In 2012 I was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer and underwent surgery and chemo. The prognosis was good and all I wanted was for my life to get back to normal. I am an older (51 years of age) single mum of one beautiful 12 year old girl - Miss Jessie. Since 2012 we have put our life back on track and with a mixture of excitement and dread we moved from our home of 7 years in Medowie (NSW) when our rental property was re-possessed (only joking our beautiful owners came back from their travels). We moved into our new home on 19 March 2014. The next day in the middle of cleaning and unpacking boxes I had a regular check-up with my oncologist. I had already had my colonoscopy in late January so I thought nothing of this next check-up. On that day my oncologist told me the cancer markers were up and we would have to wait a month to check these again. I remember ringing my bestie and telling her I was worried, but little did I know what lay ahead. In April we did more blood tests and a CT Scan. Sadly the news was not great. The cancer had travelled and I had two tumours in the peritoneal wall. I was devastated. Aggressive chemo was the only option and that was to, as they say, buy me time. My world felt like it was out of control - I was not brave - I cried for days - I cried for my gorgeous daughter - I cried because I was ... lets be honest S...Scared. But, after a couple of days and some serious loving from my family and friends I put the now famous BIG Girl Panties back on and decided to just get on with it. We then got the news that they thought they could operate - they even said curative surgery but I still had another test to go... the dreaded Petscan. Well this was going to tell us all - where that bastard (forgive my language - yep I think you know by now I have probably said a lot worse) was lurking. The good and the bad of the Petscan results were: there were another 2 tumours but they were still in the peritoneal but lower down (hiding in the CT Scan) but the cancer had not spread to other organs!!! Bad news was my surgeon could not operate... I again remember that I could not talk, and for those that know me that is serious. All I could think of is that little ray of hope I had been clinging to for the last 2 weeks was gone. But NO..... I could hear my surgeon saying there was a remarkable Professor specialising in some revolutionary surgery in Sydney. So last week we met with this very lovely old style gentleman doctor and started the journey to get me on the surgical list. We will know if I am OKd for surgery on 18 July, 2014 (nearly 4 months out from that dreaded day when I knew I was in trouble again). If this surgery - no I am going to stay positive - when this surgery goes ahead it will be major...nearly 12 hours of surgery and chemo starts while I am on the operating table. Without this surgery .... well lets say I dont think I want to even consider that I would not see my beautiful girl turn 13. The outcomes of this surgery is 50/50 - but buying time and living to fight again if I have to is my goal!!! No one can prepare you for this.... but with the love of family, an incredible group of friends from all parts of my life I know I can do this journey and be that survivor. For some they choose to keep their struggles close - for me I have always been open about my medical journey - to encourage people to test for Bowel Cancer and to talk about my cancer journey so that maybe someone might benefit from my story.... my journey... that it might just change or save someones life because they heard my story. My name is Lizzie and I will again Be A Survivor on that you can bet!! xxx
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 10:16:51 +0000
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