Can you believe it, but I have just come home today after having to rush back in to hospital - not many hours after my last post.
Unfortunately, there was a bowel blockage and I ended up with a nasal-gastric tube, as well as very strong pain killers. Under the care of my surgeon, oncologist and palliative care doctor I have been able to get back on my feet.
The last week has been fairly serious, with bladder spasms and issues with my colon. Pain management has also been on top of the list and I have been blessed with some caring people and some amazing drugs.
The news is a little scary.
I have numerous tumours in the peritoneum. Some are really small, but there are a few 'walnut' size tumours embedded in the scar tissue.
The plan is for the next 4-6 weeks to rest, recover, build my strength. Then I will be undergoing major surgery. It involves opening up the abdomen and removing as much scar tissue and as many tumours as possible and then heating a chemotherapy liquid up to 40 degrees and bathing the internal abdomen in the fluid. This is risky as the liquid cannot go over 42 degrees or drop below 38 degrees to be effective. Hopefully, after this 6-8 hour surgery I will have conquered most of the cancer and can begin living the rest of my life.
It will be a long recovery period of 2 weeks in hospital and around 6 weeks at home.
But, as we have discovered over the past few weeks - I am running out of options with this cancer. There are many chemotherapy options and trials, but given my propensity for rejection of them and the side-effects that I struggle with, I am hoping that this one is the big gun with the best option.
Lots of praying ahead of us, but day by day is the best way to do it.
I just wanted to share my journey, as long as it may be.
No comments:
Post a Comment