Just Diagnosed

Hi carol99z

I wanted to say hello and to reassure you that you are not being silly. This is a really good place to process what’s happening. Others will be along with much more medical info than me. 
It sounds very positive that your son is fit and they’ve found something that needs looking at in more detail. It’s a difficult time I know but if it’s cancer it’s really treatable now. Bowel cancer has amazing treatment
Try and stay positive and wait until you have a diagnosis  Whatever treatment is needed there will be advice from someone here that’s had the same

Sending you a hug 

Hi, just thought I would pop on and say I had small bowel cancer coming up 10 years ago. Mines was found as I was rushed into hospital with abdominal pain caused by a bowel blockage which turned out to be small bowel cancer and Crohn’s disease. My tumour was 3 cm. I had a right resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for six months. There’s a lot out there for bowel cancer. I was 56 when diagnosed. I’m still here 10 years on so there is always hope. Take one day at a time. Thinking of you and your family. Try and stay positive hard I know . 

Hi carol99z and welcome to the board. It’s a horrible shock isn’t it but bowel cancer is very treatable nowadays especially if caught early. The next couple of weeks will be a flurry of scans and meetings but once he has a treatment plan in place then things will honestly feel a bit better. 
Please stay away from google - it can be scary and out of date - you can ask anything you like on here or click on peoples name to read their profiles.

He may have chemoradiotherapy before surgery or go straight to surgery depending on where the tumour is but being fit and healthy will stand him in good stead for the treatment that is recommended.

I was 53 when diagnosed with a 4cm tumour in my rectum in 2016 and I’m currently cancer free. There will be testing times ahead but we’re happy to support you and your son through this

Take care

Karen x

Morning Carol

Unfortunately you ask an impossible question, 'what can I expect?'  Everyone's experiences are unique and very much their own.  Most people would say however,  that he is in the worst time now, that period of having received a diagnosis but not a treatment plan.  I was in my mid-50's when diagnosed which meant my kids were all over 20, you don't say how old his are but I guess it's younger.  That must be problematic, how to tell them?  Macmillan can probably provide the best advice there.

As others have said,  none of you should Google anything.  There is a great deal of weird & far from wonderful stuff on there.  I was diagnosed just before Xmas, after treatment I did look, one woman in Arizona was advocating 'giving up food completely and sitting outside for 8 hours facing the sun to absorb the nutrients of nature,' she clearly had never wintered in Liverpool. 

As a family they should continue doing 'what they do.' For my family it's football.   Watching LFC over Xmas '17 was the only 'normality' I knew during that period.  As Klopp said, 'Football isn't the most important thing in the world, but for 90 minutes nothing else matters.'  And that is exactly how it was for me.  If his children are younger they must try to keep things as routine as possible,  one thing that has been sadly missing over the last 2.5 years is routine, especially for children. 

On a practical level he should keep a paper & pen, or phone, handy to jot down all the questions he has, he can edit it down later.  Also he should go to his GP & get some sleeping tablets, he & his partner will need to get some sleep.  I'd never had them before or since ans split each tablet in two and went through the total sum of 3 whole tablets.  He now qualifies for free prescriptions.  Whoever accompanies him to the mtg with his consultant should take paper etc and notes down any letters or numbers pertaining to his cancer.  This will let him to be 'free to listen.' If there are any terms used that he doesn't understand he should ask for clarification; this was easier for me as my wife is a Dr.  He will also be allocated a Macmillan colorectal nurse, make sure he gets their na.e, number & email they're incredibly useful.

I'll stop going on, I hope everything goes as well as possible

YNWA 

Mike

Just want to add.you dont necessarily get allocated a macmillan nurse.I certainly didnt.just dont want people getting worried if they dont

Kath

Thank you all for your help and the positive information. Our Grandchildren have been told the are 20, and 18. and have been to see us, as a family I am sure we will all support each other. It is fear of the unknown and wanting to do the usual Mom thing call on the magic mom hug and it will all be fine, only this time its fingers crossed, but get armed with as much info as I can, and definitely do not use Dr Google, Thank you again for all the great advice, very much appreciated. 

Hi. It’s a worrying time. Forewarned as they say is forearmed and you’ve had lots of advice.

I found the waiting the hardest part once I got my treatment plan I was ready for action. They will do their tests to find out exactly what they are dealing with. They will then have their meeting my team met on Fridays but I was told at the ultrasound endoscopy that the oncologist wouldn’t be there. So I immediately thought. That’s it I’m in for chemo 

After two weeks I had my appointment to see the consultant. I was told exactly what their plan was and why. I was fully informed of their decision and Treatment plan. Although I came out in shock and bewildered I then had something to get my head around. I was in within the week and operated on. No chemo. 
So try not to over think anything as like others have said it’s a personalised treatment plan. They will attack it the best way. 
Keeping as fit as possible so some protein drinks for him or just his favourite chocolate and a hug 

Thanks Kath

i stand corrected, perhaps it’s just a Liverpool thing

YNWA

Mike