first post . . . . . stage IV, one year, 24 chemos and still going strong!!

Greetings Fellow CC Survivors!

Thought it was time I introduced myself as I have been 'lurking' for a while now.

My story:

On July 7, 2010 I went to the hospital first thing in the morning with a very sore shoulder - thought maybe some pain meds were in order - by 5:00pm they had finished doing more tests than I can remember and told me I had cancer somewhere in my abdomen (not sure exactly where) and that it had spread to my liver. The pain was referred pain. Over the next few weeks I was told it was colon cancer with so many mets in the liver I would never be able to have surgery and had about 2.2 years - the onc assured me they would be a good years?!? (WTF??? Do I have an expiry date stamped on my backside that I am not aware of?!)

I had a lot of diarrrea (gotta check spelling on that!) and blood loss about a week before chemo started and I could barely walk from one room to another I was so weak. When I called my onc nurse she said not to worry, I was just weak from the diarrea. Had my first chemo on Aug. 5 - big allergic reaction followed by huge amounts of steroids and benadryl. Ended up in Emrg for the night getting 3 units of blood. Registered a complaint against the onc nurse.

Shortly after this mess I decided I better take my healthcare into my own hands - my organizated, elementary teacher voice woke up. Started seeing an Onc Social Worker every two weeks, found a Naturopathic Doctor and started reading everything I could find. After my 10th chemo I fired my oncologist and worked with the hospital to find one that would support my alternative treatment ideas and one who was quite a bit more positive.

Since my diagnosis I have moved in with my boyfriend, gotten married and sold (with much heartache) my beautiful little home nestled in the woods on 2 acres of property. I am now well on my way to redecorating our place and have spent most of the spring and summer overseeing landscaping and working in our new gardens. I have also worked up to walking about 4-5 km a day on the treadmill with 3lb weights in my hands and started yoga, which I do twice a week. I have purchased a mini-trampoline to do rebounding every day.

I am on Irinotecan and 5-FU home infusion for 46 hrs - on a 2 week cycle (start each treatment with steroids and bendryl; was on Avastin for 10 rounds but taken off due to bleeding. I started taking Neulasta after chemo 12. So far, each CT scan shows shrinkage.

Other stuff I take: Venlafaxine (thank heavens for this little happy pill!!!); Vitamin D 3000IU; Salmon Oil 600mg; a multivitamin; B12 1000mcg; B6 100mg; milk thistle (not during chemo) 1500mg; probiotics; fractionated pectin powder and Ave Ultra.

Enough rambling for now . . . . promise I will try to be shorter in the future.