Bowel cancer CARERS, FAMILY & FRIENDS chat

Good Evening Ladies!

Well didn't get to the hospital today unfortunately. Jay is fine though or `comfortable` as they are saying. My sister went out this morning to get a couple of things at the local shops and when she came back she just about passed out on the couch. She was chalk white and quite breathless she said. Her breathlessness has been going on for a few weeks now and the GP gave her antibiotics for a chest infection which don't seem to have worked. Tried getting through to 111 but got kept hanging on for ages to panicking I phoned 999 ambulance service. I spoke to someone there and Margaret was able to speak to them herself. The operator said because she can speak ok it's not classed as an emergency and I need to phone the GP. So the GP run a triage service and I had to wait until 2p.m. to phone that. That again took forever to get through to them only for them to tell her no appointments available and call back tomorrow. She seems ok now but then I just can't help thinking that she has been putting this on. It is very hard to tell with Margaret as I think I have said here that she has mental health and learning difficulties and has a tendency to do things for attention at times if she thinks she is being ignored and with me focusing all my attention on to Jay I just hope this wasn't the case today and I've had a wasted day where I could have been at the hospital. I said this to her that i hope she wasn't putting it on and it was `No` like a `guilty no` I had to phone the hospital and explain why I wasn't going to be able to be there and they said that was quite alright and that Jay was quite comfortable and just sleeping and nothing much had changed since yesterday. For some reason now she seems to be back to normal. Jay's younger nephew was in tonight so at least he has had a visitor. Ross phoned me on Jay's phone and held it up to his ear so he could speak to me but could hardly make out what he was saying his speech is getting so laboured now he is just talking in a whisper. He said he wanted to know when I will be up again so I do need to go in tomorrow. In a way it was a little bit of respite for me today just to have a day away from the hospital but again the guilt was running through me because I felt I should be there. William couldn't even go in this morning because he was asked to do an extra shift and they are trying to get money together for their wedding in 18 months time. That I don't mind it's his work but he has made them aware that he may have to leave quick one day if anything happens. So in a way it was nice to have a rest today even if guilt was running through me. I took an extra Diazepam (I'm allowed up to 3 a day) and had a lovely nap this afternoon. Hope you have all had a good day. 

xx

And the Irony of it all again. I came home last night from the hospital and I had an NHS letter waiting for me for nothing less than a bowel screening kit. As if that's all I need. Just got me thinking that if maybe Jay used one of these he wouldn't be where he is now. It was always I'll do it later but then later never came and now look where he is. So i did mine this morning minutes gets it over and done with and my `poo has been posted` so to speak so see what the result brings me. Surely one of us has to be healthy.

xx

That is sad you did not get to the hospital Patty. You are having a rough time of it..  Les did a poop test 2 years ago and negative. I did one the same time and positive. Had ct scan and nothing. Probably my pukes as I was very stressed at that time. He did another one and again negative mine came back positive.  As I said earlier when I get to the ideal weight I will go for the ct scan. Les eventually went to gp as he was having trouble going to the gp. Again negative but they sent him for a colonoscopy and then all was revealed in February this year. It just goes to show Patty that not all are picked up by the test.

off to bed take care everyone. Hugs Maggie xx

Not pukes but piles lol 

Evening Vicky what a day you have had as you say not going in gave to chance to breath a bit I remember when Simon was in after his operation couldn't get a lift one day felt guilty not going but i was please to have that day at home I hope you have no drama tomorrow and can get there. I had the bowel test come through for me just did it and sent it the funny thing is Simon did one few days before he was rushed in and found the bowel cancer his result came back when he was in hospital showing negative what does that tell us have some sleep sending hugs x

I agree Maggie they are not 100% Simon did one 2 days before his cancer and his came back negative hope everyone gets some sleep NIGHT x

Sorry for late reply I  am not very good at this I am doing ok thank you hopefully we are going in the right direction again it’s been a long rollercoaster ride and we are still on along with most of you , stay strong everyone 

This has been strangely comforting for me as Barry never did his tests and I have been beating myself up for not nagging him more. The fact that it might not have shown up as positive is a little relieving. 
My recent test came back positive but when I had a colonoscopy there was nothing more than some piles and diverticulitis.

Sorry that you could not get to the hospital today but  nice that you could speak to Jay on the phone. You are being so strong through these difficult times and hopefully you can go tomorrow and have a good visit. Hope you have a good sleep tonight and wake up refreshed to go to the hospital tomorrow and your sister does not have any more ‘funny’ turns. 

Evening everyone. I’ve not been here for the last week or so and not sure after the group closing if I’m back in the same conversations or not??!! Mark had his pre-chemo bloods and within 8 hours we were called to take him to hospital as it showed something wrong with his kidneys, so looks like his first  Chemo won’t be starting on Monday now. I feel so helpless. Financially we aren’t great at all. He’s self employed and I’m minimum wage and have missed a lot of work. We’re not due any payments for his ESA or the UC for another 2 weeks. We live 30 miles from the hospital he’s in and I have 126 miles left of fuel. Feel like blooming screaming! I shouldn’t be worried about getting to and from the hospital. Got our oldest dog who has now started barking from 9pm on que until about 5am, and nothing I do can stop him. So losing the plot here with Mark back in hospital and no sleep..