Jolly tales of bowel cancer over here, please

[MinkyBorage]

Found out my Mum has bowel cancer this evening, wrote a post about it earlier, but dd2 deleted it just before I pressed the magic button.
She doesn't know I know as my Dad told me. Apparently the doctor thinks it will be easily removed, but she's having a scan on Monday to check for secondary cancers. Her biggest worry is that the bowel cancer is a secondary cancer. I have no idea why she thinks that, hopefully it's founded in nothing and just a worry.
Feel like everything's falling apart, but feel very self indulgent for allowing myself to think that, if that makes any sense whatsoever.
To compound issues, she has 'episodes' every so often where she goes off the rails emotionally, and that appears to have happened today. I expect that this recent worry has exacerbated that (she's know for ten days about the cancer) I suspect that if she was ever diagnosed, it would be with some sort of mild bi-polar or depressive condition, but no idea.
Anyway, that's all I can think of right now, so would really appreciate your experiences, either jolly or not so jolly, but real anyway.
tia

I had a laparascopic liver resection in Basingstoke in July. My secondaries were tiny and it was successful.

My initial pathology showed Dukes B (spread through wall of bowel but not into lymph nodes or into other organs) and T3 N0 Mx (tumour, nodes, mets). I don't know how this ties in with your DH's grade 4. I think everyone uses different systems.

When I was told my results after my first operation I was told they had to be cautious in interpreting them (they were good news) as they didn't have sufficient experience of assessing these results following pre-op chemo-radiotherapy. So basically I got good news but was told it was probably not true. And then it turned out not to be true! I'm tying to get my head round asking my oncologist what my current state is when I next see him, and getting my DH to come with me.

Hi Thingone,
How confusing and worrying for you. I know they use Dukes ABCD, Harry has just been told its grade 4 the worst I believe as its was found in 5 lymph nodes and of course in his liver. He has just cycled off for chemo now, hoping its his last one before liver surgery. So are you not having treatment atm? Wil you see the onologist soon?

They're trying to sort out my complication first. Day surgery on Thursday to have a look and maybe do something to stop it getting infected. My oncologist can't do anything with me while I am infected.

Hope Harry's last session wasn't too bad. What's he on? I was on folfox.

Hi,
Harry has hopefully had his last chemo today, nurse came and took the pump off at mid-day. He is on 5FU and Oxaliplatin,he cycled to chemo on Thurs, first time he has done that, BIG mistake. Coming home the cold wind got in his throat and he had a really nasty reaction, his throat closed up, thats the Oxaliplatin, also causes his fingers and face to tingle painfullly. So scan next Thurs..........take it from there. Hope you are feeling ok atm.

Yep, same stuff as me, only I've only had 3 of the 12 cycles. I hope his throat gets better soon.

Let us know how the scan goes.

Minky, your poor mum. My mum also had bowel cancer in her late fifties, her friend had it too - the docs discovered and removed her tumour when she was being operated on for something else!

Countess Dracula you mentioned screening programme - what age should this start from? I guess I may be higher risk myself, and am over 40 now.

Hope everyone is as OK as can be.

Hello All, Thank you so much for posts. Well, it turns out that Mum has no secondaries, and only a small tumour on the right hand side (which I think is better than left although can't remember why right now!) which needs to be removed, although it does sound like major surgery, and they'll be removing a lot of the surrounding area. I'll keep posting, and am really grateful for all you helpful and supportive posts, they've really given me some strength over the last week or so.

Triplets, so so sorry for your experience. I really wish your DH all the best and hope that he is on the road to recovery soon. It sounds like you've really been through the mill, and I hope that soon you can begin to take health and happiness for granted, as you deserve to.

ThingOne, Wow, this all sounds so complicated. I really hope that things improve for you very soon.

Hi all

Minky, im so please that your mum has no secondaries and i hope that it all goes well when she does have her operation.

Mum had her operation in Thursday and she returned home this morning. She had keyhole surgery and the doctor also removed all her lymph nodes and sent them away for examination so fingers crossed for the results in about 10 days time.

Although she is still in alot of pain she is home and on the road top recovery.

She has done so well and i am so proud of her.

Im sending lots of love to you.

Hi all, sorry you are going through this Minky.

My grandmother had Bowel cancer resected 25 years ago, is now 96 and going strong

My Uncle was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer 6 years ago, It was discovered due to acute obstruction, he had secondaris in liver and lung. He has had chemo bowel surgery, numerous liver and lung resections and last year made the magic 5 year survival in pretty good health( survival rate for his level of spread was put at 2%). He needs further surgery about every year, but still liveds a full and active life.

Good to hear that, norks.

Thats wonderful news Minky, good to hear something positive, may she have a quick and full recovery. xx

Minky I am pleased she has no secondaries. Mum's friend had none either, she just had an op, no chemo or anything. has been fine since!
Wishing you all the best xxxx

On top of my husbnd undergoing current treatment for bowel cancer and liver secondaries, I now have to go to the docs tomorrow, had constipation and pain in my lower right abdomen for 10 days, took 10 days to get an appt. Trying not to worry but its hard when you know so much about this horrible thing, just taken a diazapam so hoping to get a reasonable sleep.

hope all goes ok tomorrow for you....

Thank you, I know logically it could be any number of things, but it really would just be our luck after these last 14 years of living on an emotional rollercoaster. Just worry so about our trio, they are only 10, its hard for them living with whats going on, I can`t afford to be ill too, I just want them to be happy and not worry which is what they are beginning to do.

let us know how you get on won't you?

I will, hope it will be a brighter message!

good luck for today triplets xx

Thank you so much, stomach is in knots, will be back later, appt is 12.30pm

Good luck, Triplets, hope it turns out to be stress induced as opposed to anything worse - am thinking of you on all fronts.

And to everyone else, my BF's mum had bowel cancer about fifteen years ago...in her late 50s. Caught in time, operation, she's fighting fit, and still playing tennis and driving BF mad in her early 70s

Hope it's all going well Triplets.

Hi,
Well doc examined me front and back and can see nothing abnormal, she is certain its ism stress related and out me on some meds and I have to get some blood checks to make sure. She also wants me to try counselling, so I have agreed. Trouble is when Harry was first ill, the doc and the consultant both examined him, took blood and both said, "this is not cancer Harry". Famous last words as they say! So hopefully she is right, though how counselling will help me deal with 3x10yr olds plus sick husband 24/7 and I am 56 I don`t know!

Phew, Triplets. I can see its not 100% reassuring, given that they reassured your dh, but still sounds pretty thorough and as good as possible. Well done for accepting the counselling, regardless of having any faith in it (not a requirement for it helping, IME), I'm glad you're getting something for you.

And I hope you get some good news about Harry next - will be thinking of you.

Minky, I know you posted last month, but I wondered how things were going now? Also NattyNoos?

My Mum had 20 cm of intenstine removed last week due to a blockage which turns out to be cancer. Utterly shocked. We are now waiting to see if it has spread to her lymph nodes. It had spread to her uterus and ovaries which were also removed, but thankfully not to the liver.

I really hope you and your mum are ok, but would love to hear from you.

I just feel quite helpless, and so emotionally exhausted