Hi
My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in January. It’s been a heck of a few months (as I’m sure you will have experience of) to get to prognosis.
He had his 4cm primary tumour removed from his bowel on 1st March and is due to start 4 cycles of chemo this month (Capox - combination of IV and tablets) then time to recover and a liver resection.
The biopsy showed that 6 out of the 14 lymph nodes removed showed cancer (1 apical node), VI also impacted. RO - so clear margins and we’re told all cancer removed from bowel. The pathology report mentions 1 satellite tumour deposit too, which I don’t really understand- if they are saying clear margins did they get that too, and is a tumour deposit a worse outlook? He has 2 small spots on his liver, 6mm and 8mm and both currently operable. They are going for cure!
I was absolutely relieved when they said cure. However, given all the bits impacted that I mention above I constantly worry something else is going to show up! Particularly worried about this apical node and tumour deposit, which I still don’t really understand much about, or it’s impact! I keep thinking that there might be other things lurking we don’t know about yet. Spread we can’t yet see but then there might not be! Or if there is the chemo gets it before it has a chance to grow further!
I want to believe that he will be cured and by the end of the year we can put this all behind us. For context I’m 6.5 months pregnant and finding it hard to picture the future and what that might look like. I want us to be a family and for my son to know his Daddy. No one has told me right now that won’t happen and I’m wasting time worrying about it instead of enjoying each day with my husband and my pregnancy.
Any positive stories from a similar diagnosis or advise on coping mechanisms would be gratefully received. I don’t want to worry anymore it doesn’t achieve anything! I’m trying really hard!
Thankyou !
Hi Ziggybay
It sounds like you and your husband have been through a great deal and it's natural to want to hear positive stories and find ways of coping.
As you know, the online community is divided up into different support groups and I can see that you've posted in the bowel cancer group before. This would probably be the best place to ask about positive outcomes for bowel cancer.
Another group which I think you might benefit from joining is the carers only group which is a safe and supportive place to discuss your worries and emotions as well as finding how others have coped.
To join the group, just click on the link I've created and, once you've joined, you can start a new post in the same way as you did here, and join in with existing conversations by clicking on reply.
Sending virtual (((hugs)))
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
