Hi Meerkat,

WOW! What a story and what a horrible time cancer is putting you through.  Your ability to keep a sense of humour is testament to your strength and I believe it is that, as much as the work of the surgeons that will help you through.  Oh and as a man no apology is neccessary for your description, I just closed my eyes while I read that bit.

You obviously have some wonderful work colleagues who think a lot of you.  Luckily I also work with some good people and they recently helped me raise just over £2000 for cancer research.

Have a wonderful holiday and please let us know how you get on after you get back.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!        

Garf.

Hi Meerkat,

Thanks for the update. I do love you positive attitude and sense of humour. Sorry to read you are going to lose so much of "You". That's good news that the hospital has organised a pre op assessment so quickly to enable you to have a holiday. You do seem to have some lovely colleagues organising a sponsored walk for your cancer hospital. 

I am not at all surprised that you feel to quote your words "A bit all over the place".

Wishing you all the best for tomorrow. Best wishes, Brian.

Hi Meerkat,

Glad you finally know the plan for your operation. Sounds like the surgeons have a good game plan.  It really helps you and your family to get through it if you have a good sense of humour. My husband had the ileostomy for a while and he coped amazingly with it. Im sure you'll do the same as you have a really positive attitude. That's good you are getting a wee break before the op as well.  My husband and I had to cancel a holiday to Cuba when he was diagnosed that was a real bummer (how apt!)

I don't know if you have came across it already but another really good site for bowel cancer info is Colon Club(American site). They have lots of info and success stories as well. Anyway as always keep us updated and if you have any more questions we can help with fire away. take care.xxx

Hi

I am a colostomate ( having had my rectum removed because of cancer in 2011) A good website is Beating Bowel Cancer and also the colostomy Assosiation where you can down load thier magazine Tidings which is full of very useful information and products to try. good luck with everything

stef  

Hi Meerkat,

Well what a day you had yesterday!!!!!. A lot of news to take in all at once. No wonder you are stuggling at the mo. It can definitely be a roller coaster of a ride at times.

I had my hysterectomy in January and have to say because it was done through a laproscope it was a fairly good experience. Up the same day and walking the dog on the third day.

However Meerkat I presume your hysterectomy will be done abdominally as you will be having the bowel resection too.  The good thing about advancement of medicine is that the anaesthetics are much better than they used to be and therefore recovery is often quicker because of it.

I read your positivity as the others do, so stay strong, have faith in these surgeons, and I feel sure you will come through this fine.  I hope you have a lovely holiday, one that panders you. We will be here for you for when you get back from hols ready for any chatting.

Look after yourself,

best wishes

Annabel.

Hi Garf,

Thanks for your good luck wishes and thanks for being the perfect gent and closing your eyes when you read the bit about my lady problems!

It's great to have supportive colleagues isn't it? Wow . . . What a fantastic amount of money you and yours raised. How did you do it?

We went for my pre op assessment today. Very thorough! I've only ever had one operation and that was 23 years ago (emergency Caesarian) so the pre op process was a bit more "sign here please and when you wake up you'll have a beautiful baby!" (She was and still is!)

So yes, a holiday! I'm looking into travel insurance this afternoon and then the 'world's my oyster!' (Perhaps the world is a bit too far; maybe I'll just confine it to Europe or Dorset!)

Take care,

Meerkat x

Hi Brian,

Thank you for your message of good luck for today! Wow! What a lengthy appointment! And as for the blood test . . . I swear they took an armful!

My blood pressure was raised so I had to have a heart trace to make sure that it was only 'white coat' syndrome!

You're right about my lovely colleagues. Cancer has affected other members of staff where I work too and it impacts on everyone! So this is their way of giving something back to the charity hospital who helped me!

Well, the sun is shining here so I'm off to lift a few plants out of a border as we've got some fencers in tomorrow and I don't fancy the plants chances much!

You take care, best wishes, Meerkat x

Hi Beaker,

Thank you so much for finding the time to reply; I know you are spending precious time with your husband and yet you still have the kindness to give to others out here!

I was sorry to read that your holiday to Cuba couldn't go ahead. That must have been a huge disappointment for you both. Your apt turn of phrase made me smile!

Thank you for the suggestion of the Colon Club website. I'll certainly take a look.

I hope your husband is as comfortable as he can be; keep giving him those hugs and cuddles,

Thinking about you both,

love Meerkat xx

Hi mum123, (Stef)

Thank you so much for replying and suggesting a look at the Beating Bowel Cancer and Colostomy websites. I haven't really explored too many websites outside of the Cancer Research or Macmillan sites, but getting recommendations from other sufferers or their carers is really helpful, so I'll have a look at them (along with the one Beaker kindly suggested!) Tidings sounds an unusual / interesting title for a colostomy magazine. Does it cover ileostomy info too?

Thank you also for your good luck wishes.

Kind regards,

Meerkat x

Hi Annabel, Lovely to hear from you! I was glad to read that you were up and about the same day that you had your hysterectomy . . . And walking the dog on day 3!!!! Something for me to aim for maybe . . . Though we haven't got a dog! (Sorry, weird sense of humour!) Seriously though, I was told today at my pre op assessment that I will be up and about very quickly after the surgery - obviously to prevent deep,vein thrombosis! You are right that my surgery will be abdominal. It brought a smile to my face on Monday when the surgeon listed what he was going to remove during the op and finished off by saying "Keyhole surgery isn't an option" it would have to be a pretty big key hole! So, as I posted to Brian, I'm off to lift some plants ( they're only small) and then have a look at some holiday ideas - like your idea about a pampering holiday Take care,Best wishes, Meerkat x