Refused surgery at 77yrs of age

Hello Gaz791105

I had a stoma fitted prior to chemoradiation and I have found it very easy to manage.

I eat everything and I am very active.

So no real impact on my quality of life.

All the best with what ever you decide.

Ally

It's your choice and I quite understand but I followed the surgeon's/oncologist's advice and ended up with two stomas. They are easy to manage and it is a side to medicine I knew nothing about, until a few years ago. The specialist support to develop a routine was very good. In terms of lifestyle they haven't made a great deal of difference. Being 75 I lost the desire for a slim figure many years ago and now relax wherever I might go! To Hell with fashion - comfort is the name of the game.

Dulac

A stoma is definitely not the end of the world Gaz. The very idea is horrendous to everyone I think and rightly so , a normal bodily function you have not really thought about since you were small has now become the elephant in the room ! 

Suffice to say without it I would have died. 7 years on and like Ally I eat and drink whatever I like, have an active life and the joy of watching my grandchildren grow. 

Hi gaz

Im really sorry to hear about the predicament you find yourself in. 
If you are curable (with an operation) i would advise you to reconsider.

My dad is 74 so a similar age to you and his shrunk, however 10 months later it was back to full size again and then spread to his liver and is now stage 4 and now on chemo for life (every 2 weeks) 

I didnt want to alarm you, just wanted you to see it from another angle.

Wishing you all the best in whatever you decide to do x

With a stoma you can have both quality of life and a cure.it was win win as far as I was concerned stomas are nothing to be afraid of and are really easy to manage.Ive had mine for 6 yrs now and it is just part of me.dont think of a stoma as being"fitted"its not a spare part for a car its just part of your body in a slightly different place.

All the best with whatever you decide

Kath

Hi Gaz. I’ve just had an APR look it up) and a permanent stoma, after 2 years of radiotherapy and I am so glad to finally be cancer free. I’m 80 in May and I’m off to Canada later this year. Give yourself the best chance of enjoying your later years