Worried - update from yesterday

Hi @Etta J and sending you a big hug. What a horrible shock for you and I know this must be hard for you but please hold on to the fact that they are still talking about operating and it is still treatable. courts mum has had treatment for both and so has  and there are lots of people on the bowel cancer uk board too. 
I’ll let Court tell you about the various treatments available as she’s a lot more knowledgeable than me and I hope you get your pet appointment through soon

Take care

Karen x

Hi,

So sorry to hear you had such difficult news . It wipes the rug out from under your feet for sure.  However my mum has had treatment for both . Although not a direct comparison as it actually sounds as though you have significantly less tumour load particularly in the liver . She had over ten mets over two years in her liver and used chemo first then surgery ! For her lung it was straight to a surgery called Vats which was keyhole and she was home two days later . The PET scan is important as they like to make sure it is in-fact a tumour . To put that into context three nodules popped up in my mum’s lung . Only one was cancer yet it brought the other two benign lesions with it at exactly the same time !! No idea what they were but they have stayed there for five years exactly the same size and had no uptake on the PET scan .

Your team will get together and decide the best clinical approach for you . My mum went straight to chemo then surgery . Marianne26 and Nelly1955 used a treatment called radio frequency ablation . All procedures have criteria and the team will investigate the best way forward. However bowel cancer is more fortunate than some primary cancers as it has a lot of options to treat a spread . 
My mum was diagnosed back in 2009 and she continues to do well but it does involve you having more input and treatment but we are here for you to support you through this . Practice has changed a lot since my mum was first diagnosed. But they will get a good plan for you and treat it thoroughly . 

Take the time you need to stabilise after such news but know this is not without hope or options .

take care ,

Court 

Hi Etta J, sending hugs, what a horrible shock. I was diagnosed and treated with chemoradiation for a T 3 bowel cancer. After I was given complete response mo/no. I have a large hernia and it was giving me a lot of pain so I was given a ct scan, this was a few weeks after my complete response. They found a small spot on my liver that was cancer. They called it an incidental find. Because I’m high risk I was turned down for surgery on my liver, in stead I had what Court mentioned radiofrequancy ablation. I had a call and letter saying it worked and couldn’t  see anything else on my liver. So I will have a close eye kept on me. I felt so depressed that added even more to my anxiety. I’m feeling better now. I have my oncologist phoning today so I want to compose my question list! I I’m sending all my best wishes too you. Let us know how you get on. XX

Hi Karen, Court & Nelly, 

Thank you all so much for your kind and supportive words, abs for sharing experiences that help me a great deal.

I’m still in shock - yesterday, I went from being super positive to thinking I’m going to die in a matter of seconds. The positive is that I have a wonderful consultant that I know will do everything he can for me. 

I’m so pleased to hear your mum is doing well after all this time Court, it gives me hope abs I’m really pleased for you Nelly - let’s hope you are done with cancer treatments now. 

Thank you all so much once again. I’ll now have to wait for my pet scan appointment then, if results confirm what they suspect, it’s 6 months of chemo for me.  I will keep you all updated. 

Sharon xx

Hi Etta I was diagnosed with bowl cancer last January I opted to have the radiotherapy first seeing how this was where my pain is. It knocked me about and I was told that it was likely that from the bowl cancer it would expand to the lung and liver. However I am now on chemotherapy and have done course one. But from what I found out on the net and my oncology doctor agreed that the liver stands the best chance of recovery even after surgery. Why because it’s the only organ in your body that can reproduce it’s self. How many times I don’t know. So stay strong and fight it. I’m on stage 4 but I will not give in

Thank you so much for your reply. It’s such a worrying time and I had such a shock yesterday. 

Are you having chemo for both liver & lung? How are you finding it? I’m awaiting pet scan before having my treatment plan confirmed but they are talking about 6 months chemo - 3 weeks on, 1week off. I’m finding it all quite overwhelming so it’s good to hear from such positive people x

They tell me that the chemotherapy treatment covers all the cancer areas I have a consultation meeting on 14th and start treatment again on 15th. Apparently this is the program having a treatment in hospital going home with a external pump which continues for 40 hours then a week off   After that at the moment I don’t know perhaps I will learn more next Monday. Originally they did tell me it was over 6 months. They have me on the less aggressive treatment at the moment but I guess that can change 

That’s a great help to me. Thank you. I really hope your chemo goes well  

And I wish you all the luck in the world Here’s hoping that we are survivors Together we are strong ♀️♀️♀️♀️

Yes, we are