Recent diagnosis for husband

Mike 

thank you. It went as well as can be expected. It’s t2 and no signs of it spreading. Next stage is surgery in about 4/6 weeks. I do feel like a weight has been lifted although the consultant frightened me when she was talking about the actual procedure. Will take a couple of days to process then we can start thinking about September. But so pleased that it was the best news we could get in the circumstances. Thanks for checking in. X

Afternoon Tracy, it always seems wrong to say 'great news' but with a bowel cancer diagnosis that is about as good as it gets.  Do you know where in the bowel the tumour is situated?

YNWA 

Mike

About 15 cm up from his bottom. Possibly a little higher. So stoma still tbc but will be confirmed when they operate. Honestly mike it does feel like good news. 

Mine was 14cm, stoma can never be ruled out until surgery itself, in my case one wasn't needed.  Will it be laproscopic?

YNWA 

Mike

Yes either lap or robotic. That’s interesting re your circumstances- thank you. 

I hope you feel a little more relieved,  I'll leave you alone now until nearer the surgery.

YNWA (Only 10 days to the new season)

Mike 

Hello Karen (everyone). I had a colonoscopy on Saturday. I was told it was a tumour and the biopsy result, which I received yesterday confirmed it. I have already had an MRI scan but the CT scan is not until 19 August which seems such a long way off. I was in shock on Saturday, but took it in my stride. Now I am in a total panic. I can’t sleep, I can’t think, and every ache and pain is a ‘sign’ that the cancer has spread. I have read many of the posts on here and I am just overwhelmed. In my head all I can think about is that I am going to be told that it is too advanced and that there is nothing that can be done and that I have weeks or months to live. This is a brain dump. Sorry. Sending you all love and best wishes. David

Hi DCW28 and a warm welcome to the board. Yes the first couple of weeks waiting for scans and meetings is very stressful but once you have a treatment plan in place then things will honestly feel a bit better.

Try to focus on the facts - yes you have cancer but no you don’t know that there is any spread. All the aches and pain are probably caused by stress and tension and the more you worry the worse they will get. I’ve attached a link to a post which another member found helpful 

 Controlling anxiety and panic

Bowel cancer is notoriously slow growing but very treatable even if (and it is an if at this stage) there is spread to other organs.

We’re all at different stages of treatment and recovery on here and we’ll help you through yours. The support desk is also available every day if you want to chat to someone in person too?

Take care

Karen x

This is a very positive result. Essentially, it’s a curative procedure. I was eventually diagnosed as T3N0M0 after my surgery and am now in the surveillance programme. I opted for robotic and did not require a stoma. I really treasure every day now.

Best wishes to both of you. Take time to heal after the surgery and both look after your mental wellbeing. The shock after it all settles down (for me) was hard and I needed a bit of help. I’m now two years cancer-free and enjoy life. I also made a few lifestyle changes by stop eating red meat, processed foods and take-aways. I also reduced my modest alcohol consumption down to a 2/3 lagers per week and an odd glass of very nice red wine.

Regards

Mike

Thank you Mike - we have been told it will be either laparoscopic or robotic - no choice - just depends what list we are on.  Husband had pre op yesterday and stoma nurse did not want to see him as stoma not planned (and will only be needed if things don't go to plan).  They also found a couple of cysts on his liver and adrenal glans but apparently these are nothing to worry about and a lot of people have them (just don't know until they are scanned).  Hubby was on a health kick since Jan (unrelated totally to this) and has lost 3 stone and is the fittest and healthiest he has ever been  - he tracks everything he eats now and has already cut out 90% of red meat and processed foods.  He will find it tricky to eating "bad food" post op eg white bread, pasta - no seeds etc!  All in all we are as pleased with the diagnosis as we can be.  Now we have knowledge, we have started telling a few friends and family (not telling kids yet - will likely just tell them its a tummy operation and wait till they're older to give them the full picture).  We were so fortunate to live in an area where we get the free screening - we want to spread the word to all our friends (who are in the age often referred to as snipers alley) to test if they get the chance.  There really is no stigma attached to it.  

I think you are right about mental health awareness post op - separately i am very anxious about breast cancer (mum and both grandmas had it) and i am also job hunting at the moment - so there are other stresses at the moment but they all pale into insignificance until hubby's surgery competed and we get the final pathology.

At that point, I need to make sure we don't have any sort of post trauma mental breakdown.

But the support on this forum has been amazing.

(The other?) Mike keeps checking in on me and I completely agree with the two key bits of advice I have received on here  - don't google anything and it will get better once you have a treatment plan.

Glad you are enjoying life and the occasional glass of wine now xx