Thanks @Ashley_ccnsw  I will keep you posted ... View more

Hey Hey   The cancer treatments are designed to attack fast replicating cells in your body (like cancer), but so targetted they also can damage your vision, hearing, taste, libido, pretty much every apparatus you use to engage and enjoy the world.   That's cancer for you - it doesn't just want to take your life, it wants to take your QUALITY of life too.   My vision started to decline after chemo (whereas previously it had been perfect, zero issues), and there may be subtle hearing impairment too (with the tinnitus, everything gets a bit drowned out anyways).   I couldn't say definitively whether it's not a natural decline after coincidentally hitting the jackpot age where the downhill slide starts ... but yeah, I reckon the chemo played a big part in my vision decline, and probably your hearing too.  (Cisplatin)   What I'd urge you to do, if you had radiation for head & neck cancer - vigilantly care for your teeth.  The way radiation interacts with bone is a bit different, and you notice a sharp and awful decline in your dental health suddenly after 3-4 years out from treatment .. so be as diligent as you can with dental care.   Sorry mate, yeah, you're going to find side effects cropping up not just in the short term, but later on as well, just have to roll with it. ... View more

Hi GeoffAHollick,   I’m so very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Sorry I was unsure from your message if you were meeting with the surgeon for just a consultation this week or they had actually booked you in for surgery already?   So I do apologise if this information is no longer helpful to you! Well I think everyone’s experience is a bit different but for me after my colonoscopy I was referred to a surgeon to discuss what type of surgery I would require, they were also able to provide me with an idea of if I would need a bag or likely to need chemo etc and we’re able to schedule a date for surgery once I decided to proceed.    I then met a nurse and anesthesiologist a day or so before my surgery just to make sure I was well enough to go ahead with the surgery and to discuss anything I needed to do to prepare for it (But they will of course check you over again on the day!).   For my surgery I was told I didn’t have to do the full bowel prep as you do before the colonoscopy which was a pleasant surprise. So hopefully you’ll have the same luck!   As Lolie mentioned unfortunately some of the diagnostic testing isn’t always 100% accurate but once the surgeon does operate they’ll do a thorough examination and you’ll hopefully have a lot more answers. They will also probably send some biopsy’s away to confirm the suspected diagnosis. I found in my situation it did take a little while for the Pathology results to come back (around a week but I guess it depends how busy they are).   I stayed in hospital just over a week but I think it’s a very individual thing as it depends on the surgery you have and how you’re recovering but regardless they will want to make sure everything is back up and running and your well enough before they send you home.   I found my stay in hospital to be quite comforting so I hope your experience is the same. Just having the nurses and specialist checking on you regularly and at hand to answer questions or concerns was very reassuring.   So once you receive your biopsy results they should then be able to discuss any further treatment you may require and refer you to any other specialist such as oncologist or radiologist if needed.   I hope this information has been some what helpful. I’m so very sorry you have to go through such an ordeal GeoffAHollick and I wish you all the very best for your surgery. Take care. Kind Regards Bianca ... View more

Thank you Budgie and StayPositive! You have both been a massive help and I’m very appreciative for the advice! ... View more