“I can’t forget how he wasted away so quickly, how rapidly he declined and the way he aged visibly every few hours.”

Mick was sixty-eight on 10 June 2022 and he was still apparently fit and well. He was still working 4 days per week in a physical job which he loved, and his spare time was spent gardening, mowing the grass, chopping logs, bird watching, shopping, and cooking. He was always happy and content with his lot. We had a wonderful rural life, just the two of us and our four dogs and two cats.

On Monday 4 July Mick went to work as normal.

On Tuesday 5 July he woke me up early to say he had leg pain and didn’t think he could go to work. He made an emergency appointment with his GP who confirmed my suspicions of a DVT.

That day Mick aged about 10 years in 4 hours. I think I knew even then that this was more serious than just a DVT.

The blood test he had taken by the GP showed a problem with his liver and he was fast tracked to Hospital for further tests and scans.

"Unfortunately, Mick was taken ill that weekend with internal bleeding, pain, and vomiting blood. An ambulance came and he would never return home."

After a day in hospital as an outpatient which confirmed cancer on his Pancreas, Liver, Stomach and Lungs, we were sent home to wait for a Multi Modal Assessment after the weekend.

Unfortunately, Mick was taken ill that weekend with internal bleeding, pain, and vomiting blood. An ambulance came and he would never return home.

Sadly, while in hospital Mick succumbed to a stroke, which left him paralysed on one side of his body.

We opted for DNR, and he was sent to a Nursing Home for Hospice Care.

We were told he had 3 months max, but he died in my arms on 5 August 2022, one month to the very day, of his initial symptom.

I can’t forget how he wasted away so quickly, how rapidly he declined and the way he aged visibly every few hours.

It was so sad for such an active man to end his days in a hospice unable to get out of bed.

"I’m not convinced the first GP he saw was particularly aware of Pancreatic Cancer"

That said, the Palliative team at Winchester Hospital (RHCH) were excellent, as were the staff and nursing team at Flowerdown Nursing Home.

I’m not convinced the first GP he saw was particularly aware of Pancreatic Cancer, because I had to follow his visit up quite strongly to get another appointment, but once another GP raised concerns the fast-track system worked as well as could be expected. Sadly, we were far far too late, to do anything for my darling Husband except keep him comfortable.

I am committed to raising awareness of this horrible aggressive disease and fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer Research, in Micks memory.