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The most difficult decision I will ever make
I have pretty much 5-6 days to make a decision about my treatment going forward. I have spent many hours and days researching and speaking to many people about a variety of issues related to my specific diagnoses. Thinking and obsessiving a lot. The particular compromising challenge for me is that I am mentally ill. I…
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Chemo and nausea?
I'm wondering how many people experienced nausea with their chemo and which chemo caused it? I've had nausea several times but not associated with my chemo. I've had lack of appetite with it but not nausea. I'm wondering because sometimes people worry about that and I don't think it's typical but maybe I'm wrong and just…
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Port or Picc?
I've been having problems with not absorbing magnesium. My onc says it's due to the chemo and is not uncommon. They've been giving me additional magnesium by IV right after the chemo every two weeks. This last time my magnesium got so low that they're calling it critical and had paramedice cme by the house this morning to…
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Luteolin
Luteolin (not to be confused with Lutein) seems to me to be one of the lesser known flavonoids and dietary supplements (available from Swansons). I have been taking it for a couple of months. The results summarized in this study are preliminary but intruiging. link (then click download PDF) Many food-derived phytochemicals…
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Just needing support! Inoperable and not curable!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted. It’s been a crazy rough few months! To summarize our story, here it goes. Husband diagnosed in Oct 2017 with cancer in sigmoid, originally thought stage 3b, but quickly learned stage 4. Mets to liver and a question mark for the lungs with multiple nodules there. Fast forward to now…
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10 Years already...
Officially 10 years NED as of today. I wanted to post my story for those new to the board. When I was first diagnosed all I wanted to read were survival stories. I knew that it didn't necessarily mean I would survive long-term but the possibility and knowing that others had was so important to me. I would say that now I…
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Maintenance
Is this scheduled maintenance past or is the date wrong. Just wondered if I'm reading it wrong or why it's still posted. Maybe this was up yesterday and just missed it. Kim
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Houston we have a problem
For my husband to complain about anything, we have a problem! The last few nights, he has hardly slept at all. His pain post the procedure is worsening. Funny when he eats, it seems to get slightly better. We are trying to reach his doctor to no avail the nurse promised she would get word to him...but we are on standby.…
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Waiting to get next scan March 15th
Hi all, If it seems like I only pop in occasionally, you are right. It's just too tough for me. I apologize for not coming here more often and offering my support. I feel like I'm treading water and just barely keeping my head from going under. Obviously it's depression. However, I still feel like I am recouperating from…
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Manapart
I'm sure that you had your oncologist appointment today and wondered how it went. Hoping that you discussed your PTSD and other issues you were dealing with. I'm hoping that you got some answers. Just let us know when you get a chance. Kim
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Colon cancer stage IV
Hi all, I am the caregiver to my wife who is dignoased as stage IV colon cancer in June 2018. Joined this group and couple of days later, this site crashed...lol. Anyway, she will be taking her last Xeloda pills tomorrow. Can we claim this as the last day of chemo? Her last CEA reading before the start of this last cycle…
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Hi hopefully your all doing OK Smile
I recently had a major Pancreatitis attack,, They were dumbfounded of the cause and assume its the cancer that is all throughout my abdomen.,, Now Im on a no fat diet between that and the 35mg of pain meds I take.. I was told before the cancer feeds off your food intake,, so Im getting much worse as for energy.. Do any of…
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A sad and thought provoking article
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-47442946 We had a handful of members on the forum, who tired their luck at Hallwang. One died out there, and the others are are all dead. It is a terrible amonut of money, and often for treatments that are not fully understood by the patients. I can't help but think that people are being…
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Xeloda and new mets
Hi all My sister has new mets being found (liver/lungs), and existing mets growing while on Xeloda. Her Onc is suggesting gamma knife type surgery for both. In your experience is it likely they will keep her on Xeloda? Thank you
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Bowel cancer
I had a Iliostomy for 10 months. Took a while to get used to.Rolling over in bed then leakage. One good was i had a plastic container so i could empty my bag any where Keep hand towels and sanitser with you. I ate most foods but i took Lopiramide tablets, they were capsules that slows things down and you need to cut the…
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The Unwinding of the Miracle: A Memoir of Life, Death, and Everything That Comes After
I just finished this memoir by Julie Yip-Williams. It is a heart break and a triumph. It is a beautiful book about her struggle with metastatic colon cancer at age 38. I recommend this book to everyone, no matter what stage you have. She tells us to live every day until we can’t. i hope to have this clarity when my time is…
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Thinking..thinking...and THINKING
So many of us here with so many decisions to make. I know each one of us has different lives..different stories..different fears and hopes. This massive surgery I just had left me more aware of so many things. As many of you know, I lost my husband to this god awful disease three years ago and now I have the exact same…
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Waiting
I’m sitting here, with my IV and REDI CAT drink, waiting for CT Scan. Blood draw is done. This is is my 12 month scan. How fast a year goes by. If all is good my next scan might be my last.
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Tips for Caregivers?
I had an earlier thread a few weeks ago about my wife who is young and recently diagnosed we found an excellent dr and are into the chemo treatments. round 3 is just around the corner this is a steep learning curve for all of us but we are managing Ive read a few threads here and other places on spouses and how to cope its…
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2 years in stage 4, insurance question
Hi all, So my sister is 2 years post diagnosis. Her Cobra insurance is maxing out. From the research I've done, it looks like she might qualify for Medi-cal after 25 months of disability. Does anyone know about this? She is only 43. I think her latest paperwork sent into disability said she wouldn't be able to return to…
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Why does WBC count too low for chemo make me cry?
So much has happened since my diagnosis. And it is so strange what makes me cry and what does not. Today, my WBC count was 1300, which is too low for chemo. For some reason, this caused tears, and not just a little, it isn't boohooing, but I can't stop my eyes from welling up. Granted, because I am allergic to oxaliplatin,…
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finger neuropathy-post chemo
Completed Capeox version of chemo January 10 after 24 weeks. Neuro in first three fingers of right hand began with Infusion #2 and has persisted after cessation of chemo: numbness (exacerbated with pressure from writing, typing, piano, etc.) + sense of swelling + low-level tingling. Cancer survivor friend strongly…
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The "fun" is set to begin
Well I've had every test they can give you, talked to every doctor on earth and played phone tag with a million nurses at this point. There is nothing left to do but begin the treatment. They gave me an MRI and officially staged the cancer as stage three. Today I went to be "fitted" for their radiation machine and now have…
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Chemo breaks
For those of you who are chemo for life or do Maintance chemo, for how long you were allowed chemo breaks? How often you were getting infusions and I talking about people with infusion and not Xeloda takers. Butt.
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Mojo Moving Slooow,,,
Just signed on for a quick update. Go settled in yesterday at my daughters after leaving MUSC. Taking it slow and resting mostly. I had a drain tube on the colon incision side that was taken out the day that I left which keeps soaking thru but otherwise, doing well. Concentratng on building my energy and strength back up.…
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Trying to find Hope
I know there is not much people can do or say. But compassion, understanding, support is all Im looking for at this point. I know what I am facing and I have no idea what will become of me. There is just this pause button on my life. I wait to see what they will recommended. Most of it I cant afford. Maybe I wont be able…
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Probiotics
I have always been skeptical of probiotics, but recently have decided to give them a try--at least for a month. This recent article raises interesting issues about surgery, chemo, and the gut biome: http://engine.scichina.com/publisher/scp/journal/SCLS/doi/10.1007/s11427-018-9456-x?slug=fulltext An intricate relationship…
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My daughter asked my surgeon if I needed a Cone of Shame...
He thought I did... Me and my comfort animal - Effie the Octopus, ready for the ride home.
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Mojo and the Knife..
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Possible surgery?
Hi all, my dad was diagnosed two years ago with cancer with mets in liver and lungs. He also had a lesion removed from his brain with gama knife (it is not known if it was cancerous or not). After Folfox and Folfiri stopped working and liver mets grew a bit, he will start Lonsurf or Stivarga. However, i found a specialsit…