Sunday 24 February 2013

7 years on and a rumble!!

The last few days I have been scrolling through twitter reading blogs some old, some new. I have read of an incredibly brave young lady using her fight with terminal cancer to raise awareness. a friends blog about recent major surgery,not to prolong her life but too make it more comfortable.
I also came across the blog of a young man facing the stigma of being HIV+. His awful treatment at his local job centre, and subsequent meetings with job centre officials that now means all employees will be given mandatory training in dealing with clients with this medical condition. Well done to that young man.                

So after a hospital free year I tentatively stepped into 2013 hoping that this year would be the same . . cue sound effects and screeching brakes! We're only 46 days into the year and I'm back in hospital.
A few weeks ago I kept being woken up in the night by stomach cramps and a change in bowel habit (PANIC). Miracle of miracles I managed to get a doctors appointment the next day. The GP diagnosed bug/food poisining, I will add here she is lucky to still have all her front teeth as after every sentence she said "you do understand what I'm saying dont you" and "its nothing to do with your cancer". Note to self even if she is the only doctor available in the whole of London DO NOT see her again!! A few days later the cramps started again,slightly worse and again accompanied by amazing belching. An old washer woman on 6 pints of cider for breakfast would have been proud of me. Anyway being a sunday had to go to the local out of hours doctor and saw a much more understanding doc. She diagnosed excessive stomach acid and prescribed Omeprazole (flash back to chemo days) and Gaviscon.After a few days this seemed to have done the trick and I carried on with life.
Cue screeching brakes again because a few days later the symptoms started up again,as before I sipped cooled boiled water and managed to sleep most of the night. The next day was Valentines day *yawn* and had promised to babysit for my daughter so she could go out with her partner.On the promise of them buying us a chinese meal hubby and I made our way to look after the 2 mini-monsters!
Within an hour of eating I was again in awful pain this time more in my back.The pain was like full blown labour I began to wonder if maybe I had been taken by aliens,impregnated and about to give birth to a monster with 5 eyes,6 legs and 4 arms!
Again I managed to get some sleep but the pain was still bad in the morning so thats when I phoned an ambulance. Family and close friends were shocked I had made the call, having had many disagreements in the past about not being ill enough!!
After blood tests (liver blood tests all over the place) and an ultra sound it was confirmed I had an inflammed gall bladder and gall stones one of which was blocking bile duct and was admitted to hospital on the friday evening. FFS!!! I was only in for three nights and started on strong anti-biotics. I asked the doctor if they would remove the gall bladder and he said probably not :( Mainly because they cant do keyhole procedure as there is probably too much scar tissue from previous surgeries.

On the sunday,while in hospital it dawned on me that it was 7 years to the day since I had been admitted. Sunday 19th feb 2006. Being in hospital again was quite surreal. So much has happened since then and now a new problem! The surgery when they found and removed the tumour and part of my bowel happened on weds 22nd feb but I didnt find out it was a malignant tumour until 6wks later at post op check up.

So yet again bowel cancer is getting in the way, because now I'm scared to eat certain foods. The annoying thing is I dont eat fried food,pastry or any foods with a high fat content. People have told me what they found set the gall stones off . . cheese,spicy foods.

Appoinment with gall bladder consultant is in a couple of weeks and I will try and fight my case to have gall bladder removed. With the question mark of whether the cancer will return hanging over me I now dont want a second qestion mark every time I eat something different, and I certainly dont want to experience that pain again. If they cant do keyhole would I be able to endure invasive surgery again, hell yes a few weeks recovery compared with not knowing if my new lodgers (gall stones) are going to act up again seems a good option!

Aswell as that tomorrow I have an appointment at the Haematuria clinic and another potential problem.

I was hoping that this year would again be free of problems and hospitals but it hasnt started too well. Hey ho . . . onwards and upwards!!