Bowel cancer

Hi Ebony 2424 and welcome to the board. I’m sorry to hear that the cancer has returned - some people have a complete response to chemoradiotherapy and the cancer doesn’t return but others seem to only have a temporary respite. The gold standard treatment is surgery and this will allow them to remove the tumour and also check the surrounding area for any affected lymph nodes. Will your stoma be permanent or will it be reversed once the join has healed? Either way there is lots of help and advice on here and you’ll soon get into a routine with it.

The fear of it coming back is always there lurking within us all but having surgery will give you the best chance and each following clear scan will push the fear a little further back in your mind.

Please keep posting and we’ll help and support you through this 

Take care

Karen x

Hi Karen, thank you so much for getting back to me, I think my stoma will be permanent, my appointment is on Monday with the consultant, as always just hoping nothing else from the mri results, been waiting for 4 weeks for them, I think I'm coming to terms with living with a stoma just want now this horrible thing gone now out of my body,

Take care and thank you again x

If you post any questions or worries on the stoma site.there are lots of people who can help.dont worry about having a stoma,they are no bother and you soon get into the swing of looking after it.

Just take it one step at a time

Kath

So sorry to hear your news.. 

It is all so frightening.

I have beeb newly diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer. I  have been told it is inoperable.

I have had a 12 week course of chemo tablets and had a scan yesterday  to see how it is progressing and have an appointment with oncology next week. The waiting is awful . You want to know but you don't. I seem to be constantly anxious and worried..

I wish you all the best on your journey and love.

X

So very sorry to hear news, thank you so much for replying, even though you're going through it yourself, I know exactly what you mean when you say I want to know but don't want to know, it's like living in a nightmare, all my family are very supportive and keep telling me to stay positive, but I think you'll understand when I say it's getting harder and harder, I'll keep in touch if you want to and try and give each other support in some way or another, 

I wish you all the best and send you love and hope xxxx 

Thank you Kath , I'll know more next week when I've seen my consultant, 

Take care xxxx 

Hi Ebony 2424

My cancer was different, but did recur so I understand exactly all the feelings of fear and worry. I focused on being able to have the surgery(not always an option for ladies in my situation) and tried not to think about the stoma. It was a case of get the cancer out and think about that later!

Kath is right in saying they become easy to deal with as you go on (I also have a urostomy) and there is lots of good advice in the stoma group if you have any questions. I think the thought is worse than the reality. All good wishes for your appointment,

Sarah xx

Thank you Sara, you are totally right just need to get it out of my body now, and focus on the future, just I feel totally helpless, I'm sure I'll get my head around it, well really I don't have a choice, 

Take care and thank you xxxx 

Hi Ebony 2424

Firstly, so sorry to hear your news. Ive been there, I was diagnosed in NOV 2020 and was left under no illusions as to the seriousness of the situation. A permanent stoma was my only option and so I had the procedure in FEB 21.

Ive now had two follow up scans which have come back all clear and feel very fit and strong. I decided to have a posituve attotude to it all as negativity achieves nothing. I post defuant and (I hope) humourous and even inspiring poetry on the Express Yourself forum on here.

I can promise one thing, A STOMA IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD life can be good, and in fact A Stoma (Mine's called Eddie) cam be very liberating in time once the wounds have healed and you've got into the routine. Im awaiting the self irrigation training, which will give even more freedom and my only concern has been my own vanity!!!

I wish you well

Richard 

Thank you Richard for your reply, I too don't have any other options,  just are very nervous and anxious about my appointment will my consultant next week, you know how it is don't want to be told anything else, just want to get the operation over and done with, not sure how long I'll have to wait for it hope it's  soon, only got told last week it had come back from the camera, 

Take care and thank you again xxxx