colorectal cancer awareness month

2»

Comments

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #22
    lfondots63 said:

    Hi Kathi,

    I want to agree with everyone on this. I am 42 and probably should have caught this sooner. I always thought it was IBS until the cramps and sickness got so bad I couldn't stand it any more. That is when they found blood in my stool and my colon was almost blocked by the tumor. I was also told to eat more fiber, loose weight and exercise. It is amazing how many people out there have this. The testing does need to be started earlier. I know that my kids will get themselves tested at 30 so if it happens again we can catch it early. I'm starting chemo now but I will definately try to raise awareness. I have started at work by being very open about talking about this in public. People need to understand that it is not good but no longer has to be a death sentence. Take care and my prayers are with you.

    Lisa

    Lisa, thanks for sharing. IBS seems to be the diag of choice, along with hemorrhoids. Wow, do we need to educate our Primary Care Physicians! Good luck with the chemo...I did it, so can you!
    Kathi
  • terril
    terril Member Posts: 296
    #23
    Hi Kathi!
    Thanks for all your hardwork. Yes, I was told I had IBS for years. No mention of a scope. Now I am stage IV (cancer in the cecum) with mets to my ovaries, tubes, and uterus. Everything is gone, but I have experienced a recurrence. I am determined
    to beat the beast. You know!! You beat one, so lets now go after the breast cancer!!! My best to you and continued prayers and thoughts for your complete recovery!!! Terri
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #24
    terril said:

    Hi Kathi!
    Thanks for all your hardwork. Yes, I was told I had IBS for years. No mention of a scope. Now I am stage IV (cancer in the cecum) with mets to my ovaries, tubes, and uterus. Everything is gone, but I have experienced a recurrence. I am determined
    to beat the beast. You know!! You beat one, so lets now go after the breast cancer!!! My best to you and continued prayers and thoughts for your complete recovery!!! Terri

    Terri, Wow, what a time you've had! As a precaution, when they removed my rectum and sygmoid colon, they did a complete hyster...so even tho this was squamous cell carcinoma (uterine, from what I gather is this, too) I don't think it can do a local reocurrance. But my "basic quality of life" sure has changed (I always check out where the bathroom is before I eat). You could say I'm no.1 head inspector!!!
    Thanks for the thoughts,
    Kathi
  • Kanort
    Kanort Member Posts: 1,272 Member
    #25
    KathiM said:

    Terri, Wow, what a time you've had! As a precaution, when they removed my rectum and sygmoid colon, they did a complete hyster...so even tho this was squamous cell carcinoma (uterine, from what I gather is this, too) I don't think it can do a local reocurrance. But my "basic quality of life" sure has changed (I always check out where the bathroom is before I eat). You could say I'm no.1 head inspector!!!
    Thanks for the thoughts,
    Kathi

    Hi Kathi,

    Thanks for getting the word out about this disease. Add me to the list of survivors who had been told for three years that my bloating and constiptation was just IBS. I almost had to insist to have a colonoscopy. When my primary doctor found out he was shocked. He said the same thing that Kerry's doctor said about looking too healthy. I have learned that I we have to be our own advocates. We need to teach the public to insist on tests when they know something is wrong. Thanks again for all you are doing.

    I am so sorry that you are dealing with this again. I pray that remainder of your treatment goes well and that you will have complete healing.

    Hugs,

    Kay
  • ccartwri
    ccartwri Member Posts: 82
    #26
    Hi Kathi
    welcome. I am 34 years old and was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer late may, 7 weeks postpartum with my first. A beautiful baby girl named Catalina. I have been thru radiation and chemo with TNFerade in a clinical trial at NIH. Surgery at Johns Hopkins with a temp ileostomy and now six months of adjuvant chemotherapy--Folfox 4. I am in my 10th treatment now. Out of 12. so excited to get this overwith. I just started back at work. I am a veterinarian with an MPH from Johns Hopkins. I worked full time for the USDA on animal disease outbreaks (and sometimes peoople ones too, if a zoonotic disease) and part time at a clinic. I recently started a few shifts a month at the clinic and two days a week at USDA. I had gotten in to the foreign service and had to turn down my offer when I was diagnosed. Anyway, just trying to get my life in order again. My husband's family started a foundation called the Catalina Foundation. See catalinafoundation.org
    it is now for young mothers with rectal cancer, but i am hoping it will expand and cover others with colon cancer. right now it is serving to help us but the plan is to do fundraisers and partner with other orgs. I got accepted to be a 2007 model so i am hoping to get the word out and use this foundation to provide education and awareness and partner with colon club and others. anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and let you know that i think what you are doing is great. What a trooper you are!!! I think I cannot do this again. but i guess we do if we have to. I am so glad you are using your experience to help others. I live in the DC area and would love to meet you when you come by. I tried to see what katie couric was up to on the today show this month for CRC awareness and could not seem to find anything.
    Best to you.
    Love,
    claudia
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #27
    ccartwri said:

    Hi Kathi
    welcome. I am 34 years old and was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer late may, 7 weeks postpartum with my first. A beautiful baby girl named Catalina. I have been thru radiation and chemo with TNFerade in a clinical trial at NIH. Surgery at Johns Hopkins with a temp ileostomy and now six months of adjuvant chemotherapy--Folfox 4. I am in my 10th treatment now. Out of 12. so excited to get this overwith. I just started back at work. I am a veterinarian with an MPH from Johns Hopkins. I worked full time for the USDA on animal disease outbreaks (and sometimes peoople ones too, if a zoonotic disease) and part time at a clinic. I recently started a few shifts a month at the clinic and two days a week at USDA. I had gotten in to the foreign service and had to turn down my offer when I was diagnosed. Anyway, just trying to get my life in order again. My husband's family started a foundation called the Catalina Foundation. See catalinafoundation.org
    it is now for young mothers with rectal cancer, but i am hoping it will expand and cover others with colon cancer. right now it is serving to help us but the plan is to do fundraisers and partner with other orgs. I got accepted to be a 2007 model so i am hoping to get the word out and use this foundation to provide education and awareness and partner with colon club and others. anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and let you know that i think what you are doing is great. What a trooper you are!!! I think I cannot do this again. but i guess we do if we have to. I am so glad you are using your experience to help others. I live in the DC area and would love to meet you when you come by. I tried to see what katie couric was up to on the today show this month for CRC awareness and could not seem to find anything.
    Best to you.
    Love,
    claudia

    Claudia, Wow, what a time to have cancer enter your life. You had a beautiful baby to enjoy! I had my 3 of 4 in the breast chemo today, so I know how you feel about getting near to the end. I, too, work, and have some good days and bad days. I've learned to treat my body first, cause without my health, I'm nowhere.
    Keep up the good work. There are so many people that need you, both inside your family and out!
    I'm afraid you all in DC are going to be run over in September (19 and 20). Our 'invasion' is people from all over the US. Yes, I'd love to meet with you...I'm in California, and have never been there, so going to take weekend before or after or both to look around!
    Kathi
  • markwalled
    markwalled Member Posts: 5
    #28
    debralla said:

    Diagnosed NOV 2005 age 45 stage IV ....
    Hemmroids
    Stress
    Menopause
    Fibromyasia (sp)
    I was told the same thing . Like you Kerry . I went in to see my regular Dr ,But she was behind , Then a young Dr came out and asked me if i would'nt mind if he seen me.He then ordered all of these test, which included an ultrasound which showed several liver mets . scoped ,scaned then a port placed all within a week 1/2 . I have just finished my 3rd round of chemo which showed that I am responding .
    I called that Young Dr. And Thanked him !!Faith brought us together that day.But the fact that he didn't ingnore my symptoms finally got me diagnosed and into treatment .

    I want to encourage you. I was dz March 8 2005, stage IV, met to my liver with 8 tumors in liver one on colon that rested on my bladder. Had 35 radiation treatments, 7 months chemo, three surgeries in 10 months, and now am cancer free. It was tough, but God gave me the strength to endure. I will pray for you. I appreicate your sharing . I could almost say the same thing you have. i was told i am so healthy, it must be diverticilitis, took meds for that for 14 days, then the colonoscopy showed the tumor, the CT and ultra sound prior to that were not read correctly , they thought you are not sick. So, here I am a year later, doing ok. I wish you the best.

Discussion Boards