Bonnie’s Story

“I had some bleeding but that wasn’t the main reason I went to my Doctor. I had a constant cough – for a couple of years – that just wouldn’t go away. My first Dr retired and my new Dr said he doesn’t like that I am a mystery as none of the treatments had helped at all. I was also anaemic which I put down to the heavy periods I had had prior to going into menopause. He sent me for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. Fun times. This was in December 2022, just a few days after my 58th birthday.

After they did the scope, they called me and my husband in to talk to the specialist and told me that I had cancer of the colon and would require surgery and possible chemotherapy. Well, I was first in such shock I said nothing …. And then the tears just flowed. I was devastated because in my mind cancer was a death sentence. Which of course it wasn’t because I am still here, alive and kicking. After my surgery where they removed 30cm of my colon, I had to be rushed back in the next day because the drain had kinked and was causing unbearable pain. Then once I had healed up, I had to go for chemo. My chemo started in April 2023 and ended in July 2023. The original chemo didn’t agree with me at all, so they changed my treatment to the chemo where you have chemo at the hospital and then go home with your little bottle of meds connected to the PICC line in your arm. I had a wonderful cancer nurse, Carolyn, who came to my house weekly to clean it and apply a new dressing.

I ended up in the ED a couple of times and had to be admitted. Spending a couple of weeks in hospital too.

I had no appetite during the chemo because it made me so nauseous, so I lost about 15kgs (which for me wasn’t a bad thing )

The side effects have stayed though. I still have numbness in my fingers and toes and along my inner knee area which they say may never go away. Small price to pay for life though.

How has bowel cancer impacted you and your family’s life?

It has made me so grateful for the life I have and can continue to enjoy with my wonderful family. They were an amazing support system through it all. My husband cooked and cleaned and did pretty much everything for me. My daughter, son-in-law and grandson were amazing too. Please get checked up even if you feel your symptoms are not serious. If my Dr hadn’t sent me for the tests, I would still have been clueless and the cancer would have spread without me knowing. As awful as the treatment was, I can’t thank the staff in the cancer departments of both Wellington Hospital and Lower Hutt hospital enough. They all treated me with such compassion and kindness. I couldn’t have asked for better – especially with all the pressure they are under being so short staffed. Not once was I made to feel like I was a problem and I ended up in hospital a few times throughout my treatment. I am so grateful for the health care I received; it was such a blessing.

My last visit to the Dr was in February this year and I was given the all-clear so now I just have to go for regular blood tests as arranged by the cancer department.

Life is good!”