Update on Surgery

walterta
walterta Member Posts: 31
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Just wanted to update on my status. My surgery on the 6th went very well, it ended up that they had to remove my whole kidney and took part of my large and small intestine. Still having some pain but each day is getting better and better. It ended up that this was an reoccurance of my appendix cancer that seeded just below my kidney. I go on Monday to my cancer doctor to find out what is next, I keep thinking I should of had some kind of treatment after my surgery two years ago when I had to have part of my colon removed, perhaps none of this would have happened if I had received treatment. I was never given the choice, I did change to a new cancer doctor. I am alittle scared, if I will receive chemo treatments I don't know what to expect, all the people I have ever known to have those treatments did not have good experiences with it. I am very thankful to God that the cancer has been removed, I just pray there will not be another reoccurance, I am only 30 years old and feel like I have been through so much already. I am so thankful to have all of you there for support, it is nice to have people who can relate to your situation, so many times my family and friends try to tell it will be okay but they don't understand how upsetting it is to have cancer, and no matter how many times it comes back it is not any easier. Thank you everyone for your support and I just wanted to update you on the outcome of the sugery. I will let you know how Monday goes. Thanks.

Comments

  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #2
    I am glad you have done so
    I am glad you have done so well since surgery. I am really sorry you have to deal with this, especially at such a young age. With regards to chemo, everyone has a different experience, + of course it depends on what chemo you are on. I have been on chemo for a long time (I wasn't able to have colon surgery) + for the most part it has been manageable. I really appreciate your updating us, + wish you the best of luck with your appointment.
  • walterta
    walterta Member Posts: 31
    #3
    AnneCan said:

    I am glad you have done so
    I am glad you have done so well since surgery. I am really sorry you have to deal with this, especially at such a young age. With regards to chemo, everyone has a different experience, + of course it depends on what chemo you are on. I have been on chemo for a long time (I wasn't able to have colon surgery) + for the most part it has been manageable. I really appreciate your updating us, + wish you the best of luck with your appointment.

    Thank you for the
    Thank you for the encouragement. I think I may be receiving a low dose of chemo just as a precuation to be sure there is not any trace of the cancer left. I will know more at my appointment tomorrow. Best of luck to you as well.
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #4
    Surgery
    You're so darn young, damn it. Any rate, I'm glad your surgery is over with, it sounds like quite a surgery, and thank goodness for that second kidney, although I'm sure that doesn't make you feel any better.
    The chemo, really, when it comes down to it, isn't so bad if it's keeping those cancer cells away.
    Let us know how Monday goes.
    Winter Marie
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #5
    As for chemo
    I did not have chemo, but you should not let others experience influence your decision.

    If you feel that chemo is what you should do to prevent a recurrance and your doctor agrees then go for it.

    One of the most important things to remember with that type of treatment is to let your onc or onc nurse know any and all symptoms you may have from the treatment. They do have medications which can help with quite a few of them.

    Glad you posted and be sure to let us know how your appointment goes.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375
    #6
    Glad your surgery is over
    Hey Walterta,

    I'm sorry but I must have missed your other posts (or haven't gotten to them yet).... welcome to our little gang of club members. It's too bad you have to join the club under these circumstances but hey, as far as clubs go, it's not too shabby :)

    I'm so glad to hear your surgery is behind you but now, if you find yourself feeling frustrated, or angry, or even just downright sorry for yourself, guess what? You have every right to! No one said this battle with cancer was going to be easy and it certainly isn't fair!! I think the fact that you are so young and have been through so much already, works in your favour. Your youth and energy (even if you feel you don't have a lot at times) is probably what is working so well for you. Which does not, by any stretch of the imagination, give cancer any right for hitting you so young!

    Anywho... you just make yourself at home here and know that we all come in different ages, shapes and sizes... and no matter how old or how young we are, we all go through the same fears, terrors, frustrations and angers. Some of us may "sound" like we are at peace and calm with our lot in life (darn, we all are such good actors!! ) but in reality, as you have probably noticed you go through periods where life sucks and cancer sucks and pretty much everything around you sucks... then other times cancer doesn't get top billing and you actually feel quite good, life isn't all that bad and all these neat things happen to make you so happy that you are alive and healthy enough to enjoy everything around you. It's when things are going good like that it is very easy to appear calm on the outside... but we all are always waiting for the other shoe to drop and then we start the battle all over again :)

    Hey... don't worry too much about the chemo. For the most part, a lot of the chemos are quite tolerable. The ones that are a little on the rough side are usually rough for a couple of days of each session... but by no means will you be down and out the whole time you are on treatments. Also, if you find you are having symptoms... be it nausea, or diahrrea, or headaches or body aches/joint aches, etc. as long as you speak up and tell your oncologist exactly what you are going through, for how long and on a scale of 1-10, how bad is it affecting you... chances are your oncologist will be able to prescribe something to combat the side affects.

    The worst one for me was when I was on the chemo combo called FOLFOX. The Oxipilation that was one of the chemos caused this incredible sensitivity to cold. Not only could my skin not be exposed to anything cooler than room temperature, the darn stuff did end up causing severe neuropathy in my legs/feet... and there was nothing to combat it. We finally did stop that chemo after 10 rounds and for most people, the neuropathy will leave once you stop treatment... lucky me, that didn't happen. But that only happens to a small percentage of people, so don't let stories deter you... there's a good chance you won't have the same side affects anyways :D I also think, if you've built up this fear that chemo is going to be awful, you might be pleasantly surprised that it is no where near as bad as your imagination ;)

    So hang in there... and keep posting and letting us know how you are doing and what your oncologist suggests for you :)

    Cheryl
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    CherylHutch said:

    Glad your surgery is over
    Hey Walterta,

    I'm sorry but I must have missed your other posts (or haven't gotten to them yet).... welcome to our little gang of club members. It's too bad you have to join the club under these circumstances but hey, as far as clubs go, it's not too shabby :)

    I'm so glad to hear your surgery is behind you but now, if you find yourself feeling frustrated, or angry, or even just downright sorry for yourself, guess what? You have every right to! No one said this battle with cancer was going to be easy and it certainly isn't fair!! I think the fact that you are so young and have been through so much already, works in your favour. Your youth and energy (even if you feel you don't have a lot at times) is probably what is working so well for you. Which does not, by any stretch of the imagination, give cancer any right for hitting you so young!

    Anywho... you just make yourself at home here and know that we all come in different ages, shapes and sizes... and no matter how old or how young we are, we all go through the same fears, terrors, frustrations and angers. Some of us may "sound" like we are at peace and calm with our lot in life (darn, we all are such good actors!! ) but in reality, as you have probably noticed you go through periods where life sucks and cancer sucks and pretty much everything around you sucks... then other times cancer doesn't get top billing and you actually feel quite good, life isn't all that bad and all these neat things happen to make you so happy that you are alive and healthy enough to enjoy everything around you. It's when things are going good like that it is very easy to appear calm on the outside... but we all are always waiting for the other shoe to drop and then we start the battle all over again :)

    Hey... don't worry too much about the chemo. For the most part, a lot of the chemos are quite tolerable. The ones that are a little on the rough side are usually rough for a couple of days of each session... but by no means will you be down and out the whole time you are on treatments. Also, if you find you are having symptoms... be it nausea, or diahrrea, or headaches or body aches/joint aches, etc. as long as you speak up and tell your oncologist exactly what you are going through, for how long and on a scale of 1-10, how bad is it affecting you... chances are your oncologist will be able to prescribe something to combat the side affects.

    The worst one for me was when I was on the chemo combo called FOLFOX. The Oxipilation that was one of the chemos caused this incredible sensitivity to cold. Not only could my skin not be exposed to anything cooler than room temperature, the darn stuff did end up causing severe neuropathy in my legs/feet... and there was nothing to combat it. We finally did stop that chemo after 10 rounds and for most people, the neuropathy will leave once you stop treatment... lucky me, that didn't happen. But that only happens to a small percentage of people, so don't let stories deter you... there's a good chance you won't have the same side affects anyways :D I also think, if you've built up this fear that chemo is going to be awful, you might be pleasantly surprised that it is no where near as bad as your imagination ;)

    So hang in there... and keep posting and letting us know how you are doing and what your oncologist suggests for you :)

    Cheryl

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • walterta
    walterta Member Posts: 31
    #8
    Update on on Appointment
    Well it is now official I will be having 6 months of chemo and radiation treatments. I will go on Monday to get a port put in to receive the treatments through. I was advised that I may lose my hair which is depressing. They informed me because of the rare cancer type I had that my surgeon took my case in front of the medical board so that a decision could be made as to what to do next. I am trying to be very strong but I am scared about the treatments, I will find out more next Tuesday on what to expect. I know the treatments will be aggressive and I know that they are necessary. Thank you all for your continued support.

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