Michelle Grant, Runcorn
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In October 2019, I had a seizure at work followed by another one in April 2020. It was a scary time as I thought I may have had a brain tumour. The medication I was on to manage the seizures gave me constipation and sometimes when I went to the loo I spotted blood in my poo. I rang the GP four times in four months, and each time the doctor said the cause of the constipation was a side effect from my medication and prescribed me laxatives.
My poo started to smell funny, I could even smell it on my hands. When I broke wind, I saw bloody mucus and it was smelly too. I came back from work one evening and I pooed myself. All this wasn’t normal for me, and I knew it was connected. I rang my GP again and pushed for a face to face appointment and, finally, she gave me an internal examination. She couldn’t believe no other doctor had done this before. She referred me for a colonoscopy and blood tests and said that if everything came up normal, it was unlikely that it would be anything sinister like bowel cancer. The blood results came back fine, and I was relieved.
On the 6 November, I had my colonoscopy and during the procedure the consultant said there and then, that I had bowel cancer. I was shocked. I had only just found out that I had seizures, a possible brain tumour, and now I have bowel cancer. It was during covid, which was such an emotional time anyway.
The only silver lining was that he didn’t think that it had spread as the blood results came back normal, my eyes looked good, I was young and of a healthy body weight.
Within two weeks, I had CT and MRI scans and, on the 4 December, I was told that the tumour in my bowel was pushing against my fibroids, they didn’t know if the cancer had spread to my womb and cervix so they made the decision for me to have surgery to remove them. I was given the option of freezing my eggs, but my daughter was 21 at the time, so it didn’t hit me too hard that I would be infertile. I’ve had my family.
Although my initial surgery date was cancelled, I eventually had it on the 19 January. The surgeon removed my womb and cervix, as well as the tumour in my bowel and 11 lymph nodes. I was then fitted with a temporary stoma. When I woke up from the surgery, I was expecting the stoma and was slightly relieved that it was a temporary one. I surprised myself by how much I got on with my stoma, I think when you’re faced with something you don’t have any option but to get on with it.
Fortunately, none of the 11 lymph nodes were cancerous and it meant that I didn’t need any further treatment like chemotherapy. Now I just had to concentrate on recovering from the surgery, getting my fitness back and spending time with my grandson. He was born in July 2020, and I missed out on a lot of cuddles as I couldn’t pick him up. I’m more than making up for it now though.
I had my stoma reversal operation in February 2022, and in August I had my first colonoscopy since my diagnosis. It was such a relief to know that everything is fine.
This time last year when I had my stoma bag, I never in a million years would I have thought I would go out and wear my scar with pride. I just want people out there that is going through the same thoughts that I had last year. I want to say to them get out there and wear it with pride as that’s your survival scar. And it’s part of me and my life story.
I’ve got some very good friends that have been able to support me through my diagnosis and treatment, as well as my mum and daughter. They’ve all been wonderful, as has my work – they’ve been very supportive. However, I don’t think I dealt with the diagnosis very well. I focused a lot of my energy on being strong and not talking about it, but now that I’m cancer free I’ve realised that I haven’t processed what’s happened to me over the last two years. My colorectal cancer nurse recommended that I have some counselling, and I’ve just had my third session and it’s going well.
I would like to thank everyone at Halton and Warrington hospital: the surgeons that saved my life; and the colorectal nurses and Macmillian nurses at that have all been amazing and are very supportive. All the NHS staff that looked after me while I was in hospital. They’re all so amazing and can’t thank them enough
I’m now on surveillance for another three years with 6 monthly blood tests and yearly scans.
