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Adenocarcinoma - just diagnosed
Colorectal Cancer | Last Active: Apr 26 9:22am | Replies (75)Comment receiving replies
Well folks thanks for the response but have no family no friends & live out in no wear land. If you tell anybody all they want to do is smother you with hugs Yuk hate em And the stupid surgeon I saw who told me to go away has now set up appointments to see her in May And again no consult to see if these times work By that time I will be dead This tumor from Sept was a postage stamp size to 4 months later had grow to a ping pong size Not clean margins Locations is just on the edge of the sphincter muscle Which sucks
Just wonder why one cannot be told what the heck they are going to do It is always a surprise or by the way so am working on wrapping up the loose ends in my life and then it is good bye and I promise not to take longer than 15 minutes so the end of life appointment does not go over the time limit
Replies to "Well folks thanks for the response but have no family no friends & live out in..."
I'm so sorry you've had so poor interactions with those health professionals.
Maybe my story can give you hope.
In Sept. 2022, I consulted a colorectal surgeon for some bleeding in my stool. When examining, she touched a polyp. I had my colonoscopy at the end of October, indicating two polyps, one benign 20 cm from the anus and one close to the sphincter, an pre-cancerous adenoma. I couldn't get the transanal surgery right away, because I had to travel to take care of my parents for a month. So on Dec. 17, 2022, I had the surgery. The polyp had doubled in size and the biopsy indicated positive margins.
Consulting with the oncologist, we agreed to radiotherapy + oral chemo, because the surgeon and the oncologist feared a new surgery would put my sphincter at risk.
I developed a rectovaginal fistula at 3.2 cm from the anus, from the RT (rare secondary effect). I consulted the surgeon again early in October 2023 and she proposed a flap with a temporary colostomy. Unconvinced by that, because of the high risk of fistula recurrence, I got a second and third opinion. A new colonoscopy at the end of November revealed a large fistula and a polyp right in front of it, which alarmed the doctors of the second and third opinion. After committee analyzed my case, the recommendation--to which I agreed--was a two-step Turnbull-Cutait pullthrough with a coloanal anastomosis + vaginal flap.
Last Jan. 26, I had the first step, a 5-hour surgery for the low anterior resection, vaginal flap, and pullthrough, complicated by the lack of margin because the fistula had grown to touch the sphincter. Feb. 2, I had the coloanal anastomosis, again complicated by the lack of margin. But overall, the surgeons who operated on me are satisfied by the result. I'm now on home rest for at least a month.
Why did I agree to such an invasive surgery: it reduces the risk of a new fistula to the same percentage as that risk exist for any human, it reduces my risk of a new polyp and recurring cancer to the lowest degree possible.
I hope you can find health professionals who can be more empathetic to your plight, as I did.
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Please check out the colon Cancer Alliance online. They will give you as much support as you need and guide you through your journey. It is the most wonderful support for those of us colon cancer.