My dad has just had a colonoscopy and it looks like he has bowel cancer

[pinkchampagne1]

He has had symptoms for a while (mucus and rectal bleeding) but has put off getting checked out until recently. His FIT test was very high so he was fact tracked for a colonoscopy which he had today. Just phoned my mum and it looks like they have found a large growth which looks to be cancer. My dad is 83 and I adore him so I am so upset. 😢

My dad had the 3 month course. He was on the tablets but they didn’t shrink the tumour so he is now on a different chemo with a pic line and a new chemo drug that is dripped into him through a bottle for 48 hours. He has 6 rounds of this but they are pausing for his surgery next week. I worried this one would knock him for 6 but he has tolerated it well.
I imagine that they will try the tablet chemo with your DH. They do sometimes do mop up chemo after surgery. My dad hasn’t suffered too much have it first to try to shrink the tumour so that they can operate, and also because of the lesion on his liver.
Hope your DH gets on ok with it all.

Thank you for the info. My dh has had his surgery and is recovering. So his will be adjuvant chemo now.

I had adjuvant chemo initially suggested to me after my bowel surgery, but on the first meeting with the oncologist he said that they had now done complete tests on the removed tumour and it turned out that due to a genetic factor they had found (MSI-H - microsatellite instability) the risks associated with the chemo outweighed the benefits, so we didn't proceed with it.

I hope you DH is recovering from the surgery (I know it takes a while) and gets on well with the chemo.

My dad is hopefully going up to London later today (they will phone to confirm he has a bed between 4&5pm) ready for his ablation surgery tomorrow. I know it is good that it’s finally getting done but I feel anxious about it.

Hopefully it will all go as planned for him 🙏

Thank you. I am glad they are hopefully able to go ahead with the ablation as it is the less invasive procedure. He should (all being well) come home on Thursday. I will be glad when it is all done.

Will be thinking of you and your dad - all the best.

Hope everything goes as planned 🤞 Thinking of you

Sending love to you OP and you @Meredusoleil - always thinking of you both.

Thank you all. Dad went down for his surgery around 3pm so just anxiously waiting now.

It’s hard waiting so take care. Hope all goes welll x

Dad woke up very agitated and was panicking that he couldn’t breathe. They ended up having to sedate him so he was very confused this morning and thought he was having his op today.

Was hoping he might be home today but they are keeping him in another night. Apparently his liver function is showing as low when they did his blood test so they can’t discharge until they come back up to normal levels. They also want him to have a bladder scan as he has had a catheter.

Oh dear! That's good that they are keeping a close eye on him. Hopefully, it's just a little blip and he will be on the mend again soon 🤞

Sorry to hear that. Anaesthetic can have that impact. Good they’ll keep him to check things are stable.

He is home now. 😃 I went to see him straight after work and other than a bit of discomfort in his stomach, he seems to be doing pretty well.
They are going to give him a CT in 6 weeks time and then he will have a telephone appointment with the surgeon. Fingers crossed it has been a success.

So glad your Dad is ok. Much love, from someone who misses her Dad x

That is good news!

Hope he recovers well.

He has been in quite a bit of pain today but guess it is to be expected

Some pain is no doubt to be expected but hope he has medication to help. Do keep in touch with the surgical /cancer team for advice and support. Hope he’s more comfortable soon.

He only has paracetamol now, along with antibiotics to prevent infection. He seems in more discomfort now than he did when he first came home.

@pinkchampagne1 He seems in more discomfort now than he did when he first came home.

Is there a number to call, OP? I would get in touch with someone involved in post-op care.

Do you have the number of the surgical ward where he stayed post op ? You could call them for advice on pain levels & options. Otherwise 111 or GP. Hope he gets a decent sleep.

I have just contacted Mum and she said he slept downstairs and seems ok but the pain seems to kick in when he moves around. He seems a little better than yesterday. I have told her to phone the hospital for advice if worried.

Hopes he’s had a good day (all things considering) & pain manageable.