Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer - the long winding road it has become

[Chris_]

Brain scan came back as all clear, so could continue the chemo session

 

****yeah! high 5's all round!

[Edition 507]

Brain scan came back as all clear, so could continue the chemo session

Glad to hear!

[gogo@]

Brain scan came back as all clear, so could continue the chemo session

Good stuff. Smack it on the nose!!

[Blackheart]

Brain scan came back as all clear, so could continue the chemo session

So they found one then?

[Cois]

So they found one then?

Yeah I was totally surprised as well. Even got photographic evidence of it.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Doesn't mean it works......

 

Glad it was all clear, I can only imagine the relief.......

[Blackheart]

Yeah I was totally surprised as well. Even got photographic evidence of it.

One of the positives about being put through the ringer like this (apart from it saving your life) is that it pretty much prepares you for anything that comes your way later. I've found I have a much more balanced perspective on life's tests post cancer.

[Cois]

Just floored again.

Wrote to the Admin of Back a Buddy about all the unexpected expenses the last few weeks and he said they will create a link on their FB page.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/471470743005868/posts/1359291084223825/?sfnsn=mo

 

So Not sure if it is the blood pressure that is brining on the emotions or just the willingness of people to help and assist people.

 

As a person who always had to fend for myself in every situation it still astounds me that people are willing to help. If it wasn’t for the help from Bikehub and friends that helped I would be at the mercy of the state and their poison that took the feeling in my hands and feet. The nurses that are just there for the pay and the doctor with the worst attitude towards his patients.

 

 

Thanks everyone for all your help and assisting in helping me stay alive. Without you, I would be dead!

[Cois]

Doesn't mean it works......

 

Glad it was all clear, I can only imagine the relief.......

Thinking back on the past three weeks with headaches and sickness all the time, I can understand the need for the MRI now.

 

Only after talking to the nursing staff and seeing one of the nurses cry when I spoke to her about it all, she said why the MRI was needed.

Then the true meaning sunk in. One the cancer could have spread, and the other reason was to see if I had a stroke. The thought of that left me rattled last night. I only fell asleep after 03h00 this morning. The thought rattling me... What will become of my wife!

 

 

Tomorrow I have an appointment with our house doctor as the oncologist advised that I should see her to get blood pressure meds. My average BP for the past 4 weeks were above 145/95 it peaked at 145/105...

Precious to that the average was 120/75

[ChrisF]

Cois I simply dont have the words to explain how your experiences are touching our lives, and how powerless we feel in not being able to help you .... and even that comes across wrong.

 

VASBYT !!!

 

STERKTE !!!

 

 

Driving between project sites yesterday I was listening to the radio, and they had some scary statistics of Cancer, talking about the stats from the World Health organisation .... I was sure I got the numbers wrong, so I googled a bit ....

 

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer

 

 

 

We pray that you may be one of the positive statistics !!

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Thinking back on the past three weeks with headaches and sickness all the time, I can understand the need for the MRI now.

 

Only after talking to the nursing staff and seeing one of the nurses cry when I spoke to her about it all, she said why the MRI was needed.

Then the true meaning sunk in. One the cancer could have spread, and the other reason was to see if I had a stroke. The thought of that left me rattled last night. I only fell asleep after 03h00 this morning. The thought rattling me... What will become of my wife!

 

 

Tomorrow I have an appointment with our house doctor as the oncologist advised that I should see her to get blood pressure meds. My average BP for the past 4 weeks were above 145/95 it peaked at 145/105...

Precious to that the average was 120/75

 

It is always the one's that would be left behind that are the biggest worry.

I am not sure of whether you have kids, aside from the furry variety.

Obviously your concern ir real and warranted, but for now you need to be more concerned with healing up.

I would make sure all your affairs are in order in case the worst should come to pass.

That is by far one of the worst time's to go through.

But for now, concentrate on beating this baaaastard

[Cois]

Driving between project sites yesterday I was listening to the radio, and they had some scary statistics of Cancer, talking about the stats from the World Health organisation .... I was sure I got the numbers wrong, so I googled a bit ....

 

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer

 

 

 

We pray that you may be one of the positive statistics !!

Thanks for the message.

The stats are mind boggling to be honest. But the last year things just started escalating. Even the hospitals are starting to note the increase over the last few years.

 

The major issue with colon cancer is that most medical aids and most doctors would not do a colonoscopy to people under 50 because they deem it a low risk age group, causing a lot of people that could have been diagnosed before they are at late stages.

And most abdominal problems for younger people are seen as IBS or a bug.

 

Thinking back the amount of times I went to a GP for stomach problems, they should have put two and two together, but a lot of doctors are just a sausage machine.

Antibiotics, Imodium and some other meds. They did not look for the underlying causes of the problems.

 

But that is in the past, but again, if you struggle with problems go see your doctor and if they are the you are to young, move on, and get someone who knows that cancer does not have a age limit.

[Blackheart]

Thanks for the message.

The stats are mind boggling to be honest. But the last year things just started escalating. Even the hospitals are starting to note the increase over the last few years.

 

The major issue with colon cancer is that most medical aids and most doctors would not do a colonoscopy to people under 50 because they deem it a low risk age group, causing a lot of people that could have been diagnosed before they are at late stages.

And most abdominal problems for younger people are seen as IBS or a bug.

 

Thinking back the amount of times I went to a GP for stomach problems, they should have put two and two together, but a lot of doctors are just a sausage machine.

Antibiotics, Imodium and some other meds. They did not look for the underlying causes of the problems.

 

But that is in the past, but again, if you struggle with problems go see your doctor and if they are the you are to young, move on, and get someone who knows that cancer does not have a age limit.

I went through exactly this. 4 months of mis diagnosis, lets treat for IBS, lets see if its Giardia, Ulcer? Because I was a 34 year old male with a resting HR of 52 and a fat % in single figures, who'd never smoked and exercised 15 hours a week the GP never thought to think beyond their normal checklist. She did eventually pick up that I'd lost 20kg in the last month, only then did she refer me straight to a surgeon and in to theatre the next day. This simplistic numbers based approach cost me half a colon, a spleen, a permanently damaged liver, destroyed abdominal muscle and nerves, 6 months of chemo, 2 flatlines, 31 days of consecutive huge dose radiation treatment and a 3 year recovery period. 

 

If you are concerned about the healthcare you are receiving in any way - get a second, third, fourth opinion - whatever it takes.

[RobertWhitehead]

Words don't really "cut it" - like Blackheart says: if they do not give you the answers do not just accept it, get some more opinions and do not be afraid to even go outside of the lines of conventional medicine to get answers. 

 

All the best of luck and hold onto the following line: 

 

 

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

 

Thanks for the message.
The stats are mind boggling to be honest. But the last year things just started escalating. Even the hospitals are starting to note the increase over the last few years.

The major issue with colon cancer is that most medical aids and most doctors would not do a colonoscopy to people under 50 because they deem it a low risk age group, causing a lot of people that could have been diagnosed before they are at late stages.
And most abdominal problems for younger people are seen as IBS or a bug.

Thinking back the amount of times I went to a GP for stomach problems, they should have put two and two together, but a lot of doctors are just a sausage machine.
Antibiotics, Imodium and some other meds. They did not look for the underlying causes of the problems.

But that is in the past, but again, if you struggle with problems go see your doctor and if they are the you are to young, move on, and get someone who knows that cancer does not have a age limit.

Edited September 5, 2019 by RobertWhitehead

[Slowbee]

As an aside question to this all.

 

Can they do blood test for colon cancer  or is it a scope and look see ?

[Blackheart]

As an aside question to this all.

 

Can they do blood test for colon cancer  or is it a scope and look see ?

For me, urine and stool showed nothing. Not sure if bloods will ID exactly what type of cancer it is but I think can now pick up anomalies which need to be investigated. By the time I got to the surgeon my tumour was the size of a grapefruit and was actually visibly pushing the abs out. they didn't even need to put a dye in for the scan, so we were well past microscopic detection and into the rubber gloves department.

My experience was 20 years ago though, so I'm sure early detection has moved on.