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Insurance companies are ridiculous
in my last post I had said my husband's CEA has crept up from 1.34 to 4.88. He is stage 4 with a liver resection for two mets last October. MRI in May showed an 8mm non specific enhancing nodule at the hepatic flexure adjacent and inferior to the resection margin. Onc ordered a PET insurance denies it saying there is not…
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A Much Needed Update
I've been on this site for a while. I think that Ron50 might be the record-holder and Jeff isn't too far behind. I know there are some others but I can't recall who at the monent. It's not a contest but more of a sign of hope for newbies and oldbies alike. One can survice colon cancer or in my case, live with it. I realize…
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Survivor Guilt
I remember someone on here talking about how some of the members on here got better and were NED and haven't been on since. I thought 'good for them'. But it would still be nice to hear about their stories. I've been in this battle for coming up on two years. My brother was diagnosed with esophageal cancer five months…
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My husbands cancer is back again
I am so confused as to how to go forward, he was stage 3 at diagnosis (2010) and had surgery to remove part of his colon and the affected lymph nodes. The surgeon assured him he got it all and because he was so scared of the chemo he didn't do it. 5 years later after a creeping cea his pet scan showed 2 mets on his liver.…
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Owweeeee it hurts to pee---radiation side effext
Hi folks, just wondering if anyone has experienced this and maybe has some remedy. I have had 16 radiation treatments for rectal cancer, and just a few days ago the burning while urinating started to get a little worse. It probably starrted around the 12th treatment, and the docs know about it. They did test my urine, as I…
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Hello everybody newbie here.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for letting me know that I am not the only one going through this journey. I have been looking at some of the posts before joining CSN. And all I have seen is alot of caring and sharing. Again THANK YOU for being there.
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New here, but not new to cancer.
My husband has Stage 4 colon cancer with extensive mets to liver and lungs. He had resection of the primary tumor in April and began chemo in May. his treatment is palliative, but so far his response to chemo is good. He is feeling pretty good and side effects are less than what most people experience. I am a long-term…
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Thank you all so much for welcoming me!
Hi everyone, thank you all so much for replying to my post about going this alone. I was really amazed at the number of replies, and the compassionate responses. You all gave me a much greater understanding of what it is like to go through this, and the struggles we all face with the people around us. I know for sure I…
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Question about positioning for radiation therapy
I went yesterday for the simulation in preparation to receiving radiation therapy. We did this earlier, in May, with me in a prone position in prep for neoadjuvant chemoradiation to treat a low rectal tumor, but then found out via PET scan that I was stage 4 with a 1.5 cm lesion in the liver, and we went with 8 rounds of…
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Struggling alone
Hi folks, i am wondering if anyone else has experienced what I am going through. I was diagnosed stage II rectal cancer August 2015. I told a few supposedly close friends, and I guess I am learning a valuable lesson in that. I am pretty much the independent, giving type. Since being diagnosed I have been pretty much alone.…
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16 months post chemo today!
I am focusing on the positive today. 16 months ago today I ended my 2nd round of chemo (12 sessions) following a recurrence. For the last 16 months I have been given the gift of life, not free of the emotional aspects of cancer but at least the physical ones and treatment. My next tests are in January. I have no idea what…
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Newly Diagnosed
Hi, I am 38 and was recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer. A 4cm mass was found in my sigmoid colon. My surgery is booked for July 29th. Been waiting for a month to get this tumor out of me. My blood work and CT scan all came back normal which was somewhat of a relief. I'm freaking out as I have never been put under…
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A new treatment on the horizon
I found this article interesting. It is on the BBC website, so a safe link to open. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34667804 Sue - Trubrit
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Hello All
I haven't been on here since my husband passed away in August of 2014. I am happy to see so many of the people i used to speak to on here, still on here and doing well. And i am also sad to see a few that have passed. The loss of my husband is still very hard for me, i have gone from a wife, mother and caregiver to just…
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Back to one day, hour, minute....
Hi everyone, For the last few months I have been making real headway in dealing with my cancer related PTSD and triggers. As I have mentioned before, while in Costa Rica recently, for a month I managed to let it all go and some days never even thought about it. Since coming back I have been working diligently to keep my…
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bad taste in my mouth
I get folfox infulsions on Thursdays, so the pump comes off on Saturday. Saturday and Sunday are the bad days. Monday and Tuesday I am still feeling generally yucky for lack of a better word. My mouth, soft palate and nose feel funny. There is a bad taste in my mouth and I feel like I can still smell the medicine. I hate…
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Laz' 2 Year NED!
Yesterday 2 years when they removed my 5x4cm rectal cancer with clear margins. So that is the day I was considered NED. Life has been pretty good: I went back to work over a year ago, I love my work and keep doing the teaching business I started while sitting at home during chemo. Physically and financially I recovered…
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Happy Halloween
Someone who I recently "met" created this Halloween PSA for her neighbors
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18 Months celebration
Today I am 18 months NED. I have found myself a little treat (OK, its a braclet, and maybe a little more than I should be spending, but...) to celebrate; BUT, I can't bring myself to buy it yet, because I am getting my CEA checked and get my results on the 2nd Nov, and then, when all is well, I will purchase my celebration…
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Where we are...
Well, the SBRT did it's thing for the tumor that we have been fighting for almost five years; that's the good news. The bad news is that there are two new small tumors in the liver and one in his lung. We geared up for chemo, showed up and was denied because of low platelets. Waited to see if they would come up (possible…
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Here we go again :)
I'll be starting chemo again next week (Folfiri + Avastin). I sure did miss the 5FU pump, so we'll be getting aquainted again. A plus is that I've gotten to quit Vectibix since I had four lymph nodes blow up to 4cm while I was on it. I'm looking forward to getting rid of the acne like rash from my scalp, face, chest and…
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Hello! My name is Summer and I have colon cancer.
Hi everyone! My name is Summer. I am 39 and a mother to twin 3 year-old girls. I was diagnosed this weekend with stage IIIc colon cancer. CT scan of liver looks clean. Have not had PET or lung imaging yet. I had a laparotomy right partial colectomy for a cecal mass that was causing obstruction, so I am currently recovering…
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Surgery after mets?
My husband Tim is doing chemo right now, in a couple of months he will get scanned to see if the chemo is working shrinking the rectal tumor and hopefully shrinking the mets in the lungs. Is it true that you need to surgically remove the main tumor first before you can address cutting out any mets?
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Resurrected port post just caused a bucket of tears
An entire bucket.
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Surgery not doable to fix the problems I've been having with prolapse (ostomy related, not cancer re
Hi all, So I went to two surgeons and both said the same thing, if they take out the uterus, which has now fallen where the rectum would be (pretty much I'm practically sitting on it and it is very painful), I'd then have to get a mesh implant, worry about a fistula and also get artificial support for my other organs. My…
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Louswift? Anyone ever hear anything? Just wondering.
Louswift? Anyone ever hear anything? Just wondering.
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10 year cancerversery
Well today is officially 10 years since I was diagnosed with stave IV colon cancer. It has definitely been a journey and a roller coaster ride. I know I am using clichés but when I reflect on the past 10 years it is soooooo true. At least for me anyway.
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results of colonosopy
my husband was having blood in his stool. We just got back from getting a colonoscopy and they found a mass over 50 mm 2 cm from anal verge(reading the report) the doc says he biopisied it and will take 3 days. He says he thinks it might be cancer. if it is I want my husband to be a survivor . Thank you for allowing me to…
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MRI and Robotic for Rectal
Dear All, I would like to hear from anyone who had Robotic surgery for rectal cancer. My husband (stage 3 with lymph node involvement) will finish his 6 weeks chemoradiation next week. We spoke to 3 surgeons. The 1st doctor wants to do open surgery with incission starting from belly down. The 2nd and 3td doctor want to…
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First PET scan
Hi everyone, I'm getting my first PET scan on Thursday. I've had several CT scans. I finished 12 rounds of chemo a month ago. Now having achiness in my liver so I'm headed for the scan. Can those who have had both tell me if the PET is equally or more effective/accurate than a CT? Any other thoughts? Thanks, Andrea