Rectal Cancer. Now feeling overwhelmed!

 Geminipi . I think you suspected that they would find cancer cells but it hasn’t changed your treatment plan if I remember correctly. You sound to have been well looked after the hospital and sound to be very organised at home too. I left my pre-chemoradiotherapy appointment with a carrier bag of ‘goodies’ - loperamide, diarolyte, shower wash, moisturising cream, antisickness meds…….To be honest a lot of it was ‘just in case’ and I still have the diarolyte although I’m sure it will be out of date now!

I think my main tip would be to go with an open mind and, dare I say, a positive attitude. A lot of people hate the ‘p’ word but my nurse said it definately helped and if you spend all day worrying that you might get a side effect then you probably will because the stress and worry will upset your stomach. I’m no superwoman but I tried to carry on life as normal 

We’re due a leap in temperature on Monday so have your treatment then go out for a walk or coffee and cake - please don’t put your life on hold waiting for side effects that you may never get. Hope it goes well and please keep posting

Take care

Karen x

Yes I was expecting it and they said we would start quicker if they found cancer cells. Because they were as sure as they could be despite the biopsy just being abnormal that it was a cancer everything was in place for a quick start. I think it is  just more real now the start date is Monday. At this stage in the process and maybe for my own sanity I am just think about this very abnormal polyp that needs treating only the HR women and my partner knows that the third biopsy showed cancer. I am not telling many people as I do hope the carry on as normal. When I went to see the HR women with the proposed schedule for the 25 treatments she actually suggested I have another day off in the week ( usually work 4 morning and she suggested just 3) as the Wednesday appointments are in the morning followed by a review so it's hardly worth going back into work. I teach so it's quite hard when you are off but I have been discussing with my head of department what I can leave for the classes I would miss. Yes I think I just got a bit overwhelmed yesterday with all the additional information. I tend to put all this 'in a box'when I am out and about and at work so at least most of the time things seem normal. I am a bit of a worrier and a slight control freak so don't like the uncertainty but I am sure it will be fine once I have the treatment and I know what it is like. 

Really hope your first course of treatment goes well and that once your have experienced your first visit, I hope it becomes less stressful, good luck and hope you post how your doing.

hi Geminipie, overwhelmed is the word. You will get through it - take one step at a time. Easily said I know - it helped me. Everybody have different coping mechanisms. Wishing you all the best. KathH2.