Julian Jenner of Armstrong Beach, Mackay receives stomach cancer diagnosis
A father of four faces an impossible choice of ‘quality versus quantity’ as his death looms near. Read how his friends conspired behind his back for an inspiring gift.
Mackay
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A father of four has received a terminal cancer diagnosis just two days after his own father died.
Julian Jenner, of Armstrong Beach near Mackay, is now trying to make the most of his remaining months after learning he had late stage cancer in late 2021.
Called Goblet cell carcinoid, the National Organisation for Rare Disorders states it is an “extremely rare” disease typically starting in the appendix which affects about one in every two million people.
“I just got uncontrollably sick,” Mr Jenner explained.
“If it wasn’t out one end it was out the other end.
“On those special days it was out both ends.
“I had a couple of days there (when) I couldn’t eat, my stomach was that bloated.
“I was in that much agony at the time.”
Mr Jenner said a Sarina Hospital doctor ordered him an emergency flight to Townsville where he had surgery to remove the “bulk” of his large intestine.
“(The doctor) said (to me), ‘You won’t be standing here in six to eight weeks time if you’re waiting’.”
Mr Jenner said his one request to the surgeon while on the operating table was to not be given a stoma pouch.
“I ended up doing a week in ICU (and) I got fluid on my lungs” he said, adding his appeal to avoid a stoma “nearly bit (him) in the bum a few weeks later”.
“I nearly ended up having to have a second operation but they were able to fix it externally,” Mr Jenner said.
“Thank god it was 2021 last year and not 1980.”
But now he faces the impossible task of choosing between “quality versus quantity”.
“I think myself and my wife are becoming numb,” Mr Jenner said.
“Without chemo(therapy) they’re giving me six to nine months (to live).
“With chemo, they’re giving me two years.
“I think I’m going to have to do (chemo) just for me kids and me wife.
“You see these stupid movies (about cancer) when you grew up and you think, hell, you don’t ever want to go there, but I’m playing a starring role at the moment.”
Until a decision is made, Mr Jenner is ticking off his bucket list alongside his wife and partner of 19 years, Emily, and four kids: Nicole, 24, Katlyn, 22, Nathan, 17, and Ryan, 15.
This included a trip to the wider Cairns region plus Magnetic Island, which presented the perfect opportunity for a few scheming friends and business owners to replace the roof on his home.
“They had to let the cat out of the bag about a week or two out, they’d all been conspiring,” Mr Jenner said with a laugh.
He called them “friends that have stood up when the chips are down”.
They included Sarina Beach Motel and The Palms’ restaurant’s Darren and Meaghan Thompson, Armstrong Beach’s Merv plus Geoff and Ashley Casey, Tincone Industrial Services, MI Scaffolding, as well as Rick Walton, Corey Lovett, Jai Lovett and Eric Lovett from the Sarina region.
Mr Jenner said his focus hereon in would be partying, if and when he felt up to it, and “just having fun with the family and seeing friends”.
He said he was fortunate to have already seen much of Australia during his previous role operating specialised tree cutting equipment for maintenance around powerlines.
His cancer diagnosis forced an early retirement.
“The biggest thing I can say to anyone after this experience is make sure you have income protection at least with your supers,” Mr Jenner said.
“If we didn’t have it, we would have been on the street.
“It doesn’t matter what you own (when you die), who cares?”
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