Last weeks biopsy failed to gather enough tissue to progress a treatment plan and this afternoon I am off to day surgery at Musgrove Park for another go, this time under general anaesthetic. This will allow a surgeon to remove what they need without me going all wobbly on them.
This seems like a good time to summarise where I am on my ‘cancer journey’ (I think we have to be on ‘journeys’ now?) and do a timeline through July and have an update on my heart; the cancer is being a bit of a prima donna and hogging the limelight.
So, on 30th June, after a month of various tests, I am diagnosed with GI cancer with secondaries in the lymph nodes on the right-hand side of my groin and a murmur on the left-hand side of my heart is detected. I am transferred to the care of the Colorectal team and referred for a CT colonoscopy and await result of the echocardiogram.
24th July. Cardiology consultation. The outcome of the echocardiogram is that I have;
Severe mitral regurgitation with prolapse of the posterior mitral valve leaflet.
This was explained as meaning that on the left-hand side of my heart some of the blood whooshes backwards as the valve does not close properly. This makes my heart less efficient. I do know a bit of science and regret not asking what ‘severe’ means? So, maybe 20% of the blood escapes backwards? Wow, how good will my physiology be when this is corrected and 40% of the blood is not escaping backwards? It is quite possible that if 80% of the blood my heart pumps was not going the wrong way that I would have been a top athlete with my own range of trainers and be the face of Rolex watches.
The most common symptom of SEVERE mitral regurgitation is breathlessness; in normal everyday activities such as climbing a flight of stairs and gentle walking. I don’t have any of the symptoms associated with this condition. I am lucky that I enjoy being physically active and have skinny genes; I am one fit son of a gun (probably not a PC term now?)
It is also quite possible that I have had this condition for some time, although the condition may be progressing with age. The cardiology team are happy for colorectal to go ahead with treating the cancer and will see me again in due course. Treatment used to be open heart surgery, sounds dramatic and presumably some pub worthy scars? Nowadays, the heart can be accessed remotely via a vein from the groin and some kind of clip is attached to the faulty valve to make it work properly. Amazing. There are also drug treatments. You know, if this was all that was wrong with me, that would be quite a lot; but this is very much the junior partner.
July 26th. The CT Colonoscopy. My second CT scan. Another trip to the very modern Taunton Diagnostic Centre. My first CT scan had not located the cancer – I have bowel cancer but we don’t know where?
I had to do 48 hours of preparation for this scan. This included a diet of fibre free food – basically anything which is beige or white was OK. I ate cornflakes, bit-free yogurt, cheesy pasta, chicken breasts and mashed potatoes. No problem. I also had to drink a dye, which was really quite disgusting.
The CT Colonoscopy is more involved than a simple CT scan. The machine is the same and, as before, there is an iodine infusion via a canular to help the imaging. I also have a buscopan injection, this relaxes the digestive system, reducing the wave like contractions of the muscles and, like the iodine, helps with imaging. The iodine makes you feel warm and the busopan makes you thirsty. And then there is the gas…
So much gas.
Generally, we are very positive about the people who work in the NHS. Personally, I have many family members and a number of friends who work or have worked for the NHS. My experience now, as a bona-fide frequent flyer, is that I am truly humbled by the care they show and their professionalism at work.
I am inflated with CO2. Through a pipe, into my bottom This is so much more uncomfortable than I was expecting and not in the least bit amusing. I do hope to be able to make lots of schoolboy jokes about having bottom cancer but this really was not the time. I feel fairly beaten up after this and the tea and biscuits are a god send. If you ever have one of these, get a friend to go with you; I didn’t and really would have appreciated someone else doing the drive home.
The scan did successfully find the primary cancer site – yeah!
In a very awkward place – boo!
I am referred for;
The now infamous ‘Flexible Sigmund Freudoscopy’ and an MRI scan. I think the MRI scan is just for another look around and to ensure that everybody working for the NHS in Somerset gets to meet me.
9th August. The horrible flexible thing.
10th August. MRI scan. This was really rather nice. Lay on a bed with my legs slightly raised and zone out for an hour. It’s a bit noisy and vibrates from time to time. The outfit is a pair of blue scrub trousers, which fit and unlike the ‘dignity pants’ are actually quite dignified. There are no injections, cannulas or pipes inserted. Top tip, don’t opt for music, it’s all distorted; the ear defenders reduce the noise well enough and you can avoid the frustration of not hearing music clearly.
15th August. Phone call from colorectal nurse; pay attention, here’s the summary.
Referred for second biopsy (today) and another MRI (on bank holiday Monday) to investigate prostate (surprise!) shadow, although PSA blood test OK. Results will be reviewed and I will meet with oncologist for treatment plan by end of the month.
A quick tally of my dates with the NHS is 16 scans, biopsies and consultations in three months and several ‘touch base’ phone calls with the colorectal nurses.
(18th August 2023)
