Hello KH43,

                very sorry to read of your Dads problems,it will have come as a great shock to you no matter how prepared you thought you were.Having said they feel its cancerous,it will now depend on how aggressive it is and if there has been outward spread,since this will dictate future treatment.The operation to resect the bowel and fit a stoma was not overly difficult l found.What comes either side in the form of radiotherapy/chemotherapy can be more exhausting,and can affect people to varying degrees,some sail through,others struggle.Taken as a whole l found it a battle,but l did have the stoma reversed and the bowel rejoined which was a five year battle to get back close to normal,something l suspect would not be reccommended for your dad,without that l my recovery would have been in the range of one to two years and a lot easier.

                                                                            The outcome will hinge on the grade of tumour,but if it remains contained within the bowel the prognosis is good,if not then more problimatical.l was diagnosed with grade 3 heading to 4 with 4 signifying breaking through the wall of the bowel.Just before surgery and after radio/chemo it was discovered that it had migrated to the liver,so l had surgery on both,l am writing this 7 years on living a full active life,so it very much depends on many factors and the individual.

               Your father is still at an early stage at the full gathering of facts,and it will only be when these are at hand will the medical team be able to give you a definitive idea of treatment and likely outcome and will be the ones best placed to do so,everyone else including me can only provide "what-ifs and maybe's"

                                           l hope you have your answers shortly since waiting can be the hardest part,and that the resulting treatment is one that is succesful and least debilitating for your Dad,

                                                                                                                            David

Thankyou so much for your response, my dad is a fit 82 year old and has no other symptoms other than diarrhea sometimes so we are hoping the cancer is not too advanced, just keeping our fingers crossed for the outcome of the grading.

Glad you are back fighting fit, sounds like a long tough road.

I know you were responding to another poster but just wanted to say how much hope you've given me!  Bowel cancer removed in Aug, had migrated to nearby lymph nodes and I started chemo on Tuesday.  Reading your account has really lifted my spirits.

Hello SFUC,

                 glad to read of your successful operation,and your commencement of chemo which l assume will be six three week rounds.Remember to allow for the progressive cumitalive effect of tiredness and be kind to yourself.l had livestock to look after so done smaller bursts of activity in between collapsing back into bed to rebuild for the next go.l felt l really had to to push myself if l was to get back near to my old self,so very mportant to find a balance between effort and overdoing it.In my case it was always peering over the precipice,but never falling over it,saying that l drove myself would hardly do it justice,but my efforts were repaid by my eventual recovery.

                                                                                                          The other thing was to focus and retain positivity,l can remember thinking if l am having a hard time just think what the poor cancer is going through and drew pleasure from imagining its shock of having picked the wrong one in me for an easy ride.l felt satisfaction that it had entered such a hostile environment that was my body at that time.l always thought if l go l am taking you the cancer with me,never that the cancer will take me.Such a little thing to say but a really powerful outlook,you never cede control to the cancer in your mind.

Go well with your treatment and give your visitor an extra kick from me,from time to time

                                                                                                              David

Hi

Thanks for the prompt response.  My schedule is for fortnightly appointments with a review at the beginning of December.  I don't know whether that's a good thing or not - it's hard to know the right questions to ask at an appointment.  

I'm keeping busy right now so that when/if it all starts to knock me sideways I won't feel so guilty about doing a little less.

My neglected middle child (so he says!) is a David - one of my favourite names.

All the best.

Helen