Life is a Rollercoaster

It’s now four weeks since I went under the knife and the super surgeon Louise cut me a new arsehole.  Recovery has progressed well and I can now comfortably poop in a bag and not quite so comfortably sit down for extended periods of time.  My wounds are all healing well and although the enforced period of down time has been difficult to adjust to, all has been generally good and it has felt like progress has been made and we have been on the up-slope of the rollercoaster ride.  That cannot of course be sustained, because there is a down-slope, there always is a bastard down-slope and I hate fecking rollercoasters anyway.

This week I had my appointment with the Oncology Consultant to discuss treatment following the results of tests carried out on my bum tumour, post operation.  Generally the test results seem to be positive and the surgery achieved its goals, but (there is always a but as there is always a down-slope) there were some cancer cells found in one of the lymph nodes ‘harvested’ at the time of the operation.  For those who are ignorant of the workings of the lymph node, they form part of the lymphatic system that runs through your body functioning as the immune system’s filters.  I had 19 lymph nodes removed and tested and cancer cells were found in 1.  It is possible that with the removal of those little nodes and the tumour, I am now cancer free (back on the up-slope), but we cannot be certain, so I will be embarking on a course of chemotherapy from next week (down-slope, put your hands in the air and scream if you want to go faster!!!!).

So for the next 6 months, I will be strapped in and pumped full of oxaliplatin with fluorouracil and folinic acid every two weeks via a plug in my arm.  I’d much prefer it if it were Sheppy’s Elderflower and Blackberry Cider, but I’m not sure there are any clinical trials to prove the effectiveness of scrumpy on cancer cells.  But, I get to sit and have a cup of tea, listen to some music, read a ten year old edition of The People’s Friend and then hopefully go about my normal business.  At the end of this, we can say Fuck You Cancer!

P.S. Not really a Boyzone fan, but it seemed appropriate.