No news WAS good news!

Confession:  as today’s follow up post surgery appointment with the consultant drew near, I had become increasingly nervous about what had been found when the section of bowel which had been removed was examined…did the pathology confirm that I had cancer and, if so, had it spread to the lymph system and would I need further treatment? 

Well, no news WAS good news.  No sign of cancer.  The mass identified on a CT scan was benign, as was the significant stricture which had reduced the diameter of the gut to the extent that not even a paediatric colonoscopy camera could get through the opening to take photos and samples of the mass.  

The culprits seem to be diverticula - small pockets or bulges which form in the lining of the gut as you get older - which had become inflamed or infected.  These have now gone, along with the 30-31cm section of gut they had formed in, which had been removed by robotic laparoscopic surgery five weeks ago.

I can’t begin to tell you how good it felt to hear those words! Such a relief…phew…normal life can resume, likewise travels when I’ve updated my annual travel insurance to confirm diverticula disease as an existing health condition.  

I have absolutely no regrets about having surgery.  Without it, I would have been in a constant state of fear that cancer was growing inside me, and the digestive problems - which had already started to make themselves felt in the run up to surgery - would have got worse, probably ending up as complete blockage and an emergency hospital admission. 

My mind has also been put at rest on a number of smaller matters.  Although not fully healed, the bikini line wound is getting better and will continue to improve; nothing to worry about.  I can have a bath (up to now I’ve been showering carefully post-op) and can rub the wound without fear of making it worse.  I can also do exercises which put strain on abdominal muscles…just stop if it hurts.  Some of the stitches take up to 3 months to dissolve fully (and some isolated material even longer) so I may be aware of them for a while yet.  But all perfectly normal.

So that’s it.  I have been discharged.  They don’t need to see me again.  All clear!  

A celebration with family and friends is in order I think.  Woo hoo!!!