The waiting game

Hi Andy,

I'm sorry you have to be on this forum in the first place but I know you'll get lots of support at a time of confusion and loneliness.

All too often on here are tales of GP's misdiagnosing or too late in referring and the debate continues. I too had to push for a referral after being told I had piles over a 4 year period. Only when I became anxious and told the GP I thought I had cancer did she reluctantly refer and guess what? I had a stage 3 tumour in my rectum.

That was 2 years ago and i've gone through chemo, radiotherapy and surgery and i'm clear of cancer at present, and hoping to stay that way. So I can empathise with you and understand what a turmoil your head must be in. I know it's easy to say but all you can do now is focus on the now and what's to come and not dwell on the 'what if's' misdiagnosis.

You are in the right hands now and there will be a mullti disciplinary team who will look after you with a treatment plan of how to get rid 'if' the tumour turns out to be cancerous. Honestly it doesn't have to be the life sentence we percieve it to be. The waiting is nothing less than a nightmare, i know, and it seems there are various timescales in different areas of the country.

Your emotions must be all over the place at the minute but if you go onto the groups on here and join the bowel/colon group, there are many people there who have and are experiencing the same as you and you may find info and support there.

Good luck for the 23rd and keep us informed,

Take care

Jan

Thanks for your comments Jan,

At the moment I am mulling over wether to take my daughter as well as my wife along to the consultation on the 23rd.

Is it better  for her to get it from the horses mouth so to speak or  should I be the one to give her the news which ever way it goes. She is 21 and knows what is happening.

Glad to here you are clear of this.

Andy

I have a daughter 24 and son 22 and they were kept in the loop right from the start. Everyone deals with their own situation however is best for them ofcourse.

You've got time to think and talk about what would be best for you. Your daughter can be in the loop but wait until you get out of the appointment or hear it from horses mouth as you say. All I will say is, even if you think you are prepared to hear that word cancer (and i hope you don't have to), believe me it still comes as a shock and my husband (who is a toughy), broke down but also asked many relevant questions. I literally was trembling. The consultant was absolutely brilliant and went through things so compassionately so that by the time we left, we were composed. We then went home and told kids straight away, but were glad of that breathing space.

You'll make the right choice, but it has to be the one for you.

Take care

Jan

I have been to see the consultant today and the tumour  pieces that were tested are mostly benign with just a few cells "on the turn"  CT scan was clear.

Up shot is that I need sugery to remove a   piece of the colon. This then goes for a through going over in the path lab, apparently from this they can tell if limph nodes have been affected.

If they have a course of chemo may  follow.

Im so relieved I know what I am dealing with now.

I did decide to take my daughter to the consultation.

Hi