses. I didn't think for a moment that lightning could strike twice but it possibly has.