Anyone a spouse or partner of someone going through chemo right now?

ade7682
ade7682 Member Posts: 31
edited August 2011 in Caregivers #1
My husband has stage 4 colon cancer and just started his 6 mo Folfox chemo regimen. He's only 30 years old. I'm looking for someone to chat with about coping with having a loved one going through this.

Comments

  • here4lfe
    here4lfe Member Posts: 306 Member
    #2
    Same boat, 2 years into it
    I read the Colon Cancer forum, as well as read this one. There is a lot of information there you can search.

    You can send me a p'm

    Best
  • dianelynn41
    dianelynn41 Member Posts: 71
    #3
    here4lfe said:

    Same boat, 2 years into it
    I read the Colon Cancer forum, as well as read this one. There is a lot of information there you can search.

    You can send me a p'm

    Best

    Hello
    My hubby has stage 3 rectal and just finished his 3rd round of FOLFOX. He's doing pretty good, some side effects. He has some good days then some bad and starts feeling better right before the next round. It's gonna be a long six months.

    Diane
  • ade7682
    ade7682 Member Posts: 31
    #4
    dianelynn41 said:

    Hello
    My hubby has stage 3 rectal and just finished his 3rd round of FOLFOX. He's doing pretty good, some side effects. He has some good days then some bad and starts feeling better right before the next round. It's gonna be a long six months.

    Diane

    Thanks Diane
    Would you mind if I friend you and send you a private message for advice sometime when dealing with the side effects gets rough?
  • dianelynn41
    dianelynn41 Member Posts: 71
    #5
    ade7682 said:

    Thanks Diane
    Would you mind if I friend you and send you a private message for advice sometime when dealing with the side effects gets rough?

    That would be fine, I'll be
    That would be fine, I'll be glad to help.
  • rogina2336
    rogina2336 Member Posts: 188
    #6
    My husband is currently on
    My husband is currently on chemo tx #14, he recently has been having problems with platelets so he has switched from every 2 weeks to every 3 for awhile to let his body catch up. My husband is in his late 50's so a little different he was diagnosed in Nov. 2010. I will answer any questions that I can. I was very frightened at the very start (still am at times), but the colon cancer board on here is awesome!!!
  • tko683
    tko683 Member Posts: 264 Member
    #7
    so sorry to hear your news
    My husband also has stage 4 colon(rectal) cancer, just started chemo in August of this year. WE are both 50yrs old so not quite the same situation but he is on FOLFOX with avastin right now and is tolerating it well so far. It is not as bad as he expected. The doctor today told us the chemo seems to be shrinking his tumor so we are hopeful. Feel free to ask any questions. It is hard watching someone you love go through cancer, my husband did it with me and now I am doing it with him. There are bad days but also good days and at least being young your husband has the benefit of a strong body able to tolerate the chemo. Sending prayers to you..
  • womack1424
    womack1424 Member Posts: 38
    #8
    Know what you are going through
    My partner is stage 4 colon cancer with mets to lungs and spine, she was diagnosed at 41, we are 8 years in now and she is hanging on for dear life. I will gladly answer any questions you might have. This is a tough road we need all the support we can get.
  • ade7682
    ade7682 Member Posts: 31
    #9
    womack1424 said:

    Know what you are going through
    My partner is stage 4 colon cancer with mets to lungs and spine, she was diagnosed at 41, we are 8 years in now and she is hanging on for dear life. I will gladly answer any questions you might have. This is a tough road we need all the support we can get.

    Wow! 8 years! You are both
    Wow! 8 years! You are both warriors. I can't even begin to think of dealing with this for 8 years straight. Sending lots of love to you. You both must both be amazing women.
  • ade7682
    ade7682 Member Posts: 31
    #10
    tko683 said:

    so sorry to hear your news
    My husband also has stage 4 colon(rectal) cancer, just started chemo in August of this year. WE are both 50yrs old so not quite the same situation but he is on FOLFOX with avastin right now and is tolerating it well so far. It is not as bad as he expected. The doctor today told us the chemo seems to be shrinking his tumor so we are hopeful. Feel free to ask any questions. It is hard watching someone you love go through cancer, my husband did it with me and now I am doing it with him. There are bad days but also good days and at least being young your husband has the benefit of a strong body able to tolerate the chemo. Sending prayers to you..

    Thank you. How many
    Thank you. How many treatments is he into Folfox? Kenny has his 4th treatment tomorrow. He is in a cycle of 12 every 2 wks. Are treatment 6 we're doing a PETCT to check our progress and maybe taking a break to do a liver resection.
  • Sandi1
    Sandi1 Member Posts: 277
    #11
    Hi
    Hi, my husband has stage 4 colon cancer - and has been on chemo since 2008, he will be on it for the rest of his life. The oncologist is scared that if she takes him off it will come back with a vengance. He has no cancer in his body at this moment because he gets chemo every three weeks. It is a small price to pay to live a lot longer. Email me anytime with any questions - netopmansfan1@yahoo.com
  • here4lfe
    here4lfe Member Posts: 306 Member
    #12
    Sandi1 said:

    Hi
    Hi, my husband has stage 4 colon cancer - and has been on chemo since 2008, he will be on it for the rest of his life. The oncologist is scared that if she takes him off it will come back with a vengance. He has no cancer in his body at this moment because he gets chemo every three weeks. It is a small price to pay to live a lot longer. Email me anytime with any questions - netopmansfan1@yahoo.com

    My Wife Also
    Whenever she came off of chemo, her tumors progressed. Her tumors even progressed on the maintenance chemo of Xeloda only. We watched her CEA rise until the onc knew it was time to go looking for the tumors and sure enough there they were.
    Hang in there. The chemo regime is rough on my wife, but the good days are very good and the bad days are the new normal.

    Best
  • nicolemchouinard
    nicolemchouinard Member Posts: 3
    #13
    Chemo
    Hi!

    My husband currently has brain cancer and it undergoing two years of chemotherapy. If you would like to chat I would be more than happy to. My husband is 33 this weekend and I am 28. Feel free to email me. I know when my husband was first diagnosed, I needed someone to reach out to and didn't seem to think anyone was there.

    nicolemchouinard@yahoo.com
  • jeff36
    jeff36 Member Posts: 4
    #14
    hello
    my wife is early stage 3 with breast cancer... she is going through chemo as well and she has some side effects as well and right before here next treatment she is feeling better and then feeling bad again after her treatment...
  • Goldie1
    Goldie1 Member Posts: 264 Member
    #15
    Yes...
    my 53 year old husband was diagnosed on 6/9/11 with stage IV colon cancer with mets to the liver. Just started round two with Folfox last week. Please feel free to chat with me anytime!

    Take care,
    Ellen C.
  • donnare
    donnare Member Posts: 266
    #16
    Hi
    My was dx 5/09 Stage 4 colon cancer with mets to liver. Has been on chemo with a few breaks for surgeries since then. Currently Irinotecan, 5FU and Erbitux. He is recovering from surgery three-four weeks ago to remove the right lobe of his liver, but unfortunately they had to abort the procedure because when they opened him up they found new tumors on the left lobe.

    If I can ever answer any questions, please feel free to contact me.

    Hugs,
    Donna
  • ade7682
    ade7682 Member Posts: 31
    #17
    donnare said:

    Hi
    My was dx 5/09 Stage 4 colon cancer with mets to liver. Has been on chemo with a few breaks for surgeries since then. Currently Irinotecan, 5FU and Erbitux. He is recovering from surgery three-four weeks ago to remove the right lobe of his liver, but unfortunately they had to abort the procedure because when they opened him up they found new tumors on the left lobe.

    If I can ever answer any questions, please feel free to contact me.

    Hugs,
    Donna

    Support for people going through similar circumstances.
    I hate that these message boards don't alert you when someone replies. If you're going through similar circumstances and want to connect, reply to me on this site, and I'll see the reply. My username is the same for colon club.

    http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27518
  • Michhy
    Michhy Member Posts: 3
    #18
    my spouse is
    Going through chemo and radiation , pm me anytime!
  • Shamsrecovering
    Shamsrecovering Member Posts: 5
    #19
    My husband diagnosed and not started yet on Chemo
    My 44 year old husband was diagnosed 4 weeks ago with Cholangiocarcinoma, extremely large mets in liver and lungs (measured in cm) all doctors kept saying we have to start chemo - Gemox- but then cannot because of the yellowish skin and eyes - high bilirubin.
    I'm in terrible condition, especially after all doctors talk about is counting the remainder of life in months. We've been married 3 happy years and were trying to have a baby, now with this, I'm not sure how to handle the situation.
    A doctor friend advised me to start on anti-depressants, but then they make me too sleepy. And I have to be very alert when he needs help. Although we haven't even started chemo, I'm already freaking out of how the coming few months/years will look like.
    Would appreciate any advise on how caregivers learnt to cope -how did you manage with little sleep, tense conditions, demands falling on your back completely? I usually would draw my strength from my husband, but now, I'm no longer sure how to gather that strength in me.
  • Bearsmile
    Bearsmile Member Posts: 24
    #20
    chemo for colon cancer
    Hello my dad has been fighting colon cancer for over 8 years now and I as his daughter am his care giver since my Mom died of throat cancer in 2005. His cancer went from the colon, to the liver to the lungs and now is belived to be in the bone of his hip. He refuses to give up and is currently on the latest drug approved by the FDA. It is nice since it is pills he takes at home but I am not working since we live in Springfield and at one point had to drive to Boston and there are no rides for him and lots of reasons. Most days I am okay with things but it is hard. I used to read the discussions on this board regularly but then got away from it and and I realize I need to stay with it since it helps me feel less alone. I struggle with so many things. Thank you to those who have posted since it has helped me feel less alone. I am proud of my Dad for not giving up and he is committed to doing what he can since when stage 1 clinical trials were discussed he said he wanted to do it since someone has to do them in order for there to be stage 2 and 3 trials. I realize he is right and so I will drive him to Boston when the time for that comes. I will do what I can to make him happy. The holidays are hard since I cant help but wonder if these will be the last ones with him. It is hard to stay positive and I wish I had someone to talk to about care giving but these boards help so thank you. I know it is easier said than done but try to smile :)

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