Nos Moritori Te Salutamos (Translation from Latin - "We who are about to die, salute you")

Ahh Suz, I feel for you I really do!! If it’s any help my DRE’s got easier over time having said that I’m pleased I haven’t been subjected to the dreaded anoscopy, it really can’t be pleasant!! I really hope it all goes without a hitch. Please let us know how you get on. 

Nicola 

I can fully relate with how you're feeling Suz and hope they listen too so you get the smallest anoscope! It's traumatic and very hard not to tense up.  I never made it for a sigmoidoscopy as I was in so much pain and there's no way they could have got it past the painful external lumps I had, but I remember one doctor did say they could use some numbing cream that may have helped.  Just a thought, although I think that may only be used on external parts.  Ahh hoping all goes well....sending you a big virtual hug xx  

Suz

I really feel for you too - way back shortly after treatment ended the oncologist asked if he could do a DRE and these huge tears just sprung out of my eyes and plopped down my cheeks; he passed on the exam that time.  I still find even a quick finger exam really painful and your description of the anoscope makes my hair stand on end.

Sending you all the strength that I can.  (and hoping ALL goes well)

Irene xxx

Thank you Nicola!

You're a sweetie, Em!

Big hug!

The pill DiD help. I could have taken it a little earlier to get the full effect. It was still awful and hurts like hell right now, but overall still much better than usual. I have't taken anything for pain but am a bit squishy from the anxiety pill. She said everything looks great, but I can't help wondering, it's just what she's right there, right? I mentioned the scans you guys get and she said 'No way would the insurance companies pay for that!' confirming just what I suspected. American insurance companies has forced doctors to use anoscopies, even though scans would be more accurate AND way easier on us!

Oh well. I'm gonna rest a bit and hope tomorrow isn't too bad. Thank you for listening to me moan, dears!

Aww bless you Suz! I’m pleased the pill helped somewhat & I know us Brits complain endlessly about our National Health Service but I’m so thankful we don’t have to jump through the insurance hoops that you guys do across the pond! We have much to be grateful for. 

You rest up for as long as needs be & hopefully you’ll be good to go again soon. 

Nicola 

Okay, it's the next morning, all my various meds have worn off, and I can honestly say that I'm getting better. I'm stinging a bit this morning, but nothing to the awful pain of the previous exams. I'd been dithering about calling off work today. Usually I'm useless the day atter, but I'm going to go in! I slept well (lots of help with that, I should add) and am feeling equal to it.

The abject fear of the exam will hopefully dissipate now. What a relief.

I won't see my savior doctor at my next visit (she's the one who found the cancer after years of looking.) She's having a heart and lung transplant! I was shocked, she's a radiantly healthy-looking young woman. I sure hope she's back in a year. And I hope the doctor who replaces her temporarly will work with me as much as this one has.

Thanks to you all for holding me up through all of my dire follow-ups!

Suz

Phew, Suz!  It’s so good to hear you’ve got a system in place to make these check-ups less daunting…rotten that it took so many less successful attempts to dial it in.  Have you continued to improve?  Back to normal yet?

I’d only add that my team at MD Anderson has actually told me that the scan is great for looking for spread, but for the actual local/primary site in anal cancer cases, they think anoscopy with an experienced and skilled eye is actually more accurate in detecting the earliest recurrence.  Kind of surprising, huh!?  They said that CT only picks up lesions of a certain size, but that a Dr, through anoscopy, can see abnormally appearing/suspicious patches that might not yet show on CT.  As for why they don’t order a PET scan every time I see them, they say PET scans throw up a lot of false positives because they’re so sensitive to any inflammation at all.  Still, I have a friend treated at another U.S. oncology group who has a PET scan every six months, covered by her health plan, so who knows or can understand the rhyme or reason sometimes!

Anyway, I just wanted to offer you some reassurance that my team likes the accuracy of anoscopy…zero fun, negative fun, actually, but very worthwhile, in their opinion.

Also, I’m so sorry your most trusted doctor won’t be available for awhile!  That would absolutely stress me out.  I sure hope she’s as conscientious in handing off her cases to an equally compassionate and capable doctor during her recovery.

Big hugs!

Red