Sam dog and Dave's Journey with the Big C

After I got in and Sam had his excitement of greeting me with a pair of slippers! I got on the settee and I was so cold Caz got me a cover I slept solidly till 10pm ish... We went to bed not long after that.. Still worn out from the operation and from not sleeping in the ward.... I thought right I will sleep tonight in my own bed😴😴😴 how wrong would I be, I slept till about 2am the wide awake till 5am slept till 7am then awake again😲😳😳😬😲 this was my sleep pattern till I went the doctor and I was given some tables to help me sleep {Boy O boy they work great}. Sleep before them was as i have said was pretty well crap because I was still aching and the bloody drain sticking in my ass! The drain was stuck to my ass via a tube, so every were i went my bottle went the contents looked like the bloody Mary drink 😜😝. The only way I can describe what the feeling of the tube in my ass was like, it is just like a long splinter of about 4 -6mm  diameter ad about 300 mm long!!! Lif...

They were back the follow morning.... The physio and  Lisa again just after breakfast. I was already in my chair... Up I got drain tucked out of the way in my pocket. Ready  set go we was off for a walk but this time we left the ward went down the corridor to the stairwell. David you gave to show me you can climb the stairs. {I had to do the stairs so they could sign me off and get my self off out of the hospital and home}. The stairs were soon knocked off my list and they signed me off as soon as I got back to the ward💪. Later that morning a stoma Nurse came to watch me change my bag and fit a new bag on my self. This was soon sorted....  I've not talked about my 'My bag for life'. So due to my cancer being so low down in my rectum I ended up with a colostomy bad {permanent} and my rectum was sealed up {This is what happens when you have a colostomy} it's known as a 'Barbie bum in women or a Ken bum in men', It hasn't bothered me having this done.......

The next milestone was to have my drain removed from my tummy, this took a few seconds and as it was being pulled I could feel it dragging through my belly and finally out with just a plaster covering the hole! That morning the physio terrorist and a nurse approached me I recognized one she was Lisa a nurse from the Colorectal team who I had met a few times now and male physio terrorist {They both gave great encouragement to get out and about} it was just after breakfast time. I was helped too my feet and with my slippers oni stud up with their assistant {my drain was put in my pocket of my dressing gown} and we was off on my first walk. I was escorted as we walked out of the ward and  down to the entrance of the department, I felt good we turned around and headed back to my bed as we passed the loo my bladder decided start to work !I needed a wee and so in the loo I went {like a big boy... On my own} 👍😉 Now it was the fist wee with out the cathiter in me & it felt funny....

It may seen I'm jumping about a bit but since my op I have not been sleeping too good at night to say the least waking up 2 or 3 time during the night for a few hours aaarh!!😲😲😲 But while I'm awake things pop into my head and I think I must put it down in my words. Again it's now 3am and I'm in the 'wide awake club' on top of that I have got a chesty cough that is doing my nut it🤪🤧. I think it was Sunday when I first ventured out of my pit... The hospital beds are not what you call 'silent night beds' yes the are adjustable in every position possible. But when you have as may tubes exiting your body as I had you can't find a good sleeping position even with the pain relief I was having... Anyway getting out of the bed needed the assistance of the fantastic nurses it combined a roll on my side legs on the floor and being pulled to the sitting position. Can't remember swearing out aloud but in my head there was a few 'fu@ks and sh@ts...

As the morning started to come around the nurses were doing their final rounds with everyone, even getting everyone drugs ready for them to take.... My drugs were put in a paper cup. As the shift changed over a new set of faces appeared and I we was all great ed with a smile and asked what do you want for breakfast! {Black pudding I was hopping for} but I ended up with ready brek warm milk and 1 white toast and a cup of black coffee. I had visits from a member of my surgeon team, he said the operation went to plan {He was not involved it it but was aware of the procedure I had}. I did feel good in my self but I also felt as if I had been hit by the moon in my stomach. More drugs to ease the pain... Throughout my stay I never used the automatic morphine dispenser.... The odd time I had some pain relief from like a hypodermic needle {without the needle} squirted into my mouth. This worked a treat for a while. Ward 109 had 6 men in it and we soon began to chat to each other. {what I f...

David..... David..... David come on wake up David open your eyes... I was fighting to open my eyes I was in the recovery room. . How time fly when your flat out on drugs and gas. David come on open your eyes the nurse kept saying to me she said it's 10 to 7 at night and Carole is waiting for you in the ward! My eyes were heavy they didn't want to work they wanted to stay closed, I remember my mouth was as dry as a cowboys boot in a sandy desert!! 🤠 Can I please have a drink I asked the nurse, she held a cup with a straw in it and said just sips to wet your mouth because you might be sick if you drink too much!! Eyes closed again.. Come on David open them eyes.... Eventually my eyes started to stay open but my vision was not too good. My face had swelled up my eyes were very puffy. I told the nurse who was looking after me.. She sad don't worry because you have been inverted up on the table {my wee legs were higher than my head} this ment fluid had gone to my face and s...

A nurse came and took my blood pressure, temperature etc, another nurse asked me a few questions then pulled the curtains around and said put these gowns on one one-way and the other the opposite was and also these long sexy socks on {tight anti thrombosis socks up to my knees and what a fight they was as I pulled them up}. 😉 I think I went to the loo a couple of times before my surgeon saw me and I had a chat with him... It was at this point he said we are doing an colostomy operation {A bag for life as I kept saying in my head} I was cool about this the ultimate was to rid Terry the tumor.... He said your 2nd on the list now and I signed the consent form after he told me the operation risks {they didn't matter to my because if they did nothing then Terry would win over me and that was not an option} ... The fight was on! 💪💪 Operation was for 9.00am he said and at that he went a young anaesthetist turned up and asked more question and talked about what he will be doing to me ...

The Alarm was ringing at 05.50... Snooze pressed for 10 mins..... Ringing again aaarh let me sleep I was thinking. Up out and in the shower refreshed dressed and we were both ready for the drive to the hospital {I needed a coffee fix but I couldn't}. Caz dropped me off near the entrance at just turned 7am, book in on the pre-op ward was 7.30 as I booked in I walked inro the waiting room it was full of men and women and this was just the morning operation list...at 8 a nurse called for all the ladies to follow her and she said no visitors to follow... Next was us me we got uo and followed another nurse into a 6 bed ward in here was just 3 men including my self. I sat in a chair above the bed was a notice with my name, surgeon name and a number 3 {3rd on the list Humm I thought I was told I was first}? 1st or 3rd it didn't matter as long at the tumor is removed for good I was feeling strong and in the right frame of mind to have the op... I wasn't nervous {I kept thinking ...

My last day at work was Wednesday 26th. It was an normal day at the mill as they say until I got my first card from staff at work this choked me up {But I managed to hold back the tears} by the time I was going home I had been gived more cards and lots of hugs and hand shakes, nice words of encouragement and well wishes. Drive home was again time to reflect on what was about to happen on the 29th..... Thursday 28th March I had to start drinking the dreaded powder drink... First drink was at 8am yummy yummy in my tummy {More like yak not this sh#t again}.... 😣😣 Other than no food or drink after 8pm that was it for the day my bags packed for my shot vacation in the Stoke Royal university hospital {Caz again got it all packed and ready to go on the Friday}. Early bed not that I could sleep because I was a wee nervous and excited at the same time {Excited because the big C will hopefully be removed from my body}. 🤞💪

Well my phone was red hot I was in demand... Texts appointments etc flying in thick and fast. I had an appointment for my pre-op so more blood tests, then a medical a nurse took blood pressure readings, swabs taken for MRSA {Taken around my inside of my nose and from my boffins bridge!!}. My chest was listened too, neck size taken, could I move my lover jaw in front of my upper jaw, then she measured my ankle size... I was told by the kind nurse that I had nice slim 'Dancing ankles' which at my time of life took as a complement 😊😊 than being a man teased Carole with the statement .... Next appointment was again at the hospital for my 'Surgery School' this was for 3 hours and the idea was to take you through what you would be expecting during your stay in hospital and where you will go after your operation, there will talks from anaesthetists, physiotherapist {or more like physio terrorist as the day after your op they will be after you} ... 😂😂 They gave us an ex...

The next mountain to climb was telling my Dad and my kids.... How the hell do you say to them 'Hi just to let you know that I have cancer anyway how you feeling' Can't see that working for me or them... We was driving back to Sunny Northwich to visit and tell my Dad.... So I decided rightly or wrongly I would talk to my kids on the phone {my kids are grown up .. But hay always my kids} first call was to my daughter, here goes Caz I said..... The numbers dialed connection made... Ring ring ring ring then it went to vice mail. Can't remember if I left a voice mail or not? That thrown a spanner in my works... Now for my Son... Connect made ring rings ring hello Dad.... O hi mate are you okay to talk? Yes but I'm at work was his reply. How are you he asked... Do I tell him as he is at work or not.... Regrettably I told him.. He took the news okay. Asked a few questions and I told him anything just ring me. At that he hung up.... Shit Caz that was hard to do especially...

Well there I was cup off coffee sat in the recovery room... Nurse had gone off to find Caz. The curtains were pulled across to give me some time to reflect on what news I have been given.... How do I tell her .. Then a cold feeling went through my body..... How will I tell my Dad and my kids .. Seconds later I heared footsteps of my fair lady, whoosh the curtains swiped open and Caz walked in and sat next to me our oeys looked at each other. What I said next was not nice to say the least 'It's not good news Caz I'm afraid it's Cancer' I truly can't remember if we hugged or I just put my arm around her, not many words were said. She asked if the doctor was going to see us. But me being me said no I'm okay. We got our selves composed and left the hospital with a business card of the Colorectal nurse specialist. We was told they will ring me on Monday. We'll I had no food and was a tad hungry. My lady took me to Morrison for a full English... Boy did I en...

To say I could not sleep was an understatement..... I watched the clock tick by. Tick bloody tock .. Up at 6am showered makes sure I'm looking the best for the doctor and his team. We got to the hospital at 7am .... Keen as mustard as my appointment was 8am! Just after 8am I was called in by a nurse who took my blood readings and more questions... Then I'm transfered to another room where I had a canulars fitted (took 3 trys as i was dehydrated from the powder drink). The next hour my life was about to change for ever.... I was taken to the theater {this was going to be show stopper}. Being a man I went for Sadation... I'll not bore you with the camera going up the back door..... But there he was on the monitor 'Terrytumour' Looking like an angry kid who can't have any sweets!! The words echoed through my head.. Sorry David you have a malignant rectal tumour... What was I going to tell Caz .... 

Well Friday pre  Endoscopic examination. So it time to take a solution to clear your bowels it's called Moviprep. You mix two powders into 1 ltr of cold water... It's got a taste of Andrews with a hint of orange ... But it's not nice at all drank the first ltr... 2 hr gab then 2nd drink... I have to say Caz had to give me instructions to drink the 2nd batch... Then the fun began ...🏊‍♂️💦💦 It was coming out like a burst water pipe! The wiping soon turned to dabbing... I was still going through the motions at 3am!!i kept say in my head this is needed to sort my issue out.....