The Drugs Squad

Today was my first meeting with the oncology team that are looking after me. It was a nerveracking meeting. For the period before and just after my operation the news just seemed to get worse every time we spoke to someone.

We started off with the diagnosis of IBS, quickly moving on to this tumour, briefly visiting a twisted bowl along the way. Then we were told that it looked thike there was "lymph node involvement" - an odd turn of phrase, but one I ahve read in other places. Then there was the liver, which also seemed to look as it was infected.

This was the situation when I left hospital, about three weeks ago. Then, about two weeks ago the MDT meeting took place (see the last post for more details) and the news got better. Now while this was great - no liver problems and no lymph node involvement - the thing that stuck in the back of my mind, and Helen as well, was that if the diagnosis could change once, then it could change again....

So it was with a certain amount of trepidation that we turned up this morning at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, part of the Western Infirmery. We got there in plenty of time, and sat in the waiting area. This was not too bad, although Helen did compare it to an old peoples home - certainly, we were the youngest there by a good twenty years.

After a while one of the nurses came and introduced himself to us and decided that I needed to be weighed. I have lost about a stone in the last month, but if pressed I would not recommend this as a weight loss plan.

After an hour and a half, getting more and more fidgety all the time, we were called though to see the registrar. She was very nice and almost imediatly put us as ease by confirming what he had been told earlier - after that I dont think we heard anything else!

It is not actually true about not listening, but it was a massive relief.

So, this is how it is. The medical staff are as confident that the cancer has been removed as they will ever say - they will never commit 100%, but as close as. Their recommendation is that I have chemo to wipe out any remaining rebels.

They want to do a full colonoscopy, but probably not until after the chemo - it is too soon just now, on account of being cut up the middle - and it is probably not a good idea to do it during the chemo. Having said that they are sure that there is nothing left. If there had been any more tumours or infection there would be some polyps, but there was no sign of anything.

We were given a bit more information aboout the drugs as well. The set of drugs I will have is given to most colon cancer patients up to the age of about eighty. It is (apparently) one of the mildest chemo diets, so I recon that if an eighty year old can survive this, then I as a fit(ish) forty-something should be able to cope. Maybe that is a bit optimistic - maybe it is just plain hopeful. I guess this is a journey that I am just starting - you are welcome to tag along via this blog.

Thanks you for all the comments to the first post - it is encouraging and humbling that so many prople are praying for myself and Helen. If you wouldn't mind praying that helen has peace about her new job that she starts in a few weeks - what with having to look after me all day, she needs a bit of TLC for herself.

I will post again when I have more to say (you may no think that is a good thing, but there you go)

god bless
Graham

(p.s. the title was inspired by Becky)