The big C

[interest]

[align=left]It was on the 7th of June 2018 after a few tests the Dr said those three words you never want to hear, YOU HAVE CANCER.[/align]
[align=left]your first thoughts are a few choice swear words, then reality hits & then you start thinking about family & how it will effect them.[/align]
[align=left]After a while the feelings of anger, denial  plus a series of doctors comes acceptance & a determination to fight this thing.[/align]

[align=left]So then comes the meetings with all the specialists, nurses who are there to tell you how they are going to treat you, & what I must do.[/align]
[align=left]The first surprise was the amount of people who were there for similar treatment, age or sex is no barrier to this insidious thing.[/align]

[align=left]Then the journey begins, for me there was 6 weeks of Chemotherapy &, 6 weeks of Radiation every day.[/align]
[align=left]There was some very dark days during this time, I saw kids, one as young as eight years old, what the F**K did they do to get this, it's just not fair.[/align]

[align=left]The Chemo & Radiation take a huge toll on your body.[/align]
[align=left]After that stops, comes the wait, to see if the tumor has shrunk, further tests are required during a ten week period we wait & hope,[/align]
[align=left]Takes about four weeks to recover from the Chemo & Radiation before you want to start to do anything.[/align]

[align=left]Then a letter arrives advising date of operation, exactly ten weeks from the finish of Chemo.[/align]
[align=left]Seven days in Hospital, being sick after every meal or drink, no fun to be had there.[/align]
[align=left]In a ward with three other people one with Alzheimer who was more than a handful for the Nurses, some nights it was like being in a lunatic asylum.  [/align]
[align=left]Can't sleep, can't move just lay there taking medication.[/align]
[align=left]Trying to come to terms with a stoma bag attached to my stomach.[/align]

[align=left]My wife, was taking this whole thing very badly from day one right up until this point when things went worse for her after she seen the 12 inch cut held together with staples & the bag.[/align]
[align=left]Then I get to go home with strict instructions on what I can & can't eat, a stoma nurse will come to show me how to keep my intestine which is hanging out of my stomach clean.[/align]

[align=left]I can not for one second complain about any of the nursing staff or volunteers.[/align]

[align=left]For the first few months I'm very restricted as to what I can do, I pretty much just sit in the sun listening to spotify, I have lost interest in most things as it hurts to do much so I sit & watch TV during the day or rather staring blankly at the TV.[/align]

[align=left]There are a couple of people I would like to thank here, that is Jenny if it wasn't for her I would have lost total interest in any sort of coins, but jenny used to ring me up or send me text messages letting me know what was happening & she got me all sorts of coins that I wouldn't have bothered with.[/align]
[align=left]She without knowing it helped me with getting motivated & gave me encouragement.[/align]
[align=left]Thanks Jenny I really did appreciate what you did. Even if some days I had no idea what I was doing or saying due to the pain killers.[/align]
[align=left]The other is Ray, even though he supports the Brisbane Broncos, his texts would always give me a laugh. [/align]

[align=left]After five months I go back to hospital for another operation to reverse this stoma & remove the bag.[/align]
[align=left]I only spend four days in hospital this time, but I find out that two of the people I first met in the first meeting did not make it, that was shattering,[/align]
[align=left]I also tried to find out about the 8 year old girl but they wouldn't tell me, they said it was about patient confidentiality, but i think they did not want to upset me with the truth.[/align]

[align=left]It's now been 6 weeks since my last hospital visit & I have just been back to see the Surgeon who has told me that I am cancer free,,,but I have to have blood tests every 3 months & see him every 3 months, this thing is never going to leave me, & my wife will stress out every 3 months as the danger is it could go to my liver.[/align]

[align=left]I remain positive, & we want to get on with life. My wife feels, that when we moved up here to the mid north coast we got too happy & this was the price for our happiness.[/align]
[align=left]This has been without doubt the worst 12 months of my life, & unfortunately I do feel it has changed me.[/align]

[ausproofs]

Hey Interest,  Thank you for sharing your story... I can not imagine how hard this whole experience must have been for you and the family! All the very best with everything! Lets hope next 12 months would be million times better than the last 12 months.. Take care ..

[gabby]

Interest

Just keep fighting.  

As Ausproofs said lets hope the next 12 Months are 100% better than the last 12.

All the best

[Pedro]

All the very best Interest.

Pedro

[Nevol]

Here's hoping that everything goes well for all your future tests. 

Stay strong & well done Jenny!  You're a good friend to have.

[keldaw]

from me to interest mate , thing positive , I had bladder cancer 2 years ago and they cut it out and I am well now but go back every 3 months for check up , last check up was 2 weeks ago , .
my young grand son was born with no gall bladder , at 5 weeks old they cut him from one side of his belly to the other side of his belly to divert things inside him , then at 4 years old he had a liver transplant , part of a donors liver went to him and the other part went to a guy in south aust ,.
my grand son is now 26 years old , has a trade as a shop fitter , has a girl friend , and they have just bought a house in Brisbane ,
mate think positive , have good visions for your future , and get lots of prayers , and you will come through it ok .
  good luck .     ,, kel ,,

[serenitystan]

Hi Interest, You are a Survivor!. Eye Of the TIGER. Keep throwing punches at that mongrel Big C matie...When my time comes will take a page out'a your book...

[Goldseeker]

I knew you were sick but I didn't realize it was the big "C".

Hang in there mate.   I lost my prostate 18 months ago and I am still having water works problems but not the problems had ot are having.

We are all survivors of one thing or another.

Hang in there mate.   You are not the only one suffering.

[Unicorn]

Wishing you all very best Interest.

So glad that they have managed to get it after all that you have had to endure. Hoping for clear results for you from here on in.

[fred lever]

Hi Interest, I had aggressive prostate cancer diagnosed in 2011 and immediately had radical surgery and radiation treatment to remove the cancer.
Then in the next 3 years I had more surgery to fix up problems as a flow on from the cancer surgery with bowel and bladder problems.
Fellow patients:
I know exactly how you feel having been housed with all sorts of other patients in the various hospitals around the western suburbs in Sydney, yes you meet all sorts of people! I spent a lot of time in the Princess Mary area in Westmead Public and like you was dismayed to see such young people with the problems that I just assumed belong to us 70 year olds.
Medical people:
The doctors specialists and nurses and technicians were always fabulous as you say. I have extra experience as I also have a badly diseased heart and am familiar with the inside of the cardiac departments of the local hospitals as well. that means I can moan about both problems!
Well here we are in 2019 and i'm still here and annoying people and doing stuff in my office and workshop when I can.
Keep positive, keep moving, keep doing just one thing a day even as it all adds up and the months and years pass along and you will still be there!
Cheers, Fred Lever.

[runway]

OMG mate that's a real shock I'm very sad to hear this I didn't know you were crook.
Sounds like you have a great wife that's awesome ... I can understand your frustrations but so glad to hear the operation was a success
Please take care