Background.

My iron levels are very low so I have been tested for possible reasons, beginning with an Endoscopy, which revealed nothing and then, on Friday I had a CT Colonography scan.

Friday 15th September

An "interesting" day. The Colonography scan went well but took twice as long as expected, as they ran it twice. I had to be injected with a dye to enable a different type of scan. At the end I was asked to wait as the Doctor wished to speak with me so I joined Anne in the waiting room. After five minutes the Dr appeared and she took us to a private room where she dropped the news that the scan had revealed a four cm tumour in my transverse colon. 

Since my body was prepped for the CT Colonography and that since the next step would be a Colonoscopy, they had checked with that Department, who fortunately had a gap, and I could go straight up. One of the nurses lead the way up in the lift to the appropriate Department and in next to no time I was on the gurney, tube up my bottie and my insides displayed in living colour on the big monitors.

Yep, a tumour, the Dr took ages checking and double checking and taking countless biopsies and photos.

The next thing is for the surgical team to look at all of the scans and biopsies and decide how to proceed. 

I may well hear something towards the end of next week.

To cap it off, somewhere or another, I lost my hearing aids. I have rung the Colonoscopy Dept and spoken to one of the nurses who looked around for me but they couldn't be found.

AMI have accepted my claim for the replacement, less our $500.00 excess!

 

Monday 18^th September

A phone call on Monday from the Hospital, could we manage a 3pm appointment today? Well, yes we could!!

We met a very professional lady Doctor this afternoon (Naomi), who said they had had a cancellation which is why they saw us so rapidly.

Nothing definite can be concluded until after the biopsies are checked out, the surgical team then meet to discuss the situation and someone will call me, probably next Monday to let me know where we go from there.

The bottom line though is, even without the Biopsy results, it is evident there is a major problem. The difficulty is, that because of the six major surgeries I have already had, my tummy is very badly scarred so the surgery is going to be a long one. Keyhole surgery is fairly unlikely for that reason. The risks of me not making it though the surgery or afterwards are probably fairly high, especially given my age. The alternative is to do nothing and in maybe four or five years when the colon will likely be close to being completely blocked, they may try and put a stent in where the tumour is, to prevent it completely blocking the bowel. This can be done from the inside - Colonoscopy stuff, which I am already familiar with as they tried to do that on some scar blockage in my bowel after a surgery which went wrong previously. This is working on the assumption that the tumour is not metastasizing. The good news is that, these days with advances in Bowel surgery techniques, it is unlikely I would need to wear a bag afterwards. Having previously worn one for two years, I am not anxious to repeat the experience.

We said we are prepared to risk the surgery, but ultimately the final decision is left with the Anaesthesiologist, who would have the final say. The Doctor is setting up an appointment with one of these good folk.

The CT Colonography scan also revealed a spot on my liver. They are booking me in for an MRI scan to explore that one further. Talk about living in interesting times.

We are very happy to be "in the system", we have complete faith in the Medical Staff at Auckland Hospital.

So, we want the surgery, regardless of the risk, but the final decision will rest with them.

Monday 25th.

As promised, I got a phone call from Annelies Mittendorff, a Colorectal and ERAS Nurse Specialist today, to give me an update. The Surgical team met this morning and have decided they need much more information about the spot on my liver before they consider the cancerous tumour so I am in the waiting list for an MRI scan which will occur within the next couple of weeks. Once they know what damage, if any is done to the liver they can decide on priorities,

Tuesday 26th

They don’t waste time at Auckland Hospital. I have just been advised that I have an appointment on Friday at 1-30 for a scan along with information regarding the scan and a long consent form. Needless to say, I accepted.

Thursday 28th

An unexpected surprise, I went to bed with a mild tummy ache, woke a couple of times with it becoming more painful and around 4-00 I was making a just-in-time, dash to the loo to throw up. A tricky exercise because I also needed to pooh at the same time. However, I managed both successfully, a couple of further trips to get rid of more tummy content and then finally back to bed. Waking poor Anne of course and she was so solicitous.

Felt uncomfortable when I got up, made a coffee and after I drank it, promptly threw it all up.

Later: Things seem to have settled now, my tummy is still mildly sore but that might because of the vomiting.

Friday 29th

One of the blessing of age and its odd defects is that I only have two thirds of my normal lung capacity. Thank you to the Cigarette companies! Anyway that qualified me for a Total Mobility Card and, as an aside, we later acquired one for Anne also as her mobility is severely restricted. Thank you long Covid. Anyway apart from free public transport it also gives us massively reduced Taxi fares.

So what you mutter? It means I do not need to drive to the Hospital and face the difficulty of parking a large car in carparks designed for smaller cars and to try and thread my way up and down the ramps with their very tight turns. I felt I had enough on my mind without any unrequired drama. So, we were wafted into the front entrance of the hospital, thanks to a very nice driver, up the escalator to level five where we were greeted by a friendly receptionist and directed to the waiting room. We were 20 minutes early but we both had something to read. Around 1-30 a nurse appeared and invited us both into a special area, where my weight and height were checked Hey, I have been just over 6’ tall all my life but I knew I was shrinking as Anne has had to shorten some pants. Today I was 5.10” Blimey!!

Anyway, a lengthy questionnaire and then I was asked to undress and don a gown. Thanks heavens the new ones close in the FRONT not the back so, no more bare bums for the world to see. I have an extremely painful lower back so I needed Anne to assist me as bending (or straightening) can be an issue. The nurse had the usual difficulties finding a vein for a Luer to be fitted so they could later inject a contrast material into my system

I was escorted into the scanning room, I have been through MRI scans before so was not bothered at the sight of this massive machine looming in front of me. They helped me up on the bed, pillows, and knee supports, a push button for emergencies and earphones so I could listen to my choice of music. I picked Beethoven and, to my delight that’s what I got, it was nice to just lie back and let the music wash over me, disturbed however, by the very noisy vibrations from the machine and lots of instructions to “Breath in breath out, now hold your breath”

And of course I was under strict instructions not to move at all.

Well it all passed in due course. The friendly staff helped me off the bed, I had difficulty walking (my back was complaining) so they helped me to an area to change and one of them collected Anne who dressed me. We thanked the staff and were soon back outside and into a cab. A painfully slow ride home, the traffic was diabolical.

In the original letter concerning the appointment they stated that results could be up to ten days after the scan but, given the way the Hospital seem to be pushing things forward I would not be surprised to hear something next week. Of course the big hope is that in fact the spot on the liver was a non-issue. Well, time will tell.

Poor Anne, my back is immobilising me. I have exercises to do (this has happened before) and I am trying to keep them up but it means that a lot of the stuff I normally do, she has to do for me, simple things like footwear, getting dressed, even getting out of my chair. Probably one of the most difficult is putting the toilet seat UP when she finishes. We are both so used to the seat being down but, with my back as it is, bending to raise the seat is a challenge, and so the poor girl has to be “one of the lads” for the time being. She is such a blessing in my life, never once, through all of our many trials and tribulations where she has had to care for me, have I heard her complain.

Tuesday 10th October

Still no word regarding the MRI scan but the letter did say up to ten days so…

I had to See Jim, our Doctor about some possible skin cancers, the three have to be cut out and biopsied and I need to book an hour’s appointment for this. I shall wait until I know what is happening re the hospital. He was able to check and tell me that the MRI report has not yet arrived and, what’s more, it will be posted on the Health Portal (that is our Medical Centre’s website) and he will let me know when it arrives so I can read it for myself. He also told me the spot on the liver is probably related to the tumour. Apparently bowel cancers spread to the liver.

Francesca is up in Auckland looking after Trish (with the broken ankles) and bused and trained over to spend some time with us yesterday. It was truly delightful to see her and it quite made my day and, I am sure, Anne’s also.

Thursday 12th October

A phone call from Greenlane, could I be there at 1-15 tomorrow to meet with an Anaesthetist. From past experience, this means being assessed as to whether or not I am fit for surgery and, if I am, it also means that surgery is pretty imminent. Good news that things are happening. I am suddenly quite fearful. It seems like all the stuff I have supressed for so long with our previous experiences with surgeries gong wrong. All of those various procedures and further operations to try and rectify things,  etc. have hit me hard. I need to keep living in the day, it is NOT happening now, meanwhile there are some lovely things in my world right now.

Friday morning 13th October

Thank heavens for AA and sponsors. I had messaged Brian and told him about today’s appointment and that I was feeling fearful and he rang me. His slant on it was simply this. The Hospital staff a simply saying “here comes this Brady chap, now, what can we do for him to fix his problems and ensure a long and comfortable life?” 

Aha. That put things back into perspective. I just need to focus on the NOW, not what happened in the past.