As this is my first Blog I hope you will bear with me. Life at the moment is pretty rough with all that is going on. My hubby has been battling cancer for quite a while now and it does get you down. He had his first op in 1992 although I wasn't told he had cancer of the bowel (they didn't have to tell me then). He had his second op in 2005 again for bowel cancer. He was offered chemo after the op but the chances of it being benefical were 1in20 so he refused. I know a lot of people will find it hard to understand why he refused treatment but he had been so ill before the op and was just beginning to feel more like his old self that he didn't want a treatment that was going to make him ill again plus the odds were pretty low in his favour.
Twelve months after the op he was booked in for a scan as is the norm. This showed that the cancer had gone to his left lung. He had an op to remove it last December and in January we went to see the oncologist who was very abrupt with him and basically talked him out of having chemo much to my disgust. He was promised three monthly scans which he accepted.
Anyway the scans revealed that the cancer had travelled to his right lung. It is still classed as bowel cancer because rather than lung cancers these are cells that have resulted from his original bowel op. He was then offered six lots of chemo over twelve weeks which he has had.
He had a scan last Monday and if the chemo hasn't helped he will hopefully be offered a stronger dose. We are going for the results tomorrow so will let you know how we get on. Hope this hasn't bored you to much but it does help to get it off my chest!!
Twelve months after the op he was booked in for a scan as is the norm. This showed that the cancer had gone to his left lung. He had an op to remove it last December and in January we went to see the oncologist who was very abrupt with him and basically talked him out of having chemo much to my disgust. He was promised three monthly scans which he accepted.
Anyway the scans revealed that the cancer had travelled to his right lung. It is still classed as bowel cancer because rather than lung cancers these are cells that have resulted from his original bowel op. He was then offered six lots of chemo over twelve weeks which he has had.
He had a scan last Monday and if the chemo hasn't helped he will hopefully be offered a stronger dose. We are going for the results tomorrow so will let you know how we get on. Hope this hasn't bored you to much but it does help to get it off my chest!!
An Iffy Sort Of Day
Posted 21-11-07 at 20:50 by bernie
Today has been one of those iffy kind of days really. We had a phone call of hubbies brother to ask how we got on. Then came the call I was dreading it was his sister in Australia, they are very close only eighteen months between them so her calls are always upsetting these days. She was gutted that he needs more chemo but so is life.
On a more positive note we had the ladies from occupational therapy at the house today. We have been very fortunate in the help we have been given from this department. We had a stairlift fitted courtesy of OT about six months ago and what a god send it has been. We also have various bathroom aids a perching stool and a bath lift being two of them. Well they phoned last week and asked hubby if there was anything he needed and he asked about a recliner chair. After todays visit this is now on order along with various other little things to help make life a little bit easier. So as I say they have been a real help.
Hubbies lads haven't rung yet and I know this is getting him down. He has told me in no uncertain terms that I am not to ring them. It does make me wonder how their minds are working. Maybe they are doing what hubbies brother did when their mum had cancer and shutting it out. What ever they are thinking I wish they would get in touch it would make him feel better to know that they care. Not that I doubt the fact but it would be nice to have a reminder with a simple phone call!!!
On a more positive note we had the ladies from occupational therapy at the house today. We have been very fortunate in the help we have been given from this department. We had a stairlift fitted courtesy of OT about six months ago and what a god send it has been. We also have various bathroom aids a perching stool and a bath lift being two of them. Well they phoned last week and asked hubby if there was anything he needed and he asked about a recliner chair. After todays visit this is now on order along with various other little things to help make life a little bit easier. So as I say they have been a real help.
Hubbies lads haven't rung yet and I know this is getting him down. He has told me in no uncertain terms that I am not to ring them. It does make me wonder how their minds are working. Maybe they are doing what hubbies brother did when their mum had cancer and shutting it out. What ever they are thinking I wish they would get in touch it would make him feel better to know that they care. Not that I doubt the fact but it would be nice to have a reminder with a simple phone call!!!
Total Comments 8
Comments
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Bernie, i am pleased to hear that you are getting some of the little things in life that make things easier for you both.....because whatever helps Ian, also in the long term, helps you too.
I don't know what it is with boys.....it was jsut the same when ma was diagnosed with her cancer....they never came near......never visited her while she was in The Christie...left it to us girls who were all working full time and travelling on to Manchester every single night after a full day at work......I still haven't forgiven them.
I hope it is different for you.
Can you get someone els to give them a tinkle to remind them that their Dad needs them? A gentle push might do the trick.Posted 21-11-07 at 21:24 by Magpi 47
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To be honest it is annoying me that they don't seem to realise just how hard it is. Besides there is no go between unfortunately.Posted 21-11-07 at 21:27 by bernie -
Ive found in my husband family that the men just dont feel it is the masculine thing to show their emotions. They seem to shut themselves off to things almost to the point of stubborness. I think they need to see the real picture sometimes to realize what is really going on! Thats just my view of course.Posted 21-11-07 at 22:19 by Kiki - Yes Kiki I realise what you mean but as a stepmum I have to tread carefully.Posted 21-11-07 at 22:31 by bernie
- Oh! yes Bernie, i didnt realize that!
isnt life full of complications?I hope things sort themselvesout for you , and take care!Posted 22-11-07 at 08:49 by Kiki - I will be fine so long as I can have a moan on here!!Posted 22-11-07 at 10:46 by bernie
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Sorry about all of that Bernie, did the occupational therapists not say anything about a shower instead of a bath perch etc? That happened with us - they arranged for the bath to be took out because mum was having problems getting into it and they got a shower and seat put in.Posted 23-11-07 at 00:03 by shillelagh - We both like our bath so we'll stick with it for now. We can always ring them if needs be in the future.Posted 23-11-07 at 02:09 by bernie
