Good afternoon I just want to share our good news in the hope it may help others. I have been a member of the site for almost 3 years but I don’t post much. It is my husband who is the one with cancer and he is aware I am sharing again to give hope.
I have just updated my profile it is long I warn you, a long read but I felt important that you can see the journey has not been straight forward or easy. I post it to show that there can be and have been very dark times but we kept on going, with hope with love and with support from family and lovely people on here and an excellent team and a strong faith.
This time last year my husband was told his cancer was back and this time on his peritoneum with several spots near the liver the plan was 4 cycles of chemotherapy and referral for surgery. At Christie’s. When chemo finished so plan for that was spring time. That didn’t happen due to complications ( in profile)
He was turned down for surgery in May of this year, failed fitness test but but on a prehab4cancer 7 weeks programme. He had repeated tests, passed fitness test this time back to MDT needed more scans, more meetings and finally a yes to surgery.
he was told all the risks of this major surgery and my husband decided to take it, he was expected to be in hospital a minimum of 14 days if all went well.
his surgery took place in October, the surgery took 10 hours, the surgeon rang me to say it had gone well, it was difficult due to lots of adhesions from previous surgeries but he believed he had achieved all,he set out to achieve and had complete cytoreduction. There were three surgeons present. A liver surgeon and two senior colorectal surgeons.
my husband was in ICU from Friday until Monday. He had cytoreductive surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction as he had complex hernias and an illeostomy reversal.
my husband recovered well, his bowel woke up on the Wednesday. He had some issues but nothing major. Each day was improvement and little by little tubes and drains were removed and pain relief reduced until on Day 9 he was told he could go home…yes day 9 how amazing was that..no complications all good. He came home and has spent six weeks recovering.his wounds have healed well, although very tired and needed more sleep, considering major surgery we are delighted. He has regained his appetite and on no pain relief at all by the end of his fourth week and he had only been taking paracetamol. He has been getting used to not having a stoma which as you would expect has its own ups and downs.
I will add his stamina is not fully back we are aware that could take six months, he starts a rehab programme following on from the prehab4cancer next week.
On Monday we went to see the surgeon for post op check who was delighted to tell us that there was no live cancer in anything that was removed. He was delighted with his examination of his tummy and then declared my husband to be cancer free.. amazing eh. He will organise a scan after six months and see him in May.
On Wednesday we saw the oncologist who also declared wonderful news, shared the same pathology reports and delight but oncology want him to have scan in 3 months to get a baseline following surgery. But no more treatment necessary.
I hope this gives hope, I know I have looked for it when we needed it. Good luck everyone on your journey any questions I am happy to answer if I can.
best wishes
Process xx
Arrived yesterday, we're in the majority who haven't got a ticket, but had hotel/ferry booked so decided to come out anyway; there are alot of worse places to be. We've been to two cup finals this year, so not playing the 'sympathy card.'
I do think it's important that people make 'post treatment messages,' diagnosis in an awful time and reading that others have been successfully treated and leading a full life is at least a glimmer of hope; so well done.
YNWA - allez, allez, allez
Mike
Fantastic! My partner did the same for the CL final in Madrid and had a brilliant time in the fanzone. We’ll be watching tomorrow night on the tv hopefully or maybe a link on the phone if a storm cuts the tv off!
Sarah xx
It’s such an emotional clip to watch-brings tears to my eyes to see it. I didn’t go to Madrid, just my partner and stepson, going via Venice on the way out and home via Budapest and Lisbon-Liverpool fans will do anything to get to where they need to be! We had a friend with a Kiev ticket and she suddenly dropped dead with no warning 6 days before the game. She and her hubby literally travelled the world to follow their club and it was so sad. Life is too short not to do what you want to do.
Funny to think we are strangers on here Mike, but I bet you’d know of my partner-a Hillsborough survivor who is quite well known for the campaign for justice and giving evidence at the inquests.
Sarah xx
