Hi everyone, I'm new to cancer connections, just joined today. My wife was diagnosed with bowel cancer in May 2014, she underwent Large bowel removal surgery (also had appendix and gall bladder removed)and was treated for 6months with chemotherapy. From Nov 2014 to Nov 2015 she was in remission, however in Nov 2015 she started to experience pain in the rib/stomach area. In Dec 2015 and Jan 2016 she had two ultra scans and blood tests which did not indicate any return of the cancer.
However when the routine CT scan was carried out in Jan 2016, it was revealed she had Peritoneal Cancer. A PET scan in Feb 2016 was also carried out which also revealed BRAF mutations.
In Feb 2016 she started her first cycle of chemotherapy, (IV injection and chemo pills), and from her third cycle in March 2016 she will have 2 x IV injections (one to hold the cancer at bay, and, the other to hold the BRAF mutations at bay, plus the chemo pills.
As you can imagine, like the rest of you who are dealing with living with cancer, the emotional roller coaster this has been.
We have over the last month, kept our endless hope, and by keeping busy, with work and communication with friends and family, maintained some degree of routine. I work full time, and my wife works part time. We both work for the same company, who are very understanding in that should my wife have a down day, we are both able to have the day at home to recuperate, I think this has been most beneficial in her case, as it gives her a sense of usefulness. At home I do not mind the carer role, as throughout our 37years of marriage we have always shared the domestic chores around the house.
Anyway, I just wanted to say hi, and I hope to share more of my journey with you all, and also to gain more information from you all to help my wife and I live with cancer.
