New Year. New Cancer.

[Melongirl]

First off, I wish you all the very best for a healthy and happy 2018. May it be everything you hope for yourself and your loved ones.

Mine hasn't got off to a great start.

I mentioned in a previous post that they'd spotted lesions on my liver and pancreas. I had an urgent CT scan and then a liver biopsy. Everyone thought that despite three cycles of chemo it was a rapid recurrence from the ovarian clear cell carcinoma or the endometrial adenocarcinoma - all visible cancer was removed in August 2017. But no. I always seem to end up on the path less travelled.

Three days before Christmas the oncologist called to say the biopsy showed this is a new, totally unrelated cancer, originating in my pancreas. This is apparently rare and unusual. My brother said, 'Bloody typical' when I told him. I said a word starting with F.

It seems to have spread to the liver, as the scan showed two lesions below my sternum and one on the centre, right hand side. Because of this, I'm now being transferred to a new team specialising in upper gastrointestinal cancers and will meet the new oncologist tomorrow. Happy new year to me.

I'm still in shock and a bit numb, as is everyone else as you can imagine, but I'm determined to fight this one with all the strength I can muster. There's some hope that it's been caught 'early', as if I hadn't had the scan of my ureter (accidentally snipped during surgery) and if the radiographer hadn't been paying attention, they'd never have known about it. The new team has met the old team and they have a new treatment plan, chemo and possibly radiotherapy and surgery, or all three. Not sure I'm up for another massive surgery really. I'm still recovering from the last.

I suppose being moved to Upper GI oncology, means I'm technically no longer considered ovarian, but that one is still lurking there, I suppose and so I'll hang around here, if you'll still have me No doubt the onc will answer the many, many questions I have tomorrow. I hate hanging about waiting and just want to get cracking with whatever treatment they've planned. 2018 is going to be interesting.

[Alikay]

Hi Melongirl. Not the best start to the new year, but looking for a positive, things can only get better. I can only imagine how you must be feeling, but can totally understand your desire to get cracking with whatever treatment the team has planned for you.

As for staying with us on this forum, once a member, always a member. I wish you all the best as you start your next treatment, and please let us know how you are getting on. Take care. Ali xx

[Melongirl in reply to Alikay]

Thanks. Will keep you updated.

[Yoshbosh]

Oh sh*t, Melongirl! Happy bloody new year to you! I guess you were lucky it was picked up so quickly, but it would have been better to have never happened in the first place. Glad your medical teams are talking to each other - you are going to be watched like a hawk from now on.

Love, Vicki x

[Melongirl in reply to Yoshbosh]

Yes, I reckon they're rubbing their hands in glee at this development. It will keep them on their toes.

[Lindaura]

Oh dear, you have really been put through the ringer.

Despite everything you sound emotionally amazingly healthy.

I know you will follow your teams' regime and I wish you a better year ahead.

Good luck,

Lindaura

[Melongirl in reply to Lindaura]

Thanks. Gotta do what must be done. I'm not going down without a fight 😎

[chrissapam]

am so sorry....hopefully as you say the early diagnosis will help you....let us know everything(!) love Chris xx

[Melongirl in reply to chrissapam]

Will do. Thanks.

[CallmeMum]

Hi lovely,

Wow! What a s**t start to 2018! You were in the OC family first so this is where you’ll stay 😘 hopefully you’ll kick this new cancers arse completely and then can go into a nice long remission keep us updated and we’ll support you the best we can xxx

[January-2016-UK]

Gosh! It never rains but pours. You seem to have a good attitude which will stand you in good stead and it's brilliant it was spotted so early.

Good luck with getting your questions answered tomorrow!

[Katsmum]

Thats a rotten way to start the new year but it sounds like you have a good team working on it! Keep courageous and positive and let us know what’s happening! You will feel better when you know what the plan is so sending best wishes to you!

Love and hugs, Jane x

[Maxjor]

Sorry to have to start the new year this way but as you say, they found it early and you are a fighter. So much more to know and understand before you settle on a plan but you are on your way and the "one day at a time" motto seems that it may be best for you to focus this way for awhile. Wishing you luck and as was posted here, once a member, always a member so we stand by your side whichever other cancer decides to rear its head and virtual, hug, hand holding and whatever else you need! ox

[Cropcrop]

Hi lovely, bugger, damn and blast and lots of much worserer words too 🤨. ! I think I would have used more than the odd expletive too, it’s a rubbish start to the year for you with rotten news but I guess the upside is that your team have really been on the ball with your care and are all talking to each other ready to formulate a plan going forward, keep your courage up and your positivity going and we’re all here to support you in any way we possibly can.

Take lots of care and let us know the plan they have for you, big hugs and lots of love ❤️Xx Jane

[Hidden]

Hi Melongirl

Oh my goodness, how (excuse my language) bloody unfair was s that!!!. Look, you’ve got this. Like you say it’s treatable and you have options. I can only imagine that you don’t want to have to face this, but you have already proved that you are made of strong stuff. We your teal sisters are still here with you and supporting you through this.

Big hugs, Marian xxx

[Kim1958]

Wow!!! That is really difficult news and so unfair!!! Of course you are still a welcome member of this forum - this is where it all started. Keep on fighting. We are all with you! Kim xx

[Solange]

So sorry to read of your new diagnosis. I hope the new team are able to sort some treatment out for you a.s.a.p. Wishing you good luck and hope your new team are pleasant and easy to get on with. Do keep in touch and tell us how things are going. We'll still want you here!!

Love, Solange 😊💐

[Hidden]

What a saga. I'm so impressed at how wittily you write about it.

I had a similar experience to you, in that something odd-looking (but rather more straightforward to deal with) was picked up in my bladder on a scan for OC. So I'm now under two teams in the same hospital who talk to each other. I've not been handed over.

One of the things I've come to realise is that many of the same chemo drugs are deployed across a range of cancers, so you may well come across some familiar names. This is not scientifically proven, of course, but I do speculate about the possible benefits for the other from the one which was being treated. My last bladder surgery, though it looked odd, was not malignant, and my last cystoscopy was clear. The drugs I'd had are sometimes used for bladder. So let's hope you get two for the price of one!

There are other potential benefits to being a multiple. I (with my four) got considered by the genomics panel! So a lot more brains with their experience are brought to bear.

I have signed up to the other forum, but my loyalties most definitely lie here, So I do hope you'll stay and keep us updated.

All the best x