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Original poster

Found lump in lower abdomen. Stage 4 bowel cancer.

14 replies

Oliversmumsarmy · 15/04/2018 20:29

Dp was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer just over 2 years ago.

He had as much of it cut out and chemo. The following year he had a heated chemo treatment, his pancreas taken out.
He was supposed to have this operation months earlier but they found polyps that had to be removed in his colon.

He has been fine for virtually a year having scans and blood tests.
Today he found a small lump in his lower abdomen. I felt it and it felt like the skin was thicker around it.
Can anyone offer any alternative to the worse we are thinking.

OP posts:
PearlyG8 · 15/04/2018 20:35

So sorry to hear that. It's very reasonable to think the worst but until you know definitely you don't know whether it's a major problem or not. Have you contactsd Macmillan? You can email when the helpline us closed. I found them incredibly supportive a few years ago.BrewWine

Original poster
Oliversmumsarmy · 15/04/2018 20:42

Dp is due to get the results of his latest scan in about 10 days time. Just completed this round of checks.

Obviously we are hoping it is benign or just something else.

I was just this minute wondering whether it could be to do with the fact dp is type 1 diabetic and it is to do with that as he does inject into his stomach.

Hoping it is something like that

OP posts:
marmiteloversunite · 15/04/2018 20:50

Could it be scar tissue from a previous operation ?

Original poster
Oliversmumsarmy · 15/04/2018 20:56

That's what I thought before he showed me where it was. And it is on the opposite side to where his scars are.

OP posts:
Original poster
Oliversmumsarmy · 15/04/2018 20:58

Just asked him about it being an injection site but he said it is not like that. He has had that sort of thing before so knows it isn't that.

OP posts:
Sierra259 · 15/04/2018 20:59

Call his consultant tomorrow and let them know. They might fast track the results/review him earlier. Keeping everything crossed for you both that it's nothing to worry about Flowers

Original poster
Oliversmumsarmy · 15/04/2018 21:20

Just asked dp about going early for his results.
Dp is reluctant to. I think he is thinking if he doesn't have to hear bad news for another 10 days then he would rather live in denial. He knows that there is nothing that can be done.
Previous operation we ended up paying for to buy him more time. Nhs and insurance company refused as they didn't think it would make a difference.

We had to give it a shot.

OP posts:
Willowkins · 17/04/2018 22:37

So sorry to hear this Oliversmumsarmy. My DH also has Stage 4 bowel cancer and like you we're fighting the good fight so I get where you're coming from. I don't want to raise your hopes but it it helps, the lump could be a fatty lipoma. My DH had one and it was definitely a lump but it felt kind of squishy. He had his taken out eventually but they are quite harmless really. Hope you get good news.

Original poster
Oliversmumsarmy · 18/04/2018 12:19

We are hoping it is nothing sinister.

Did your dh have a thickening of the skin in front of the lump.

That is the only way I can describe it as it reminded me I'm afraid as one of the descriptions you get told to look out for when you examine your breasts.

So sorry to hear your dh is going through this. We are taking it one day at a time.

OP posts:
Willowkins · 19/04/2018 01:01

The thing is, I don't want to give you false hope because I know how soul-destroying that can be. Please do get a medical opinion. However, if it helps, the lump felt like it was about half a centimetre down and like I say was soft.
Every day is indeed precious.

Original poster
Oliversmumsarmy · 19/04/2018 07:52

Thank you. Dp is going to see his consultant next week. For him it is a case of if it is bad news he doesn't want it confirmed just yet. He would rather spend the time not knowing. If it is just something innocuous he is living with that possibility for the next few days.
I think I get where he is coming from.

OP posts:
WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo · 19/04/2018 12:17

I've got stage IV bowel cancer too. I can understand wanting to wait. Realistically a few days either way won't make any difference, whether it's sinister or not. I hope it turns out to be from his insulin or something. I have lots of lumps from blood thinning injections.

All the best for you both Flowers (and you and your husband Willowkins)

Original poster
Oliversmumsarmy · 19/04/2018 14:01

WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo I am sorry to hear you are going through this dreadful disease. It is only since coming out with the news of dp's cancer that you find how many families are affected by it.

DD had to turn down a scholarship because of dp's cancer. She would have had to boarded which would have taken her away from the family. Not knowing at the time how long her father had left.
The principal understood because his own mother had the same cancer and same prognosis.

It really is a dreadful disease.

OP posts:
WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo · 19/04/2018 14:46

Oh that's such a shame for your daughter, but I can understand her wanting to spend the time with her father instead Flowers

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