Please Help !!

Hi Mattessex

I can't answer your questions as although I had bowel cancer, I didn't have a stoma. There are many people on this site who do have stomas, and I'm sure they will add their comments. I would advice you to join the bowel cancer group. You will find a number of patients on there who have a similar diagnosis as your dad who will be able to help and support you.

You ask if your dad will be here for Christmas. I don't think anyone can answer that, not even the doctors. But you will see on here that there are many people who have lived far beyond expectations.

Angela x

Every person is different. I had exactly the same cancer as your dad in July 2009. It hadn't spread to the liver but at the time they thought it had and was preparing to have it cut out.

I have a stoma and I am waiting to have it reversed.

I am 56 so I am younger than your dad but there are alot of others on here who are similar in age.

They have survived.

As I said before everyone and everyones cancer is different.

You need to ask lots of questions when your dad see's his surgeon or oncologist.

When he gains his strength they will make a plan of treatment.

The cancer should not spread that quickly so at a good guess I would say that your dad will be here at christmas, You need to ask his Drs.

Your dad should be able to beat this as many of us on here have.

Best Wishes Love Julie X

Hi. I think that you'll find a number of people on this site have experience of what you and your father are going through (including the group/forum sections - as Angela says, have a browse through the Bowel and rectal cancer posts). But we are all individual so no one will be identical. I have found some very informative and comforting posts there.  

Sorry you are going through this scary time. I hope your father gets better and responds to treatment and then as Julie says hopefully he will be able to beat it as others have.

Good luck to you and your family.

Best wishes,

Eleanor

PS I have a rectal tumour and (having had chemoradiotherapy for 6 weeks this summer) will be in for surgery in November. With stoma.

Hi Mattessex,

Firstly I am sorry your family are going through this and hope that your Father is coping well mentally and physically with his diagnosis.

As has been said before everyone is different and there are many factors that contribute to how well each Cancer patient does.

Whilst I am younger than your Father (I am 52), I too was diagnosed a year ago with bowel cancer that had spread to my liver.My treatment is still ongoing but it is still with curative intent so I have great hope.

I have a temporary ileostomy (done last March), which is no great inconvenience in the scheme of things and in some ways a blessing, as I am having chemotherapy and it is affecting my stomach but I don't have to run to the loo! As far as the stoma is concerned your Father will have plenty of support from the stoma care nurses and more to the point it will take away some of the more unpleasant symptoms he may be experienceing .

I was scared when I was told that I had liver metastases but after a battery of tests and neo-adjuvant chemo radiation I have had surgery to remove the primary cancer and a second one to remove the liver cancer - so there is hope.

This may or may not be possible for your Father but there are still plenty of things that can help so keep asking questions of the people caring for your Father.

Good Luck and sending you my very best wishes.

Cathie  

Hey Matt,

I'm 26 and had my stoma operation in december last year. Although I am a lot  younger than your dad, I just wanted to reassure you about the stoma. I got used to mine very quickly, and now it doesn't interfere with my life at all really. It also meant that I was able to eat and drink normally (because the tumour was blocking my bowel, the stoma bypassed it) and so I regained a lot of strength. And weight! Hopefully it will do the same for your dad.

All the best

Kate x