My dad's got terminal cancer.
"It doesn't look like cancer Mr Mutch" he heard in hospital.
It was then that the severity of the situation became apparent as his body recovered from the insult of surgery, and the deliberate irritations to the lining in order to generate a good outcome from what has now been diagnosed as Pleural Mesothelioma. You can read more about this here Mesothelioma: what is it?.
Despite a complete absence of working in an asbestos-laden environment or smoking history at any time in his life, he appears to have been unfortunate to have had some form of exposure which has resulted in this rare and aggressive cancer.
On learning that this situation had also affected the ability of the kidneys to function and the protein leaks that had been as a resultant, it became apparent that no medic was prepared to consider a timeframe in the prognosis. Having initially intimated days, they have hopefully extended this as dad distances himself from the surgery to the lung.
But the cancer is aggressive and spreading evidently, and the family is coming to terms with all that entails, including the hospital visits, tests and consultancies with doctors of various organs and body systems.
This has appeared to be a sudden decline, as my dad was dancing at the Scots' Country Dancing at the end of April, and continuing with his regular exercise at Dalmahoy in May.
At an early stage, fundraising of some description seemed appropriate when there is so little positivity in an improvement in the situation and an absence of available treatment. Of course many families have been through this and worse in multi-organ failure and cancers, but you have to play the cards dealt. It therefore seems a sensible option to try something associated with health, fitness and the city of Edinburgh in a bid for fundraising, even if dad may never become a patient of our chosen charity, St Columba's Hospice.
So if you fancy donating, or even sponsoring (at ten pence a kilometre that still draws in an attractive £25 for the 250 kms to be completed minimum!) then please try using the links attached, or check out the page and donate there. Most days I anticipate the runs to last between 6-10km.
SPACE is seeking to establish links with St Columba's Hospice as a local Edinburgh based charity that has physiotherapy as an option for both Day Hospital and Palliative Care patients, and therefore is a natural fit for us. It needs to raise £3million each year to allow them to continue providing care for people with advanced illnesses and support for their families. http://www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk/
In the meantime we proceed with a positive mental attitude, and take each day as it comes.
Visitors are most welcome, but be warned my mum is running a spreadsheet detailing visiting times for morning coffee, lunchtime sandwiches, afternoon tea and the coveted dinner bed & breakfast options!
Click here to Sponsor Me NOW!
"It doesn't look like cancer Mr Mutch" he heard in hospital.
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| City of Edinburgh from the Pentland Hills |
What appeared initially to be a few days in hospital for 'Observations' turned into over three weeks in a variety of wards under different Consultants. This ultimately resulted in keyhole lung surgery ultimately becoming an open incision of several inches' length.
It was then that the severity of the situation became apparent as his body recovered from the insult of surgery, and the deliberate irritations to the lining in order to generate a good outcome from what has now been diagnosed as Pleural Mesothelioma. You can read more about this here Mesothelioma: what is it?.
Despite a complete absence of working in an asbestos-laden environment or smoking history at any time in his life, he appears to have been unfortunate to have had some form of exposure which has resulted in this rare and aggressive cancer.
On learning that this situation had also affected the ability of the kidneys to function and the protein leaks that had been as a resultant, it became apparent that no medic was prepared to consider a timeframe in the prognosis. Having initially intimated days, they have hopefully extended this as dad distances himself from the surgery to the lung.
But the cancer is aggressive and spreading evidently, and the family is coming to terms with all that entails, including the hospital visits, tests and consultancies with doctors of various organs and body systems.
This has appeared to be a sudden decline, as my dad was dancing at the Scots' Country Dancing at the end of April, and continuing with his regular exercise at Dalmahoy in May.
At an early stage, fundraising of some description seemed appropriate when there is so little positivity in an improvement in the situation and an absence of available treatment. Of course many families have been through this and worse in multi-organ failure and cancers, but you have to play the cards dealt. It therefore seems a sensible option to try something associated with health, fitness and the city of Edinburgh in a bid for fundraising, even if dad may never become a patient of our chosen charity, St Columba's Hospice.
So I, Stephen Mutch, Physiotherapist and son, am attempting to run or row a minimum of 5 kilometres every day for 50 consecutive days. This has been a successful fundraising method for Comic Relief, and presents quite the logistical challenge: not least starting it up in South Africa when the joys of (outdoor) Urban Running can be tricky, hence the (indoor) rowing. Urban Running is now an attractive and inexpensive form of exercise, and hopefully this may also inspire some folks to try it, much as we have suggested SPACE Blog The Joys of Urban Running.
So if you fancy donating, or even sponsoring (at ten pence a kilometre that still draws in an attractive £25 for the 250 kms to be completed minimum!) then please try using the links attached, or check out the page and donate there. Most days I anticipate the runs to last between 6-10km.
 |
| St Columba's Hospice, Edinburgh |
SPACE is seeking to establish links with St Columba's Hospice as a local Edinburgh based charity that has physiotherapy as an option for both Day Hospital and Palliative Care patients, and therefore is a natural fit for us. It needs to raise £3million each year to allow them to continue providing care for people with advanced illnesses and support for their families. http://www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk/
In the meantime we proceed with a positive mental attitude, and take each day as it comes.
Visitors are most welcome, but be warned my mum is running a spreadsheet detailing visiting times for morning coffee, lunchtime sandwiches, afternoon tea and the coveted dinner bed & breakfast options!
Click here to Sponsor Me NOW!
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