Sharp Blue: No real change

I’ve just popped home from the hospital to pick up some more clothes for my mum and to wash my dad’s pyjamas, and I thought I’d post a quick update. There hasn’t been any real change in my dad’s condition. He’s been on oxygen since arriving in the oncology ward and tha seems to be helping. His oncologist, the incomparable Dr Newman, came by today and examined him. His lungs aren’t filling with fluid, which is a good sign. Dr Newman also said that it’ll take a couple more days for the calcium level to come down enough to lead to any real improvements, and even then people’s condition often lags a few days behind the blood calcium level. Dr Newman sounds quite positive and has a way of radiating thoughtful competence. I commented today that if my dad was taken into hospital after an accident that severed all his limbs and was asked how he is, he’s say “fine”, and then Dr Newman would say something like “Hmmm… let’s see how we can fix this…”

The statistics on people suffering from hypercalcemia with associated malignancy say that about half live more than a month, a quarter more than three months and one in ten more than a year, so there is still a thin sliver of hope. I think it all comes down to luck really, although perhaps he’ll recover enough to start on the next line of chemotherapy. In any case, his situation is hovering in the region of “extremely serious” to “critical”, and things can change fast.

My mum hasn’t left his side for more than a few minutes in three days, and I feel strange being away. He’s had quite a few visitors that last few days too - his friend Karen from work, my grandad (my mum’s father), my godparents Christine and Rodney, and his former colleagues Andy and Martin. There are more people who’d like to visit tomorrow but we’re trying not to wear him out.

I’ve had a couple of dozen lovely emails and phone calls from wonderful, supportive friends. Thank you all so much.