The CANCER CONVERSATION September 2017

Less than one minute read time.

So.. 

I arrived at the GP's to chat about the fibroids. He was very reassuring, fibroids are very common and mine were only small and it was usual practice to leave them be unless they were large enough to cause problems. I was about to leave when I noticed on the screen results that the endometrial thickening had also been flagged. 

The GP said he wasn't too worried about this but could arrange for further investigation. He said it was nothing to worry about unless there are certain other risk factors present such as unusual bleeding etc. I pointed out the bleeding back in Feb and he turned to me and said 

"OK well now this is a cancer conversation" and explained about the two week fast track appointment for a biopsy he would get started on.

I think i may have been in  shock.. that one sentence kept ringing around in my head all day.

Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Forty years plus ago I was in a similar situation. In my case I brought the subject of cancer when he said was going to ring the consultant urgently, doctors could in those days.

    I had an emergency hystectomy.

    I said IF it is cancer I need to know, I have things I need to do.

    The poor man could not look me in the eye, he nodded towards my husband saying I will tell him and he can tell you.

    Doctors are trained to cure, some find bad news very difficult to deal with. One would hope it better these days but some personalities will always find to deal with things as we may hope.

    Yes, I wrote and hid the letters, planned for the worst but hoped for the best.

    Secretly cried for my vulnerable children.

    Ignored the opinions of scaremongers, some say the most incredible things!

    My personal view, and it is mine, try and not think of cancer is invincible, fear and worry make things far worse. Many cancers are cured, modern diagnostic and treatments can do wonders.

    At the moment I am on a trial, I feel this is showing positive results but nothing is ever certain.

    Try to find the positive stories, I know how hard this is.

    Now as in the past I have caring duties, I am not being cavalier in my attitude. Life is fragile, a friend was killed by a bus, another died a few

    yards from home in a freak accident. I have had an allergy for 60 years, so I have had time to hone my attitude perhaps.

    But even before I remember the word cancer was seldom mentioned, next people called it Big C.

    Let not give the disease cancer the power, there are many illnesses under one umbrella. I believe fear attacks our immune system. So be kind to yourself, take care of yourself.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Thank you AliceA, I'm so pleased you are still here to advise me 40 years later. 

  • Hi. 10 yrs ago after many years of putting up with pelvic pain and numerous ultrasound scans (nothing showing up) I was fast tracked on the cancer route. Fast tracked so fast that nobody thought to tell me that the thickening that showed up on my last scan might have been cancer!

    Biopsy inconclusive. Brain working overtime. After just 2 weeks I was admitted to day surgery for a more invasive biopsy. Worry, sleeplessness, stress.

    3 weeks later....the results were all benign. Phew.

    No good me saying " don't worry" Didn't work for me! In fact wasted a whole lot of time crying.

    Everything crossed for you.

    Kathy x

  • Sorry, thought you were waiting for diagnosis. Have just seem the date you first posted. I was 56when I had my scare. Hope that all is going well for you now. X

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Thanks for your good wishes Kathy, they're always nice to receive but sorry if my late posting confused you. I have only just accepted it . You can still keep things crossed for me as I am due for my op next Friday. Just had my pre-op MRI today so I don't know whether its spread yet. Hope you are keeping well and happy now. 

    Sue XX