Hi everyone
I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about any of this yet, but I know I need all the support I can get.
I live alone, in Spain, so am feeling terribly isolated and overwhelmed.
I had the diagnosis last Thursday and am booked for an MRI on 11 Dec. I didn't get a lot of information from the diagnosis meeting as I was too shocked to ask anything. The waiting is awful and since I found out I've had terrible pains in my lower abdomen and groin which is making me think it's spread and more serious than I thought. I've also been feeling unwell for quite a long time but not doing anything about it.
I'm trying to get all the practical things in place while I wait, but just keep going in circles and getting nothing done. I need to sort out care for my cat, finances (I'm freelance so have no back up), care for when I get home, what to take to the hospital, etc... I know it is the same for everyone, but being alone I'm finding it so hard to move forward each day. Also stressing about being in hospital and not understanding anything as my Spanish is still poor. Basically, worried about everything!!!
Sorry for the ramble - my mind is in a constant panic.
Any advice would be so appreciated. And also sending love to all of you x
Hi
Welcome to the Womb group.
I am sorry to hear that you have had a diagnosis of endometrial cancer and I understand that you are feeling overwhelmed and isolated.
I have not dealt with health care in Spain so am not sure of the processes, however I would imagine they would be the same or if not similar to in the UK.
Where a biopsy has been done and cancer found then next normal next step is a scan. For some it is a CT scan for some it is an MRI. (some may have both) The purpose of this is to check where the cancer is in the body and to rule out any. The results of the MRI will give a provisional stage to go with the provisional grade.
For most ladies where it is medically possible a hysterectomy is the first line treatment. For some ladies this may be enough to remove the cancer, for some ladies some follow up treatment may be needed.
Starting to think about the practical things is a good plan while you are waiting.
My hysterectomy was done in 2022 and was done via keyhole. I spent 1 night in hospital and had little pain. I recovered at home well. I was able to walk around within a couple of hours of surgery and I did not need any particular care at home. It was a case of not overdoing things and not lifting anything too heavy. I went out for walks each day as soon as I was home.
After surgery anything removed is sent to the lab and this gives the confirmed stage and grade and some other bits and pieces. This is the info they use to determine whether any further treatment is needed.
At the moment you are at a tough stage as you have just had a diagnosis but are still waiting for the MRI results to find out your treatment plan. I personally felt a lot better once I knew what was going to happen and when.
We do have the Macmillan Support Line that you are welcome to call if it helps. You will need to use the international number if calling from Spain.
+44 207 091 2230
Jane
I didn't have an MRI at all but had a full CT scan with contrast before diagnosis.
Perhaps they may do a CT at some point.
Yes the waiting is hard.
It sounds like they are planning the hysterectomy and they know your medical history etc so they would not do it unless it was safe. They also will do full pre op checks at some point.
