Hi all.
Not sure why I'm here other than thinking maybe the writing process might help.
Last year, my partner was diagnosed with bowel cancer with liver metastasis. She endured some gruelling chemo and two major operations and was last months told she was in remission.
Fast forward to today which was her first 3-month check up. Devastatingly, they said they've found cancer in her lungs. Whilst it seems small (6 or so very small 1-3mm growths in each lung), the oncologist has said that surgery or targeted therapies are not possible and that chemo might give her a year or two. She's otherwise pretty healthy and only in her 50s. We've gone from a bleak situation last year to elation just before Christmas and now back to our lives being turned upside-down again.
I tried the "living in the moment" stuff, mindful breathing etc last year when we were told things looked hopeless. Not sure it helped really! I'm just so very sad for her. She's had a very tough life, nothing harder than last year, she only ever looks out for others and had now been given this to deal with.
Not looking for anything per se, just need to vent to some strangers I guess!
Hope everyone is managing as well as they can.
Hi PS67
You are most welcome to vent on here, it can be very helpful just to share.
When my wife was first diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma she was not given any option for cure and the consultant said that chemotherapy was not often effective however it was the only option. Well in Janice's case the first chemo was actually effective - but the side effects were a serious problem however they manage to fix those issues and the second chemo was actually easier but even more positively seems to have put her cancer to sleep.
If you might find it helpful to talk as well as type you are welcome to ring the helpline here and also we have a tool in your area that can help find support groups near you give your postcode. It sometimes helps to use the hospital postcode too. We are lucky to have a Maggies at our hospital.
<<hugs>>
Steve
Hi PS67
It is really cruel when someone seems to go in into remission from a cancer, to be diagnosed again, that must be tough for both of you and there are not too many words to offer, but I just wanted to say, incurable is not uncontrollable, and that is the main thing here. My husband, is incurable, but he is treatable and has been that way for almost 5 years, and whilst being incurable came as a huge shock, it also helped us to ensure that we live our best life.
I do hope that will be the same for you and your partner.
Best of Luck
Lowe'
Hi PS67
In all honesty we have never been given the ins and outs of the degree or size of the lung tumours, we just know that this, combined with the other secondaries gave a poor prognosis initially.
The reason they had to stop working on the lung tumours was due to the pneumonitis which was caused by the trial chemo, currently though he has responded extremely well to the treatments given, but there has been progression in his liver which they are now looking into, to see what the next steps are.
Really all I can say is, don't hold the oncology team to their suggested 12 month prognosis, this is a statistical time frame for this type of cancer, and as has been repeated many time, times have changed, treatment is above and beyond anything that was available when those statistics became the norm.. We are all different and can cope in ways that others may or may not be able to do.. Live in the now, rather than focusing on the what ifs, miracles do happen.
Lowe'
