"Bowel cancer treatment"

Late last year, I got diagnosed with bowel cancer.

It was a tremendous shock for me, especially because I was the last person on earth to expect to have something like this happening to me. I'm middle aged, into health and fitness. No family history of cancer. No smoking or drinking. Mostly vegetarian diet. Hence, not a subject at risk, according to statistics.

I had no symptoms before or after the "accident" that made me go to the ER and that triggered the set of exams I had to do after that.

I bled severely all of a sudden while sitting on the toilet. The amount of blood was so heavy that I rushed to the emergency. I almost passed out.

Even the ER personnel at Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick were super attentive and caring. I was admitted immediately and they ran some tests while keeping me in observation for a few hours. I was moved into a separate room after a few hours and was well-taken care of in that circumstance too. Nurses were coming in to check on me every hour or so.

I had to undertake 2 biopsies, an MRI and a CT Scan. The Prognosis was the same I was given by the medical staff before the tests: adenocarcinoma, which is a form of cancer.

It took me two months just to process the news. I felt that my life was over, but that was just because I didn't know anything about cancer and its available treatments.

I started Radio-chemotherapy, under the care of Dr. Stephen at the Bright Institute, a month later and I immediately realized how good the service was. His registrar sub was also very good and attentive. I recall he was roughly my age but he was brilliant in his way of dealing with patients. Very friendly and very knowledgeable. I took blood tests pretty much every week and even the nurses at the pathology center were incredible. So friendly and smart. The lady at reception even learned my name and recognized me all the time. It was a bitter-sweet pleasure to go get my blood taken every week!

I got connected with a coordinating nurse, Sarah, that periodically checked on me throughout the course of my 7 months of treatment. She sent me texts and emails with info about my therapy, she put me in touch with a pharmacist and a dietician. I mean, all the info that I wanted was provided. Dr. David was my oncologist and he was assisted by Sandy, his registrar, during my 4 months of chemo. Again, the attention and care were excellent and I always felt well taken care of.

I have to say that the best part was dealing with the nursing staff. Francesca, Lauren, and Karen in the Radiology department and all the nurses there were simply amazing. In the chemotherapy department, Jackie and Debbie were absolutely lovely and they were always funny and professional in their job. I struggle to remember all the names but It's indeed amazing the effort and the smiles they put on every day with all patients.

Nurses were absolutely the best part of this weird journey I had to go through.

I often bump into them on the street and they even stop and say hi outside of their workplace, proving to me that they do put the extra mile in what they do.

It was a tough journey mentally and sometimes physically, but I'm glad that I had the incredible support of the Prince of Wales Hospital and all the amazing nurses that I dealt with who work in there.