Secondary Cancer confirmed I dont know what to

[EachandEveryone]

Im numb. I went to the haemotolgist with a lump in my groin 5cm. He really thought it was lymphoma and was direct that it would be cancer. The biopsy was sent off a week ago. And hes just rang its mestatic. Its like a dream. I feel fine. Thats it for me isnt it? Im only 55 where could it be from?

I will be staying in London. I’ve just seen my colleagues and one of them I was terrified to tell, her sister was someone I greatly admired and followed all her articles she was a warrior queen I only put two and two together after she had gone I didn’t realise they were sisters. Well she said fuck cancer and we are all going to go out one afternoon in our fake furs and party frocks and paint London Town red. She’s my kinda woman. So that’s the plan. I am surrounded by strong fearless nurses and doctors at work, I am very lucky in that respect. I wouldn’t have this up North. Sometimes friends are family aren’t they?

So sorry to hear your news OP. Glad you have such amazing friends in London. In your position, I would still consider going up north for family support. Would your friends take you to and from appointments? Be able to provide support at home if treatment is rough?

@EachandEveryone good for you - fill your days with living. The thing is - you don't know what it is that you are dealing with ATM so you need that info before you can start working out how to react and how you feel. Let's hope for the best. Life is precious. Life is sh!t Life is beautiful.

Hello. Am sorry to hear of your news. Please know things get mildly easier when your plan is in place. I was diagnosed stage 4 de novo over 4yrs ago. It can be done. deep breaths. find your people. Sending very unMNly hugs.

Keeping busy over the next couple of weeks sounds good! Glad you've got nice friends around you.

I’ve been thinking of you all afternoon, hugs.
you will feel a shift mentally when you get the diagnosis and the system clicks in place to scoop you up and treat you, just wish it could be sooner for you.
please keep posting here. X

Good advice. Also if you can bring a good friend or family member. Two heads are better than one and it’s good for the support.

Could i ask what charities have helped her please?

I had surgery in August to remove a tumour in my thyroid. I had to wait over 2wks to get the result and it's really frustrating and stressful. Tbh it had already been months because I had the growth for ages and had the ultrasound months before the op where they said there was a 6cm x 4cm growth.

My friend had a lump diagnosed as a secondary. They could not find the primary at first but in the end found it hiding behind a tonsil. She had a rough 18 months of treatment but got the all clear.

I hope all goes well for you.

Huge hug, love, & strength.
Lean on us as much as you need. 💗 So much love OP

I know it's easy to say @EachandEveryone but try not to panic. People are getting past far more cancers and living a long time in remission. I have 2 friends who've had cancer 4 times and have now been free of it for many years. x🌻Another with chronic leukaemia she's lived with for decades.

I hope the wait goes quickly for you and you find lots of fun distracting things to do in the meantime.

Hugs OP, I think things will feel better once you have a treatment plan. Do you know about the Maggie’s support centre for people with cancer at the Royal Free - you don’t need an appointment or referral, you just walk in, call or go online. I would be inclined to stay in London as the demographic is younger and there are so many centres of excellence. I know countless people who have been treated at the Marsden and have benefited from extra years though participating in clinical trials. Just this afternoon A friend was telling me about the excellent care a relative had received for secondary cancer at one of the hospitals you mention in the past few weeks. I hope things go well for you.

Thinking of you op @EachandEveryone if you work within the Health Care Sector could you see about getting your results fast tracked?

OP it might be better to be close to friends and family. If you are receiving treatment in London could you ask someone to come to you and stay whilst you are recovering?

To be fair presuming that you’re sample was sent for histology that is about how long it takes. Once the thyroid is removed it needs to fix for a day or two before it can be processed. Then it needs to be sectioned into blocks to make slides from. Then it needs to go through the lab and be made into slides that can then be examined by a pathologist. If a pathologist needs to do extra work (special stains or tests on the tissue to clarify a diagnosis) then this takes another couple of days. It then needs to be dictated, typed and authorised. Obviously things will be prioritised if necessary but as the vast majority of pathology specimens are sent to rule out/diagnose cancers then a longstanding mass/one less clinically suspicious won’t be escalated that way. Plus there’s not much you can do to speed up some steps (the machines take as long as they take). I appreciate it’s frustrating but it’s a real shame that the clinicians don’t explain what happens behind the scenes a bit more so patients know we’re not just going slow for fun.

OP - I’m so happy that you’ve got excellent friends around you. Keep reaching out. I’m sure having a few more answers and a plan will make a world of difference. You sound like an amazing woman and I’ll be thinking of you.

My brother is staying with me the timing couldnt be better. Unfortunately after being single for years I now seem to me a northern housewife rustling up meals at the drop of a hat and making endless cups of tea. He doesnt like me watching my housewives or Below Deck either. I had to watch a four hour war film the other night. I hope hes forgot we havent finished it yet😃

Really sorry to hear that @EachandEveryone

Sending best wishes.

My father was diagnosed terminal with metastasis of the brain with primary elsewhere (prostate) and given 3 months. He lived 11 years. Most of the 11 years were in reasonable health with medication and injections. What I'm trying to say is that it doesn't mean it will end soon and that many more people now can live with cancer.

Enjoy everything you want to and I hope yours is a long time well

Sod that - now is definitely the time for all the below deck you can handle! In my experience everyone who says they don’t want to watch it is addicted within 3 episodes…

It's definitely the time to get lost in a series of housewives/below deck! He'll pretend he hates it to begin with them gradually get drawn in... 😄

Yes I have cancer and have watched all the Below Deck during my treatment on Hayu, Med, Aus, original, sailing yacht its great escapism. Cancer is an emotional roller-coaster and some of the treatment can be very tough going so you need to enjoy any time you can when you get it. it's worth doing nice things or watching nice things any time you can.

Oh @EachandEveryone big hugs 💐 Hoping the next couples do weeks until your results goes by quickly so you can get your treatment plan and feel more at ease with what’s going on. Thinking of you, and please come back here to let us know how you are doing x