Talk about timing! So today I received a message on my NHS app. I thought it would be an appointment to get the results of the biopsy. But oh no, it was to let me know that I am being sent my biannual bowel screening test in the post!  A bit late for that.

I went to the doctors to have one of my dressing looked at, then walked from there into town, via my old work, to meet Annie for lunch with Tommy.

Thank you Annie

Spent the afternoon asleep, then Rebecca came home to see us for the weekend. 

Blue today...

A chip off the old block

This morning I walked round the block to see dad, I found him in the back garden reading his book. 

Had a good catch up then I headed back home via the park. Flopped onto the sofa and fell asleep, that tiny walk (and humid weather had really taken it out of me). 

This evening Helen came round for a visit, the bottle she brought stayed unopened... This newly found teetotaller is not yet quite ready to celebrate 'to my good health'! 

Todays photos are Yellow

I can't remember how to write
1, 100, 51, 6 and 500 as Roman numerals!

IM LIVID

One week on

One week since the operation. I treated myself to Jelly for lunch, ice-cream for pudding... It was too hot for anything else. 

Emma came round to re dress my dressings. Another hot day, I am still having to wear my compression socks 24 hours, which I really could do without in these temperatures.

I had wanted to go out for a little walk, but it was just too hot.  So I decided to photograph pink around the house and garden...

If you saw a heatwave
Would you wave back?

Lettuce Eat

I had a telephone call this morning from the enhanced recovery colorectal nurses team at Lister to see how I am doing. She told me that I do not need to be doing the low residue diet. So now I will be able to eat the lettuce I have been growing! 

Homegrown Lettuce

Moved around a lot easier today, Julia came to see me in the afternoon with flowers and pastries and we sat in the garden.

 

I just wish my BACARDI could grow as well as my salad!!

Getting back to normality

Five days in hospital and now I am home. I did not sleep well even though I was in my own bed again. I felt worried and unsure, albeit not in too much pain. I made a spreadsheet of all the drugs/injections that I have to take at all the different times through the day and night. 

Today I stayed at home, it was good to wash my hair for the first time in a week.

I will be given an appointment to go back once they have had the results of the biopsy.

I am back on the diet of white food again... no greens, fruit or salad. But whoopie, I am allowed a few really overcooked mushy carrots.

Opium to go home

At bedtime last night they asked me if I needed any morphine for the pain, but I felt ok, so declined it. A sleepless and slightly painful night found me reaching for my bed buzzer to ask for some more of the opium chemical. 

8 o’clock this morning the surgeon came round to say he is happy for me to go home today. I think I have been here too long… even the breakfast staff said do you want your usual? Cornflakes, no sugar; yoghurt; orange juice; tea with milk, no sugar!

Tommy came to pick me up at noon. I said goodbye to my ward buddies and staff. The discharge process takes forever. It is 2:30 and I am still trying to leave! My friend Tina, (she's the funny one) suggested tying blankets together and taking the window, I said that I had been caught doing that. I had to admit too that the porters uniform did not fit me so in the we end opted for the linen basket. 

We were permitted to leave around 3pm with a bag of drugs and headed for home. Once home I slept solidly for an exhausted nap. 

Moving on-ward

Slept for a couple of hours at a time last night. 6am wakening with lots of tablets and a new IV drip for medication. After breakfast in bed the surgeon came to see me to say that I should probably stay in for a further 24 hours, just so all boxes can be ticked ✅ I need to do lots of walking around the ward. He said he was working on a Saturday as he is on call (he is usually slalom water skiing). 

They removed my cannulas today, so no more drips through my aching veins. 

Tommy came to see me, he bought some clean clothes and took the laundry. I had a nap then Deb came for a visit and a catch up before my tea. I am feeling better day by day. Having a laugh with the 3 ladies in the ward, all with very differing ailments and life stories. 

So I am coming close to the end of my hospital CHAPTER, I cannot put into WORDS how pleased I am with how it all went. Looking forward to turning a new PAGE. Now the big QUESTION MARK is will the reconnected ends of the COLON heal properly? 

How do you console an English

teacher?

There, their, they're

Friday

Woke up in pain, but I am trying to stop the intravenous morphine, so have cut back on that through the night. 

This morning they suggested that I could go home if I was ready, but decided that it may be better if I got used to all the new changes… they removed my catheter, so now I have to wee on my own, and also the morphine IV pump. They put new dressings on my five scar areas. I practiced walking up and down the ward. I also administered my anti blood clotting injection, which I will have to do for a month when I get home. 

Went to visit my uncle on the ward next door. Then Luna and Tommy came for a visit with cards from home. Later my cousin popped back to see me. 

Probably going home tomorrow, Saturday. 😀

A jab well done 🩼

Family reunion

Slept quite well out on the ward last night, even with Ruby opposite calling out for help and to save the children! 

Woken at 5:30m for breakfast, then taken for a slow walk down the corridor with the recovery nurse. Saw the doctor who is very pleased with my progress. More blood tests and medications. After lunch cousin Tim came to see me with his mum; her husband is just down the corridor! Tommy and Dad turned up and we walked to the cafe. Back to bed worn out, but lovely to see everyone. Eating and drinking well. Sorry no photos from my iPad in hospital, I can’t get it to work. 

Another night of Ruby rants, she lost the children this time! 

I’m in stitches… no I am

5 keyholes each with big metal staples 

 

Short colon, short lived luxury

In the morning I sipped water, saw pharmacist, ward nurses, movement recovery nurse, surgeon and many others. All a bit of a blur. Coughed up blood with clots, and then anything else that I sipped of water. The surgeon said that it was most likely to be a reaction to the morphine, so I stopped taking that unless in really bad pain. He said that he was very pleased with the outcome. There had been some sticky scar tissue from previous cancer operations, but the cancer removal section of the colon included a large bit of my Diverticulitis. 

I felt really out of it, the surgeon told me to take it easy, but the movement recovery nurse wanted me sitting on the edge of the bed (a slow and painful process) and then later to get up and sit in the bedside chair. 

Tommy came to visit (he saw another one of my auntie’s in the lift)! He brought a bag of goodies and lovely card which Rebecca has sent. 

The nurses allowed me some food for the first time since Monday evening… two days before.

I actually slept for the first time in the afternoon and woke up feeling so much better and refreshed. Cup of tea, minstrels and ginger nuts.

I have just been told that tonight I will be moved out onto the ward as a patient with more complex needs will be allocated to this room.

Is it unfair that only one company makes Monopoly? 💷

All done part 2. Semi-colon

Emptied my bowels. Then around 11am taken round to be given a cannula, an Epidural,
(in case keyhole was not possible) and then breathed in my anaesthetic. mmm 😴.

On waking in recovery (5 hours later) I was told that the cannula had been removed from my spine as the surgeon had done the whole operation via keyhole. Yeay. 

He had removed a section of the colon either side of the withheld cancer and stitched the colon back together. 

I waited for around 4 hours in recovery as they could not find a bed on the wards for me. Tommy was waiting outside to see me. In the end, as they could not give us any indication of the wait, Tommy headed home having not been able to see me.

Well, was my wait worth it? I was wheeled into a separate side room on the ward, with a balcony and the most lovely sunset view! This all inclusive room, in Saint Evenage, with 24 hour room service, will do me!

Being hooked up to drips, morphine, leg massagers and catheter, I did not sleep at all in the night, what with people and tests and pain relief. 

As soon as the hospital made me put on one of those gowns… I knew that the end was in sight.

All Done!

More info tomorrow xx 

it went very well.

Operation Day

I have been feeling so much more worried about this cancer than the previous two. I think it’s because the outcome may make a difference to the way in which I live my life (I know,… at least I will have a life). I was saying to a neighbour recently that I see myself as a person who never gets ill. We summarised that is because cancer doesn’t make you feel unwell and I have not been a sickly person (that’s a matter of opinion)! 

I am sitting here in admissions in my paper knickers and white anti - embolism stockings, all finished off with a backless hospital gown. I have seen many people, doing different tests on me and explaining things. 

Off to theatre now, see you on the other side xx 

❤️ and 👍🏻

I am so very grateful for all the heartfelt messages. As most of you know by now that my very, if at all, short replies or emojis are the norm for me!

 I would love to be able to compose lovely lengthy replies. I don't want to use AI to help me. When I'm talking no one can get a word in edgeways. But texting just won’t flow.

 Today I packed my bag for hospital, I had bought a lovely new weekend bag with birthday money, which I was excited to use, but was told to bring a tiny bag.

Am booked to arrive at Lister hospital at 07:30 tomorrow. I will try to continue with my blog from hospital, but probably won’t be able to add photos. 

I went to pack my toothpaste, but I dropped it, I was Crestfallen.

Cricket Memorial

Today we made a picnic and headed off, with dad, up to Bengeo Cricket Ground. We have been going for the last four years to celebrate the life of, and to remember, our friend Simon. A lovely crowd of cricket players (including Simon’s two sons), families and friends sitting in the sunshine watching the matches. 

We left earlier than usual as I felt so tired (I think in cricket terms that is called a Maiden Over). Again I slept solidly for over two hours in the afternoon. 

Woke up to the World Cup final - such a sporty day!

Viva España

Reflective Time

 

     A walk along the river today to get some exercise and to reflect whilst looking at the reflections.  Had a panini out for lunch with Tommy. 

Came home and slept solidly, I really don’t think that the iron infusion ever seemed to kick in. Perhaps I am exhausted from all the stress. 

Did I mention that it was hinted to me by more than one member of the hospital team, that there may not be enough room on a ward for me and that I may possibly have to stay in the recovery area until they can allocate room for me? I could end up anywhere.

Good job that visiting hours are from 8am to 10pm, you will have time to find me, (maybe try the ICU 👀)!!

Info overload

 Friday we spent most of the day at Lister hospital. My first appointment was to meet with a stoma nurse, who explained about the operation and what to expect afterwards and how to deal with any changes.

We then went on to another department to see a colorectal nurse who went over the plan on being in hospital after the surgery and the recovery plan.

At one of my many recent visits to one of the hospitals we unexpectedly bumped into Chris, our sister-in-law (who lives 100 miles away)! Then yesterday, when in the lift from one appointment to another, there was my aunty! 

On leaving the hospital, more leaflets, letters and information on board, we popped in to speak with a McMullen nurse. I wanted to enquire about my 3 different cancers and if any of them were related, hereditary or genetically viable to other family members. Her derogatory, nay brusque, bedside manner, left me fleeing in tears! 

But the many lovely constant messages keep me going. 

Taught Tommy where to water the garden

A man with a Can -

or should that be Can’t?

 

NHS Waiting Lists

Today, Thursday, I had an appointment to meet the surgeon. He wants to operate on Tuesday, yes Tuesday. That’s only 5 days away!

He said that he will try and do keyhole surgery, but, due to scarring from previous cancer operations, may end up having to do some, or all, of the operation full incision. Depending on the type of surgery I will then stay in hospital for between 3 and 8 days and then home to recuperate. 

I was rushed off for form filling, pre-op screening and more blood tests, sent home with pages of reading material and have two further appointments tomorrow. 

Neighbour popped in
with some lovely
flowers and a chat

I am feeling very overloaded with all the information I have had to take in today, but glad that cancer will soon be removed. 

Who would have known that I would
be so happy when the surgeon said
‘See you next Tuesday’!

Sue, soul, sick & sun

 

Today I found this printed in Dad's church magazine - God bless him.

Yesterday I bumped into an old school friend Sue, she was aware of my cancer, my third (I am catching up with her four times). 

I did a bit of pottering in the garden (it works as a therapy for me). But felt faint so came in, but was then violently sick. I sipped water but that too came up later. I called the nurses team at the hospital who said it was probably not related and sounded more like Heat Exhaustion. I now understand when people say that they are ‘sick of this heat’!  Lots of cooling ice packs helped to regulate my temperature. 

Getting booked in

I didn't sleep well last night worrying about the call this morning, I felt that things were about to become real. 

When I had the call from the hospital, they said that the recent scan had found no further cancer, but a couple of polyps (which they can remove after all is done with the cancer). Polyps

I am booked in to see the consultant next Thursday to go over the Colon Cancer operation plan and then the procedure will probably happen on a Tuesday within the next few weeks after after that meeting.

It all feels so far away, I thought that I would be packing my hospital bag today.

Captions Please

Pepto BISMOL

Yesterday I had to take another dose of the 'clear your bowel drink'. So I was up most of the night emptying everything.

This morning I felt like probably a lot of English people... tired, drained and very dehydrated.

I had to be at QEII in the morning for another CT scan. 

My nurse was Irish so had not stayed up for last nights football game.

How old is that hand???

I felt quite ill in the afternoon, but I think the heat did not help. Had another long sleep to catch up.

Back to the waiting game whilst they decide what the next steps are. I should hopefully hear by Wednesday.

Just like England, I'm getting closer. I am going to win this!

A Colourful Day

Today I had to start another diet, which consists of generally white food. 

Bland Blanc

I have another type of CT scan on Monday. So have been given a diet sheet, consisting of generally white foods with no salad or veg. 

But my day was brightened up by visiting the garden centre with Tommy and then receiving a lovely delivery of a beautiful bright coloured bouquet of flowers via courier from Shepherds of Hertford, who I had worked for for 16 years, up until August 2024. They were with me through my other two cancers. 

Thank you Team Shepherds x

 Selfishly, I am a bit disappointed that the England football match has not been changed to 7pm instead of 1am on Monday,   as I could have watched it at the earlier time...  and am now worried that on Monday morning for my scan, that some of   the staff may be a little worse for wear. Let’s   just hope that whoever has to stick a tube up my derriere supports another team!!

I hope that when you RED this, it BLUE you away, I hear you YELLOWING, ‘it’s all WHITE Paula’

You've Got a Friend in Me

After the football we went to see Toy Story 5 with friends. Thursday lunchtime Heidi came to visit, had a special time chatting with coffee and cakes. Another afternoon rest for me, still waiting for the iron to kick in.  A lovely visit from neighbours in the evening.

Sunflowers from Heidi

I did a bit of therapeutic gardening today

.but again ended up sleeping in the afternoon

I am enjoying watching the men's football World Cup

🎵 Three C-lions on my shirt

Poem

I did not notice loss of blood, blood tests made them aware, 
That severe anemia found in me, required further tests and care

I gave them poo on a stick, as requested straight away,

Yes, that has blood within it there, - is all that they could say

Now I realise the palpitations, fatigue and frequent breathlessness, 

Are all the tell tale symptoms of this bloody ugly mess

In the past two weeks I’ve had over 10 needles stabbed into my arm,

They struggled to find a healthy vein from previous chemo harm

Introvenus Iron, CT contrast, special diet,

I’m sorry to bang on and on (most would stay so quiet)

But sharing my blog with all my friends has helped me through and through,

So I will keep on banging on... And share my life with you

This will go no further

I was on my way to the hospital today to see the radiology team to pick up my drugs, instructions and contrast ready for my Colon CT scan on Monday.

I received a call from my colorectal nurse to say that with the results that they have collected so far, that they can see that the cancer has stayed contained, and has not spread outside of the colon, this is brilliant news. They will await scan on Monday to see if there are any other culprits within and then I shall get a call Wednesday from my surgeon with a plan. 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿  Back of the net! Cheers for my hattrick of kicking it! (born 1966) ⚽️