Chemo/Radio had completed I had a 3-month break
before surgery. One may ask why so long but my surgeon and oncologist
recommended a period of rest from the treatment that I had just
completed….giving time for the body to rest and recover before its next ordeal.
At the beginning of July I had my second round of MRI
& CT Scans with follow up visits to my Oncologist Professor Sebag
Montefiore and Mr Brenda Moran, my consultant surgeon in Basingstoke.
The news is favourable that the tumour has shrunk
following treatment and both were impressed as to how I had taken to the
treatment and how well I had recovered. I was told to rest and enjoy the
summer. It was at the end of July that I decided to finish work. All the way
through treatment with the exception of the odd I worked, but now I needed some
time to prepare both physically and mentally.
The Lake District is one of my favourite haunts and a
trip to The Drunken Duck near Ambleside for lunch was my treat……and the
opportunity to take my new toy for a test drive….my new shinny VW Scirocco
which got to pick up on the 1st September with my friend
Marlon.
The car was something I had longed for and now in my
hands it was my inspiration to get through surgery so that I could get my hands
behind the wheel again.
Tick tick tock…..normality when surgery is just days
and weeks away is hard as each day there are thoughts of “what if” and even
though my surgical team have undertaken this procedure countless times, I still
have reservations especially those surrounding whether my ileostomy will actually
be temporary. I suppose I am powerless to answer that and it will be down to
the surgical team to map out my future. A 3 ½ hour procedure that will map out
the quality of life for me.
On reflection now the word death apart from once has
never really entered my mind-set and my approach to dealing with Cancer has
been a positive one. No tears shed, no bouts of anger never surfaced and my
main fear was life with a Stoma.
The summer was a time to reflect, but also a time to
make sure that I was mentally prepared for the journey ahead. You may bow have
seen how I use the word journey to discuss my treatment for Bowel Cancer. What
I have tried to do is take you through the events as if you were sat facing me
having coffee…providing you with the opportunity to have an insight into what I
covered in a 2 year period, with the hope that it may help those who are to
embark on the journey or for those supporting others.
No comments:
Post a Comment