I’m still here

I was 54 years and 9 months old at diagnosis on 26th July 2010.  For the first few months, I had no idea what the outcome would be.  What I did know at the time, given the final staging, grading, and other damage that was accumulated via various tests, checks, and scans; is that my body had been slowly dying. 

Without intervention I may not be here now to tell you this tale and who knows what would be listed on my death certificate.  It’s amazing to think something that would eventually kill me without intervention, didn’t have a much grander announcement than the one presented to me in 2010 (or had I been paying more attention, in 2008 or 2009). I will never know if a much grander announcement would have happened because following my chance diagnosis, I was ‘patched up’ and thankful to still be here today. 

My second big surgery took place on 12th April 2011.  This was around 5 months after major abdominal surgery to remove the primary tumour in the small intestine plus some loco-regional stuff.  This second surgery was now to address my tumour metastases.   

Truthfully speaking, I did not expect to be here writing this in 2023, or at least that was my thinking at the time and for some years after that.  The fact that I am must be related to the early intervention and radical surgery administered 2010-2012 and constant surveillance since, perhaps Lanreotide too. As a metastatic small intestine NET, debulking surgery is thought to be prognostically advantageous for many.  

Accessing a specialist team is important early on, preferably before surgery as there are certain vagaries with Neuroendocrine Tumours (NET) which should at least be considered.