Weekly Blog No 108 – Cancer Update

Cancer Update.
Last week I seen the surgeon in London and he further agrees that I need surgery. The goal is another bowel resection and ovary removal. If he feels a resection is not viable then an external bag is the only option. The surgery is mid Nov because we are trying to get my blood pressure under control. (Cancer related) I did scare them a little with a heart rate 115 and repeat readings not much different. He then sent me to pre admission today to avoid additional travel.

 I think I had a full M. O.T. including swabs, bloods, ecg etc etc. Once the nurses had finished I was sent to the anaesthetist who was also very lovely and fully aware of the problems my cancer has caused. Therefore as an extra precaution I will go in a day early for special meds and after surgery I will go into a high dependency unit or icu for at least 24 hrs. Overall it was a successful day.
Roll on operation freedom. 🤞<<<<
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Weekly Blog 106 – Cancer Update

Cancer Update 
On Monday I went to see my Oncologist, following recent tests and a scan. He confirmed that I have a tumour on my right ovary possibly a small one on the left too. (I’ve been questioning my ovaries for a couple of years now). I also have disease in my bowel. I’m been suffering terrible pain due to the bowel and right ovary, I’m on morphine and liquid morphine. However I feel a sense of relief that my concerns have been vindicated. The proposal is ileostomy(bowel to external bag) and remove my ovaries. 

I will still have cancer in other areas, nevertheless this is to eliminate pain and give me a quality of life. Morphine in a cancer patient always represents end of life to me, therefore at some point it’s going to be needed so I don’t want to use all my options at this stage. If I have the op, I hope to come off the morphine until it is required again. 

He’s going to discuss my case with a very experienced surgeon this Wednesday as he feels my case is quiet complex. (I’ve had 3 cancer surgeries already). The surgeon will then send me an appointment to see him and hopefully give me an operation date. 

How do I feel:-

I’m ok, pleased that my concerns have finally been acknowledged. I want to get off morphine and hopefully be somewhat pain free. It’s no fun being in pain all the time with everything else going on. Yes the bag is not a great option but I will take it, if it eliminates pain and gives me more freedom.  

Next week, I’m seeing an ENT Consultant because I appear to have developed a hoarse voice. Now I know this might be attractive to some people, a husky voice but it’s so random. My Oncologist asked my GP to arrange it locally. His concern is its cancer because it’s been going on for a few months, therefore he wants to eradicate the possibility. I hope not, enough is enough. Should it be I will deal with it head on as always. 

Mr Zebrakat as per normal, is with me on every appointment. I would be lost without his continuous support. Thank you Mr Zebrakat for absolutely everything that you do. ❤️

Love to you all 😘x including my Oncologist 

PS I’m just working on Part 2, Black Country Living Museum.  The post will be on by Saturday. 

Weekly Blog No 80 – Cancer Update

I have not been keeping up on my weekly blog due to ongoing issues. My symptoms are relentless sometimes and can be from morning and continue throughout the night.

2 weeks today, I had a colonoscopy and I am waiting for the biopsy results. The bowel prep wasn’t wonderful but eating lighter meals for a few days before the procedure certainly helped. In Canada, you don’t remember the procedure that you had, which I thought was amazing. In the UK, even though the right drugs are given, you’re very much awake and you can feel some discomfort. I would love to be time machined back to Canada for this procedure. How can 2 country’s be so different. The GI Consultant knew I had a bad experience before in UK and he saw it, as a challenge to wipe away my bad experience. He was amazing and very compassionate.

The following morning I was seen by a Net Consultant not my usual Net Consultant and I will say he was greatly missed. Let’s just say fish & chips can work in harmony, where this one was more of a case of salad & chips, not so harmonious.

After digesting my salad & chips appointment, I did telephone the department and ask for a fish & chips in future.  I don’t need to be considering side orders if  it has no beneficial impact to my health or immediate care. You may think a side order of beetroot is good for me but it’s not advantaguous to me

I did walk away armed with medication and more investigations to be undertaken. I will start scans again next weekend, let’s hope there is a positive outcome

In the meantime, the Net Specialist Nurse arranged for a Macmillan Nurse to see me for symptom control. She was a breath of fresh air. More like caviar & chips lol. She has made further changes to my meds, including ones I already commenced last week.

She is arranging for a Specialist to see me at home to explore some more of my symptoms. The Macmillan Nurse is going to check in with me again early this week. I did thank the Net Specialist Nurse because local support is required when symptoms are ongoing.

My Family Physician has also referred me to be seen by a Gynaecologist on the request of the Net Team. I had a hysterectomy early 30’s but retained my ovaries. I’m having some pain in the pelvic area, we know  I have disease in the pelvic area so we going to investigate carcinoid ovary or it could just be a case of cysts on the ovary’s. Let’s see what happens.

Overall there are lots going on, I definitely  feel like I’m declining, however I look ok. Appearance is not everything. My medication represents a very sick person but it’s not out on show. Therefore there is no telltale signs. I like to think I just get on with it but having the Macmillan Nurse acknowledge your illness certainly makes you more aware that you really are ill and that is why these people are here. I will stress these visits are only for symptom support not end of life support.

Here’s a link to the Macmillan Nurse and the service they offer. They are the most compassionate caring people. My Macmillan nurse even  hugged me goodbye on out first meeting. She wanted to keep Lottie too but that wasn’t going to happen. Lol