Apologies for not writing sooner but as you may be aware there have been issues with writing and accessing blogs. Hopefully this has now been corrected. This is what I wanted to write on July 12th.
I finally met the colorectal team.
They confirmed that I have 2 lesions on my liver. The proposed treatment will be 3 months chemotherapy and then rescan. I had a number of questions.
They didn’t have any answers. I’d have to wait until I see the Oncologist.
We then discussed the hotspot from the PET scan on my pelvis The hotspot is adjacent to left obturator (a nerve running through the pelvis) which may explain the muscle weakness in my left leg and ‘therefore recurrence in the pelvis cannot fully be excluded’ quoting the doctor. I asked if this was a yes or no to it being cancerous and told that if the chemo worked I should see an improvement. I’m still confused because I was seen by a physiotherapist who didn’t believe that this would cause the issues I’m having with my left leg. He asked whether this had been investigated, I gave him the full history of medication and finally a steroid injection into my hip.
The upshot of my visit to the physio is that he will write to my gp and request referral to the orthopaedic department.
I have no feeling in my left foot but still get shooting pains. I have some movement in my leg but walking is difficult. I now have a zimmer frame and a walker as the walking stick was no longer able to support me if I walk any further than 10 yards. I’m finding my leg increasingly frustrating as nearly everything I like to do (gardening etc) means I need to be able to walk.
I await an appointment with orthopaedics.
At the meeting with the colorectal team we finally discussed the hotspot on my prostate. Again not a great deal of information as this would be referred to the urology department. The good news is that this was discussed at the urology mdt . My psa level was 0.3 and they decided that there was nothing to investigate at present but to check it out on my next set of scans. This was a relief as the next step would be a biopsy of my prostate. As I haven’t got an anus or rectum I was concerned how they would do it. I was reassured that it would be taken under a general anaesthetic.
I have an appointment with the oncologist next Tuesday so hopefully I can get some clarification of my treatment plan.
I have to say I’m disappointed that I have this recurrence. I always knew that given the fact that my bowel cancer had spread would mean it was likely to come back. I had hoped, like everyone else, that I would have longer. I basically had a year of being cancer free. But as I have always said ‘What will be will be’. I don’t know what chemo I will be on this time but I’ve survived 3 chemo regimes and I know what to expect. I just want the treatment plan to start. Next step is my appointment with the oncologist. One step at a time.
I’ve also finished my counselling sessions. They have been extremely useful and I would recommend them. I would like to thank my counsellor for all her help. I would also like to thank the person who nagged me to seek help. The sessions have allowed me to ‘reset’ my emotions and have shown me that I cannot do everything on my own. If I feel I need help I’ve now got a network of emotional support. One of the hardest things for me to do was to admit that I needed help.
I have also just returned from my week in Majorca with my old schoolfriends. A week of sun, sangria and lazing by the pool. I even managed to perform at a karaoke bar! As I’m in the mood to thank people I’d like to thank my friends on the trip for all their help. They’ve been absolute diamonds. Chaps thank you very much and I look forward to our next ‘adventure’ in 2021.
So the chapter ‘Being well’ didn’t last all that long.
I think the next chapter should be titled ‘Oh Bugger!’
I have since seen my oncologist and I'm currently writing a further update. More soon...…..
