The saying goes "If it doesn't rain........... it pours" or something like that. Following my most recent operation, I developed severe pain across my abdomen and had to attend an emergency out of hours clinic.This pain is not associated with the thoracic laminectomy, that pain, which is still very evident across my back . The severe pain in my abdomen was accompanied by disturbingly; blood in my urine. I was sent to the urology department of Kettering Hospital where I am undergoing several further tests. Today after some tests I learnt I had an enlarged prostrate and extremely high level of Creatinine in my urine. A further (yet another) CT scan on my lower abdomen has been ordered and a flexible cystoscopy request marked "urgent". I just want to warn all you blokes out there if you watch this procedure on UTube it will make your eyes water!!!!! and Yes Iain P, I am going for the all time record on medical procedures!!! As with everything else because of my history with bowel cancer the hospital are doing everything on the hurry up. "What has this got to do with bowel cancer"? we shall see I certainly feel my best interests are at heart and the cancer surveillance kicks in once again.
Blog 171 Tuesday 16th July 2013
I am back at home and in a lot of pain. My consultant warns that the pain will be with me for a considerable time and may take up to Ten weeks to subside. I am regularly popping Ibuprofen and co-codamol with anti inflammatory drugs thrown in. The pain spreads right across my back due to the muscles being severed and pulled apart for the op, and of course the T6 and T7 spineous process being removed. I have learnt that two Titanium clips now hold things in place on my spine where the cystic lesion was removed. The good news is that the whole thing has been removed and was also Benign. ( read more on benign cysts)
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Cysts_explained
"What did It have to do with the Bowel Cancer"??? Absolutely Nothing !!!!! I was just unlucky enough to get this on top of the bowel cancer but lucky enough to have had it identified during routine cancer surveillance. My neuro-surgeon Mr Stacey and his team in Oxford were fantastic. I have the stitches out on Friday then .........................well, after that slight deviation from "living with bowel cancer" to "living with an alien attached to my spine"............. I should get back on track............................................. I also learnt in hospital the amount of people waiting for a donor to become available for life saving surgery of various donated organs, obviously this has to be with your consent, so come on fill in those organ donation cards tell your loved ones and your doctor you would be willing to donate your organs on your demise..........nobody wants mine... I'm not sure why..............
Back to the bowel cancer and the surveillance continues. A further CT Scan for me in August, blood tests and a meeting with the colorectal nurse specialist, well............ it keeps me busy.
Anyone living with cancer or caring for someone that is, can get loads of support and advice from Macmillan Cancer support and in particular for bowel cancer Bowel Cancer UK will answer any questions. You can also donate your hard earned cash to these wonderful charities via their website.
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Cysts_explained
"What did It have to do with the Bowel Cancer"??? Absolutely Nothing !!!!! I was just unlucky enough to get this on top of the bowel cancer but lucky enough to have had it identified during routine cancer surveillance. My neuro-surgeon Mr Stacey and his team in Oxford were fantastic. I have the stitches out on Friday then .........................well, after that slight deviation from "living with bowel cancer" to "living with an alien attached to my spine"............. I should get back on track............................................. I also learnt in hospital the amount of people waiting for a donor to become available for life saving surgery of various donated organs, obviously this has to be with your consent, so come on fill in those organ donation cards tell your loved ones and your doctor you would be willing to donate your organs on your demise..........nobody wants mine... I'm not sure why..............
Back to the bowel cancer and the surveillance continues. A further CT Scan for me in August, blood tests and a meeting with the colorectal nurse specialist, well............ it keeps me busy.
Anyone living with cancer or caring for someone that is, can get loads of support and advice from Macmillan Cancer support and in particular for bowel cancer Bowel Cancer UK will answer any questions. You can also donate your hard earned cash to these wonderful charities via their website.
Blog 170 Monday 8th July 2013
The hottest weekend of our summer and I'm attached to respirators, iv & morphine drips, two cannula's and twenty stitches up my spine. My operation, the thoracic laminectomy was described to me after the fact as "singularly the most painful operation anyone could have". Yes I can concur with that. Firstly In order for the surgeon to identify the correct spinous process to be removed from my backbone, the exact position had to be marked with a dye.Unfortunately, this involved having four needles placed simultaneously in my spine under X- ray in situ until the correct area was identified the dye was then injected. This first process by the way was not under anesthetic. X - ray done I was back in my room for a very short while until again being wheeled away to surgery. This time I was very apprehensive, all my other operations carried risks, but nothing like having your spine operated on. Once again I said my goodbyes to Wendy and Hope ...................
The very neat stitching on the left is what is left apart from the pain of course
Total time in surgery and recovery was approximately 6 hours. It all went according to plan. Now for the news I was not expecting, the surgeon said the cystic lesion removed from my spine was in fact attached to the spinal column by a "Stalk" which had to be clamped, severed and glued. This was totally unexpected as my surgeon believed the lesion to be growing outside of the spinal column. It is not believed this will give me problems in the future but just adds to the mystery of exactly what this is and how long it has been there. It certainly has only been causing me problems in the last few months and according to the surgeon was pressing on my spine quite considerably.
What has this got to do with the Bowel Cancer?? We don't know, nothing I hope, and Ive just been unlucky enough to get this on top of the bowel cancer but given my history with bowel cancer nothing is yet to be ruled out. I have been told as this is the Neuro-Sciences department every single cell removed will be analysed which could take up to Ten days.
Having had the morphine drip removed I am now in a lot of pain and can't seem to get into a comfortable position, neurophen and paracetymol doesnt seem to do anything, so I have been given doses of Co-codamol but hey this thing is gone and that's all that matters........................................
Total time in surgery and recovery was approximately 6 hours. It all went according to plan. Now for the news I was not expecting, the surgeon said the cystic lesion removed from my spine was in fact attached to the spinal column by a "Stalk" which had to be clamped, severed and glued. This was totally unexpected as my surgeon believed the lesion to be growing outside of the spinal column. It is not believed this will give me problems in the future but just adds to the mystery of exactly what this is and how long it has been there. It certainly has only been causing me problems in the last few months and according to the surgeon was pressing on my spine quite considerably.
What has this got to do with the Bowel Cancer?? We don't know, nothing I hope, and Ive just been unlucky enough to get this on top of the bowel cancer but given my history with bowel cancer nothing is yet to be ruled out. I have been told as this is the Neuro-Sciences department every single cell removed will be analysed which could take up to Ten days.
Having had the morphine drip removed I am now in a lot of pain and can't seem to get into a comfortable position, neurophen and paracetymol doesnt seem to do anything, so I have been given doses of Co-codamol but hey this thing is gone and that's all that matters........................................
Blog 169 Tuesday 2nd July 2013
Well, I feel now that, for this episode at least, the waiting is over. Thank goodness. It has seemed an eternity since my daughters birthday when I was given the news of the cystic lesion (AKA Mr Alien) in my spine. Pre - op assessment tomorrow Wednesday, then I am being admitted on Thursday afternoon for an early op on Friday. All the usual forms have flooded through the e-mail and letter box. Consent forms, personal medical information forms, MRSA awareness forms and finally directions and what to expect on arrival forms. Blah blah blah ! ......................................
Obviously, the paperwork is all very necessary and very much a part of putting ones life in the hands of our surgeons and medical staff. I owe my life to these wonderful, extremely talented people, together with everyone else that has been a part of assisting in my care during this long and sometimes arduous journey. Now if I see the light at the end of the tunnel do I walk towards the light or not ? ...............MMmmmmmmmmmm
Obviously, the paperwork is all very necessary and very much a part of putting ones life in the hands of our surgeons and medical staff. I owe my life to these wonderful, extremely talented people, together with everyone else that has been a part of assisting in my care during this long and sometimes arduous journey. Now if I see the light at the end of the tunnel do I walk towards the light or not ? ...............MMmmmmmmmmmm
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