Stewart Phimister, 40, had visited his GP last year and asked for a scan to check on his pain but he was told that medics would need to go through their checks and offer medication to help
A 40-year-old dad has heartbreakingly been given just “months to live” after requests to properly investigate his “dull” stomach pain were ignored.
Stewart Phimister, 40, had visited his GP last year and asked for a scan to check on his pain but he was told that medics would need to go through their checks and offer medication to help. In additon, they would order blood tests and get the dad to undergo physiotheraphy before sending him for a scan.
The BAE Rigger and dad to little Darcie, who is about to turn three, pushed again for a scan on January 11 of this year but was told it would take six to eight weeks and that he could be denied. He decided to visit the out-of-hours practice the following day after a bad bout of pain, and medics ordered an ultrasound, believing the problem could be gallstones.
However, on Thursday last week, his partner Alannah, 27, and his mum were by his side as surgeons gave the family the devastating news that Stewart has incurable cancer.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, Alannah said: “It felt like a nightmare and someone had to wake us up. Stewart had been complaining of the pain for months, but because of his age, they had to go through their procedures and couldn’t send him for a scan. They said it could be six to eight weeks, and he could still be denied it. He visited out of hours on Saturday and on Monday, he was asked in for an ultrasound. On Wednesday, they said there were lesions on his liver and a mass behind his pancreas but they wanted to do further investigations.
“The doctors asked if anyone would be with him when they came to give him the results of the scan and me and his mum went to visit him. The surgeons came round and they closed the door. They explained that it was really bad and said that he had cancer, which was incurable because it had gone to secondary cancer and spread so much. The only thing they could do was palliative chemotherapy.
“It felt surreal. Even to this day, it doesn’t feel real. He is such a fit guy and he doesn’t look unwell. Stewart asked how long he had left and they said it wasn’t long. The consultant came in later and explained how bad it was and said that he had between three to six months to live.”
Alannah continued: “They think it is primary liver cancer which has spread to his left kidney. They said it was a very rare case because of his age. They said that people in his condition are usually well over the 65 category and really unwell.”
Alannah says that the news has devastated the family, as the couple are left trying to explain the situation to daughter Darcie, who will be three in a few weeks. She added: “Stewart wants to find ways to explain somehow that when dad’s not here, he will be in the sky. It is heartbreaking. This wee, vulnerable, beautiful girl doesn’t have a clue what is going on.”
A fundraiser has now been launched by Stewart’s best friend John Beattie to support the family to ‘make as many memories as possible.’ The fundraiser, which has already raised nearly £9,000 reads: “At just 40 years old, Stewart has had to stop working and now he wants to make the most of the time he has left with his young family. The purpose of this fund is to ease the financial pressure and burden and help Stewart make as many memories as he can with his partner Alannah and their (soon to be) three-year-old daughter, Darcie.
“Everyone that is fortunate enough to know Stewart and call him a friend knows that he has a heart of gold. He was often the friend that people turned to in their time of need, and he was always the first person to donate to good causes to help those who were less fortunate than him. I hope that you can donate to this cause and help Stewart make as many memories as he can with Alannah and his little girl, Darcie, in the short time he has left.”
Alannah added: “We are grateful for the support we have from friends and family. Stewart is only 40 and there is still so much he wants to do. We are going to make sure we do it.” Alannah and Stewart also hope that their story will encourage others to push their GPs to find out what is wrong with them and to get the help they need.
