From Wellness to Crisis - A sudden turn

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Fonts: Arial, For the One Hundredth Time, Complete in Him

Journaling:
From Wellness to Crisis - A sudden turn
Wed, the 23rd Oct 2024 started off quite happily. We were celebrating Ma'az's birthday the morning, and then I tackled chores. I had a list of errands I wanted to run and was looking forward to visiting with Bilqees to spend time with their new baby. But just before I headed out I started bleeding alarmingly heavily. It seemed serious but I felt absolutely fine. So I compiled a list of Gastroenterologists that our medical aid approved. I called each but the earliest appointment was 6 weeks out. I considered going to the ER, but after chatting to my niece & hubby, decided to visit my GP who prescribed antibiotics & probiotics. I took the antibiotics when I got home and it made things radically worse. Three more trips to the bathroom and I knew I had to act quickly. I had almost fainted twice. I called my husband who was in Jhb for work, and started packing a hospital bag while sitting on the bed, sipping rehydrate and trying to regain my strength. I was worried about making it to the car safely.I made it and drove myself the 8 minutes to the ER.

I arrived safely just after 9pm, but was not very clear headed. I remember fumbling and being forgetful, having to go back to lock the car, and forgetting my water bottle, and not being able to carry my backpack and the hospital bag I'd packed. Eventually inside, I filled out the log book. The waiting area was pretty empty so I went through triage quickly and soon was being shown to an area with a lot of machines to change into a hospital gown. As soon as I lay down the medical staff decended. Some struggling to put a drip in, others battling to draw blood, more asking questions, poking and prodding. Once the rush passed I noticed the label: RESUS 2. I think that's the first and only time I got a bit scared. Other than a sore chest and dizziness from blood loss, I felt pretty ok lying down.

The next few hours flew by in a blur of ECG, rectal exam, x-rays, scans, bloods, drips and too many needles. By 11pm they simmered down and by 1.39am I was stable and wheeled into ward 2D4.
The Dr was pretty sure the problem was in my colon, but they'd do further tests tomorrow. My low hemoglobin was a problem too, so they ordered blood in case of emergency,
The next day passed with me waiting in the ward, feeling like a fraud & a fool, taking up a bed someone else might need. Except from my haemoglobin still dropping (from 11 to 9) I felt reasonably ok.

By 11am they started me on colon prep, and my colonoscopy, gastroscopy & biopsies were done first thing Friday morning.

My Cancer Diagnosis
My colonoscopy and gastroscopy went well, but I fainted in the bathroom afterwards. I came too with the surgeon and nurses in the stall with me. Not sure what they did, but when I got better I walked to my bed with help. Then my surgeon returned and broke the news to me. I had colon cancer and gave me a pic of my scan - both the diverticulitis on the left side of my colon (top pics) and the cancer on the right (bottom pics). It was the cancer that had burst. We had to wait for the biopsy results and do more tests.

I was moved to ward 2F4. All weekend I waited for a loop recorder (heart monitor) to arrive so I could go home. It only come on Monday, and I was supposed to wear it till Friday. My oncologist started the paperwork and my op was scheduled for the following week. They would remove a third of my colon. I was discharged Monday 28th around 3pm.

Friday, 31 Oct, was Mobushir, my younger son's birthday and my nephew Deen got married. I was also scheduled for a staging CT that morning but my hospital's machine was broken, so we had to go to Kuilsrivier to do the scan there.

Omar and I met with my surgeon again on Tuesday afternoon for feedback from the CT scan. Alhamdulillaah,there's nothing to suggest that the cancer had spread. He ran through what to expect, My op is scheduled for Thursday morning, 7 November 2024.

From the start I was calm & positive, to the point that my Dr wondered if I'd heard and understood him. I think it was because my Mom had had colon cancer and lived to her 80's, I would handle thin

Growing up, we lost a number of family members to cancer. So I'm sure it's not surprising that developing cancer had always been a BIG childhood fear of mine. Funny enough, when it actually happened it was NOTHING like I had imagined. No big emotions, no tears, not even fear. Just a practical: "OK Doctor, so what next? How are you going to fix me? And then an eagerness to have the op and cut it out.

I remember when my Doctor broke the news of my cancer to me a short while after I had fainted, he kept asking whether I had heard and understood him LOL. I was calm & positive.

I think my strength and courage came from:
(1) My FIRM FAITH that Allah swa/God would never challenge me with more than I can handle. It's a promise in the Qur'an (Surah Baqarah, v 286)

(2) Seeing my Mom overcome colon cancer and live on to her 82nd birthday. If she could do it, so could I! That gave me HOPE


In truth, I LOVED that my hospital stay gave me a wonderful opportunity to catch up/visit with my nearest and dearest. I was very clear, from the moment I was diagnosed that I wanted no negativity around me, no tears or drama, and Alhamdulillaah, between my hubby,family and besties, that was never a problem. They were all there for me every step of the way. Keeping me company over WhatsApp, popping in during visiting time and most especially, keeping me close in prayer. Alhamdulillaah, I am soo blessed! I am convinced that their heartfelt prayers are what gave me strength and courage to face this all head on, and granted me ease throughout Alhamdulillaah!

The morning of my op I was certainly prayerful, but not scared, or anything bad. I stopped and took these 2 pics before we left for the hospital. Sharing them on my WhatsApp status and with my nearest and dearest