How did it
start? I suppose I have to go back two years when I was asked to participate
in a trial for the testing for bowel cancer. What a good idea I thought and
both Terry and I participated.
The result
for this first one came back as normal.
The second
trial was conducted in September 2004 when I got the letter saying there was
blood in my samples, included was an appointment to meet Fiona Jack the
Colorectal Screening Specialist Nurse at Ninewells Hospital on the 19th
of October at 2.15pm.
When we met
Fiona she told us that an appointment was made for me to have a
Colonoscopy
performed on the 5th of November again at 2.15 pm. Fiona told us
what would happen and gave me this mixture which I had to take the previous
day. This mixture was revolting and I had to drink four litres of it, it was
called Kleen prep.
On the 5th
we arrived and did not have to wait very long before we were taken into a
side room where I had to change into a gown and a line was fitted to my arm
where they would administer the sedation. Luckily for me after I was sedated
I remembered nothing. I was out like a light. When I came to I was in the
recovery room. When I was ready to get dressed I was taken to a waiting area
where Terry was waiting for me. I had a cup of tea and then Fiona came and
took us into another room. This is when we were told they could not complete
the procedure as my bowel had what was called severe
Diverticulitis.
They
had also found a lump and they had taken a biopsy sample and had sent it for
testing. Another date was made for us to come back to the hospital to be
given the results of the test.
We went back
to the hospital where we were met by Doctor Mowett who was the doctor who
performed the colonoscopy.
There we
were told that the lump was cancerous and that I had
bowel cancer.
I was also told that I had to have a
few more tests. The first of these was a Barium Enema that would take place
on the 18th of November. The day before would be yet another
purge day but this time the mixture was a bit more pleasant. This one was
called Picolax and just involved a drink in the morning and another at 4 pm.
The actual Barium Enema was awful. I went to the x-ray department which was
cold as against the rest of the hospital being very hot. So I had to undress
and put on a thin hospital gown shivering all the time. I was taken in to
the x-ray room where I lay on a bed. A tube was inserted into my bottom
which I found painful and I was given the barium enema but they were not
satisfied with that, they wanted to fill me with air as well. Then while
holding all this inside you were expected to move and twist and turn in all
directions while they took the x-rays. Towards the end of forty minutes
during which time they kept putting more air into me I thought I would
burst. During one of the manoeuvres my foot caught the tubing and it was
pulled very painfully out of my bottom. I was told that was not how to do
it. But if they had lent a hand it would not have happened. When they had
finished taking the x-rays I was ready to dash to the toilet, in fact I was
desperate to get to the toilet. But no, I had to wait till they checked that
all the x-rays were alright. Unfortunately for me they were not. So another
fifteen minutes was spent while I was asked to repeat some of the positions
again. I really do not know how I managed to reach the toilet, but when I
got there, it was like Etna erupting. It went on and on. I was told to try
and expel as much of the air and barium enema as possible. I think I made a
pretty good job of that.
On the 25th
of November I had to go for a
M.R.I
scan. Luckily no purging was required for
this but I did have to have more air inserted before the scanning began. My
bottom by this time was still sore from all the previous procedures so I
almost ended up in tears when they said they wanted to insert yet another
tube into my bottom but I managed to hold on. The M.R.I scan took about an
hour and apart from being noisy was not bad. Terry was allowed to stay in
the room with me while it was happening even though I could not see him.
It was now
time for a longish wait while we were waiting for the appointment to see the
surgeon. The letter eventually arrived saying we had an appointment to meet
Mr Lavelle-Jones the specialist at 3.15pm on the 10th of
December. By this time we knew that an operation was on the cards but that
was all. I had thought that they would go in and cut out the cancerous
tumour and that would be it. Was I in for a shock? An assistant of Mr
Lavelle –Jones was the person we met. She told us
that they would cut out
the tumour but also they would be removing the bowel that was affected by
the Diverticulitis and I would have a stoma. Well I sat there grinning like
a Cheshire cat, nodding my head and agreeing with every thing she said. The
dreaded words popped out again, she would need to do an internal exam to see
how close the tumour was to the sphincter muscle. But says I, you have the M.R.I scan showing you where it is but to no avail an internal was what she
wanted to do. After a painful internal Mr Lavelle-Jones eventually put in an
appearance. A short cheerful man, not at all like I thought he would be. We
had a brief interview with him and were told he would let me have my
birthday at home which would be on the 19th December and
Christmas and New Year and I would be admitted in the January.
It was not till we were home that it started to sink in what was about to
happen. I was really quite stunned. A few days later I decided to go on the
internet and find out about colostomy as that was the only think I knew off.
I did not even know what a stoma was. I found quite a few web sites all
about colostomies and I must say I was not enamoured but gradually over the
following weeks I began to come to terms about it. If this was going to get
rid of the cancer then fair enough. The surgeon had said that he would try
to reverse the procedure six months down the line if possible. The site of
the tumour was the problem being so close to the sphincter muscle. If it was
too close and he reversed it I would have no control over my bowels. Not a
very nice thought.
The 19th
of December arrived and son took us out for a meal along with the
grandchildren and Evonne.
Christmas
and New Year came and went but no appointment came through for the
operation.
