A big welcome to Cancer Chat though I am sorry to hear you have been recently diagnosed with stage 2/3 rectal cancer. I hope that you will meet other members of our community who have been diagnosed with rectal cancer before and that they will share their experiences with you. Our website has in-depth information on surgery for rectal cancer which I hope you will find useful to help you prepare for your operation. It contains useful tips on preparing for surgery and what to expect after your surgery. Our cancer nurses are also there to answer any question you might have on the procedure or on rectal cancer in general - you can get in touch with them on this free number 0808 800 4040 - their line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
But as there is nothing quite like hearing from other people's similar experiences, I hope that you will be able to connect here with others who have had the same diagnosis before as well as the surgery. One name springs to my mind Gordgrc who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and is also waiting to have surgery I think. It seems like you might have a lot to share with one another and you can read Gordgrc 's latest update Good News, Colon Cancer, Hope and feel free to respond if you would like to do so.
I will now let any of our members who have had a similar diagnosis come and say hello and share their individual stories with you. I hope you won't have too long to wait before you have your surgery and that it all goes well and you make a swift and full recovery. Keep us updated if you get a moment on how you get on!
Hi Lucie. Thank you so much for your welcome and pointers on information and support. I look forward to connecting with the lovely people in this community. ️
Mine is based what i have been told so far , i have an appointment to see a surgeon this week, my fingers are crossed but i won’t take anything for granted just yet
Hi there. I was also recently diagnosed with rectal cancer. Mine is Stage 3, but not operable yet because of the lymph nodes involved, which mean they can't be confident of getting a good margin - I've just started neo-adjuvant chemo, which will probably be followed by chemoradiotherapy, to shrink it down, then hopefully eventually I will be able to have surgery. Sounds like yours is less advanced so good news that they can do surgery straight away. Best of luck xxx
Hi there. Thank you for connecting and I very much hope that your visit with the surgeon goes well and you continue to hear positive news. I think it’s so helpful to share here with people who know what you are experiencing.
Hi cosmictrout! I hope your chemo goes well and does exactly what is needed to remove your cancer. I am grateful that surgery can happen reasonably quickly but nervous too, to hear results and if I will still need chemo and a stoma. Sending you positivity too!
Mine is a 5 cm tumour, they never mentioned the stage i will ask when i see them , the way the nurse was speaking they will be operating and i have to see the surgeon this week the nurse did say the CT scan came back clear it all seems to good to be true i just hope its not , even surgery seems daunting but it has to be done , i wish you luck with your journey and that you have a positive outcome, with cancer your life is put on hold xx
Hi Gordgrc, mine is 5cms too and CT clear so far. Hope you continue to have good news. You are right, it’s almost like holding your breath and being afraid to breathe. Chat soon
