Hi

I'm so sorry to hear that your friend is not well enough to have chemo at the moment, a picc makes it so much easier to have chemo and take blood, so I do hope he/she will be able to start soon.

I had stage 4 bowel cancer that spread to my liver and lymph nodes, that was in 2017 I have just had my latest colonoscopy and scan, they found no evidence of disease and I take no medication at all.I feel very well. I tell you this because I am proof that stage 4 bowel cancer spread to the liver can sometimes be treated successfully. I hope this will be the case for your friend.

Denise

Hello Sebsy...........sorry if I got your name wrong before

I had to have the tumour removed first as it was obstructing my bowel and very painful, so it had to be removed urgently. My liver function wasn't good either, I'm not sure what you mean by mets but if you mean lessions I think I had 3, 2 on one side and 1 on the other, I had to recover from the surgery before I had my first lot of chemo, my liver responded to that and I was able to have surgery on my liver and my liver function gradually improved. I had the 2nd lot of chemo as belt and braces really just to make sure everything had gone.

It was a long road but I got to my destination as I hope your husband will. There is so much that can be done and the doctors and nurses are amazing.

I am here at any time you need any help or just to vent your feelings and remember it's ok to not feel ok sometimes.

Denise

Sorry yes I meant lesions. Unfortunately my husband has loads, it's everywhere. 
 

It gives me comfort knowing that your chemo went ahead even though your liver function was poor at that stage. I'm just hopeful that he can get in for the chemo as soon as possible but he has to have the colonoscopy next week to find out exactly what the tumour type is and the staging.

I'm sorry to hear her treatment has been delayed due to being unwell, she has been through a lot...hopefully now she is feeling better and has started her chemo. The side effects vary so much so fingers crossed your friend will be okay.

It's not easy knowing what to say or do but just being there for her and being optimistic and 'normal'. It has helped us a lot and having been on a few forums with so many promising and positive stories it really helps. Everyone's journey is different and try to stay positive  (even though it can be so hard at times when you thoughts run away with you).

Hope you friend responds to the chemo well

Hi Sammy,

Sounds like your dad has been going through such a lot lately, what a worry for you all. To put your mind at rest, they asked my husband all these questions and he thought the same as you, deciding whether he was a worthy candidate or not, so please don't worry as my husband is on his third round of chemo now. They probably need your dad to be strong enough for the chemo as it can have quite an effect on the body.

He's very lucky to have your mum looking after him, that's so nice to hear and he has you too, so if you have questions, ask at his next appointment to put your mind at ease.

Hopefully your dad will get stronger before the next scan and you'll get the news that he can start the chemo.

Let me know how he gets on and you can 'drone' as much as you want Sammy, as I know there are always so many questions and it's helpful when someone else is going through the same thing.

You all take care.

Sandra x

Thank you so much for the reassurance Sandra.  We're all praying he's going to be strong enough at his next appointment so they can give the go ahead for chemo . 
 

lovely to know there's people out there that understand and are able to share each other's worries on here. And give each other support.  I hope your husband is coping well with the chemo. 
 

take care, and please keep us up to date on how he's getting on also. 
 

sammy xx

Hi Sebsy

so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. I wasn't even sure why I wrote a post on here either, but I'm glad I did as everyone is in the same boat and it's great to be able to talk to people who are going through the same thing.  

is he generally a healthy fit guy before this diagnosis? Being strong will help him fight this battle.  Please keep us up to date on his progress and keep positive.  
 

take care 

Sammy xx
 

Hi Sammy

Thanks for your reply. It will be 2 weeks on Wednesday since the initial diagnosis in Ambulatory Care and it's been non stop.

I managed to sort out a CT chest scan, colonoscopy with biopsy,  an oncology consultation and his Covid Vaccine. It's been a busy and emotionally draining time. I also had my own sarcoma cancer follow up scans (all fine) as well. I feel drained.

We are waiting on the biopsy results which should be back this week and then we hope that chemo will start at the end of this week or beginning of next. Right now I am focussed on diet......it has to be low residue, high protein and enough calories so that he can try to gain some of the weight back that he's lost. Some of that weight loss was due to him restricting his diet prior to the diagnosis because he thought he had food allergies but some of the loss is due to the cancer and what is does to the metabolic rate.

I still can't believe this is happening to us. He is 41. It just feels so wrong after what has happened to me. I am terrified for our children and have to keep pulling myself into the present rather than allowing my mind to run away into the future.

I know the stats are poor at Stage 4 but I've got him the very best oncology team and I know they will throw everything they can at this and leave no stone unturned. My husband has said that he is going into this with one goal only and that is that the treatment will work and he will move forward with his life. I cannot contemplate a future without him and I too am remaining positive that there will be something that can be done. 
 

I joined a Stage 4 bowel cancer group on Facebook and this has been invaluable. It has shown me just how much the treatment is a postcode lottery, this angers me so much!!

I will update once I know more about the treatment plan for him.

I really do appreciate all the replies I've had, thank you all so much xxx

Hi

My wife was diagnosed with Bowl Cancer just over a week ago. 

Yesterday we met with her doctor who said it has spread to her liver. They plan on removing the tumour on Friday they getting her on to Chemo ASAP. 

But if removing the tumour makes her recovery time long they will leave it and fit her a stoma as they said they do not want to delay the chemo. 

They said it was treatable not curable and threw around numbers like if chemo don't work then life expency is around 1yr and if it works they said they had patients who are still here after 2yrs...this has really scared us. 

Reading this forum has given us hope, my wife is 35yrs old and I can't bare to think of life without her.