Always left in pain, and discomfort and repeated infections for all these years.
Had a few problems a month or 2 ago (bleeding when peeing) which was new, after various investigations, I was told today (although we had discussed that I probably did have cancer again) informed its in the lymph nodes and is stage 4. I feel so alone, frightened sad and angry. I'm sorry it's not a positive post but I don't know what to do.
It’s normal to be scared of course but keeping hope is very important too. My view was that there was always hope until I was told there absolutely wasn’t, and that never happened to me! Your oncologist has mentioned the possibility of chemo and immunotherapy, so I’d hold onto that as being hope.
It adds stress when appointments are messed about but it’s very common, sometimes with no explanation, which doesn’t help. But I hope you’ve got your new time for next Tuesday now.
Those sleepless nights are the worst time for our minds going crazy with thoughts in the darkness, I agree. I have had many sleepless nights due to pain in the past, so I was often up to make a cup of tea and fill a hot water bottle. Nowadays I sleep very well generally thank goodness!
Did you have scans and results before you got told your news? You only mentioned about the cancer being in the lymphodes and that would normally be stage 3 if it’s just there and hasn’t spread to other organs to put it at stage 4. But your appointment should explain everything in detail.
I’m doing ok thank you-trying to stop my little cat from scratching my sofa to bits is keeping me busy today!
Sarah xx
Ah, I see. I’m sorry to have asked such a distressing question but it was to help me understand more of the physical side of things. The spread is through the lymphatic system it seems like, and when it reaches nodes outside the pelvis, as in the shoulder, neck area, then it’s unfortunately stage 4 so I understand the diagnosis better now.
That’s some horrible things you’ve had to go through to get here…but chemo is systemic treatment going throughout your whole body, and immunotherapy is getting your own body to recognise and attack cancer cells so it’s powerful to use these two treatments in combination.
But my heart feels sad for you-you’ve been through so much over these last years, far more than most people would ever have to endure, and it’s unbelievably cruel to have to go through more. But keep in touch, and I hope I can at least be another friend for you whenever you need to talk.
Sarah xx
I never read anything on the internet, as it’s not always helpful or correct, but it would have been scary for me. I just trusted in my surgeons-but I know that could be difficult for you given what happened to you before. But I didn’t have a great chance of good results, I know that from what my surgeon told my partner. I’m glad I didn’t know at the time, and just kept the hope that I’d be ok.
I’m not sure how they’ll test for suitability for immunotherapy-usually from what I’ve learned, it’s by testing a sample from a tumour but there may be other ways I’m not aware of. They’ll tell you all about it at the hospital, and ask the consultant as many questions as you want so you find out as much as you need.
Sarah xx
