Patience has never been my strong point, add that to being an inveterate worrier, this last week has been difficult to say the least.
On Saturday, I received a copy of the Consultant’s letter to my GP. Seeing it in black and white completely freaked me out, especially the detailed setting out of the CT scan findings. The words and phraseology coupled with some of the content that I don’t recall from the meeting made a very tough letter to read. Along with the fact the weather was awful (again), Saturday was a very weepy day, and I didn’t get out into the garden or write a gardening post which I had promised myself either.
The Consultant’s letter, dated 14 March, also said that he had requested urgent referrals to “…further investigate the histology of both the gastro-hepatic lymph note and lung nodules…”. You would think under those circumstances that an appointment might have come through early in the week wouldn’t you? Perhaps my idea of urgent is not the same as mine. I called the Colorectal Macmillan nurse several times this week asking her to chase things up.
Being at work this week has been a panacea, it has made me forget about the cancer and I felt that life was back to normal again, whatever normal is. I have told my work colleagues and being able to speak about it has released the pressure building up inside me. Everyone has been so kind and supportive, although there have been one or two, understandably, who have just nodded as they walk past not knowing what to say. I was surprised however at the number of people who said “You are so brave”. I don’t feel there is anything brave about this at all, I am just getting on with my life and my job until surgery or chemo commences. The quote in the picture above sums it all up really.
Reading the Beating Bowel Cancer patient forum I saw that a lot of people swear by an anti-cancer diet consisting of plenty of green tea, vegetable curries – turmeric is supposed to have excellent anti-cancer properties and absolutely no sugar. That means no biscuits, cakes or hot-cross buns!
Fruit, especially berries for breakfast, with ground linseeds and sugar free cereals, especially oats
Vegetables soup or salad for lunch, with whole grain carbs
Veg curry and brown rice for tea.
Choose something from the brassicas, mushroom and onion families every day.
Occasionally eat:
Meat as a treat once or twice a week
Oily fish twice a week
Eggs once a week
Use soya products instead of dairy as often as you can.
Do NOT eat:
sugar – including fructose in drinks / sweets etc
white flour / bread / cakes / biscuits / croissants etc
white rice / pasta
hydrogenated fats / margarines etc
bacon or any deli meats.
I am drinking at least 3 cups of green tea a day and slowly acquiring the taste and the other day I made lashings of vegetable curry. Not surprisingly, my kitchen utensils have gone yellow – turmeric has great staining power. Anyway, the whole point of this is that I intend to do anything possible to fight “Eric the Invader” and hope he hates curry and will vacate my body.
I got home last night (Thursday) to a message left on the house phone with an appointment today (Friday) at 2:00 p.m. I spoke to the x-ray department this morning and have been told that the Consultants have looked at the CT scan and decided they need to do an ultra sound first to determine if it is possible to undertake a needle biopsy. If they can’t then it will have to be done another way – yet another wait for an appointment!
I am seeing the Lung Consultant on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. It is going to be at least another week or two from then because they have to have their Multi Disciplinary Meetings to review all the findings. I was told that I probably have had bowel cancer for a few years and it is slow growing so another few weeks won’t make any difference… well I have news for you medical profession!
It makes a lot of difference to me!
Related items:
Coming Face to Face with Eric
The First of Many Highs and Lows
