Research

So its about 10 days since the second Colonoscopy and its time to visit my consultant to discuss my treatment plan. I first receive the test results from the biopsy and it is confirmed that I have Colorectal Cancer. My consultant then explains the location of the Cancer and my world crashes upon for me for a once again, when it is explained to me that due to its location it will mean that I will have to have a permanent Stoma for…..the rest of the conversation was a blur and a friend that was with me had to explain later what was discussed.

From the word Stoma to leaving the hospital I don’t remember much apart from booking an appointment on the way out to see an Oncologist. The thought of having Cancer was now a distant memory and my focus was I would have a Stoma for life…….can things get any worse  for me…..

Over the next few days appointments are made for me for CT and MRI scans and I visit my oncologist Professor Sebag Montefiore at Spire Roundhay, Leeds.

Apart from Helen I disclose my illness to Sean my best friend from middle school and his wife Jo. They are absolutely devastated with the news but extremely supportive. Over the next few days Jo a qualified nurse heads up Project Journey and starts the search for answers and options.  The first step is Harley Street London to visit a leading Oncologist in Colorectal Cancer and prior to the visit Jo makes another discovery…..my new best friend…Brendan Moran….sorry Sean.  

Brendan is one of UK’s leading Colorectal surgeons based at The Hampshire Clinic In Basingstoke, Hampshire. Jo speaks with his secretary Sue about my illness and the prognosis that was delivered to me. A few days later I called Sue his secretary and we arranged for me to visit him.

Harley Street is just a stones throw from Kings Cross station and is just a typical road with lots of buildings, but what makes it unique is that all the are black doors just have numbers…which is slightly weird for a street full of clinics, but the reason is to keep each private for celebrities I suppose being potentially followed by the paparazzi….

So its my big day…….my trip to Basingstoke…a day that I will never forgot for more reasons than one. I am up early as my train departs from Leeds at 08:07 for Birmingham, changing there 50 minutes later for Basingstoke. I get to the station with 20 minutes to spare and meet a colleague from work who is getting on the same train for Bristol. We have a chat in one of the platform waiting areas, when I notice the train arriving on the platform. As its cold we decide to board the train, however as I get to my pre booked seat there is someone sat in it and I kindly explained that it was mine….so head phones on, ipod tuned into U2 and off the train departs 4 minutes early….then the announcements…Welcome to the 08:03 to Edinburgh stopping at….yes you have guessed it wrong train, opposite direction and yes I turfed out a person from their pre booked seat. Panic kicks in and following a conversation with the conductor the plan now is to get off at York….then its back to Leeds…and then the train to Birmingham,….and then the change to Basingstoke. The whole episode was going to add 1 hr on my journey but also to be fair my tickets were now not valid, however I manage to convince each conductor of my dilemma and I eventually get to Basingstoke at no extra cost….many thanks British Rail.

Now an hr behind and late for my appointment I now only have 10 minutes with my consultant before I have to get the train to Paddington, tube to Kings Cross and then home to Leeds….hope your still with me.

Brendan and Sue were amazing and we laughed at what had just happened to me..…which was probably not what one does on a first visit with a Consultant surgeon who is going to be part of my treatment plan for Cancer…..but I had just 10 minutes…so we had a 5 minute chat…5 minute examination and then it was time to go……a taxi to the station…oh no….my consultant gets his car and takes me to the station and on the way we complete the consultation……..you could not have dreamt this one up.

Well I now have a plan…..following my consultation with Brendan, he is 70% certain that he can remove the tumour without a permanent stoma….and would like to see me again following my scans after my radiotherapy….

I could have cried as for over a month I felt that I would have to have a permanent stoma and now I was given a lifeline…..I started to smile again….

So within a few weeks a lot has happened…. receiving confirmation that it was Cancer. Being told that I would have to have a permanent stoma, CT & MRI scans, oncologist visits in Leeds and London and of course Basingstoke…. I do appreciate everything that everyone has done but a silent partner in Project Journey has been my employers Lloyds Banking Group as without the private medical insurance through BUPA that they provide as part of my role, I possibly had the opportunity to choose my treatment path…..