Update 3 - 15th January 2008

Dear All

The Multiple Disciplinary Team at the hospital met last Wednesday to discuss the various aspects of Liz’s health requirements.

Liz & I met the gastro/intestinal consultant today, and unfortunately the outcome was not what we wanted to hear.

The consultant informed us that the scan taken just before Christmas had identified inoperable stomach cancer.

He informed us that the only way they could treat the cancer was via an intensive course of chemotherapy. However, they needed to obtain samples to identify the root cause and type of cancer in order that they can formulate the best course of chemotherapy.

Unfortunately they are unable to carry out a biopsy using a scan until she is completely off Warfarin for fear of bleeding. It will take about a week to eliminate the Warfarin from her system, which will have to be replaced with a daily injection of Clexane.

The biopsy is booked for the afternoon of Thursday 24th as a day patient. Analysis of the samples will take a further 5/6 days.

Liz will have a consultation with the Oncologist once the results of the tests are available (around 30/31 Jan), following which he will instigate an appropriate course of chemotherapy.

Naturally Liz is extremely upset and worried about the future, but takes comfort that she survived the massive blood clot in her lungs (against doctors expectations) and also survived the subsequent stroke. This coupled with the fact that she has rarely been ill in the past, has never had a serious illness and basically is in otherwise good health, leads her to be positive about the outcome of the chemotherapy treatment.

We will circulate a further update in due course.

As always, thank you for your words of support, emails, cards, letters and flowers, all of which have left Liz overwhelmed at everyone’s kindness.

Thank you.

Dick & Liz