John – Interview 40
In 2005 John was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He had a Whipple’s operation, which was followed by chemotherapy. In 2009 John was told that he had cancer in both his lungs. He is not having much treatment at the moment and his pain is well controlled.
In March 2005 John felt very tired and his appetite wasn’t as good as usual. He thought he might have an ulcer, but tests done by his GP didnt show that there was an ulcer.
In September 2005 John had pains in his tummy, and didnt feel much like eating. Medicine prescribed by his GP did not seem to help. The pain got worse and so John went back to his GP. John also noticed that his pee had become darker and his poo was paler. He looked a bit jaundiced and he felt very itchy.
John was referred to his local hospital, where he had several scans, including CT scans, MRI scans and ultrasound scans. The doctors said that they thought he might have gall stones. One doctor told John that he thought it might be something nasty;.
John was then admitted to a specialist hospital for more tests. He had another CT scan and MRI scan. He also had an endoscopy and a biopsy. The next day he was told that he had cancer in the head of his pancreas. This was a great shock to John and to all the family. John stayed in hospital and had a Whipple’s operation a few days later.
The operation went well. John was in the high dependency unit for about five days. He then went back to the ward. John had intravenous fluids, drains and a catheter. He made a very good recovery and was soon out of bed and walking. He went home and gradually recovered there. He slept downstairs for the first few weeks because he found it difficult to go upstairs. He took tramadol and paracetamol for pain, which was mainly along the incision line, and Creon to help with his digestion.
John had chemotherapy from January until June 2006. He experienced very bad side effects, including hair loss, mouth ulcers, sickness, diarrhoea and pain. He said that it was a terrible time for him. He found it hard to eat and he lost a lot of weight.
After all the treatment finished John went back to work in the ship building business. He worked part-time but he found working difficult, so in June 2007 he decided to retire and was on government disability benefits.
John developed mild type two diabetes. He controls the diabetes by eating a healthy diet. He doesnt need insulin. The doctor has prescribed simvastatin to prevent any cardiovascular problems that might arise as the result of the diabetes.
When we spoke to John he was having a check-up every four months. In June 2009 he developed pain under his rib cage. He went back to the general hospital for more tests, including a PET scan, and the doctors found that he had cancer in both his lungs. The doctors werent sure if this is a cancer that has spread from the original pancreatic cancer or if it is a new cancer. John has seen a lung cancer specialist, who suggested that John should wait to see if any new symptoms develop before starting any more treatment. The specialist doesnt think that chemotherapy or radiotherapy would be helpful at this point in time.
John has been to see the palliative care team at the hospice. The pain management specialist gave him morphine and other medicines to control his pain. A psychologist from the hospice also visited him at home. John found this counselling very helpful.
John still feels very positive about his future, although he dislikes the uncertainty. His wife and family and friends have given him wonderful support. He has also had great support from the medical team and from people working at the local cancer support centre. There he has done Tai Chi and has attended relaxation classes, which he has found helpful.
We spoke to John in 2010