It was quite a surprise and just a few hours after the euphoria of beating Man city. For once football results were irrelevant. To be given the news of a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming and I could write an essay of what was going through my mind at the time. A physical problem became a mental challenge. I was not angry and now totally at peace and not looking for sympathy.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and I was under the knife and currently hopeful of full recovery. Glad I am in good shape and not overweight. Further medical activity ahead so still a way to go.
I know some posters have disclosed significant health issues in a few threads and thought this subject may deserve a dedicated thread.
I can assure you the football results are now very relevant again.
I’m so sorry to read this and from experience I can say that the most important thing is to stay positive. However, this is easier said than done I know. I wish you all the best and lots of strength. YNWA
Thanks everyone. I will be right in a few weeks…very lucky with the quality medical facilities in Australia. @Bekloppt yes I just did the free bowel test that comes to everyone from age 45. Thought it would be routine. It looks like they got it all early so happy days.
And @cynicaloldgit you have not helped. Laughing at your posts was not good after bowel surgery.
Glad that you are on the mend. I had the same test last autumn and, thankful, everything was fine.
The only thing I would add is to get these tests if they are available. Often it is just a case of returning a stool sample bottle that the health service sends you. OK, that’s a bit icky, but just think of the poor bastards that have to test them!
I used to do the data side for NHS Scotland, and the survival rates if caught early are very good (which is why they are screened for.) The tests should be sent automatically for over 50s (I think it’s similar in England) but you need to be registered with a GP at your current address.
I was diagnosed with kidney cancer on December 27th in 2023. A fine xmas surprise
It was diagnosed because the whole year before I had the feeling that something is “strange” in the area of my ribs. No pain until the end of the year. But then sneezing and coughing suddendly felt like someone sticking a knife in my chest. Only then I went to my doc who at first couldn’t figure out what it was. A ct the brought certainty : the ribs and other parts of the skeleton full of metastases and a tumor in the right kidney. Felt like Alien part 1 : a mother and her many children inside…
Then surgery and therapy. As the glass has always been half empty for me it didn’t put me into depression and the astonishing thing is that except for maybe two or three days since then I never really had psychological problems. Finding out that all my supposed friends really are friends was an unexpected but wonderful side effect. Life has changed a lot since the diagnosis - but not the importance of how LFC does, this “parallel world” of football provided constant joy and excitement. ( well, most of the time anyway depending on our performances )
My whole life I have been very shy of giving advice to others and only ever did it when I was asked for. But one thing I would definitely do now if I could turn back time is to find out much sooner what was really going on when I had this feeling of something being “strange” or not normal. So - to contradict myself - I would give the advice to really pay attention to the signal your body sends. I have never been a hypochondriac and never will end up being one but in my case the attitude of “ah, fuck it, no pain so it will work out” did cost me almost a year.
May your hearts be filled with loving kindness
May you be safe from dangers inside and out
May you be healthy of body and mind
May you be at peace and happy
@Rooster and @StanSB
You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Feel free to talk more about it here if you want to. There are many listening ears.
For me, being in the middle of the autumn of my life, I’ve been lucky with no major health issues, just little niggles now and again. Never been warded for illness, only tests.
However, in recent years plenty of my longtime acquaintances, some almost lifelong, had been falling like tenpins.
Frequency of going to their makers is at least one a month, with 3 within 3 weeks in December (2 succummed to cancer). In addition, many are in and out of hospitals, for chronic illnesses and surgery.
But that’s life. Some are more fortunate, others not so much. We have to take what is dished out to us, for better or for worse.
To everyone here, good health and take care.
