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metastatic anywhere?
HI, can CC metastasis go anywhere or just the lung, liver, gut area? Does it go to the bone or brain? My shoulder has been so sore it wakes me up at night. I thought it was a sore muscle but now I'm thinking the joint is sore since I have been so stiff from the chemo. My friend has lung cancer that spread to the bone and…
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started # 4 today....
Well, this time around - at least for now, was as uneventful as the first 2 - thank goodness! Of course the cold hit me faster, and this time both of my hands keep cramping up (bad for a person that types all the time, but makes for some intersting typos!), and my face keeps doing funny things. It's 22 degrees outside…
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SURGERY TIME TOMORROW FOR HOP
Our surgery is tomorrow at 0920 and we have to be there at 0730. Bit of anxiety here tonight. Hop has done all the "clean=out" thing and had only liquids to eat/drink. All 4 of our sons are going to be there with us, so that'll help. They're a big source of positive attitude for their dad. Will update here and Caringbridge…
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Yikes - 2 Days Until Chemo
In October 2008, a colonoscopy found and removed one polyp. A week later I got the call that it had gone bad, cancer, oh no. In November I had a sigmoid colectomy to remove the section of colon. All signs were that that would be the end of it but 'no' tiny amounts of cancer were found in two lymph nodes. Great! Chemo to…
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Ports and Mammograms
I'm having a routine mammogram coming up and I have a port. Does anyone know if this will be affected by the port? I know it depends on just where the port is located but does anyone have any experiences or forewarning they'd like to share? :) Thanks! Jorie
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Ding, ding, ding!
Ding, ding, ding! We think we have an answer! I saw the new gastroenterologist today, who turned out to be a woman (could have sworn they said "He" on the phone). Anyway, she was lovely and listened so carefully to everything I said. She believes the problem is with nerves near the incision site that are trapped by scar…
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Update
Hi Everyone, Thank you all so much for your concern and advice. I surely appreciate it. After all of the mess I've been through with my job, uemployment, and Social Security, I finally realized that maybe I should contact the state representitive of my district and tell my story. Well, lo and behold, he contacted me the…
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The last few hours......
I lost my father in 1991 to stomach cancer. Through all these years I have never ask my mother when my father went into the hospital what happened. Did he just go in there one day and die or what...I never asked for fear of hearing something I really wasn't ready for....well, yep I ask this morning...I was told by my mom…
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No Chemo For Mommy!!!!! Update from Tumor Board
Well, as some of you know, I was waiting for my onc. to call today after meeting with the tumor board, where he was going to present my case, as to chemo or not to chemo. He called this morning and said" Good news!" "the board agreed that you do not need to do chemo at this time, and that my body and all was doing so well,…
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4 Years NED (no evidence of disease)
Hi to all you semi-colons!!!! After a very tough several months of losing a few dear friends from this site, my father, and going through a few scares of my own I am pleased to be able to announce 4 years NED, a year behind one of my bestest buddies Kay. I haven't updated my web page here yet but will soon, it is up to…
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bowel management
Hello everyone. I was diagnosed with stage I colon cancer and endometrial cancer and had surgery on 1/08. My recent yearly colonoscopy showed two polyps and some areas of minor concern so I have to have another one in three months. Since my surgery I have also been diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome. I have been truly blessed…
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Back from my Liver Non-resection
I'm finally home from the hospital...sigh. I had surgery on the 13th (Tuesday). I was there for the liver resection and RFA that I had worked so hard to get to. After they opened me up they did a liver ultrasound and found more tumors than they knew about, some larger some smaller...including one too close to the hepatic…
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anybody need a laugh?
If anyone needs a giggle this morning just go to my about me page....then look under expressions....my front lawn is a treat! Mags
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Presentation of findings
I am EXTREAMLY upset at how my fathers oncologist presents his findings. I am of the STRONG believe that a positive mind-set is very important in everything you do. ... yet this is the exact thing that is taken away from my father every time he goes to see his oncologist. At the very beginning (over a year ago) my father…
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Offline for a couple of days
Hi everyone... just a quick note to let you know I'll probably be offline for a few days. I'm heading off into the fog , to my friend's house where I'll stay with her tonight. She lives only about a mile from the hospital, which I need to check in by 8am tomorrow morning. The rescheduled lung ablation (RFA) procedure is…
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Living with the side effects
Does anyone else feel angry. I'm angry at the side effects that radiation left me. I have physical problems which make sex painful. My scars are a daily reminder of this journey that I've been on the last two years. The pain I have sometimes on a daily basis from bathroom issues from my reversal, sometimes is very hard for…
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Fired from work
January 17, 2009 Hello Everyone, I hope this finds everyone as well as can be. Let me begin. I worked for a well known replacement window company in Michigan for almost nine years. After being diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in November of 2007, I took a leave of absence from work to have surgery in January of 2008.…
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Hi Ho Hi Ho
It's off to draw blood I go........ I'm having my blood drawn for my CEA today. My appointment is next Monday. Thus begins the "pins and needles" period. Please wish me luck in advance! Hope everyone has a GREAT Tuesday! Hi Ho Hi Ho......
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Just diagnosed with cancer
I do not know what to do. Can anyone help, please?
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back from surgery
Hi Everyone, I had my rectum surgery 01/12 and come home Saturday 01/17. My surgeon told me that I lost a lot of blood, about 3.5 liter, during the surgery. He is surprised that I recovered very fast. He is able to keep my anus but most likely I will keep my ostomy permanently. I am OK with that. I find the ostomy very…
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Newby
Hello. I'm a newby to the site. It has been four years since I started my journey with cancer. Colon cancer stage 4 tumor grew through colon wall, overy plastered with tumor, and cancer cells in lymph nodes in abdomin. Went through the surgeries, some of the chemo, had a bag about a year, port in chest, removed about 9…
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Cooking for Wellness
I attended the most wonderful workshop yesterday at the Wellness Center on "Cooking for Wellness" The instructor, a nursing instructor at a local unversity, cooked the best tasting vegetarian dishes for us......emphasizing the need to get more veges and fruits into our diets......I would say it is an alternative to…
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Shouldn't we give everyone a break?
I saw the Patrick Swayze interview and have been posting actively for quite some time. One of the things I have not seen on this site very often is - we are all human. I don't think that I am perfect (I know I am not). I doubt that anone else is. Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Unless he…
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Mental Issues
Hi All, Just thought I would throw out some thoughts and see what others might think or share what they might have gone through. I was DX in June 07, did surgery/chemo/rad, NEDs on June 08, it came back in Nov 2008 with mets to the lung, surgery again and now on oral chemo. The first go around I was in denial, pretty much…
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Survivor speaking experience
Well, I did it! Tonight was the first time I've publicly talked about my cancer experience. I mean, I've mentioned it, but I've never told the story of diagnosis, etc. It was actually a very cleansing experience, I believe. I ended it, as planned, with the little story I wrote last year about my day with my grandsons, and…
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UPDATE from amcp "Answer to Prayers"
Tuesday my husband and I drove to Vanderbilt for him to meet with a Liver surgeon. He was told he is a candidate for liver resection but since there was a spot in his lung that the lung had to be taken care of first. He ordered labs, CTscans of chest, abdomen, and pelvis, doppler of legs to see if blood clots are gone, and…
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Radiation is Next (menright update)
I just finished a CT scan and found that the chemotherapy is shrinking the colon tumor and the spot on the liver. These are good signs. I had hoped they would disappear but I guess that was too much to ask for. Now I enter a 5-week regimen of daily radiation coupled with Xeloda. This should shrink things down and prepare…
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From stage 3 to (possibly) stage 4
Hi everyone, Well, it looks like I might be in trouble now. I *just* finished my 12th round of FOLFOX a week and a half ago. I had a CT scan to send to the reconnection surgeon at Mass General and an "abnormality" in my liver was found. I saw the CT scans and it's a 2.5-3 cm spot on the back of my liver. The CT report said…
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Illeostomy Reversal Apprehension
Finally!!! I have a date for my ostomy take down! I honestly thought this would never happen! I have learned over the past year to hate my ileostomy, but now that it's going bye-bye, can you believe i'm a little apprehensive to see it go! I've heard all of the horror stories about re-training bowels, and how long that all…
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Is there anyone who has not had long term issues with the Neuropathy from Oxaliplatin?
I am only on cycle 4 and already having issues. It went away completely after cycles 1 and 2, then cycle 3 i had a reduced dose and i hardly got it at all. Cycle 4 now, I got it back at 100% and it has been awful. It makes me crazy. I could not live with this the rest of my life and stay sane. I love to bake and cook, and…