My partner has been diagnosed with rectal cancer according to her discharge sheet from hospital after having her storma operation.
We first got told it was cancer on the 4th September at A&E, my partner was severely constipated and had a mucus discharge, she was being given medication from the GP since July 2023 and because we had been told if the suppositories didn't work then A&E would have to be next.
She was admitted for surgery and between the 4th September and the 11th September she'd had a CT, MRI and after three cancelled operations, finally her storma and the biopsy was done. By the 15th September we had been told her biopsy was inconclusive and another wasn't done until the 20th September. We have been told it's a tumor in the lower intestine about the size of an apple, apart from this nothing else has been said in regards to where it's going or it's spread radius apart from it could be in the overies area.
Since being discharged on the 21st September we have heard nothing from her surgical team and the only people that have contacted us and have been excellent are the storma nurse team. I rang the surgeon's secretary and it could be up to six weeks before we know how severe this cancer could be.
The problem is that my partner now has this mucus discharge and feeling of needing to go to the toilet more and more, it's so bad she can't get a decent sleep as she's up through the night and this now means she's no energy and is becoming more depressed.
I'm reaching out because she can't be the first this is happening to and need help for her to try and ease this urge and discharge.
Thank you anyone that can help
Ian
Hi Ian.s
Sorry you and your partner find yourselves here, but hopefully you'll soon find you're not alone.
My staging was about a 6 week wait but it is not the norm. Mine was actually known 1.5 weeks in but got mis-directed.
Strikes maybe unsettling things in your area, which may cause some delays.
In my area the target timeline line for histology report is max of 2 weeks, as true for any step of a 2WW (2 Week Waitlist) protocol. This may then need to be reviewed within MDT (Multi-Discipline Team) which in my hospital is held once a week. So a 2 to 4 week overall expectation maybe more the norm, excluding strike impacts.
Regardless, I found that diagnosis, 'pre-treatment' time the most unsettling and feels painfully slow.. Once treatment plans are agreed, pace changes.
I don't have a stoma but do have mucus from both bowel and womb ducts. I was told it was my body's attempts at trying to rid abnormal cells. Mine can be plentiful so i've found wearing washable period pants very helpful.
M+S do a reasonable priced range and various styles, which can be found in store, online or as click and collect. I found them best out of the brands i've tried
