To be finally home after surgery was wonderful. My sister had come to stay so she could help with housework etc. I had the District Nurse coming every day to check my wound........all was okay there, no problems. My bowel was causing me problems, but I had been warned that things could take some time to settle down. I had an appointment to see the colorectal nurse 2 weeks after surgery, where I was to find out the full results of my op.
Post surgery appointment - All the cancer had been successfully removed from my bowel. Mr Maw removed 17 lymph nodes and cancer was found in 1. This meant that I needed chemotherapy. The growth on my ovary was just a cyst, and I had a rather large fibroid in my womb (size of a 20 week pregnancy). The stents in my urether would be removed at 6 weeks........ooooo, I'd forgotten about them. Wasn't looking forward to that.
6 weeks post op - Day for the removal of the stents arrived. I felt a bit nervous as I knew that this procedure was not under general aneasthetic. As it happens, it was absolutely painless and over within a few minutes. I was one happy bunny. What had I been worried about?
My bowel was still giving me grief. I didn't seem to have much control and I was worried that this was how it was going to be forever. Some lovely people on here PMd me and put my mind at rest. Things would eventually settle but it might take months and months.
August 2009 - Chemotherapy started. I was having Oxaliplatin by IV and Capecitabine tablets. I needed 8 cycles with each cycle being 3 weeks (2 weeks of treatment followed by 1 week rest). I was asked to get my bloods done the day before each cycle. The first day of chemotherapy, I was told all about the drugs I was having, potential side effects etc. Thank God my sister was with me, there was so much information to take on board. She sat like my secretary writing everything down. Now it was time for the IV treatment. A canula was inserted in my hand and was first flushed with saline. About 15 minutes later, the toxic Oxaliplatin arrived and I was hooked up. It would take about 2 hours to administer followed by a 10 minute flush out with saline. We had a room with a TV so was able to watch This Morning to pass the time. Didn't feel too bad at all and before I left the Cancer Unit I was given a bag with my chemo tablets, steroids and anti nausea medication. My God, I was going to be rattling after taking all this lot! One of the side effects of Oxcaliplatin is peripheral neuropathy and as soon as we got outside I felt tinging in my hands. I covered my mouth with a scarf as you can get a spasm in your throat which is apparently quite scary (a feeling of being unable to breath). My sister drove us home and she got me a hot water bottle to put on my arm as it was now tingling from my hand to my elbow. This settled within a day or two, but now I was beginning to feel tired.......really tired. I was lucky that I had so much support. My husband was cooking all the meals and my sister was doing all the housework, so I was able to rest and only do what I felt able to do. Each cycle followed a similar pattern. After the 2nd cycle it was decided to insert the canula near my elbow as the pain in my hand when the Oxaliplatin was going in was getting quite bad. The veins are larger further up the arm, so the pain is nowhere near as bad. This meant the picc line nurse had to do a midline canula for me at each visit. She was so gentle, I didn't feel a thing. The Oxaliplatn was usually administered in 2 hours but this was increased to 6 hours so that it went in slowly which would hopefully result in less pain.
The effects of chemotherapy are cummalative, so each cycle I felt more and more tired, and felt unwell for the first week. of the cycle. Nothing unbearable, but I just hate feeing unwell.
19th January 2009 - The last cycle - Well this day has finally come. My very last cycle. Had the chemo done it's job? I'll soon find out. As I mentioned, my midline was done by the picc line nurse, but today, one of the oncology nurses was having a go.........oh no, do you have to practice on me??? Well, after 4 attempts to get the line in, Tesni the picc line nurse had to take over.........phew, she got it in in one. I was starting to look like a voodoo doll, with five canulas sticking out of my arm. Job done, I gave a hug to all the lovely oncology nurses and left them a nice box of M&S choccie biscuits. They have been so kind and caring. I'll miss them, but I hope I don't need to see them again as a patient LOL.
29th January 2009 - Appointment with Oncologist - Great news. All has gone well, my CEA is at 2.7.........normal. Dr Gollins tells me that I am considered CURED................yes yes yes, wooooooo hoooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Time to celebrate.
We had to cancel our holiday last year. It was scheduled for the week after my surgery. We were going on a river cruise in Northern Portugal. Thankfully, the insurance paid out. My husband is now desperate for a holiday, he didn't take any time off work last year (he has his own business) except for a few days whilst I was in hospital. So within 1/2 hour of arriving home, he was on the internet looking for a cruise for us. I'm hoping to get away April or May, when I'm hoping most of the side effects will have gone. Dr Gollins told me it could take 3 months, but that for some it can take 18 months to 2 years. Doesn't matter, I'm looking forward to some sun and relaxation, and getting away from the big C.
I will be popping in to this site, keeping an eye on my buddies ( I admit to being nosey) and any newbies who are looking for advice. It has been a lifeline to me during my journey. I have met such lovely people. I have cried when there's been bad news. I have had some really good laughs......frightened the dog sometimes when I've burst out laughing. I thank all of you for your enormous support and hope that many more get good news like me.
Angela xxxxx
