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Cancer sucks!
My brother was running a fever a couple of weeks ago and had black, tarry stools. My sister took him to the ER under the condition that they didn't admit him to the hospital. He decided that he doesn't want to be hospitalized anymore or have any major testing done. They ran tests but everything came back as they expected.…
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Update from Laz
Got my test results back and it's all good. My CEA is 2, but it's been always fluctuating around here and the oncologist says it's cool. Well what's is he gonna say? So I'm ok with it too. Worry never ends though. Will be 3 year NED in October. I come here every day to check on you and trying to support those who need it.…
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giddy
I am giddy with happiness. My daughter delivered our 9th (yes 9th!) grandchild on Sunday - Ezekiel Ross Barlow! Made all the more joyful because I feared I would not see my first and now have seen 9! Nine grandkids all under the age of 7. Too funny. best wishes, Rick
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CT Scan
What is a safe interval between ct scans?
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Three years NED and in the anger phase of healing... First steps a doozie
Glad to be alive but my quality of life is something I'm going to have to deal with and work on. It's very difficult to be this person at 46 years old. I was in my prime and I got catapulted into fast forward. I've started therapy about my body image and my physical limitations and my doctor wants me to go to physical…
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CEA
Hi everyone, I am new to this discussion board and happy to be here. I had colorectal surgery in 2014 and followed by several treatments of chemotherapy from March 2015 to July 2015 when it was interrupted because of damage it was doing to my body. A followup PET scan (7-17-15) came back with IMPRESSION: "There is no…
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Post cancer, how much do you check with your oncologist when something is wrong
I took my mom to church and was just sitting when suddenly it felt like a hot pin went through the back of my eye and then it felt like fireworks spanning out (the sensation branched out like fireworks in the sky). Then my eye went blurry. It lasted about a minute. The pain was pretty strong. It then stopped. I went to bed…
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Looking for colostomy advice
Hello. I had stage 3 colon cancer and underwent surgery to remove the tumor in Jan. (Did chemo/radiation prior) I was also given an ileostomy bag for 2 months then I had it reversed 13 weeks ago. Unfortunately, I have 30-60 bowel movements a day, every day, and my surgeon informed me that I would not improve due to a lack…
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The bond between cancer survivors is strong. That's why it's so hard when we lose each other
Some may find this post inappropriate, others may not. I thought it sums up (yet) another issue we all have to deal with. Photograph: Alamy ‘I’m constantly worried about losing the people who best empathize with me, and when I’m not worried about them, I’m expected to worry about strangers, or about the possibility of a…
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Robert's Obit
Mr. Robert Wayne Bunt, 57, of Talladega, passed away on July 1, 2016. He is survived by his wife, Angela Bunt; parents, Pat and George Frame; brothers, Rick Frame(Letha), Brady Bunt(Lynn); sisters, Christine Martin(Douglas), Donna Campbell; granddaughters, Caitlyn Bunt and Mya Nadolski; step son, Michael Nadolski(Yasmin);…
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The Last (?) New York Plan For Individuals For MSK Is Going Away (Oxford)
It was pretty much impossible to find a Plan that MSK accepts. All plans had to be through work - exchange plans and individual plans were not, even if ostensibly the same plan. The only exception was Oxford (United Health Care) which is now pulling out of individual health insurance in New York. I am really lucky in that…
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Roller Coaster - Hospice or Not...
Last Monday my mom called my dad's PCP because he decided to stop eating and drinking and was falling... this was right after we saw the oncologist the Thursday before. They put him in the hospital for failure to thrive. His PCP called my mom and I to speak privately. She suggested we stop all treatment and go on hospice.…
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Horrible Twist - Updates
Update: 7/8/16: This morning he has the port insertion surgery, next Thur chemo begins to get at those liver spots, 12 in all. This is more than I can comprehend at times. I though Jan 2017 would be my 5 year NED and cancer would leave my family - I was wrong. This sucks bigger than any word or phrase I can think of. Since…
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Foot Pain for no Reason
If I posted about this before, please tell me. You know, chemo brain and all that. I still have some neuropathy in my feet but is is lessening. Smetimes it feels like walking on bubble wrap, other times like they're asleep, always like they have something on them like a small sock or like I walked through mud and it dried…
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History of rectal cancer and no BM for 5 days
I was diagnosed 9 years ago with rectal cancer had chemo/radiation and a resection. My bowels have been a mess since then going to the bathroom many times a day. However recently things seem to have changed and now have not had a BM for 5 days which is crazy. Has anybody else ever had this happen? Trying not to freak but…
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Pet Scan Results for Mom
Hi Everyone, it's been a while since I've posted. My mom just had her PET scan done and the results said that everything significantly decreased in size. I started crying from happiness because I haven't missed one appointment with her and I've been there along the way with the rest of my family. She's had 6 rounds of…
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Radiation necessity and Maintenance Medication
My mom who is in stage 4 with mets to liver and lung, is continuing her chemo treatments. She's had 7 out of the 12 done so far. My question is about radiation. Is radiation not suggested or needed if the cancer has spread? That's what I've been told and wanted any input on your experiences. She is to take maintenance…
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Update on Robert
Robert was admitted to the hospital again last week for confusion and disorientation. They found sepsis and high ammonia levels. A couple of days in ICU and he was brought to a regular room and treated for infection and ammonia level. He has been on a steady decline the past few days. His liver is failing and he is not…
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Moving to Irinotecan (So scared). Please any experiences with Irinotecan?
Good morning We had bad news yesterday. It seems there are new met spots in the liver and we are moving fro FOLFOX to FOLFIRI. From Oxaliplatin to Irinotecan. We were able to cope with Oxaliplatin side effects easyly. No big side effects, but I wonder if it will be the same with Irinotecan. I read teh web and it seems it…
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Chemoradiation before surgery
Hello Everyone, I am new to this site and also new to colorectal cancer. My husband, 48 yo, was just diagnosed with Stage III Rectal Cancer. He then started radiation + chemo 5FU (low dosage) for 5 1/2 weeks to make the tumor shrink before they do surgery. It has been almost 3 weeks now, but he has reaction from chemo…
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Lesson Learned (I was going to title it Once Upon a Time)
I kind of fell down on the job last year. I tend to get on soapboxes and talk about the benefits and need to stay actively engaged in one's treatment and to make sure the healthcare provider does the same. Never assume that whoever is providing treatment is dotting all i's and crossing all t's. Ask questions of the…
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A Total 180 from Last Week
Has anybody at first thought - yeah hospice is a good idea and then a week later flip out and say you're pissed that the doctor didn't give you more options? That happened with my dad. At first he was accepting, almost at peace, now he's pissed that his doctors didn't try harder. I told him you talked to one doctor who…
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Petscan lit up but can't find spot with scans
I am a stage 4 survivor. I have had a couple of recurrences and each time my CEA has been a good indicator. I've been NED for 3 years. During a routine check up my ct scan was clear but my CEA raised from 1.9 to 4.9. I had a petscan which had one spot light up on my abdomen with an uptake value of 5.1. I then had an…
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Mom with cancer - question about kids
Hi everyone - I'm new here, this is my 1st post. I am 41 with 2 kids (ages 11 & 13) I have Stage 4 Colon Cancer which has spread to my liver and lymph nodes. I am told I am terminal, but going to fight as hard as I can anyway. My first 'set' of chemo has been cut to 60% for my 6th cycle this week. It will might be my last…
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pinched nerve?
Hey everyone! I finished chemo in January - oxaliplatin and xeloda, 8 rounds - and I was wondering if any of you have experienced pinched nerves in your lower right or left side of your back/hip. I have had sciatica problems before, on both sides, and the pain also shoots down my leg in those cases. About 3 weeks ago - i…
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Heard back from Hallwang
Sent them my medical records, and they responded with a tentative plan of treatment. It includes Removab, DC vaccine, and chemo-embolization for the liver, which is very similar to what they are doing for Pete. They also recommended additional genetic testing of my tumor(s), as well as some immunu-boosting therapies. All…
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Cancer and Pets
We have three dogs. Chloe is our oldest dog at 8 years old. She's had some bigger skin tags on her tummy for some time. In November I had them checked at the vet's and they came up as non cancerous. This morning one of them came off, no idea how, and was bleeding all over the place. Got her into the vet and it turns out…
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Horrible Twist
I have been on this site a few years updating all at times - I am NED 4 1/2 years. Just living life. Was able to see my daughters graduate through Masters programs and my older daughter married this past Nov. I am doing well, clean everything, great CEA's. My new son in law was having some symptoms, including bleeding and…
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Help for FIL chemo side effects
Hello everyone and I certainly wish I could meet you all under better circumstances, that's not possible at this time. My wonderful FIL was diagnosed with peritoneal carcinomatosis in February. Very scary to say the least. He opted for the Folfox protocol with Avastin and had his first treatment yesterday. It is not well.…
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Good Update
He's eating and drinking again. He's even cooking dinner on his own. His leg strength is coming back and so is his cognitive function. He declined hospice because he's feeling better and less weak (his decision, not ours). His doctor was shocked when she saw him this week and found he had stopped losing weight and was on…