Cancer Growing Requiring Immediate Action!

At 11.45 am, Wednesday 12 February Barbara and I met with my oncologist Dr Lisa Horvath.  The Tuesday CT scan shows 10 new lesions growing across the liver.  The original cancer remains contained in one area.  My blood test shows the liver is functioning abnormally.  So, there has been a massive decline since my last blood test at the end of November and my last CT scan at the end of September.  Dr Lisa would like to commence chemotherapy immediately but this is not possible due to my bowel cancer situation.

She rang my colorectal surgeon, Dr Christopher Young while we were with her.  They agreed that the operation be changed to simply cutting the bowel above the rectum, bring the bowel to the surface of my abdomen, making a stoma (for using a colostomy bag) and leaving the rectum and the two cancerous polyps there.  This will enable me to start chemotherapy about two weeks after the operation instead of 6 to 8 weeks.  I think Dr Lisa is concerned that liver failure would have occurred by 8 weeks.

This Thursday morning, Dr Chris rang me to say he had rescheduled another patient and I will now be operated on Tuesday 18 February.  So, a number of things have changed.  All being well, I will be able to start chemotherapy in about three weeks.

How am I feeling?  How is Barbara feeling?  How is the family feeling?  I can give you my thoughts.  Barbara and I are not surprised by the news of the growing cancer because the last two weeks have been so difficult for me and I have had increasing difficulties since late October.  I am visiting the bathroom more than ten times a day.  I am wearing some protection in case of accidents.  I cannot walk to the hospital (only 20 minutes) as I might need a toilet on the way.  So, I will be very relieved to be relieved of this problem with the colostomy bag.  I am very glad to be operated on one week earlier, so I have a shorter time to wait for relief.

It is one year nine months since I last had chemo.  In that time I have been my normal self for a lot of the time, especially the first half of 2013.  Discovering Kamuli Uganda added a new dimension to my life that was transformational and I am aiming to keep The BezCan Project going.  2013 is one of the highlight years of my life – granddaughter, our youngest engaged, Uganda, holidaying in the Kimberley with my brother.

Now I am heading for six months of intensive chemotherapy every fortnight with a 40% probability of reducing the cancer, 20% of stabilising it and 40% of it still growing.  Dr Lisa is optimistic that I will respond well like the first time.  She will be using a different chemo (from the one which gave me some permanent numbness in my fingers and toes), which has a side effect of some hair loss.  So, you might be seeing a bald David, which will be shades of my father.  After the intensive chemo, maintenance chemo every fortnight will continue.  So, I will not being travelling overseas for some time.  Barbara and I are aiming for short holidays in between from time to time at our WorldMark holiday places.  Barbara is hoping to visit her mother, family and friends in the US during May.

With what is happening now, my rectum with the two cancerous polyps will remain in me.  Dr Lisa says the current bleeding from the polyps might stop without waste products passing through.  If bleeding continues, then I will require radiology to stop one or both of the polyps bleeding.

So, all this is ahead in the coming month.  I think I will feel laid low physically with all the different bombardments upon my body.  I will be glad to relieved of the bathroom visits.  I will be learning how to handle my stoma and use colostomy bags.  (One of my cousins has been using colostomy bags since 2006 and she sent me a copy of the Colostomy Association of NSW Journal, which I read this morning.  Through this organisation the Federal Government (since 1975) provides nearly all equipment required to be used with a stoma for free, month by month provided I am a member of the Association and pay some other nominal charges.  So, once again the Australian people are supporting me.)

How do I feel?  Daunted!  Well looked after by the quality of the health system, the professionalism of the doctors and staff and comforted by the knowledge these specialist doctors talk with each other and communicate clearly and honestly with us.  Apprehensive in that I think it would be better if the rectum could be removed but the smaller operation will be much easier going.  Relieved to be relieved of multiple bathroom visits per day.  Supported by Barbara and my family and you too who read this blog and express your love and care.

How will I be after the operation?  I do not know.  My desire and energy to communicate might be diminished.  I think I will feel very tired physically for a while.  I know you will understand if it takes a while to update my DHC Hope Blog after the operation.