Tony (Anthony) to family, fought a very tough and extreme brave battle for survival like a true solider would to the very end of his life after a battle with cancer on Thursday 22nd May 2014 at 15:23.  He is now finally at peace, resting now and in no pain. 

He asked me to set this JustGiving page for the care he received to help others facing end of life care.  Thankfully he didn't loose his sense of humour throughout the two years he battled, although he endured severe pain and for the last 11 months of his life was unable to lie down in bed and slept upright in a chair.

In peaceful surroundings, set in a tranquil environment the hospice provides palliative care for people with life threatening illnesses.  Tony didn't want flowers they wilt and fade away. A donation however small made to the hospice will be an enduring gift and will have an impact on the lives of local people with life-threatening illnesses for years to come. Contributions are a positive way to celebrate Tony's life whilst supporting an important charity which costs over £2.2m to run each year.

Tony was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2012 after CT, PET & MRI scans.  In March 2012 he had an upper lobectomy (removal of half his left lung) at Wythenshawe.  He looked dreadful but was only in for three days.  Gradually he was able to walk unaided.  He went through 12 weeks of chemotherapy and went back to work in October 2012.  He was on medication but he was determined he was going to beat it.  

In January 2013 whilst on holiday - he managed to walk 5 miles from Altea to Benidorm which was amazing.  Unfortunately he found a lump in his chest and discussed it with his oncologist as he was starting to feel pain to the left side of his body.  More scans followed and had a mediastinotomy (an operation which involved a biopsy and camera). Unfortunately due to the scar tissue near vital organs this wasn't under taken successfully.  

We were in limbo for months and the pain was getting more severe - I eventually asked our GP for a case nurse as I was having to continually write and phone different hospitals.  Sally was introduced a Macmillan nurse who did try and sort out prescriptions and monitor medication on a fortnightly basis and liaise with hospital secretaries.

His 50th birthday we spent in Benidorm making the best 'quality time' we had left together.

In September 2013 following another MRI and PET scan there showed a spread to the adrenal gland above the kidney.  The option was to have a kidney removed or radiotherapy the oncologist advised.

After deliberation at consultants meetings his oncologist phoned late on one evening and advised it was radiotherapy and appointments had been made to attend The Christie in November.  10 days of pure hell as he struggled to lie down lined up so they could 'zap' him, his words.

This again didn't work and he was then referred to Willow Wood to see the clinical director Mike Tapley who spent an hour with us and tried to ascertain the best course of action to try and eliminate some of the pain.  He was then referred to Dr Paul Cooke at Dr Kershaw's hospice in Oldham in January 2014 to try another route of a cordotomy as the previous nerve block treatment failed (a cordotomy is where a needle is inserted into the spinal column - Tony said it felt like his brain was being fried).  This was undertaken and alas he managed to sleep in bed for 4 hours the following night but that was it, the chair became his bed again.  The left side of his body then had no feeling of temperature perception at all and the following days the pain had mirrored to the right side of his body.

He was referred back to Willow Wood and his opioid drugs were increased having up to 250mg on the hour every hour of oromorph concentrate and matrifen patches 200mg which had to be changed every 72 hours.  

Towards the end of his life he was on oxygen and using a nebuliser to help with his breathing but he remained to be the same fun guy we all loved with a fantastic sense of humour.  

The last wall art he bought states 'Don't take life too seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway'. An amazing man who I'm so proud to call my husband.  My best friend and soul mate x

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