Update 4 - 24th January 2008

Hi everyone

Just a brief update on how things went today.

It didn’t start off too well. We had to contact the hospital at 8.00am in order to check if they had a bed available for Liz for the day but after about two hours they decided that they didn’t have a bed, and the plan was changed!

I took Liz into the Flebology department (Draculas Den!) to give a sample of blood. This had to be tested to ensure that she was fully off Warfarin, and that it was safe for her to have the Laperoptomy (keyhole surgery) to obtain the samples for the Biopsy tests. That was at 10.30.

Because there was no bed for her, we had to waste a few hours until 1.45pm when she had to report back to the CT scan department for the Laperoptomy under a CT scan.

Julian came down from Guildford late last night, so the three of us went to Sherborne for a couple of hours to try and keep Liz’s mind off the afternoon.

Understandably Liz was very frightened by the thought of them inserting a long needle into her abdomen without anaesthetic. I would have been as well!

I waited for Liz just outside the room. The procedure took about half an hour in all, during which time Liz could see the monitor and the needle! One of the nurses also pointed out the tumour where the sample was being taken from. It is just above her pelvis on the right hand side. They took three tissue samples and sent them off for analysis immediately.

I was a little concerned when Liz told me she had be shown the tumour(s) on the screen, but in retrospect it might actually be beneficial, as she now has a clear focus of what she has to fight. I think and hope the experience will in fact be more positive than negative.

As it turned out everything went well, apart from the fact they couldn’t initially find her notes as she had not come from a ward! Afterwards I spoke briefly to one of the nurses who confirmed that everything had gone according to plan.

Shortly afterwards she was taken to a medical ward (surprise, surprise, a bed had been empty all day!) where she will stay overnight for observation and to make sure she doesn’t bleed.

One of the Consultant’s team came to see her within the hour just to check on things and make sure she had the appropriate medication over night. We managed to get a sandwich and a bar of chocolate for her before the restaurant closed, as she had not been allowed to eat or drink since first thing in the morning.

She looked very pale just before the procedure, due I think to anxiety, but when we left her at 5.00pm her colour had returned and she was much brighter.

Providing there are no hitches over night we should be able to bring her home mid morning (Friday).

Now unfortunately, we have a long seven day wait until we see the Oncologist next Thursday, when he will have seen the biopsy results and tell her specifically what course of chemotherapy he is planning. It is going to be a long and difficult week for Liz and the family.

Tomorrow we are meeting with Cancer Care Dorset, who will explain what support they can give if and when required.

As always thanks for your continued offers of help and support, it really does mean a lot to Liz, me and the family. Thank you.

Dick