Hi I'm Liz. My female partner has stage 4 rectal cancer. She was diagnosed in April three years ago and has had surgery and chemo and chemo rad. After the surgery there was no sign of the cancer but she had lots of infections because the anastomosis tore and there was a leak. She was really ill for a year and lost three stone. During this time they reversed the loop colostomy but this was a disaster. In the end they gave her a permanent end colostomy and that's been fine. There was no trace of the cancer. Then in June last year they found a massive local recurrence. She has been on treatment ever since and is doing well. There is some possibility of major surgery in the future which is another challenge. It will involve removing everything and a sacral resection. We are managing well but sometimes I feel very low. I am 66 and retired - but still have blue spikes in my hair :-) and am working despite the retirement. We go away as much as treatment permits and try to see friends who live further away. We are going to Paris next month and then Basel in November.