‘Colon-aid’ the Yeovil District Bowel Cancer Support Group
Site last updated 22nd February 2010
Rex’s Story Page 2
at my home for 3 weeks and finally it healed.
I should now say a little about the enhanced recovery programme. The first step was to do breathing exercises after waking from the operation, then 6 hours after the operation I sat out for 2 hours, this was in the HDU. The following day I moved to ward 6b and I was asked to walk about 60 metres 4-6 times a day. I did much more than this every day. Prior to the operation I was given “nourishing drinks” to consume and I was told that I should have 4 drinks per day post operation. I have to say that I never got near achieving this, I can take most things but these I found to be totally repulsive.
On 29th December I saw Dr Falk, he explained that the biopsy on the removed section of my bowel showed that some cancer cells had escaped from the tumour to nearby lymph nodes and it was possible but not certain that some cancer cells were still in my body. He therefore recommended chemotherapy to commence on 5th January 2004 – weekly cycles- 6 treatments then 2 weeks off (24 treatments in all). The chemotherapy regime was Folinic acid + 5 Flourouracil (5FU). I was told that there might be some side effects, sore palms and feet, enhanced risk of sunburn, tiredness etc. I certainly felt tired particularly for 2 days after the 3 rd,4th, 5th and 6th treatments. Also my fingers became sore and fingers nails became weak and brittle. It also changed the taste of some foods, it was more like refuelling than eating. I remember that I disliked lettuce during this time. All my treatments took place at the Macmillan unit at YDH and these finished at the end of July 2004. The kindness and care that I received there was such that it was almost a pleasure to attend !
Throughout all this period my wife supported and accompanied me to appointments, provided a taxi service and shared all the ups and downs which occurred. I had untold people praying for me in Yeovil and elsewhere. I continued to work in my home based accountancy practice as well.
In December 2004 I attended Maggie Soulsby’s clinic had a routine blood test. I felt perfectly well and was surprised to receive a letter from Mr Kennedy stating