3rd July 2020 my friends sent me sunflowers to get to me on the morning of my first chemo infusion for bowel cancer.
Yesterday I got the results of the CT scan I had on the 2nd August, my late Ma's birthday. My CT scan results showed no cancer recurrence and no secondary disease.
My other friend sent me sunflowers. 🌻❤️😊
The start and end of a chapter of my life, hopefully, embraced with sunflowers!
Bowel cancer is no longer a disease that the older generation gets. Don't be embarrassed about going to your GP. I went after two weeks of symptoms and my GP was amazing. Early diagnosis can save your life.
Lots of GP's diagnose piles, or IBS if a person is young. Stand your ground. Insist on further investigations. I was extremely lucky my GP fast tracked me even though she thought it was diverticulitis. It was diverticulitis, but it was also bowel cancer lurking amongst a huge infection in my colon. I had amazing treatment under the NHS in St Richards hospital Chichester, spent the whole of last May in hospital without a single visitor as it wasn't allowed!
I ended up with a temporary a ileostomy, called Stanley, and a mucous fistula, called Leftie. I'm not embarrassed that I have two stomas, and two bags. They saved my life. They're letting my bowels heal. I'll be reversed next year.
Symptoms:. Fatigue, constipation, night sweats, lower abdominal pain, loss of appetite. I had no drastic weight loss. I had no blood in my stools.
I'll be monitored for the next five years. But for now, the all clear from my CT scan is good enough for me!