Sorry for the lack of blog activity in the last 2 weeks and for not being in contact but to be totally honest I have not felt like putting pen to paper..or should that be single fingers to keyboard??
I went back to see the Surgeon a week ago to discuss scan results. The good news is that the tumour has not got any bigger and there has been some shrinkage but it has not responded in the way we had hoped.This means that it will make the operation more complicated and this is not what we had hoped for.
So since I saw the Doctor I have been up and down. At times I have felt like the last 12 weeks have been a waste of effort. The Consultant and Nurse explained this was not the case as the treatment would also have had an impact on the roots system of the tumour which is equally important. I have spoken subsequently to McMillan Nurses and they advised that these sorts of feelings are very common where the patient almost feels worse than when first diagnosed. We felt like we were winning the battle by coming through the Chemo and Radiology almost unscathed only to be brought back down to earth with a big bump with the details of how complicated the operation will be. Of course I am only part of the way through the journey of getting rid of this cancer and as I have been feeling so well I had lulled myself into a false sense of security so facing reality again had been very difficult mentally and emotionally.
We have a tentative date set for early in November for the operation and in the interim I am having further discussions with doctors and nurses so I can approach that date with confidence and optimism.
Meanwhile I have cried my way through the rescue of the Chilean miners and Single Father on BBC1 Sunday evening. My friend Alison tried to warn me off the Chilean miners rescue as not suitable for the "emotionally unstable" but received the warning too late as I was viewing at 8.00 a.m.
I am still keeping well and doing all the things I was doing as I now have to be strong for the operation and hopefully a speedy recovery. The good news is that I am emerging from the planet of despair - which is not in my top 10 places to visit!
Thursday 14 October 2010
Monday 4 October 2010
Bowel Cancer Screening Boost
Good news in times when all we hear about is government cuts. David Cameron, has announced that £60 million will be invested over the next four years in introducing the latest bowel cancer screening technology. This is known as flexible sigmoidoscopy or Flexi-Scope or Flexisig and it will be used alongside existing techniques.
It involves a thin, bendy tube with a camera attached being placed a short way into the rectum and lower bowel. The inside wall of the bowel can then be viewed and polyps removed before they develop into bowel cancer.
Trials will begin in England next spring and the roll out will take place over four years. It won't happen quickly, because practice nurses - who are likely to administer the test - will need to be trained. The UK lags behind the rest if Europe in cancer survival rates so this is a move in the right direction but it looks like it will only be available for patients over 55.
While this is excellent news - I would like the screening be made available to 50 year olds and above. That way mine would have been caught 3 years ago and the costs of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a big operation might have been avoided - as well as the physical and emotional roller coaster you experience when it is diagnosed at a later stage.
On a lighter note - I have actually been watching and enjoying the Ryder Cup. A first for me - this patience I seem to have found also means that I have acquired the ability to watch golf on the TV and at one point I even listened to it on the radio!
It involves a thin, bendy tube with a camera attached being placed a short way into the rectum and lower bowel. The inside wall of the bowel can then be viewed and polyps removed before they develop into bowel cancer.
Trials will begin in England next spring and the roll out will take place over four years. It won't happen quickly, because practice nurses - who are likely to administer the test - will need to be trained. The UK lags behind the rest if Europe in cancer survival rates so this is a move in the right direction but it looks like it will only be available for patients over 55.
While this is excellent news - I would like the screening be made available to 50 year olds and above. That way mine would have been caught 3 years ago and the costs of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a big operation might have been avoided - as well as the physical and emotional roller coaster you experience when it is diagnosed at a later stage.
On a lighter note - I have actually been watching and enjoying the Ryder Cup. A first for me - this patience I seem to have found also means that I have acquired the ability to watch golf on the TV and at one point I even listened to it on the radio!
Sunday 3 October 2010
I'm back
It seems like a long time since I have tapping out a few lines on here!
I had a very restful and relaxing holiday in France and it was nice to get some sunshine and warmth - it seems to have rained very day since I got back. The best result of the holiday( probably combined with the chemo/ radio strength winding down) has been that I am not so tired all the time. I now manage to stay up past 8.30pm which was becoming my normal bed-time. I am sleeping very well still and the sleeps in France were so deep and refreshing - must have been all that fresh air and healthy vegetarian food and only the occasional glass of French red wine!
On Thursday I went to Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot for my CT scan & MRI scan. So no trip to Reading - just a 10 minute car ride away. Which was just as well as the CT scan was at 9.00am and the MRI scan was at 3.30pm - so I was able to come home in between appointments. The CT scan involves drinking a litre of aniseed flavoured water before the scan. While I was sat there pushing the liquids 2 other patients managed to tell me why they were there for a scan - I think I have one of those faces that say 'talk to me' on my forehead! Then it was in for the scan where they inject a yellow dye into your arm for the scan. Nothing to be worried about and apart from a bruise where they struggled to find a suitable vein in my arm. The MRI scan is a noisy affair - they gave me headphones playing music to help drown the noise out. You can choose your music - I had the 70s - which was fab & had to stop myself singing along and having a boogie!
I did not get the results of the scans to see how much the lump had shrunk - that happens next Wed afternoon when I meet with the consultant.
I had a very restful and relaxing holiday in France and it was nice to get some sunshine and warmth - it seems to have rained very day since I got back. The best result of the holiday( probably combined with the chemo/ radio strength winding down) has been that I am not so tired all the time. I now manage to stay up past 8.30pm which was becoming my normal bed-time. I am sleeping very well still and the sleeps in France were so deep and refreshing - must have been all that fresh air and healthy vegetarian food and only the occasional glass of French red wine!
On Thursday I went to Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot for my CT scan & MRI scan. So no trip to Reading - just a 10 minute car ride away. Which was just as well as the CT scan was at 9.00am and the MRI scan was at 3.30pm - so I was able to come home in between appointments. The CT scan involves drinking a litre of aniseed flavoured water before the scan. While I was sat there pushing the liquids 2 other patients managed to tell me why they were there for a scan - I think I have one of those faces that say 'talk to me' on my forehead! Then it was in for the scan where they inject a yellow dye into your arm for the scan. Nothing to be worried about and apart from a bruise where they struggled to find a suitable vein in my arm. The MRI scan is a noisy affair - they gave me headphones playing music to help drown the noise out. You can choose your music - I had the 70s - which was fab & had to stop myself singing along and having a boogie!
I did not get the results of the scans to see how much the lump had shrunk - that happens next Wed afternoon when I meet with the consultant.
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