Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

Hi Worrier26

Unfortunately a lot of people are diagnosed via a and e for bowel cancer as it’s only when the bowel obstructs that they know they have an issue .

However it’s good they are operating today . 
Bowel cancer can spread to the liver . But that does not mean it’s not treatable or that they may not in fact do surgery further down the road on the liver .

My own mum has had two liver resections but they like to achieve stability first over the disease and maybe some shrinkage . A lot of people in a bowel cancer setting use just chemotherapy if surgery is not an option and are treated as a chronic condition . My own mum had a spread back in 2009 and she is still here . Has another spread right enough but she has had a wonderful decade of good living and will be seeing her trusted oncologist in the near future .

You are in a very difficult place as this way to diagnose is very stressful but hopefully things will settle a bit and a good treatment plan in place .

We have a few gentlemen with prostate cancer . No idea why , but you can use the search function on the top right hand side to see previous posts .

Send your mum and dad our best regards .

Always here to support people and get onto more solid ground .

Court 

Thank you Court for a reassuring answer. The night is long when you can't sleep!

He should be in theatre now so I guess we will know more on the other side. Dreading that conversation to be honest. 

I'll pop back with an update if it's helpful to anyone else. Keep everything crossed for us! Xx

Just read this, sending caring thoughts and will remember you all in my prayers tonight. Hopefully by now he is out of theatre and this is the start of his recovery. Realistically it takes time and can be a bit bumpy, but if you all try to stay positive knowing the tumour is removed and this is now goig forward it will help.  However, use this site and any other medium t express your feelings which are all valid.  As you will often feel overwhelmed and need support.

Thank you for your reply. His surgery took a little longer than expected as the tumour was more extensive than they first thought. There were several lesions on his liver, too but not sure what has been done with them. It was late last night, so only possible to speak to the ICU Dr, and he said the surgeons could give us a proper run down today. 

He had a fantastic nurse assigned to him overnight, and they were hoping to move him back onto the ward this morning. We will know more by the end of today. Slightly terrifying. 

Thanks for your good thoughts and kind words x

Surgeon has already been round before I got there so had a brief update via my mum. Dr didn’t give much info other than it went well and they took what they could but will know more when biopsies come back. No idea if that's a good thing or not or if he's just biding his time. My dad is sitting up in a chair now. Physio and psychologist have been round too.

Is this scant info a worry or do I just have to accept that it really is this piece meal?! I'm anxious that they are gathering all bad news before breaking it. Biopsies probably back on Friday. Sorry, feeling a little anxious about it all x

This is exactly what you would expect post surgery .

The pathology confirms the margins gained and they just affirm that when it comes in . They can only ever say what they have seen visually and pathology does the rest .

Actually sounds as though he is making a good post op recovery ! Go dad !

You can breath for a few days and support his post op recovery . Primary tumour gone =a big . 
Now to deal with the rest .

Much love to you all ,

Court 

Thank you Court. You are very reassuring. Yes, I assume they can't give too much away either good or bad and they have to be sure. Just hate the feeling that they know more than they let on. My generally feeling has always been that if any cancer spreads, it's really bad news and I just can't shake that feeling off. 

He is grumpy today so think the enormity of it all might be sinking in. 

Fingers crossed for the biopsy results. 

Is he on any pain meds ? 

Honestly they are inclined to be brutally honest as opposed to hiding things .

It is obviously better not to have spread but in a bowel cancer setting there is a subgroup of patients that continue to do well despite a difficult diagnosis. Not all patients yet but some respond really well to chemotherapy and open up other avenues of treatment .

 Take care ,

Court 

Yes, he is one a morphine like pain killer. Has a pump for when he needs it. I guess that probably doesn't help the mood either.

Thanks again for all of your reassurance x

Oh yes morphine has its own surprises but as long as he is pain free then it is doing it’s job .

Hope you get some sleep yourself tonight .

Court