Are you sitting comfortably now i'll begin.

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15 days ago my world changed. My sweet and gentle 19 year old son had an endoscopy, following 3 weeks of vomitting, and a 3cm stomach ulcer was found. The days that followed have been absolute agony, there was a 'mix-up' with communication and nobody told us that the biopsies showed a malignancy. How the mind runs wild without sufficient information - this has not been helped by the fact that I am a student nurse and rather prone to flights of fancy. We were given an appointment for a CT but no one told us why and we arrived at clinic yesterday with our consultant believing that we had already been given the results of the biopsies. Anyway to cut a long story short and move on to the positives (everyone says I must think positively but how the hell do you do that?) my son, Joe, has stomach cancer but the CT showed no spread. The pessimist in me had already convinced me that there were secondaries everywhere. The consultant must think i'm rather mad because my reaction to this news was "Thank God this is the best news ever". Joe is taking this all so well, too well, and insisted on visiting his friends last night to tell them his news. His only question for the nurse specialist was can I still have a beer and his only concerns are losing his job (as a chef) because he loves it and having a big scar. On reflection these are completely normal responses from any teenager whose world revolves around socialising, having the means to socialise, and appearance. Tomorrow we go to Gloucester Royal to meet the surgeon and discuss the options - I believe chemo and partial gastrectomy are the most likely course of action. Everyone keeps telling me how incredibly rare this is in a young man of Joes age so I guess what Im looking for is somebody who has some experience of this - Is there anybody out there?
Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi there, just want to say welcome to this site, sorry it's in such sad circumstances.  I don't have personal experience of this type of cancer, but I'm sure there will be someone on here who has and can offer support and reassurances.  

    I hope all goes well for your son.  Like you say this is very young to develop this type of cancer, but try to stay positive (easier said than done I know), but your son will need you to be strong.  He sounds a very strong, well balanced young man himself and I'm sure he'll get through this.  Good luck to both of you, let me know how things go will you.  Best wishes, Christine xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    hi there i cant only start by saying that im really sorry for ur son and u.i know what u gong thrue.my husband was diagnosed with stomach cancer on the 9-th of january,this year.i hope that this wont upset u,but we been to hell and back since.the worst part of it is now gone.he had a sub-total gastrectomy in june this year.recovered very well from the operation.things will be very scary for a while,but it will get easy with time.if u need any information just let me know,im happy to answer any question u may have.good luck and all the best.one thing u must remember.STAY STRONG.