They said that as he was a successful amateur pro footballer and very successful manager and in later years a gardener and groundsman, it was likely to be sciatica and arthritis. They gave him exercises to do and he went to hydrotherapy.
Dad got worse and worse until he was dragging his leg, was on pain killers and lost about two and a half stone. As a family we were so worried. We paid for him to go privately and have an MRI scan. It showed a massive tumour in the pelvis. As sarcomas are so hard to detect it may have been there for about 2 years slowly getting worse. Spindle cell sarcoma is so rare and is literally one in a million and that was my Darling Dad. We were told by a doctor that it was a metastatic disease.
Then we were given an appointment at RNOH, Stanmore where we were told it was a massive tumour but was contained. We were happier even though the news was awful. A Hind Quarter Amputation is the most savage surgery but at least Dad was going to live. Dad had to have time to download this massive news.
In the meantime I as a daughter am really into Holistic Treatments. Dad was juicing, saying positive affirmations and had cut out protein as cancer loves protein. We were following the most wonderful book, The Breuss Juice Treatment. I can't recommend it enough. Dad put back on all the weight he had lost from the tumour. He decided to go for the op as he said "I just want to live, do things with my life and help other people." He was so brave and mine and my Mum's true hero.
He went in on the 21st Nov 2009, had the op and everyone who saw him said they were amazed how brilliant he was. Then about a week later he said he felt sick, was feverish and his stomach hurt. We kept telling the nurses and they said it was obviously such massive surgery it was to be expected. They also said it was constipation. Well he was getting worse and slurring his words. His bowel had perforated and he was septic through his whole body - after everything he had been through. He had to have an emergency op to save his life. We were devastated.
Dad was then moved to Barnet as Mr. Mitchell who had done the bowel op was there. He was in intensive care for weeks then they moved him onto the Damson ward. The only real words my Dad said to me in intensive care were "What went wrong?" He then got better it seemed for a bit and he was eating. We were told 'I think at last we have turned a corner' but then he got really poorly again. We made Mr. Skinner who did the amputation come over and asked him to look at Dad and say surely he has cancer again. We were told my Dad was clear of cancer. A week later my Darling Dad died of Spindle cell sarcoma. After all the fighting and bravery, the Spindle cell sarcoma had come back in exactly the same place. We are devastated as a family and have been torn apart.
Eventually we will need answers as to why the cancer came back so quickly. I just want people to be aware of Spindle cell as well as all other sarcomas. I am now having to be tested as it can be genetic. Please let's all be aware.
To my brave hero of a dad who died 21st Jan 2009 10-50am. RIP and we love and miss you so much.
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