I started the new book almost a year ago, and at that time everything was good in mum's post cancer world as she had been in remission for the best part of 18 months. It seemed the perfect time to start a second book for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity.
It came as quite a shock last November when the results at her annual check up, with blood tests and a CT scan, showed that there was a cancerous nodule on her left lung. We always knew that the cancer could come back, but you tend to look forwards and put the cancer battles behind you.
Last week mum went into Harefield Hospital to undergo surgery to remove the nodule. After her bowel cancer surgery in September 2012 she had 2 lung operations at the beginning of 2013 to remove nodules, one of which was a secondary cancerous nodule from the bowel cancer. Unfortunately it looks like that same cancer has returned this time around, although we have to wait for the biopsy results to confirm this.
The operation last Thursday was 4 hours long, and although it was the same procedure she had before this time it was going to be that bit longer as the surgeon was having to go back into the same areas where she had operated on mum before. Having had the surgery postponed 3 weeks earlier, and then being sent home from the hospital on Wednesday due to no bed being available we were wondering if the operation would ever happen. I took her back into hospital at 7:00am the following morning, and she was showered and taken straight into theatre. It's always difficult getting information as to how she is and when exactly she is back in the High Dependency Unit. I eventually found out she was in recovery on my way home from work and was finally able to visit her at 7:30pm, and by that point mum had already been in recovery some 5 hours.
Her progress post operation has been staggering. She has, quite understandably, been in severe pain at times, and not found sleeping easy on the ward due to her discomfort and the other noise and stuff that happens on a busy ward. She has had two drains and the epidural removed within 72 hours of surgery, and within 4 days of this major surgical procedure she is being discharged. This is quite amazing as we were expecting her to be there for another 2-3 days. She now begins her rehabilitation and recovery to full fitness at her home where she is most happy, and the only downside is she will have me there to nurse her!
For the next week or so I will be focusing on mum's recovery, but then attention will be back on the book and getting the final few photos completed. Then a publication date can be set, and the countdown can begin.
