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Port Issue
Has anyone had issues with your port if you have one? Mine has always been in a bad spot but since I've lost weight it's much worse. It sits right on top of a bone so it's always been sensitive but now it actually feels like it's going to come out through my skin. It sticks way out and only has a thin layer of skin…
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Some good news...
Well, it turned out that Watchtower purchased the garden apartment complex where I moved dad and my brother 8 months ago. The complex had a month to month lease, so when we got the eviction notice. I inquired and was told the apartments are going to be used for Jehovah Witnesses, so they wanted everyone out. I did manage…
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OUR LION, CRAIG - UPDATE
Hello friends, I just spoke with Craig's wife, Kim, and she has asked me to inform our CSN friends that Craig will only be with us now for a very short time. If you'd like to say something to Craig, she has asked that you please post to Jen's post "How's Craig". Craig is unable to type, but he asks her to read everyone's…
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Moral Support
I've been working with a trainer to try to rebuild some strength and stamina and to deal with the neuropathy-induced balance issues because chemo is awesome yo. I am very ambitious, you see, and decided to try one of the balance stands before said trainer got to the gym this morning. I would hold onto the pole for support.…
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Burning/Metallic Sensation Like Injection For Scans
Got disconnected from pump for third session a couple of days ago. Not too terrible, some tingling, cold sensisivity etc. But something that has "sort of" been there is getting stronger. Not quite heart burn, but more like that feeling when you get the injection for a scan where you get the metallic taste/sort of…
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First Liver Resection
Hello All, Looking for advice, comments and random thoughts. Completing my 5th round of Folfoxiri this weekend. Avastin was stopped two weeks ago. Liver resection scheduled for two weeks from now. Last weeks CT scan showed tumor shrinkage, yay, I'm eligible for surgery. I am losing the entire left lobe as one tumor is…
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2nd dignoses with Colorectal Cancer
Hi I havent been on here very often anymore. Its been one thing after another. I had a CT and PET scan done, it showed to small lesions/tumors. So I went in for surgery and they removed both of them. They sent them off for testing. The results are one is inflammation and the second one is cancerous. They said they removed…
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Article
Not sure how many on here recieve a magazine called Cure. It's a magazine tailored to cancer patients/survivors and thier caretakers. It is published on a quarterly basis. Really a great magazine. Full of information on all types of cancers. Yah, I'm going somewhere with this. This issue has a awesome article on CRC called…
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Brother Passed Today
It is with a saddned heart that I'm letting you know that my brother passed today. Yesterday my older brother called very early morning and said the doctor had said to call the family in. Being out of town we were planning on today, but glad we made it in yesterday. His daughter just drove in from Texas but they said she…
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Can someone explain how the CEA numbers work?
In 2012 when I had the cancer come back after my first surgery, my CEA was 4.3. After my second surgery (cancer free) it was a 3.7, it then went to 3.5, then 3.8, then 3.7 and now 4.0. It's in the normal range which is 0-5.0 however when I had cancer I was at 4.3 so I don't get it. Should I be concerned that it is now at…
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Stage IV 6+ Years and Still NED
Had my semi-annual visit with my Onc yesterday. My CEA level indicates I'm still NED. I told my doctor I think I am cured and he agreed but said to be safe we should continue testing until year 10. He said after 7 years we can do CEA checks just anually. I haven't been visiting this site much anymore, but thought I better…
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Decoder Ring For Doctor Speak
I've been thinking a lot about what my doctors say, or don't say as the case more often is. I'm being treated at a cancer center, but for some reason all the doctors there seem terribly reluctant to discuss prognosis. Which seems strange considering that's probably one of the most important things to the patient. It's like…
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Clinical Trial Information - a Primer
** I posted this on Colon Club and am cross posting it here for everyone's information and benefit In this thread, I’d like to post some information about clinical trials in the US, based on my experience participating (as a lab rat) in two of them! Feel free to add to this. 1. Where to find trials…
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Grit and Determination
Hi friends, In a prevoius post I mentioned my dear friend who has ALS. This past weekend was her daughters wedding. I have never seen such an amazing example of grit and determination. My friend, bless her heart, managed to stand, using a walker and being held by her husband on one arm and her daughter on the other, and…
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Today is my 3 year cancerversary
I was diagnosed 3 years ago today stage IV Rectal cancer. I never thought I would still be alive. My twin boys were 14 and now they are 17 and graduating high school next month and starting college in a June. I have twin grand babies girls that are 10 months old and never thought I see grandchildren. I am happy to be NED…
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Question not for the faint of heart- colostomy
Ok, I have searched high and low and I can't seem to find anywhere the answer to my questions A) Does it bother anyone else when poop stays stuck to the top of your bag instead of going down into the bag? When I have this problem I push the poop down B) Does anyone else have days where they don't feel clean enough, like…
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Take a deep breath ...
A spam message I read today brought forth an old message thread from 2012. There were many messages in the thread ... but I am sharing this one from former board member Devotion10 that many old timers will remember. I have cut and pasted her message below because it is relevent to the journey of many here and I think it…
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Just an intro, been reading since 9/07, but finally want to talk
I was diagnosed IIIb in 9/07, resected at the sigmoid with 2 of 17 nodes, did folfox and kept working[cold water and 11/2 years of neuropathy the only drawbacks]. The ct at two years showed lesions, biopsy said negative, but year 3 scans lead to liver resec tion, then good until year 5 scan showed a 3.2cm met in sec.8 of…
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Targeted Therapy
I am from the anal cancer forum, but the anal tumor has been radiated away and so I reckon that I am now more or less in the same situation as you guys with mets to my lung (removed) and liver and lymph nodes, so I want to pose the same question as I posted there: Has anyone had targeted therapy and how did it go? My…
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New here, nervous,scared, have colon cancer
Just saying hi to the others here. Im new to a lot of this. Just had my resection surgery about 14 days ago. Feeling better than I was and thats a plus. But I still have a ways to go,chemo and all that. Trying to take it one day at a time. Its comforting to feel not so alone, but then again, its sad to think others are…
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Scans Coming Up - Updated 4/15/15
Guys, My annual scans are coming up next week. I have not had scans in a year soooo I have the usual gitters. I will keep you all posted. Update 4/15/15: All scans are clear, CEA is fantastic. No scans for another year, colonoscopy yearly, see Onc in 6 months. My Onc was so happy he kept shaking my hand. I am NED 3 years…
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Counseling and figuring out what is next
Hi all, I have been quiet lately. I guess I have been trying to figure out where my head is. I have been doing my cancer counseling and having a lot of emotional adjustments to make. Along with figuring out how to move forward is the guilt I feel for not being able to just move on. I have a dear friend who has ALS. I see…
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What do you call FOLFOX without the Oxaliplatin or Avastin?
I have completed 11 of 12 rounds of FOLFOX, sort of anyway..... I finally called a halt to the Oxaliplatin after two dose refuctions - neuropathy was getting to be more concerning. I can easily live with the neuropathy I have, but dont wanT more. My onc and surgeon called a halt to the Avastin, as they wanpt me off of it…
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How about some good news?
Doc called this morning and my scan was all clear! Now just gotta keep stringing them together, next one in 3 months. Thanks everybody for the moral support. I think about all of us when I'm in that tube, it helps me get through it. Now for a little celebration! Woo Hoo! Easyflip/Richard
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Life after cancer, the bathroom chronicles . . . .
I could write a book. Let's just say, I wish I had an extra pair of pants (I wore them home the last time this happened), I'm so glad my company has a back staircase and private bathroom and thank goodness someone has a space heater (I had to wash my pants out by hand) and I have a sense of humor. Yeahhhh cancer, yeahhhh…
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Scan results
iT is a mixed bag. The 2 ablation sites from December still look great, especially the liver so that is great news. There was a small spot below my lung that showed up in December then was not visible in January, is not visible again but larger so most likely a metastasis. My IR said that is easily ablatable, so more good…
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Colonoscopy question
Good evening everyone, I am finally having my colonoscopy next week and had a question about the bowel prep. I am taking the golytley solution and have read various opinions on it. My question is, can I add flavoring to it, like crystal light? I know it can't be anything red. I have read some people say definitely add…
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Happy Birthday Ron! (Ron50)
Another year has rolled around, Ron. We are so glad that you have rolled around with it. (Gosh! Doesn't that sound awful. But we deal with the nitty gritty of life and death here, so its normal) I hope you get to enjoy the good things in life today. Spoil yourself rotten, and know that we are thinking of you. (of course,…
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So Wrong, Butt...
Is it wrong that I totally want this? Then I can imagine the cute one (aka the good cells) (aka MINE) totally nomming the rotten cancer into oblivion. Nom nom nom... http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/cancer.html
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Wish me luck...
Scan tomorrow, so far 6 months NED since liver resection. Here we go again, fingers crossed!