World turned upside down

Hi Hope08 and a warm welcome to the board. Please don’t say that all your hopes and dreams for the future are gone. Bowel cancer is very treatable and once you have a treatment plan in place then things will honestly feel a bit better. My consultant told me that they were treating me with a ‘view to cure’ which I was able to focus on and tell people.

Please stay away from google. It can be out of date and downright scary at times. There’s lots of information on here and the bowel cancer uk board and we’re always happy to share advice and experience. I’ve attached a link to a booklet that I was given at my first meeting to give you a heads up about potential treatment, terminology etc. 

https://bowelcancerorguk.s3.amazonaws.com/Publications/Bowel_Cancer_UK_Your_Pathway_V10.1.pdf

If you click on people names then their profile page may show their treatment to date although it is changing and improving all the time and I’ve seen that since my diagnosis in 2016. 

The next few months will be tough so keep that positive mindset and get him as fit and healthy as possible for what lies ahead and we’ll help and support you both through this

Take care

Karen x

Karen thank you so much. That is so helpful and definitely raised positivity levels. The problem was he was told on the day of his colonoscopy and given absolutely zero details to contextualise it or give any reassurances. This has helped more than you know. So, thank you. Emma x

Hey there.   

At my colonoscopy I was also told that the tumour they found was also most likely malignant.  It was bar far one of the worse days of my life.  That was end of October and now I’m cancer free.  When I was diagnosed I thought getting cancer free so quickly was an urban myth and for some of us it’s not    A 

There was an operation to remove it and in between awful waits for appointments and scary tests but as Karen said it’s treatable.  

Your husband is in the system and for me that was a very safe place to be. So see this as a blip and annoying that you miss your holiday because everything being good you’ll get to go on another one.  ️

Hi Hope

1. Same happened to me . Colonoscopy end Jan after positive screening test mid December. Im now in hospital 1 week post surgery after sigmoid tumour, left ovary lymph nodes removed., there was further inflammation so a bit scary but we'll see.   Feeling sore and a bit fed up but so well looked after. My husband and I kept up the normality facade until a couple of days before my admission. Family and friends very shocked but we enjoyed some lovely get togethers in that time before without the black cloud of my cancer which would have been there otherwise. Difficult to do but no regrets although everyone is different.  Just getting used to the temporary stoma and hopefully going home soonish. Not sure if further treatment needed but thats going to be a later bridge to cross. The early days were awful - much better when a plan is formed and things get started.

Lots of love xx

Hi, you will find lots of support here. I was in this position in December, malignant tumour found in colon during a colonoscopy. I was told there and then (they were pretty sure it was malignant) but luckily I had a lovely endoscopist who was really reassuring about treatments, even if there was evidence of spread she said there are many good outcomes. Definitely avoid Google, I made this mistake initially, a lot of the research that comes up is out of date.

I had an operation end of Jan and am starting chemo this week to mop up anything as some lymph nodes were positive too. It isn't easy but you will feel so much better once you have a plan. We too cancelled a holiday and I felt very bleak but as time passes and you get going with treatment things do feel more manageable. 

I have been amazed at the speed of NHS treatment and have only good things to say, so rest assured your husband is in very safe hands.

Interestingly, one of the more difficult things for me was telling people. I found this stressful. All I would say is don't feel any pressure, do things in your own time.

Hope you get a scan date through soon. xx

It sounds like you are doing really well. I hope you get to go home soon. Xx

Hi Hope08,

I had a colonoscopy at the end of January and a suspicious area was flagged up. I had no symptoms and it was a real shock. I remember on the drive home with my husband, thinking I was in a parallel universe.

I had a significant birthday coming up and the whole family (17 of us) were booked for Turkey at the beginning of April. Everything was cancelled as no one would go without me. Felt guilty about that but the family rallied round me. 

One of the first things I did was find this forum. It was a time of confusion, fear and trepidation. Thank goodness for the support and warmth of the people on here. I needed to hear from people who gave me hope.I will always be grateful. 

Things moved quickly. Urgent biopsy sent and CAT scan arranged. Another colonoscopy arranged for further tests. Then after that a meeting with the consultant surgeon. His positivity lifted me and he outlined the operation and if further treatment would be required. 

Both my husband and I are retired and have 8 grandchildren. We have had the privilege of looking after many of them throughout their pre school years . However, we were also looking forward to enjoying some time travelling etc. 

I am now awaiting my operation and feeling hopeful. You will get there too. I know the waiting is intermible but reach out to others here. There will always be someone ready to help and comfort you. Willing you and your husband on. X

Not a lot to add to the great posts above  but  just to lend my support - I'm another who was in a similar position to your husband last summer (although only one tumour), had surgery in the autumn and now all clear and fully recovering (although monitoring will continue for five years). 

You are in the awful space of knowing it's something bad but not knowing quite how bad and what the treatment plan will be. most of us here have been there and know what it's like. Hang in there and I hope he gets those biopsy results & CT scan through soon so that they can determine the best treatment for him.

Cling onto the fact that bowel cancer tends to be slow growing and treatments are often pretty well establsihed and fairly straightforward and will often cure it. 

I'm so sorry! The shock is overwhelming at first and your mind assumes the worst. 

But this type of cancer is very treatable. It is more likely than not that you and your husband will have many more years together. You'll have a tough go of it in the short term but you'll come out the other side and enjoy yourselves. 

Cancer is not the end but a new beginning.