Cancer Support #70. Please post on this thread, not #69, If you have cancer or are undergoing tests for cancer. Rant, rave, scream, cry – whatever helps. Supportive lurkers for Leslie welcome on #69.

[TwitterQueen1]

Thread #69 is filling up with messages of support for one of our own who is very seriously ill. Leslie told me a few weeks ago that she didn’t want any such messages to get in the way of those who need support through their cancer treatment so we are starting a new thread just for those who do have cancer or who are having tests. Could we respectfully ask lurkers and supportive posters to confine their comments to thread #69? Thank you.

We normally start with a brief introduction to our cancers – I’ll kick off. Ovarian cancer dx March 2017. Now on third-line treatment with a trial providing targeted and chemo drugs taken orally.

Purple Sorry to hear you are in hospital. Hope you are not in pain/discomfort xx

Lovely news RawRoar - I hope the vigilance becomes second nature in no time

purple really sorry to read your update

Any idea how long they’ll need to keep you in? I suppose it depends on when the surgeon and the oncologist manage to get together - did they give any clues when they might be getting back to you?

Oh bugger @Purple, sorry to read you're in hospital, that sounds grim. I hope one of the doctors can help. And yes, go to Shields when you get out, it's had a lot of work over the past few years and the seafront is very nice. I recommend fish and chips from the old bandstand, which is now renamed the Seafood Temple.

Great news RawRoar, in the nicest possible way, off you pop!

Update re my NHS complaint about the gynae not removing my mirena coil 2.5 years ago but reporting that he had - NHS are refusing to investigate under the claims procedure as it's more than 12 months since it happened, even though I've only just found out about it. They say that too much time has elapsed for staff to recall what happened, even though everything is documented. They have offered me a meeting with the head of service to discuss, I'm waiting to hear back about that. I've had a brief chat with a solicitor, but I'm not feeling too hopeful. They advised that even though it should be quite easy to prove negligence, I'd also have to prove an injury or loss, which isn't so simple. I don't know if there's any investigation of the gynae either - so he could be carrying on doing similar things to other patients. Frightening really.

I have an appointment with my onc tomorrow, so I'm going to get his view on it.

Sorry that you are in hospital Purple. Sorry - I sometimes struggle to keep up with the thread. I have been so tired these last couple of days. I'm sure that I was the only one in the cinema on Sunday night at the Avengers showing who was fast asleep.....
Hoping to go to the gym tomorrow though.....

Raw I'm so pleased for you, I can understand you being in shock but what a relief! In the nicest possible way I hope we never have to hear from you again

Flippy isn't there some kind of law that says you have either 12 months or so long from when you first found out? I'm sure I've read about that somewhere. If you didn't know at the time then obviously you couldn't have done anything about it. It's scary that doctors can get away with things like this

Thanks everyone, I still have no idea what's happening. A doctor came to say he was going to check my last lot of scans and then speak to a surgeon to see if an operation is possible and if not he was going to get my oncologist and the surgeon together to discuss what happens next. No idea what my oncologist can do as surgery is the only option really.
They've doubled my dose of oxycodone as my stomach is all hard and swollen and they insist on prodding it every time they come round
I should find out when the doctors do their rounds in the morning what's happening. They don't rush in here!

purple Have you been watching the slightly creepy drama ‘Trust Me’ set mainly in a hospital?

It was on this evening (part3 if I think 4). I did thinking those currently ‘incarcerated’ as I watched

So sorry to hear you are in hospital purple. I hope they manage to make a decision about what you need and get you sorted soon.

Very happy for those who have had good news and won't need this thread any more.

After a crap post Chemo week last I am on the up again. I went to see my lovely GP to get the referral I need to see a psychologist (although it will still cost me $100 a pop) and had a good chat. I totally forgot the name of the person I need a referral to as I had left the card on the kitchen counter so we spent ages Googling to try and find her and had a general bitch about Chemo brain. Although the system certainly isn't perfect here I couldn't help thinking about all the recent MN posts I have read with people being told off for "wasting NHS time" and having to wait weeks for an appointment to see a doctor.

Oh no iVampire, I think I'll stick to happy TV. I might watch it when I'm home and safe

I'm glad you're on the up Snow and I hope your psychologist helps. I definitely don't miss chemo brain

The surgeons aren't going to operate as I don't have enough bowel left and they could end up making things worse. Just waiting for a scan to see why my stomach is so bloated

Hi purple. Hope they manage to do something about the bloating even if surgery not possible xx

Oh dear. That doesn’t sound too good.

Did they manage to fit you in for a scan today? And can they tell you on the spot what they see - or is it one where it vanishes for days whilst what seems like the entire hospital staff squint at images of your innards?

My scan is at 10:40 in the morning so I'm hoping I'll get the results tomorrow and can be put on oral antibiotics rather than IV ones so I can go home tomorrow afternoon.
They asked if I wanted a scan or not and I said yes although they have said that whatever does show up there's not much they can do other than pain management but I've had the palliative pain team round today to increase my fentanyl patches so they should start working by tomorrow

Purple I guess at least they may be able to identify the pain source and make a judgment then.

Hi all,
Please can I join?
I have an Intraocular Melanoma and I'm going to have to have my left eye removed week after next. There were various options but this one is the best.
Good news is it's all in the eye and not in the bone etc.
I am ok. I'll have six monthly liver scans as it can metastisize to liver. I'm resolved to take it one day at a time.
Love to all from this newbie.

Hi @WrenNatsworthy - sorry you find yourself here, but welcome!

Glad to hear you’re doing ok, but this is a good place to come if you need a chat.

I had melanoma too, but mine was on my vulva - had an operation at the end of January and am now having adjuvant immunotherapy.

Do you know how long you’ll be in hospital?

Welcome Wren though as always sorry you find yourself here. Hope you have support through your surgery and recovery.

Purple I hope they are able to find out something that will help and that you can get back home asap.

.

Hello Wren and welcome. That's not nice...
Do you know if you'll need chemo afterwards?
I should think that's quite rare isn't it?

Purple I hope they can sort out something to help you from the scan and get you home really soon.

I got some good news in the post today, my breast skin biopsies were fine, so that's really hopeful, I still need to find out what's causing the skin thickening and hardening, but I guess I'll know more when I go for the follow up appointment at the end of May.

Second chemo today. Not straight forward. The wound over the port opened up as they were connecting the line to it so it had to be restitched. That meant I had the cool cap on for ages before it was switched on I ended up being very sick. All ok now though

That sounds very unpleasant meercat. I hope you’re safely home and not feeling too battered and bruised. Take care.

Purple any news from your scan yet? Have they let you go home?

Meercat poor you. that doesn't sound nice

Welcome Wren. Can you see out of your eye at the minute? If not then hopefully it won't take as much getting used too when you do have it removed. It's good that they seem to have caught it early if it hasn't spread to the bone. I've never heard of intraocular Melanoma but I didn't know much about any cancers at all before joining this thread! Do you have plenty of support at home?

Molly that is good news! Have they any idea at all what it could be?

That sounds rough Meer but hopefully the cold cap will be worth it and you're relaxing at home all nice and warm

Just waiting for my medication to come from the pharmacist then I can go home. The scan results show that the cancer is spreading which is why I'm getting stomach pain but there was nothing unusual to see so it's just a case of increasing my pain medication which they did yesterday and it seems to be working.

They're just leaving my fistula as it is so... TMI warning (although I am complete over being embarrassed by anything anymore): I have poo coming out of my vagina The way I see it is I think people need to know the realities that this awful disease can cause as I can't see Cancer Research making an advert about this anytime soon. I don't want to scare people but they need to know that things like this can happen and it's not always something that can be fixed

Haven’t posted much lately as just trying to get on with life and work, and stuff, but I have been keeping up with reading the three... so I cant read and run without saying Purple... fuck... Fucking fucking cancer. I am sorry, that is just shit in every sense and on every level. Cancer is an utter bastard, and I am so upset and damned angry about it today.

I am also thinking about Leslie tonight, remembering her with love, but I’m also angry that she is gone, and that there is so much suffering on this thread.

And .... Welcome newbies, sorry for ranting and not replying to you properly... and yay to good news (TQ - great I was so pleased to read that you got shrinkage!)

Love to all...

I’m off to punch a pillow

Purple I hope that if you are not already home you will be home soon and that the meds will make you more comfortable.

Fuzzy your opinion of cancer is spot on and perfectly expressed.

I am back home now and warm and comfortable. It wasn't a very nice day but I am very well aware that with this horrible vicious disease I am one of the lucky ones and have very little to complain about.