Colon & Liver Cancer

hp3kguy

Oct. 2001 I was diagnosed with colon cancer. A 9" section of my colon was removed successfully and I was told I didn't need chemo.
Jun 2002 I had another CEA blood test done. The results came back at 53.5. I know this isn't an accurate way to check for cancer but it does work for me.
I had a cat-scan, MRI, and another colonoscopy done. There was a 4cm growth discovered on my liver. Just recently had the MRI done and I meet with a surgeon on 7-17.
I would like to know who else has gone thru this and how they are dealing with it. I'm told I will be given chemo after surgery. The doctors I'm working with are absolutely the BEST! I'm glad I moved to N. Idaho becuase in Arizona I couldn't get any testing done becuase I wasn't 50 years old and there wasn't a history of cancer in my family.
Well I've never been good at beating the odds but I feel I have a chance here in CDA.
What can I expect from the chemo? Will it keep me from working? How many treatments are involved.
I know I can and will get some of these questions answered by my team of doctors but I would be interested in personal stories.

Thanks

peterpopek

If it's any help, I have had both the cancers you
had at about the same time frame, starting in August 2001, and am still around to talk about it, so things are good so far! My colon was resected in Early August, and the liver separately in late August, to be followed by 6 months of chemo. Unfortunately there were adhesions from the 1st one, and infections from the second one, which took until Jan. 2002 to straighten out. Once the infection was gone, the chemo started, and it was a 6 month program of FU5 chemo, which made you queasy and tired most of the time, but still able to eat most of the time and keep your strength up. Other side effects will probably be some skin breakouts and diarrhea, but not much else. My hair stayed put! My CEA, colonoscopy, and cat scans have been clean since then, thank God, and I hope you have a similar happy recovery. Good luck!