Hi

Sorry to hear your news.

I know how you are feeling, I've been there. I had a right hemi, open surgery in January 2015.

I didn't have a problem with my liver.

Don't read anything on 'DR GOOGLE' we are all individual so all looking things up, as I have found out the hard way' does is fill your mind with horrors.

Unfortunately in 2018 the cancer returned and this time they did an extended hemi by keyhole and after thet I chose to have chemo as a precaution.

Be positive and let them get on with what they have to do. Even after 2 surgeries I have still enough bowel to lead a normal life, just going to the loo once a day most of the time. 

If you need chemo, the chemo for bowel cancer doesn't make you lose your hair.

Good luck on Wednesday, take each day at a time, after a week look at how far you have come during that week. The weeks will soon pass and you can look forward.

Let me know how you get on and I'm here if you have questions. x

Hello Jadey1987,

                             l am very sorry to read of your diagnosis,and can understand how devastating this is for you. l also read that you have been positive up to date,that is good , very, very good ,because from here on in positivity is going to be one of your very best friends, along with calmness and the ability to look forward,

             Your enemies will be stress, looking backwards,and what if's.From now going forwards your role has to be your body and minds very best friend by supporting it in a positive manner. Most of your treatment is out of your hands and in those of the experienced professional team that will put all of their energies ,skill and knowledge in treating you. The only influence you can bring to bear is how you carry yourself through this ordeal, and never,ever  ever underestimate how much of a difference you can make to the journey

                    You ask for reassurance that it is possible to get through this, l can only say that you have a mother of a battle in front of you, but if you can accept the challenge , yes it is very much possible to win the war

                                                                                                                          l was originally diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer with enlarged lymph nodes adjaceant. l was up for  6 weeks of radiotherapy within four weeks along with chemo, with a bowel resection planned for 8 weeks after that. Had a pre op scan, and was whizzed off to a super scanner to have it confirmed it had spread to the liver. Bowel op was put on hold and l was in for liver resection four weeks later, as it looked aggressive with rapid spread. l  had 50% of one lobe resected and 10% of the other along with the gallbladder,and 8 weeks later had the bowel resected with a stoma, followed  by 18 weeks of follow up chemo. Stoma was reversed 14 months later.

                                                                                    l am blessed with a stubborn determined nature and an outlook that only works in a forward direction, l struggle to remember or care what happened previously and l realised quickly that l had to make full advantage of that. Although l was completely spent l had a focus and reason to fight, since l have a small croft with cattle and sheep and at that time run a guesthouse,hostel, and post office,which in between hospital l continued with. l would work until l got so tired l would fall into bed ,and get up a few hours later and carried on.  l  learnt to stop working to a clock but to how my body worked. During this time l started building a new bungalow on the croft for the wife to move into since our farmhouse/guesthouse was put up for sale since she would not manage this on her own, yes at that time l had no illusions about my future but hoped l had enough time to put my house in order and make sure my other half had a settled future.

                              Six years have passed now,and we have been in our new home for the past two years.l still  have my sheep and cattle, and do the odd building work for others as it suits.l have been left with a few battle scars and my bowel has only just decided to rejoin decent society, but l have a good active life and get to appreciate the really important things l never had time too previously. Looking at me now you would never know what l have been through.

                       Sorry if l rambled on,but l wanted to convey the message that it is possible,just have the courage and quiet determination to reach within yourself and join body and mind in the one aim to travel the journey to the destination you would choose. its going to be quite a ride, and if you should need a distant friend that understands what you face, l will be here,

                                                                                                travel safely,

                                                                                                                        David

I just had to say that was such an incredibly moving and motivating message, thank you for posting. You sound incredible and also very kind. My mother is being tested for bowel cancer at the moment and I'm crippled with fear. Thank you for your words and your strength.

x

Hello Jenny87,

                       worrying times for you ,your Mum and your family, it sadly becomes all encompassing and robs you of friendly,comforting normality.

                                                               l hope that your Mums tests show that it has been caught early,not as bad as feared and is very treatable.

                                                              In the meantime be as kind to yourselves as is possible,

                                                                                                                                                          David

Hello Jadey1987,

                           My thoughts and best wishes are with you today,

                                                                                                          David

Thank you so much David, your words are very helpful. 
 

Unfortunately I fear it's at an advanced stage bcos she's already got blood in her stools and diarrhea. The stool test came back today but all it confirmed was blood in the stool - which we knew anyway. They seemingly didn't even look for cancer markers! So she had more tests with the results due back later this week and she'll also have a colonoscopy within two weeks. From what I've read if it's got to the point of blood in stools it means it's very advanced. Does that sound right to you? Given her age (late 70's) I'm petrified they'll say it's too far progressed and they can't do anything..... x

I hope you're hanging on in there and have been reassured and are getting treatment now? I'm sure I've read that even when it's progressed to the liver it can be treatable  xxx

Hi

I had bowel cancer.... twice.... both times lucky that it hadn't spread to other organs. Second time around was found in just one of the lymph nodes removed.

Also second time I had blood in stools. This still gave a negative result in the stool test for some reason. 

I hope this settles your mind a little.

Hope all went well today x

Oh goodness that actually does help settle me a little bit...or at least has stopped me going totally out of my mind with worry every second of the day!

Thank you for taking the time to say that.
How are you now? I hope you've recovered well

I'm worried my mother is also a bit older but I suppose 2nd guessing isn't helping anyone and we have to wait for the colonoscopy. Thank you so much again it's an enormous help being able to talk to someone

x