Dreaded diagnosis

Hi Mister man

Firstly welcome to the group/forum sadly it's not the best time to be joining as we all know. You will definitely get support and personal experiences regards a diagnosis or poss diagnosis. I think the doctors matter of fact way of saying it looks like cancer is mainly down to there daily diagnosis of things like this. Upon my colonoscopy I was told similar as the lady just come out with it and said it looks like cancer that was me last June/July. There is nothing I can say to ease your distress and worry and I think until your CT scan and colonoscopy you won't have a definite diagnosis. But any questions regards treatments, diagnosis and literally anything you could think of will surely be answered and please click onto people's names which will lead you to there profiles/stories. I can't tell you not to worry as that is too much to expect but you will be well looked after on here.

Regards Mark

Thanks for the reply

To tell the truth, just airing what happened yesterday has helped me a fair bit. Although worried, i’m determined to beat this.

Good positive thinking is the beginning of beating this awful disease.

Regards Mark

Hi @Mister man and a warm welcome to the board from me too. I can imagine you’re feeling quite shell-shocked at the minute but it sounds like your doctor has been on the ball by referring you. Bowel Cancer is notoriously slow growing and very treatable particularly when caught early. 

You will find the next few weeks is a flurry of appointments, scans, meetings but once you get a treatment plan in place then things will feel a little better and calmer. The results of your colonoscopy and scans will be discussed at the MDT (multi-disciplinary meeting) which involves consultants from all the different fields that might be involved in your treatment then you will meet with the consultant to discuss the way forward. 

My main advice for now would be to stay away from google - it is out of date, misleading and downright scary in places- stay on here and the bowel Cancer uk Board. 

Everyone deals with things differently - I learnt as much as I could about what potentially lay ahead whereas others prefer to wait for their meeting on a need to know basis. If you want a heads up then I can send you a link to a booklet that lays out treatment plans so just let me know?

It will be a testing year ahead but it is doable. We are all at different stages of treatment or recovery and if you click on people’s names then you can see their profile page. Please keep posting and ask anything you like - there is no question too daft or embarrassing. I’m off to Leeds on Saturday to celebrate 3 years clear with 2 ladies that I ‘met’ on the boards and one of them was 38 when diagnosed. We’ve got each other through it and I’ve made friends for life - sometimes you need people who’ve been in the same boat to really understand how it is and everyone here on the board will help you with that.

Take care and let us know how you get on

Karen x

From someone that has gone thru and survived cancer, the advice I can give is talk about it.. even if it is just with those of us here.. helps a lot.. Don't forget to consider how your diagnosis is affecting your loved ones.. it's hard on them too.. :)

Thanks for the replies everyone, they are really appreciated.

I now have my MRI and CT booked in for Sunday and should get the biopsy results on Monday, so hopefully i’ll know a bit more early next week.

it’s the not knowing that’s the hard part, so hopefully things will get a bit easier in that regard fairly quickly.

Good luck mate, I know its very scary right now, but it gets better when you have a clear diagnosis and treatment plan . 

Dear Mister Man

Firstly, I'm really sorry you find yourself on here, as wonderful as most people are I think we'd all prefer not to be on here.  Much of what I say I've posted before, people must be really bored of reading it and it will repeat a lot of the good advice offered by others.  I was diagnosed the week before Xmas, in 2017.  Like you it was totally unexpected, so much my wife, a Dr didn't bother to come to the scope.  Also, like you it was a very blunt diagnosis, "I 'm going to stop this you've got a large tumour, looks malignant to me," with the scope still in place; I actually preferred that matter of fact approach.   You are  in THE worst part by far in my opinion, only an idiot would say don't worry, but I'm sure the reality will be better than you  expect.  I found myself getting irked by trivial things.  As it was Xmas - the radio kept telling me it was, ‘the most wonderful time of year’, I didn’t agree.  Also, I suddenly noticed the sheer amount of ‘cancer adverts’ one encounters on a daily basis, they suddenly seemed to be everywhere.  I also got exasperated with the 'hand holding/head to one side type offering advice such as ‘be brave’ as if it was a conscious choice to get cancer.  I took to saying, 'I'm fine, but what the hell is wrong with your neck?'

You will probably be desperate for some accurate information that's relevant to him, I'm sorry to say there is none until the scans are all completed and the MDT has taken place. Don't bother to ask the radiographers for information, they usually don't even know why the scan has been requested, and never interpret the images. Prior to going in hospital DO NOT GOOGLE anything.  I looked afterwards & found there's some very weird and not very wonderful stuff. If you have any questions, and you will do, ask the team who will care for you, or the support lines on here.  Google is to be avoided at all costs, I looked after surgery.  My favourite was a woman living on the California/Arizona border.  She advised giving up all food completely and sitting outside for 8 hours a day to take in the 'nutrients sent by nature', clearly she had never wintered in Liverpool!  

Try even  to focus on things you do as routine.  For many in Liverpool life is measured in football and so it is with my family it.  I went back to Anfield a month to the day after surgery - recovery is that quick.  The surgery was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be, the most painful moment was when I persuaded my wife, a hardworking doctor, to take a break from looking after me and go with the rest of the family to see LFC Vs Spurs.  Mo Salah scored a brilliant goal in injury time and I inadvisably tried to leap off the sofa in delight; BIG mistake, that hurt. 

Have a piece of paper and write down any questions you have as they occur, you don't have to ask them all.  Make sure someone goes with you to all medical meetings and get them to note down any numbers or figures relating to your diagnosis.  Also there will be a colorectal nurse present.  They are incredibly useful people, get their name, number & email address

While the scans etc are taking place go to your GP and get some sleeping tablets,  I'd never used them before or after, and only about 1:4 then but you must get some sleep.  A stay in hospital was entirely new to me I’d never spent any time in one before my surgery, I was even born at home.  Hospitals are hot, the Royal Liverpool was at sauna level in January! I spent the entire time there in a pair of pyjama shorts, get a size larger than you’d usually buy, and little else, no top or sheets, it was too hot  The heat and the fact you will hardly eat anything at first means drinks are really important.  The g/f of one of my son's had a relation who had just had the same operation - she visited armed with frozen fruit drinks one day & a Costa to go go another; both wonderful.  I had the op on a Wednesday and left hospital on the Saturday, three days later.  You are going to be far more comfortable at home.  Once home you are  going to sleep, a great deal. The post-surgery time was for me far easier than the weeks before, I hated the pain killers so stopped taking them, and I am definitely at the 'wimp end' of any pain scale.   It was a week before I went out of the house, but I was back to walking 10,000 steps a day within three weeks.  I started post-hospital on a low residue diet, although n hospital my first meal was split pea soup and an omelette with sweetcorn, very low residue! I hated the diet so within a week was having a smaller portion of what the family were having; chili and curry were soon back on the menu.  Yes, some things proved 'challenging' but I found that was true of all foods so took it as it came.  I also took up running to raise funds for Cancer research.  I thought I disliked running, I now know I absolutely detest running with a passion, but have made the ‘Scouse 10k’ an annual event.

The period which you are enduring is by far the worst.  Things DO get better.  In January 18 my thoughts/worries were everywhere, but they soon returned to focusing only on how the Reds were doing.  The waiting pre-op is awful but somehow it passes.  Post- surgery in my opinion is much easier, partly because you will spend so much time asleep.  Now I think in the future if 2018 is mentioned my first thoughts will not be about the diagnosis & surgery, instead they will be those fantastic nights when Liverpool rolled back the years and destroyed Man City & Roma in Europe.  Since surgery we've also travelled widely including SE Asias, S. America & Antarctica and of course Madrid; so don't believe all the post-treatment horror stories.

I am sure you are justifiably worried about what the future holds; Youtube two things: 

1. Jordan Henderson and his dad in Madrid.  Brian had successfully fought throat cancer - but that night he wasn't thinking about that instead it was the utter joy of seeing his lad lift the European cup; it shows you good times return. (I was in the Wanda Metropolitano that night with one of my sons and said a private thank you to the wonderful medical team at the RLUH whose work   meant I was fit and well and there.)
2. The marvellous, marvellous 'Barcelona night' at Anfield which proves anything is possible and remember Mo Salah's iconic T-shirt, "Never give up."

Hope everything goes as well as possible - if there's anything I can help with feel free to ask.  I apologise for the length and random nature of this post.

YNWA

Mike

Been struggling today trying to get my head round the endoscopist saying I have cancer and yet, for the last few months,i’ve been feeling better than I have done in a long time, especially with my M.E\CFS.

Roll on Monday when the biopsy results should be back and will have had my CT scan and MRI, which are scheduled for Sunday.

Sorry to hear you’re struggling today. I thought I was fit and healthy, but just needed the loo more often. I found out I had bowel cancer during my colonoscopy. I saw it with my own eyes. I knew even before the doctor told me. I was more concerned with how to tell my family, so I waited until after the scans and until I got a plan in writing. The waiting is the hardest part. I remember thinking why don’t they cut the cancer out and then give me chemotherapy etc. I didn’t know how different it was from breast cancer. Feel a bit dumb now! As everyone on here will tell you, you’ll have good days and bad. Let off steam and share your frustrations on here where you can get firsthand advice and support. Good luck with your scan and results.