I have a PLAN

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Comments

  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    Hi Mike
    You can see what I have been up to in the Nausea already? posts. Had a bit of a rough weekend, and had to have the port reset because of bleeding, etc. The tiredness (not quite exhaustion) is getting to me though...

    How are you doing?

    Vicki

    Mike49 - where are you???
  • polarprincess
    polarprincess Member Posts: 202
    stage 3
    Hi, I am really confused as to why your doctor would say you are stage III just because it broke through the wall, if he does not think lymph nodes are involved. If there are no lymph nodes involved, you would only be stage II regardless of how big the tumor was. i really shake my heads at doctors sometimes, or am i missing something?
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member

    stage 3
    Hi, I am really confused as to why your doctor would say you are stage III just because it broke through the wall, if he does not think lymph nodes are involved. If there are no lymph nodes involved, you would only be stage II regardless of how big the tumor was. i really shake my heads at doctors sometimes, or am i missing something?

    staging
    My information on staging is if it breaks through the wall but no lymph nodes involved it's IIIA, 3 or less lymph involved IIIB more than 3 lymph nodes is IIIC, and of course if it's metastasized to distal organs, it's IV.
    mary
  • cindybob
    cindybob Member Posts: 61
    msccolon said:

    staging
    My information on staging is if it breaks through the wall but no lymph nodes involved it's IIIA, 3 or less lymph involved IIIB more than 3 lymph nodes is IIIC, and of course if it's metastasized to distal organs, it's IV.
    mary

    just 2nd ing what mary said
    Yeah, I was dx stage III because the bulk of the tumor was outside the wall, but no lymph nodes, thankfully. So I guess it was IIIA.
    Cindy Bob
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917

    stage 3
    Hi, I am really confused as to why your doctor would say you are stage III just because it broke through the wall, if he does not think lymph nodes are involved. If there are no lymph nodes involved, you would only be stage II regardless of how big the tumor was. i really shake my heads at doctors sometimes, or am i missing something?

    Stage 3
    I agree with others...stages are determined by several factors. It's not as easy as looking at a chart and saying you fall under X. In my case, because the wall was breached, with or without lymph involvement, there is always a possibility that cells have migrated and I am likely stage 3. Until the surgeon goes in and actually digs everything out, it's the best they can do. I trust my doctors implicitly. They aren't using scare tactics, just trying for some realism for me so that we know how to attack.

    Vicki
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    VickiCO said:

    Stage 3
    I agree with others...stages are determined by several factors. It's not as easy as looking at a chart and saying you fall under X. In my case, because the wall was breached, with or without lymph involvement, there is always a possibility that cells have migrated and I am likely stage 3. Until the surgeon goes in and actually digs everything out, it's the best they can do. I trust my doctors implicitly. They aren't using scare tactics, just trying for some realism for me so that we know how to attack.

    Vicki

    optimism, realism, pessimism
    I opt for realism as well. I would much rather be told the possibilities and find out it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, than to be told it's nothing, then find out it was really bad. I know everyone is different, but i remember a survivor's meeting once where a man who had been told by his radiologist(what?!!!) that he had a brain tumor, only to find out later that it wasn't cancer. He was ALL freaked out about dodging the bullet, yada yada. My comment? There isn't a single person in this room that doesn't WISH someone would come back to them and say JUST KIDDING! No cancer, just a benign mass! So, while we all understand that it must have been traumatizing that you initially thought you had cancer, thank God it isn't cancer and get on with your life. No one else was willing to say it, but EVERYONE was thinking it!
    mary
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    msccolon said:

    optimism, realism, pessimism
    I opt for realism as well. I would much rather be told the possibilities and find out it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, than to be told it's nothing, then find out it was really bad. I know everyone is different, but i remember a survivor's meeting once where a man who had been told by his radiologist(what?!!!) that he had a brain tumor, only to find out later that it wasn't cancer. He was ALL freaked out about dodging the bullet, yada yada. My comment? There isn't a single person in this room that doesn't WISH someone would come back to them and say JUST KIDDING! No cancer, just a benign mass! So, while we all understand that it must have been traumatizing that you initially thought you had cancer, thank God it isn't cancer and get on with your life. No one else was willing to say it, but EVERYONE was thinking it!
    mary

    Oh Mary...
    You have to know how much I love you! Thank you.

    Vicki - who is just taking it a day at a time.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    msccolon said:

    optimism, realism, pessimism
    I opt for realism as well. I would much rather be told the possibilities and find out it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, than to be told it's nothing, then find out it was really bad. I know everyone is different, but i remember a survivor's meeting once where a man who had been told by his radiologist(what?!!!) that he had a brain tumor, only to find out later that it wasn't cancer. He was ALL freaked out about dodging the bullet, yada yada. My comment? There isn't a single person in this room that doesn't WISH someone would come back to them and say JUST KIDDING! No cancer, just a benign mass! So, while we all understand that it must have been traumatizing that you initially thought you had cancer, thank God it isn't cancer and get on with your life. No one else was willing to say it, but EVERYONE was thinking it!
    mary

    That's our Mary!!!
    Good for you!!!
    I've heard that famous 3-word phrase twice...EITHER time it would have been GRAND to be told..."JUST KIDDING!"!!!!

    (I would have probably added..."And WHAT are you DOING at a CANCER SURVIVOR'S support group?????")


    Hugs, Kathi
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    VickiCO said:

    Oh Mary...
    You have to know how much I love you! Thank you.

    Vicki - who is just taking it a day at a time.

    thank you
    sometimes, you just have to be the one willing to say what everyone is thinking! I was never one to care too much what others thought, so ...
    mary
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    KathiM said:

    That's our Mary!!!
    Good for you!!!
    I've heard that famous 3-word phrase twice...EITHER time it would have been GRAND to be told..."JUST KIDDING!"!!!!

    (I would have probably added..."And WHAT are you DOING at a CANCER SURVIVOR'S support group?????")


    Hugs, Kathi

    that's what I was thinking!
    It takes a special kind of stupid and nerve to show up to a cancer survivor's group to complain about how tough you have it because someone told you had cancer then found out it was all for naught! I wouldn't be surprised if our moderator invited him SPECIFICALLY knowing I would be at that meeting! :)
    mary
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375
    msccolon said:

    optimism, realism, pessimism
    I opt for realism as well. I would much rather be told the possibilities and find out it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, than to be told it's nothing, then find out it was really bad. I know everyone is different, but i remember a survivor's meeting once where a man who had been told by his radiologist(what?!!!) that he had a brain tumor, only to find out later that it wasn't cancer. He was ALL freaked out about dodging the bullet, yada yada. My comment? There isn't a single person in this room that doesn't WISH someone would come back to them and say JUST KIDDING! No cancer, just a benign mass! So, while we all understand that it must have been traumatizing that you initially thought you had cancer, thank God it isn't cancer and get on with your life. No one else was willing to say it, but EVERYONE was thinking it!
    mary

    Optimism, realism, pessimism
    I think I've missed a post or something because I can't find the one where someone said they were diagnosed with cancer then told they didn't have it... unless you were just meaning the example of the man who was told he had a brain tumour and then later it turned out it wasn't.

    I have a personal story regarding this... back in 2001 I was complaining about the usual female problems. Basically, I think I was just b*tching to my GP and told him my only complaint was the usual -- major cramps, mood swings, etc. and maybe I was peri-menopausal? He sent me packing off to the gyno who did a complete exam, including an endometrial biopsy. Lo and behold, the lab results came back two days after Christmas -- I had Stage II endometrial cancer! Eeeeek!! As with any diagnosis of cancer... terror, fear, confusion. They scheduled an immediate hysterectomy for this..everything coming out. Of course, with any kind of surgery involving cancer, they send samples down to pathology to get the real low down on what kind of cancer and staging, etc.

    Oh oh... test as they might, they could find no evidence of cancer. Here I had just had a complete hysterectomy, taking out anything that wasn't nailed down and now they couldn't find any evidence of cancer??? But the biopsy results from the lab said "Stage II". Soooo, they backtracked right back to the lab and ... oops ... found a major boo-boo! My slides at the lab had gotten mixed up with another gal's, so I got her diagnosis and she got mine. I had this major surgery and didn't need it (meanwhile, she DID need it and so she was gotten in touch with immediately).

    My GP came to my house to break the news (I was home from the hospital by this time). Before he told me, he said "I have some good news and bad news... and both are going to make you very angry, and that is totally understandable." The good news, of course, I don't have cancer... the bad news, I never had cancer so the surgery was unnecessary.

    He was expecting me to get angry but all I could say was, "I DON'T have cancer??? Are you sure?? You aren't pulling my leg are you??" To this day I have never gotten angry about the mixup and subsequent surgery... I was just ecstatic to know I didn't have cancer (mind you, I would have had the tumour in my colon but at this point we didn't know this and none of the tests indicated I did... if only they had screwed up and done a colonoscopy at that time!!)

    So, I agree... I don't understand why anyone would get mad because they are told that what was thought to be cancer turns out to not be cancer. That is a reason to celebrate, not get angry!!

    Huggggs,

    Cheryl
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member

    Optimism, realism, pessimism
    I think I've missed a post or something because I can't find the one where someone said they were diagnosed with cancer then told they didn't have it... unless you were just meaning the example of the man who was told he had a brain tumour and then later it turned out it wasn't.

    I have a personal story regarding this... back in 2001 I was complaining about the usual female problems. Basically, I think I was just b*tching to my GP and told him my only complaint was the usual -- major cramps, mood swings, etc. and maybe I was peri-menopausal? He sent me packing off to the gyno who did a complete exam, including an endometrial biopsy. Lo and behold, the lab results came back two days after Christmas -- I had Stage II endometrial cancer! Eeeeek!! As with any diagnosis of cancer... terror, fear, confusion. They scheduled an immediate hysterectomy for this..everything coming out. Of course, with any kind of surgery involving cancer, they send samples down to pathology to get the real low down on what kind of cancer and staging, etc.

    Oh oh... test as they might, they could find no evidence of cancer. Here I had just had a complete hysterectomy, taking out anything that wasn't nailed down and now they couldn't find any evidence of cancer??? But the biopsy results from the lab said "Stage II". Soooo, they backtracked right back to the lab and ... oops ... found a major boo-boo! My slides at the lab had gotten mixed up with another gal's, so I got her diagnosis and she got mine. I had this major surgery and didn't need it (meanwhile, she DID need it and so she was gotten in touch with immediately).

    My GP came to my house to break the news (I was home from the hospital by this time). Before he told me, he said "I have some good news and bad news... and both are going to make you very angry, and that is totally understandable." The good news, of course, I don't have cancer... the bad news, I never had cancer so the surgery was unnecessary.

    He was expecting me to get angry but all I could say was, "I DON'T have cancer??? Are you sure?? You aren't pulling my leg are you??" To this day I have never gotten angry about the mixup and subsequent surgery... I was just ecstatic to know I didn't have cancer (mind you, I would have had the tumour in my colon but at this point we didn't know this and none of the tests indicated I did... if only they had screwed up and done a colonoscopy at that time!!)

    So, I agree... I don't understand why anyone would get mad because they are told that what was thought to be cancer turns out to not be cancer. That is a reason to celebrate, not get angry!!

    Huggggs,

    Cheryl

    you are SOOO right
    yes, the guy who showed up to my cancer survivor's group meeting freaked because he thought he had cancer then found out he didn't. And your response is EXACTLY what one would expect in such a situation. I just can't understand a person who WOULDN'T be relieved at finding out it wasn't cancer... and YOU, my dahling, would actually have reason to be mad... not at the no cancer bit, but the unnecessary surgery bit! But, you found reason to be thankful, and that is a very important aspect of happiness. Find HAPPINESS in everything instead of looking for the misery. Be thankful for every day we have to continue enjoying our loved ones and to find the purpose in our lives (even if it's only to be an example to others of what NOT to do, which unfortunately has often times been my purpose!).
    mary
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375
    msccolon said:

    you are SOOO right
    yes, the guy who showed up to my cancer survivor's group meeting freaked because he thought he had cancer then found out he didn't. And your response is EXACTLY what one would expect in such a situation. I just can't understand a person who WOULDN'T be relieved at finding out it wasn't cancer... and YOU, my dahling, would actually have reason to be mad... not at the no cancer bit, but the unnecessary surgery bit! But, you found reason to be thankful, and that is a very important aspect of happiness. Find HAPPINESS in everything instead of looking for the misery. Be thankful for every day we have to continue enjoying our loved ones and to find the purpose in our lives (even if it's only to be an example to others of what NOT to do, which unfortunately has often times been my purpose!).
    mary

    Well, there was another reason to be happy... I was ECSTATIC that I didn't have cancer and that was worth having a few parties on it's own.. but once I got used to that, the surgery ended up being a blessing in disguise too. This all started because I was whining about the usual horrid monthly cramps, mood swings, etc. and now, I didn't have to go through them anymore either :) That surgery got rid of all my whining and complaining because I no longer was having the nastiness... AND I realized that I would not have to ever worry about getting those "female" type cancers. So all round it was an excellent experience.

    The only downside to it was the absolute terror/fear of being told I had cancer (I knew nothing really of cancer before so just hearing the word was enough to put terror in my heart) AND, I did end up with a major post-op infection after the surgery. So, I did end up back in the hospital for 3 weeks because of the infection. Mind you, being told it was a mistake and I didn't have cancer made up for the terror of being told I had cancer... and the post-op infection? Oh well... with treatment and care, that got taken care of and I don't seem to be damaged from the experience ;)

    So, one would think that when I was diagnosed 5 years later with colon cancer, I'd be an old hat with the announcement and the second time around would not be as bad when I was told than the first time. Wrong! I don't care how many times you are told you have cancer... each announcement is terrifying!

    But yes... as horrid as this monster is, one has to find the good and there IS good in all experiences :)

    Huggggggs,

    Cheryl
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917

    Well, there was another reason to be happy... I was ECSTATIC that I didn't have cancer and that was worth having a few parties on it's own.. but once I got used to that, the surgery ended up being a blessing in disguise too. This all started because I was whining about the usual horrid monthly cramps, mood swings, etc. and now, I didn't have to go through them anymore either :) That surgery got rid of all my whining and complaining because I no longer was having the nastiness... AND I realized that I would not have to ever worry about getting those "female" type cancers. So all round it was an excellent experience.

    The only downside to it was the absolute terror/fear of being told I had cancer (I knew nothing really of cancer before so just hearing the word was enough to put terror in my heart) AND, I did end up with a major post-op infection after the surgery. So, I did end up back in the hospital for 3 weeks because of the infection. Mind you, being told it was a mistake and I didn't have cancer made up for the terror of being told I had cancer... and the post-op infection? Oh well... with treatment and care, that got taken care of and I don't seem to be damaged from the experience ;)

    So, one would think that when I was diagnosed 5 years later with colon cancer, I'd be an old hat with the announcement and the second time around would not be as bad when I was told than the first time. Wrong! I don't care how many times you are told you have cancer... each announcement is terrifying!

    But yes... as horrid as this monster is, one has to find the good and there IS good in all experiences :)

    Huggggggs,

    Cheryl

    You are sooo right...
    Cheryl said "So, one would think that when I was diagnosed 5 years later with colon cancer, I'd be an old hat with the announcement and the second time around would not be as bad when I was told than the first time. Wrong!"

    In 1994 I was told I had cervical cancer. It was all hush-hush, don't worry your little female head, we male doctors will fix you, etc. When I was sent to the surgeon/specialist, he told me he also found 'cancer cells in the uterus'. He said at the time they were two different cancers, and not to worry. I thought I was dying. I had a hysterectomy, plus the cervical surgery. The surgeon said he got it all, no radiation needed, etc. And I was sent home, never to be discussed again, by those doctors anyway.

    Fast forward six years. I was living in Colorado by now and had a new doctor. The fact she was female didn't enter into it, I don't think. The fact she wasn't an older, good-old-boy-network doctor did. I had been having pap smears, etc every six to eight months, and living in fear of the results, since the surgery. When she asked "why?" I was confused. She then asked, "Didn't any doctor ever tell you that with the type of cancer you had, and the early stage, and the surgery, it CAN'T come back? The parts aren't there!" I was more relieved than I ever had been.

    Now fast forward to October of this year and my colon cancer diagnosis. Having been down the road before did nothing to minimize those three words... the difference this time was the caring, concerned doctor and the complete dissemination of information about what was going on. I was involved in every decision. Actually, I MADE every decision, after they laid it all out. Yes, I was (am) scared, but now I feel in charge. It's a good feeling.

    Thanks to all for the sharing. It helps a lot. Oh, and yes, my current cancer is unrelated to the other two. I am just lucky in the cancer lottery, apparently.

    Vicki
  • hopefulone
    hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    You'll get through it
    Hi Vicki, I think many can relate to those feelings , if not all, to sometimes getting the feeling to just curl up and hide. I think thats pretty normal. Then somewhere, deep within, you find the strength to deal with things as they come and you get through it. Then , with the grace of God, you realize you made it through and your stronger than you thought you were. I'm betting that happens to you! Keep the faith. Take it one day at a time. You'll get there girl! Believe.
    God Bless,
    Diane
  • trainer
    trainer Member Posts: 241

    Optimism, realism, pessimism
    I think I've missed a post or something because I can't find the one where someone said they were diagnosed with cancer then told they didn't have it... unless you were just meaning the example of the man who was told he had a brain tumour and then later it turned out it wasn't.

    I have a personal story regarding this... back in 2001 I was complaining about the usual female problems. Basically, I think I was just b*tching to my GP and told him my only complaint was the usual -- major cramps, mood swings, etc. and maybe I was peri-menopausal? He sent me packing off to the gyno who did a complete exam, including an endometrial biopsy. Lo and behold, the lab results came back two days after Christmas -- I had Stage II endometrial cancer! Eeeeek!! As with any diagnosis of cancer... terror, fear, confusion. They scheduled an immediate hysterectomy for this..everything coming out. Of course, with any kind of surgery involving cancer, they send samples down to pathology to get the real low down on what kind of cancer and staging, etc.

    Oh oh... test as they might, they could find no evidence of cancer. Here I had just had a complete hysterectomy, taking out anything that wasn't nailed down and now they couldn't find any evidence of cancer??? But the biopsy results from the lab said "Stage II". Soooo, they backtracked right back to the lab and ... oops ... found a major boo-boo! My slides at the lab had gotten mixed up with another gal's, so I got her diagnosis and she got mine. I had this major surgery and didn't need it (meanwhile, she DID need it and so she was gotten in touch with immediately).

    My GP came to my house to break the news (I was home from the hospital by this time). Before he told me, he said "I have some good news and bad news... and both are going to make you very angry, and that is totally understandable." The good news, of course, I don't have cancer... the bad news, I never had cancer so the surgery was unnecessary.

    He was expecting me to get angry but all I could say was, "I DON'T have cancer??? Are you sure?? You aren't pulling my leg are you??" To this day I have never gotten angry about the mixup and subsequent surgery... I was just ecstatic to know I didn't have cancer (mind you, I would have had the tumour in my colon but at this point we didn't know this and none of the tests indicated I did... if only they had screwed up and done a colonoscopy at that time!!)

    So, I agree... I don't understand why anyone would get mad because they are told that what was thought to be cancer turns out to not be cancer. That is a reason to celebrate, not get angry!!

    Huggggs,

    Cheryl

    Dizzy with relief!
    Hello again. I read your email about the cancer flubs and got to thinking about my own. I definitely had a cancerous polyp, which was removed in the colonoscopy. And because he thought it was too deep and expanded, I had to have a resection of the colon. But when the surgeon went in and could find the inked location where it was removed, no cancerous evidence could be found. They started out using the daVinci lap technique and in caution, decided to do the open technique and still couldn't locate any. The path results came back as no cancer. It completely baffled the surgeons. Either the gastroen. guy got it all, or God performed a miracle. Either way, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for the docs to come back and say they'd misread a report or results or something. But the ONC I went to explained it much better and I'm OK with it now. Still cautious and anxiously awaiting February when I go back for a PET Scan and blood work. But all are in agreement that it was gone from my bod. But when I was in the hospital in recovery and they told me the good news, I was dizzy with relief and just couldn't get over it. Every once in a while, it will hit me how close I came. But it's made me a believer and a cheerleader for screening. I'm taking my son in Monday for his first colonoscopy. My surgeon is going to do it. My son is 38, maybe a bit early, but the doc convinced the health insurance since I had it, it's prudent for him to get screened. And my daughter goes in in January.

    So, I'm dizzy with relief for you and sorry you had to go through it. I never want to have surgery again, but I would. And if my surgery wasn't needed, it was worth the discomfort to know for certain that I'm NED. Or, NED the nag as I am now known to my friends for bugging them about it all.

    Happy Turkey Day even though you don't celebrate it in Canada like we do here.