December 2025
First week in December I was rushed into hospital because I suddenly became bed bound.
It started when I got a sudden sharp pain on the left side of my lower back. And quickly the pain spread around my lower back.
I was also severely constipated.
We were really worried that this was the onset of spinal chord compression and after a day in bed decided to ring NHS emergency and was taken by ambulance to Dorchester hospital.
I spent two days in A&E in Dorchester where I had a bone-scan. When told the results they said no evidence of Spinal Chord Compression. However on the second day I was suddenly told that I needed to have an MRI scan.
And a short while afterwards I was told I was being transferred to Poole Hospital, an hour's journey away..
At Poole, I was suddenly dropped into a very busy ward and had no idea what was going on.
I was given little information about the MRI scan. And also had huge problems because my constipation was full on and I couldn’t relieve myself in bed.
Finally someone came and explained what was going on.
It turned out the cancer in my lower spine had started to eat away at my vertebrae causing spinal compression. There was a huge danger of it leading to paralysis.
And I needed to have emergency Radiotherapy treatments.
5 sessions, one each day for the next 5 days.
I actually found the treatments relaxing and the staff were great.
At the same time I asked to have an enema and my constipation eased.
And I started to relax into the idea of staying in the hospital for 5 days.
Until I was suddenly told I was being sent home because my bed was needed.
And chaos erupted.
If they sent me home, transport would have to be arranged to take me to Poole and back everyday (over 2 hours in an ambulance each time).
Massive stress erupted with my wife having to ring around to arrange transport.
Eventually it was decided that I was to go home but the Radiology treatments could be done in Dorchester just half an hour away.
I was also given some drugs to take including steroids.
Back home with the treatments now done.
The radiotherapy treatments seem to have reduced the pressure on my back and radically reduced the pain.
However I am lacking energy and staying in bed a lot.
And having problem with sleeping so went to see local GP
And he prescribed a short course of sleeping tablets.
When talking to the GP I mentioned that every now and then I feel pressure in other parts of my back rising upwards.
He looked at my medical records and saw that I have only ever had one bone scan, which was nearly 2 years ago - March 2024.
In a week's time I will be seeing my cancer consultant and will be asking to get a new bone scan.
Despite the chaos and stress I feel incredibly lucky.
Without the radiotherapy I could be paralysed.
At the same time I have this inner feeling that my life has changed.
A start of something new.
I am expecting to be told, once I get to have the bone scan, that the cancer will continue growing in other parts of my spine. And within that the word terminal will become more prominent in my daily life.
Putting that thought aside, I am also feeling a new sense of openness and light.
It’s like a hidden door, which has been shut all my life is opening up.
And inside there is a new world to explore.