Hi folks, lamb here after an absence which has literally turned my life upside down. If anybody told me how this was going to pan out four weeks ago I would not have believed them. I have not been around for a bit as you may remember my daughter was expecting a second baby. So duly returning from abroad at thirty four weeks hubby and I set off to Sussex to look after my granddaughter who is into everything to give my daughter some much needed rest and to help prepare for the new arrival by washing clothes, sorting bedding etc..you know the drill. We thoroughly enjoyed the days and picnics in the garden, trips to the park and I am pleased to say my daughter gave birth by caesarean in early October to a healthy baby boy so we are very blessed in having not only a wonderful granddaughter but also a grandson now. My parents, who are both terminally ill are still trundling along and although the news was a bit much for my father to take in my mother knows she now has two great grandchildren. So far so good. Baby arrived home, we had our cuddles and photos taken and prepared for the busy weeks ahead. As some of you may know I have been experiencing niggly pains since January which I have mentioned to the consultant and the radiologist doing the scans. I had a very bad infection after my operation which had to be packed and vacuum cleared which finally decided to heal on my wedding anniversary past year..a total of six months. Anyway the radiologist was very good on both occasions when having my scans and had a good look but couldn't see anything so we came to the conclusion it was adhesions from the surgery pulling. I had a telephone consultation with my consultant when I was at my daughters and as the pains were particularly bad as I thought from lifting my granddaughter I mentioned them again only to be told that all that should have cleared up by now and I should be doing cartwheels. She did arrange for me to have an appointment in a month's time if it was still going on though . In the meantime I was in agony and experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea and had no option but to call my sister to collect us and take me back to London so I could contact my own gp, who promptly sent me to hospital on blue lights with a sepsis diagnosis. In these times of covid there is no information in or out of anywhere and your relatives only see you wheeled into the back of the ambulance. Thank goodness the paramedic reminded me to take my phone and charged with me, the last thing on My mind at that point but they took me thankfully to the hospital that I had my surgery in a year and a half ago which, after numerous arguments between departments, proved a blessing in disguise. Countless tests a followed in resus and despite my clothes having to be cut off as I had swollen to double the size of a beached whale they decided to feed me into the c.t. Scanner to examine my abdomen although there was,an argument about that as I hadn't been proven covid free which in a way was where this whole sorry saga decided to take a different direction. I was found to have a bowel obstruction and was full of infection. Questions followed. Who did my surgery, when was it done, you are nil by mouth from now not that I wanted to eat anyway. When you are struggling to remember your name, let alone your date of birth it all becomes a bit much. Then to top it all along comes a breezy nurse just on shift with the news that the ward doctors were coming round tomorrow and I may be going home so that was something to look forward to wasn't it! I didn't want to go home..I felt so flipping Ill so that was a sleepless night in the making. To round it off in comes a gynae consultant at 10 at night to give me an internal examination which put me on the roof, announcing all scans had previously been clear at the top of her voice and it was nothing to do with gynae. By now I was really worried as to what was going on and terrified of being sent home which is unusual for me as normally I am quite calm about these things. I dissolved in tears the following morning when the doctors turned up and begged them not to send me home only to return hours later in the same state. They told me they couldn't send me home until they had sorted this problem out and who had told me I was going home anyway. That was momentary relief to my ears until they asked me what I knew about my scan which apart from a bowel blockage was nothing. Now, this is not how it's supposed to be done, they were junior doctors I think but I was told bluntly that the cancer had returned, the same endometrial cancer and there was a tumour the size of a grapefruit entwined amongst everything and there were signs of spots on the liver and elsewhere. Then they left and I literally howled into the pillowin complete shock and not knowing what to tell my family. I had two biopsies under local anaesthetic, the crash trolley came out twice in the next few days as I took a turn for the worse and the family were called in. My poor husband was himself in hospital By Now having had a complete breakdown. Various tubes went in and out, nebulizers deployed. How on earth can you go from being fit and well three weeks before to this doubly incontinent wreck who has now been told I need to build myself up as I am too weak to undergo surgery under general anaesthetic and far too weak to undergo chemotherapy, have been discharged from hospital because immune system is trashed by all the antibiotics which I am still on and covid cases are being admitted so I'm at risk. I can barely walk, have no energy and am now seriously wondering who is going to win this battle..it or me? Me of course..i don't give up that easily. But I'm struggling with this intense anger ladies which is unusual for me. To the point of yelling,throwing stuff. My husband and I had our ruby anniversary, couldn't celebrate it as we were both in different hospitals but we had plans to enjoy retirement, our grandchildren, the garden. I hope that is all still possible in the future and i know I have the prayers of those who know me to strengthen me. But what I suppose I am trying to say i s, and I digress from my normal advice here through this experience is please, any abdominal pain mention to your doctor unless you know what is responsible for it because we are alltold to look out for bleeding, discharge etc and this is by and large an easy cancer to cure. My pain was in my belly , well it ended up pushing all my organs out of place. The scans would not have detected it as they were too low down but you know your bodies ladies and without wishing to panic anybody if you feel something's not right get it checked out. So there you go, good news,bad news and ugly news but this lamb isn't done yet..it's a fighter even though it may be u upside down in its Ditch again. Thank you for listening..I feel much better now for that rant. God bless everyone. Love lamb.xxxx
Hi again folks. Well apologies that this has taken so long to update but had a bit of a setback and ended up in hospital for five weeks with sepsis. Thing is I didn't even know ...scary! It's been a bit of an ordeal to recover from, me trying as usual to run before I can walk and being told off left, right and centre and there have been horrible flashbacks, a period of where I don't know what happened mentally( think I went stark raving mad at one point with delirium and had to be sedated) and i've got gaps in my life, days missing and that to me is a worry because although you are out of control of this whole bloody scenario I cannot cope being out of control! I just cannot remember some bits... I remember having a huge argument with my husband over something I thought was absolutely ridiculous. He implied I wasn't making any sense and talking rubbish and he was going to call ambulances cos I wasn't listening to him and kept falling asleep! Wrong move buster..I was waiting for my transport to take me to chemo. So I just ignored him, turned over and went to sleep as you do! Poor man...what I put him through at times. I just wanted to get the chemo over and come back to watch the euros and Wimbledon which I was enjoying in the absence of anything else good to watch! Ambulance is here he announces..what ambulance? Transport you mean..get it right! In comes a green ambulance man, up THe stairs. Oh you coming down he says? Course I'm coming down..nothing wrong with me( hastily grabbing a vomit bowl)! So I get down the stairs, asked a couple of questions then I don't remember anything unfortunately. I woke up in hospital, a day and a half later, which one I don't know, didn't even realise I was in hospital. All I know is I had leads and pipes and machines and needles and people digging away and being told to lie still and not move...tough baby...I want to turn over and nobody tells me what to do...so I did! You'll fall off that bed if you aren't careful..up to the cot sides noisily. Yeah well at this exact moment I really don't care, I don't know where I am and I feel bloody awful. Where do I normally get my treatment, who is my consultant, what happened? I don't know and at this precise moment it's not top of my agenda. You may not get through this..we need to have a discussion about resuscitation. Your kidneys have failed, you've got extremely low blood pressure and on borderline and to be honest you aren't going to be out of the woods for quite a few days if you get out of the wood. What? I've got cancer man. I start looking around for my old friend, head stuck up the a*** professor, as he doesn't mince his words but it wasn't him...just another very concerned consultant from the bowel department mumbling about dialysis, hdu, dnr's, nasal gastric tubes( just make sure you put the rules tube in not a feeding tube with anaesthetic please.)..but of course! Well it sort of went wrong last time matey! So yes, all this was done except dnr because I couldn't have that conversation without my family...I owe it to them to keep up the fight and anyway I'm not ready yet even though I know the outcome isn't great. I really don't know how to describe my feelings. It was so surreal. I suppose in the face of death you just get on with it..I don't think It really sunk in. I felt awful, I couldn't think and you just put your trust in your maker. I wasn't frightened. Just terribly sad for those loved ones I would be leaving if the inevitable happened and conscious of time or lack of it. I hadn't rewritten will or organised the lasting power of attorney because of the constant hospital appointments..no time..now there wasn't any time or so it seemed. Panic set in. What had I got to tell people? Did my hubby put a pen or paper in? Don't be ridiculous lamb..You can't write anyway. Just be grateful he remembered your medication(and the kitchen sink) cos my mobile pharmacy came in..the whole lot. That will teach me for not sorting it all out! Poor staff..think I had more supplies than the hospital! So, follow on a couple of days later, another memory lapse, and things slowly started to improve thank goodness. Multiple antibiotics to fight that little sod which they believed had infected everything..well that's what he was up to guzzling all the blood and nutrients with his mates last time! Would he spring leak again and cause an almighty mess? That's his normal behaviour and everybody expected or hoped it would. But you can guess can't you..he had other ideas. But mess yes..his trademark! Now apologies if anyone is eating their tea..too much information probably..but cancer mess is hardly mentioned in here even though we all experience it..too embarrassed probably. But it is unbelievably messy. Chronic diarrhoea, copious amounts, moisture lesions I couldn't control that felt like acid filling over my nether regions, hugs and I mean hugs happy pads, bed sheet protectors. Hospital even ran out of sheets ago e point would you believe and a hopeless lamb feeling very embarrassed, all dignity gone to the wind apologising at every opportunity, trying to help/ignore what was out of control. These nurses are saints I tell you. Where does it all come from bearing in mind nothing is going in? Better not ask..flipping painful though! Unfortunately, or maybe for some fortunately you are going to have to wait for the next exciting installment tomorrow because I have just about exhausted myself. I have no energy whatsoever at the moment. Hopefully the moderators will not think my account to graphic and take it down because I feel it is important to tell it like it is even though it is not my intention to scare/worry people which does worry me because in no way would I do that intentionally. My mantra is I like to have as much information as pissible, and i've got a strong stomach but please everybidy, if I get a bit much, just don't read it if itscares you..it's not intended to honestly. So until tomorrow then . I'm still here to but you all, I survived , it didn't get me this time lucky lamb so I'm full of hope still..just need to get turned round the right way, off my wheels and on my legs. Next instalment will feature the professor..I know you can't wait to see what he's been up to! Take care, keep safe. Love Lamb.xxxx
Hi Little Lamb, I've not been on here much but I have been thinking about you. What a brave, brave gutsy lady you are unbelievable how you are coping and if that means telling it like it is on hee, I'm all for it. We fellow cancer survivors and sufferers can be your ears, your hug, your comfort, your understanding. Because of you I am super body vigilant and have no hesitation in getting ac
es and pains checked out. I am really grateful to you for that and remain persistent. I don't think the medical profession always get it right but we have to put ourselves in their hands and that me
ns losing a bit of control so we cling on to what control we have left:our coping mechanism. I do hope you feel better soon and get to do the things you want to do, say the things you want to say. H
re is a new opportunity for you on your journey. Blessings, love and best wishes, Nikki xx
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Oh my poor , bless you, you had rather a lot happening. Yeah sepsis is awful isnt ? I don’t even remember the day I were to hospital afterwards, only thing was I managed how not dure but to write little posts and messages to people to let them know what was happening if I hadn’t read these notes there is a lot I wouldn’t know now. Like how the first night when they really wanted me in icu but some idiot consultant who was rather up his own backside as Mum put said i had flu as all the other Doctors in his team looked in horror, so hence i had to have an isolation room the only one available was in a surgical ward, well better then nothing hey, but the poor doctor treating me had to stay all night with me taking my blood oxygen, my parents were so grateful to that Doctor for getting me stabilised. The nurses there were fantastic really helpful and hard working. I feel for them so much especially during a pandemic which is still causing problems in hospitals. I am overwhelmed by your bravery, is that right to say? Well you are.
I hope you are able to rest up and feel better tomorrow your an inspiration for us all.
Bless you lamb, sending gentle bear hugs
Hi lamb, I hope tomorrow will be brighter for you. My son who was 25 at the time contracted sepsis from playing football on AstroTurf. He was delerious, hallucinating, vomiting and had diarrhea. He has no memory of it. Luckily I had gone to see him as he had said his knee was painful and he couldn't walk on it and wanted to borrow my crutches. He looked like a corpse when I saw him semi conscious on the sofa. It must have been terrible for you with the added cancer symptoms and covid. Deb x
Hello Lamb
ive been thinking about you xx. Sounds like you’ve had an awful time but I love your positive uplifting attitude. You’ve got this Lamb. Keep being you Lamb and keep being positive xx
my mums finished chemo last month and is feeling very tired… she’s expecting to be up and running again and I have to keep reminding her that she’s been through a lot and has to give herself time to recover xx
take it easy Lamb and look forward to hearing from you again.
lots of love to you Lamb xxxx ️
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I am so sorry that you are going through such a terrible time and have been so badly treated. Anger is not only a reasonable response but may actually be healthy in helping you to fight this. Congratulations on your grandson though - one bit of brightness in all this. Wishing you well xx
Hi Lamb, took a few days off as had family visiting and vowed not to pen my laptop for 4 days. Catching up today and read your newest post - Oh my love, you're still going through it but showing your usual wonderful sense of humour and still managing to raise a smile. Especially your typo towards the end My mantra is I like to have as much information as pissible, In one way or another LOL.
Sending my normal cotton wool hugs to you, Barb xx
P.S. How did the Professor behave this time?
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