stage 3 survivors, I need inspiration

juliababy

Hi guys, hope all are doing wonderfully well. My dad was diagnosed with stage 3 colon ca this past July. He is currently, thank our good God, NED and is undergoing chemo. He will start round 2 tomorrow and 10 more rounds to go.

I, along with my family, have good and bad days and for some reason, I am having a really really bad day today. When I'm with my daddy I make sure I am nothing but upbeat and supportive, but when I'm alone, the doubts start creeping in on whether or not he'll survive this beast. I guess working here in Pathology doesn't help either. I've worked here as a kid, and up until now have really enjoyed it, but I truly think this place is only making things worse for me. Especially when I see a colon cancer recurrance case, it literally brings me to tears.

I just want to know of all the stage 3 colon cancer survivors out there on this board. It really helps in knowing your success stories and I just hope and pray my dad will be one of them.

susana

ron50

Hi Susana,
Sorry to hear about your Dad but you have come to the right place for inspiration. There are stage 3 and 4 survivors here to talk to and ask questions of. Iam a stage 3 survivor ,I lost most of my descending colon and a nasty aggressive tumour that had gotten into 6 lymph glands. I struggled with chemo and finished up having it weekly for a year. I was dx in jan of 98 so this coming jan will mark seven years . My surgeon has officially cleared me as cured of that cancer ,he just reminds me constantly to remain vigilent for new primaries ,particularly polyps. I have had no signs of recurrence since the surgery and my CEA sits at around 0.9. I don't really know why I survived I guess it comes down to good doctors ,good attitude and very good luck. I can only wish your dad the same good fortune and leave you with the CLEAR message that it CAN be beaten,cheers Ron

jsabol

Hi Susana,
I finished my chemo for stage III this past July, and have my scans scheduled for October. I'll keep you posted. I feel better with each passing week, and hope that all the nasty cells have been knocked out. Judy

Unknown

Hi Susana. I know you've read my posts about my husband Bert and his stage III with four positive nodes diagnosis last July (2003). To date, he is NED and plans on staying that way. Yes, the beast can be beat and there are countless people out there who do so every single day...you don't hear from them to often on any support group, but they are out there. Support groups kind of remind me of almost every other form of news events in life...one very rarely hears good news because not to many people come forward with it, but when there is so so news or bad news, the "phone" rings at 2:00 a.m. in the morning...just my thoughts. But I guess my point is there are probably a lot more stage III and IV survivors out there who you will never hear from and with a little bit of hope, faith, and determination to do whatever it takes to beat this beast, there's no reason why your dad and can't join them.

As far as recurrence is concerned, I think that is the biggest fear for us all, care giver and patient alike. Stacey put it once really well in that the more time that passes from original diagnosis, the less one dwells on the negative possibilities...oh they are very real, but again, they need not necessarily be. What happens to one does not happen to another.

And by the way, this board is exactly the place you should be to express your fears, doubts, concerns, and anxiety. By keeping up your spirits in front of your dad, you are helping him more than you realize. He knows what is probably going through everyone's head that cares about him but just the mere act of living life as normal as possible works wonders. Working in pathology I'm sure does not help and you probably used to be fine with diagnosis because like all of us at one time, you were on the outside of the window looking in. Now that you are inside the room, it's quite different but surely from working in pathology you also know that not every diagnosis is bad...concentrate on those.

Chin up, head high, and march straight ahead.

Hugs,
Monika

taraHK

Hi Susanna,
Fear of recurrence is a horrible beast with which we all do battle - I've had my bad days and my share of demon-fighting nights. You are wise to come here for inspiration and support - I have received much right here.

For what it's worth: I was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer 17 months ago. I am disgustingly healthy today - living a very active life, and enjoying it.

Best wishes to you and your dad.
Tara

juliababy

thanks guys, you really are the best. My dad is getting chemo as we "speak" so I'm headed off to see him with a huge smile on my face. Thanks again for the continued support, and I am determined to think my Daddy WILL beat this!

Susana

micheleamw

Susana~

I can relate to how you feel. My Dad was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer (4 of of 15 nodes positive) on January 24, 2004. He had just turned 60, and was not a candidate for cancer. He wasn't having any problems. Thank the good Lord, his doctor recommended that he get a colonscopy as part of his routine physical - that's how it was discovered.

I am happy to say that he is about 7 weeks out from finishing up chemo. He did FOLFOX for six months. Thank God it's over. So far so good.

I still can't help but worry. The sense of "security" will probably be gone forever. I try and take one day at a time, and put it in the Good Lord's Hands.

Hugs~
Michele

kerry

juliababy said:

thanks guys, you really are the best. My dad is getting chemo as we "speak" so I'm headed off to see him with a huge smile on my face. Thanks again for the continued support, and I am determined to think my Daddy WILL beat this!

Susana

Susana,

I was diagnosed stage 3 almost 2 years ago. I finished my chemo a year ago this past July. I am feeling better all the time. You and your dad cannot live with a constant fear, even though I know that is easier said than done - My husband and I are making plans now to begin construction on a new home and I think long term now instead of short term. Check out some of the web pages of Stage 3 survivors.

Take care.

Kerry

2bhealed

hi julia,

Stage 3 lymph pos zero met survivor of three years one month and 23 days.

I have gone through this as a 'caregiver' too with my sister so I completely understand your feelings. We had to continually be upbeat and positive for my sister. For four years. It was exhausting. You have the added weight of being in the thick of pathology. But you also have a priviledged position to pray over every sample that comes in that is attached to a human being. Now you know first hand how it feels to be connected to cancer. It gives you a perspective you would not otherwise have. Apparently you may be placed there for a greater purpose. As we all are.

hang in there.

peace, emily who counts each day a success

neon356

Hi Susana,
I was diagnosed with stage 3 in '93, 8 of 15 nodes positive . I'm cancer free for 11 years now, and live a very normal, happy life. I guess we all have our bad days, even wirhout cancer. That's how life is. Hang in there,.....Carl

vanser

Hi Susana,

My mom was diagnosed with stage III in Jan 03.. Today she is up and about and feeling wonderful !!

It has been a very difficult road to get to today- but one piece of advice I can give you is to just take each day as it comes and always try to remain positive. Just keep on reminding yourself that there are millions of stage III survivors out there - and there is no reason that your dad can't be one of them!

And you are entitled to have bad days dealing with this - it is not fair that this happened, so I think it is healthy every now and then to just let it out and cry or kick the wall,etc. etc. You can't keep everything inside.

I will have you and your family in my thoughts,
Vanessa