Colonoscopy scheduled

Hi preston68 

It looks like the cecum is at the beginning of the large intestine and yes the CT scan will be to check for any metastases which are commonly the liver or lungs.

Sorry that you’re having to face all this again and hope we’ll be able to help you through it

Take care

Karen x

Colonoscopy done, biopsies takes from mass at caecum. Now the wait.

Appointment coming up next Tuesday with Mr Dinesh Balasubramaniam at Tunbridge Wells. He is a surgeon, so hopefully he will explain all the options. Still feel very tired due to the anaemia and taking iron tablets. assuming surgery is an option, what sort of preparation should I expect?

Thanks Karen for your reply. I have now seen the surgeon, who seemed pretty upbeat. No spread detected on CT, but as suspected, malignant neoplasm at caecum. I have had pre-assessment, and will have iron infusion tomorrow, 28th July. The surgeon explained in detail the surgery he will undertake, and it is just a case of waiting now. I want to get it done asap, of course. I will update here from time to time in case it is of help to anyone going through the same thing.

As promised, I will update here in case it will help anybody going through the same thing.

Surgery, a right hemicolectomy, was carried out at Tunbridge Wells Hospital on 3rd August. I then spent 8 days in hospital. The first two nights were difficult due to pain which was controlled with what I think was morphine in liquid form.
The pain greatly reduced after two days and managed with paracetamol.

For two days I passed no wind or anything else, and was given a suppository.
This got things moving, but the folllowing days, and particularly nights were difficult sue to sudden and uncontrollable diarrhea events which made sleeping impossible.

Gradually during the course of my stay, things started to settle down . There was one scary moment when my infection markers spiked and I was sent for a CT scan. The result of this was positive and it seems the join is fine. The infection markers came down again. The wounds themselves, (laparoscoic surgery) were dry and no sign of infection. I started walking soon after the op, although due to spinal issues that is tricky anyway.

Finally allowed home on the eight day. What a relief to get home! The discharge letter notes removal of T3 Caecum cancer. The earlier thorax CT notes 'No supraclavicular or mediastinal lymphadenopathy is seen and no evidence of thoracic metastatic disease. I assume this is good news. The CT Abdomen and pelvis notes normal appearance of liver, gallbladder, adrenal glands and spleen. No upper abdominal, retroperitoneal or pelvic lymphadenopathy. Primary caecal malignancy no adjacent nodes. no evidence of perforation. 

The above is a bit technical and I am not really sure what it means for me.

Meanwhile I am recovering at home. Virtually no pain, now 18 days post op and am able to walk around and use the stairs ok. I am watching my diet very carefully, low fibre and small portions generally. Bowel movements a bit sporadic, but becoming more regular. Stools soft and quite small with occasional diarrhea. Not surprising considering the re-arrangement of my insides! 

My surgeon is on holiday for 3 weeks and I have been given a followup appointment for 8th September when I presume I will get to know the full staging details and any treatment I may need moving on. I am a bit worried that there is such a wait between surgery and follow up and it will delay treatment starting should I need it.

Anyway, overall a positive experience regarding the operation. I was really scared before it happened, but thankfully it seems to have gone well with no complications. The worst part was the very frequent diarrhea events in the early days following the op. 

To anyone reading this who is about to have the same op - right hemicolectomy, my experience was that it was not as bad as I feared it would be. Pain was short lived and controllable.

I will update here when I have had my meeting with the surgeon.