Ive just joined. I had surgery for rectal cancer six weeks ago. It was T1 and they have removed it. I have a stoma which they hope to reverse next year.
I was wondering how others cope with their lives following cancer, any tips?
It's great to hear your surgery was successful. This must have been wonderful news to receive and I hope you have been managing ok with your stoma.
If you use the 'search forum' option in the purple bar above you should be able to find others who have been on the rectal cancer journey but hopefully some of our members will pick up on your post soon and share their tips and advice on coping with life after cancer. They know how tough it can be at times so I'm sure they will be more than happy to help and support you when they can.
If you have any questions or issues with your stoma our friendly and supportive team of cancer nurses are available on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m but in the meantime, we're thinking of you and wishing you all the best for the future.
im meeting my surgeon tomorrow. Diagnosed with T1-2 rectal cancer but just had an examination under anaesthetic last week to see if there was enough room to do a resection.
im expecting to have 5 weeks chemo/radiotherapy because of a suspicious looking lymph node then either we wait and see if it grows/changes or we book in for the surgery.
how is it living with a stoma? Weird I should imagine! I'm 45 with young kids so I'm worried how they will react /feel about it too.
Difficult time for you I know. The first thing is that I hope they can do the resection for you.
Mine was T1 with no lymph node involvement so not had chemo or radiation, had a lower anterior resection and the creation of a loop ileostomy on 18th July 2022. Im due to have a contrast x ray on 22nd nov to see if the join has healed and if it has I can then go on the waiting list for a reversal of the ileostomy.
My cancer was low but there is enough room for reversal, if all is well.
Im 59, my children are 31 and 28 but I have 3 grandchildren aged 5 3 and 2.
I found that I was so glad to be alive that I have been able to cope with the stoma. Its not easy but after the surgery I found that I was determined to get well and realised that I was lucky so that spurred me on.
Im a bit of a clean freak and the thought of the stoma worried me a lot but when I woke up in hospital with one I just focussed on getting out and home.
I am battling to stay up beat and have a life so I try not to think of the stoma which is hard as it needs a lot of attention really. Theres cleaning and bags and prep time which is hard.
I still sometimes think this has happened to someone else and not me.
I can help you as you go.
Are you definitely having a resection and stoma?
How old are your kids? Lifting and playing with my grandchildren has been affected overall.
Please let me know how you get on and how you are x
I have an appointment at tomorrow morning to talk me through the Radio/chemo business. Hopefully I only need the radiation because I should imagine both will be quite a handful.
My kids are 8 and 18 months so I don't even know what life will be like through the treatment and then with the LAR. Like you, I'm going one step at a time and right now the only thing noticeable about my cancer is just how tired I am and how muhh be time I am spending at hospitals. Once I get going I wil call in family for help with the little one because he's a nut job and never sits still haha
Do you think we could stay in touch? I imagine I will need you guidance when the time comes.
Yes certainly I will be here if I can help you in anyway. Im in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Are you in Manchester?
As I mentioned before Im just coming up to 4 months post LAR so there may be others who are further along than me.
I have one or two family members who are really reliable so hope you do too. It must be hard for you with small children.
Let me know how you go and message on here. I continue to find strngth from somewhere to keep on and hope you can too. I guess your children will be a big incentive for you.
Hi my name isI Adrian in October 2020 I had laparoscopic lower colorectal resection ,which left me with 50mm of rectum and nearly all my sigmoid colon removed. I just want to say how ever you feel after the op I can only say in all honesty your body will recover. After my reversal which coincided with covid so I had to wait nearly two yrs I was going to the toilet 40 times a day, and six months of work but now I go 8 times a day which is manageable and my life is almost as before the op so keep your head up good luck.
I ha a grade 2 consultant said it had been there for about 11 yrs , I had no symptoms but it showed on the poo test . I had all sorts of complications at reversal , colitis, small bowel ileus drip not functioning for six hours thought I was dying saw a silver path go into the sky nurses were very worried. No food for 17 days or water, then I got c diff and had to be isolated. BUT a big but you will survive I am a much more positive person I don't moan about anything.All the best Adrian.
