Key Points:
- Round 2 has been similar overall to Round 1 – ie nothing debilitating, life-changing, or permanent - and back to normal day-to-day life by about day 7 (ie 4 days recovery after 3 days of chemo).
- Still about a dozen side effects, but the mix is different each time!
- I put my chemo side effects into 5 columns: – ‘Gone’, ‘Less’, ‘Same’, ‘Worse’, and ‘New’.
- The ‘Worse’ and ‘New’ side effects are the ones to watch because chemo is cumulative - the body doesn’t ‘get used it’. It builds up over time, and side effects can become permanent.
- So far, the whole cancer surgery/chemo journey has been much better than I had been expecting. Very lucky that I have been having a pretty good run compared to many or most chemo experiences.
- It is still early days yet, but so far so good!
- Once again a huge thank you for all the kind words of support and encouragement I have received from near and far. Very much appreciated!
This is a quick progress report on my cancer journey.
Recapping the story so far
In early December 2025 I received a positive bowel cancer screen out of the blue (ie no symptoms or any other indications); spent the rest of December doing tests, scans, colonoscopy, etc; had surgery in early January 2026 to remove left side of large intestine, plus appendix, lymph nodes, and surrounding tissues.
Post-op biopsies and tests confirmed ‘stage 3’ cancer, meaning it is at ‘advanced’ stage but ‘localised’ to the surrounding areas. There is a good chance the surgeon got all the cancer out in surgery, but still a chance of more cancer in there somewhere. Hence the program of 12 fortnights of chemotherapy starting late February 2026.
My story on Round 1 outlined my side effects – physical, mental, and weight. There were about a dozen side effects for me. Good news is that so far, none have been debilitating or life-changing or permanent, so I have been very lucky so far.
This first round of chemo had an additional complication – the catheter port insertion surgery was the day before chemo started, so that involved a little pain and awkwardness. More nuisance than problem.
Different mix of side effects each time
Overall, Round 2 has been similar to Round 1 – back to normal day-to-day life by about day 7 (ie 4 days recovery after 3 days of chemo), with minimal lingering side effects.
However, although the side effects in Round 2 were somewhat similar to Round 1, the big surprise for me was that the mix of side effects different.
I put my side effects of chemo into 5 columns: – ‘Gone’, ‘Less’, ‘Same’, ‘Worse’, and ‘New’. There are some in each column.
I think most of the side effects I had in Round 1 but were ‘Gone’ in Round 2 were due to the fact that in the first round I was still recovering from the catheter port insertion surgery the day before, and still recovering from the colorectal surgery in January.
The ‘Worse’ and ‘New’ side effects are the ones to watch because chemo is cumulative - the body doesn’t ‘get used it’. It builds up over time, and side effects can become permanent.
The main point of the table is not the actual side effects themselves (because every chemo experience is different for each person) but the fact that the mix of side effects has been different from round to round – for me anyway.
One important change I have noticed since the surgery and start of chemo is that I am now much more aware of what is going on in my body. It’s not like I can actually ‘feel’ each organ because most of the internal organs have no nerve endings. But I certainly have a much better sense of changes – physical and mental.
Overall
It’s a whole new experience for me, so I went into chemo prepared for the worst but hoping for the best. It has certainly been a lot less disruptive than I had been expecting. Maybe I have been lucky. Who knows?
It is still early days yet, but so far so good!
Please note that these are just my personal observations and experiences from a sample of one. Every patient is different, every cancer is different, and every chemo program is different. I have talked to several friends and relatives who have gone through their own cancer journeys and their ranges of experiences and side effects have been many and varied.
Finally - a huge thank you once again for all the kind words of support and encouragement I have received from near and far. Very much appreciated!
‘Till next time – safe investing and stay healthy!
See also:
- My Life in Weeks: 83% done, but there’s a nasty new twist this year. “Life’s like a box of chocolates. . .” (4-Jan-2026)
Experiences
Director/Principal, Owen Analytics Pty Ltd (current)
Investment Markets Research & Analytics, Portfolio Construction & Management, Corporate Finance, Venture Capital, M&A, and IPOs. Investment Committee membership, consulting to advice firms and financial institutions.
Co-founder & Regular Contributor, Firstlinks (current)
Co-founder of Australia's leading investment and superannuation newsletter and website for industry professionals and investors.
Non-exec Director, Third Link Investment Managers (current)
Leading Australian equities fund-of-funds that donates all management fees to Australian charities. The fund has donated in excess of $21m to a range of Australian chartities since inception in 2008.
Chief Investment Officer, Stanford Brown (past)
Responsible for managing over $2 billion AUM in multi-asset class portfolios and discretionary accounts at a privately-owned advice practice.
Director & Joint CEO at Philo Capital Advisers Pty Ltd (past)
Specialises in investment portfolio construction & management, multi-asset class asset allocation, and global macro strategies.
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