Cancer 41

I have had my first oncology appointment. The consultant was very pleasant, appears knowledgeable, and answered such questions as I had. I need some further tests, particularly in relation to my dodgy heart, but I hope to start chemo treatment very soon. I had hoped they might say I can take a pilll every week and there will be no side effects, but unfortunately that is not the case. I will be on a fortnightly cycle. I will have a line in position throughout my treatment (which may last for life) which goes from my upper arm to just above my heart. On Day 1 I will be in hospital on a drip through this line. Days 2 and 3 I will be at home still being fed through the line. There are variousside effects that I may or may not experience, the worst probably being diarrhoea, which can be problematic with a stoma. Imagine having diarrhoea into a small bag that needs to be carefully detached every hour without spillage and another bag put in place quickly so that there aren’t further uncontrollable leakages (no sphincter for a stoma!). Fortunately diarrhoea treatment is available.

One of my worries was that more tumours may have grown since I was last scanned just after my operation. Fortunately the treatment for such growths is the same chemo I will be receiving anyway, so yah boo to current lumps.

If the first treatment doesn’t work there are other options.

My next appointment is Wednesday, when I will have my heart checked, my bloods taken, and I will meet the nurse who will administer the treatment. Hopefully I will also get a scan.

If the treatment does work the median survival time is 24-30 months, which means 50% of people die within a couple of years. As an optimist it means that 50% of people are still alive after a couple of years. I intend to be and to stay positive as much as possible. It does mean I am unlikely to be around for more than one more general election and I am extremely unlikely to see the UK rejoin the EU, but I can hope for the future of other people.