Hitting home

Hi Brownie72

Im so sorry this has happened to you. It must be so hard to order chess the diagnosis 

I’m tagging court as she has so much info 

Sending you a hug 

best wishes 

Thank you ann x

Welcome Brownie72 and I totally understand writing onto a forum such as this can in one way be very difficult , however building a support structure around you can be very helpful in finding a way through this particularly challenging time .

I assume it’s recurred in your rectum given the chemo/radiotherapy ? It’s good you have already completed that part .

Palliative chemo uses some of the same drugs that other stages do and also additional ones can be added . Do you know the name yet of the proposed treatment.

My own mum had a spread back in 2009  first to her liver then to her lung . She is still here and just restarted treatment again last February. If you go over to bowel cancer U.K. you will see some of the moderators there have been on chemo for seven plus years and still out and about . Not everyone gets those results hence the reason your nurse says she can’t predict who will and who won’t but for sure some do !

 Wellspring  encourages people to work through it step by step , process by process and I think that’s is roughly how my mum and wider family approach it . 
Mum and Wellspring  still engage with life and pay attention to the needs of their treatment too .

Keeping going for small walks and eating and drinking well have been so important. 
The early days are the very worst when there are so many unknowns but you do get into a routine and get to know the staff who have been wonderful . They say in a stage four it’s a marathon not a sprint when facing treatment so it can take time to get doses right and learn how to handle the side effects . Keep chatting to your team , often they have encountered it before .

My mum also sees the pharmacist which is really helpful and dieticians can be good to see too if required .

We do still plan nice things . She goes on holiday and participates fully in family life . As the seasonal issues surface we go earlier to less crowded places and take lots of antibacterial products with us .

Mum has had hair thinning at times but some have thinned so much they sometimes prefer an additional of a wrap, hat or wig . But not everyone .

There is lots of research around on staying active during treatment . Even small walks are helpful.

Bug long ramble but you have got support now .

Court 

Hi Brownie72 

Welcome to the forum . I can be incredibly hard to post for the first time but so glad you reached out for support .

I think your nurse is correct in saying they can’t predict who will do well on treatment. My mum has been navigating a stage 4 diagnosis and I and out of treatment for 14 years . Her oncologist was not that optimistic but she responds very well clinically . Saying that they say a stage 4 diagnosis is a marathon not a sprint . It takes time to grow confident in your team and settle into the routine, learning to live life around it and making the adjustments as required .

My mum lives a very full life and is still out most days engaging in life . She does get hit with side effects and we do spend a lot of time working on diet, products and learning as we go . Staying well fed and hydrated are two big aspects to get right . Involve a dietitian if needed and we like to get mum moving . Up every morning to do her own self care and then out for a bit . We do pay attention to seasonal bugs with lots of antibacterial products. Watch where we go and what we touch . But she lives a very full life .

Keep speaking to your team and don’t sit on side effects . They have often encountered them before and can guide you through or add in other things to help . 
Bowel cancer is fortunate compared to other primaries as it has a lot of treatment options .

If you go onto Bowel cancer U.K. you will see people posting who have been in treatment for over seven years .

Do you know the name of the treatment you are having ? My mum used the same chemo lesser stages use and only had hair thinning but some others do cause some hair loss . But if you can find out the name we could link you in with some better information.

Best foot forward as my mum likes to say .

Court 

I have my apt tuesday so will know more then 14yrs wow amazing lady xxx

Thank you so much court x