No more chemo! Yay!

Patrusha

Saw the oncs yesterday and gave them a chance to talk me out of stopping Folfox after only five infusions. Candidly one of the oncs said I may have received the benefit of the Chemo just in those five infusions. Balancing that with the bad stuff (esophagus problems, possible heart problems, and memory problems) and the CON side was definitely outweighing the PRO side. So I dropped out of the study I was in.

I'll still get the usual care: bloodwork every three months and colonoscopy in July, one year after my surgery. They said they'd do the CT scan in January to ease my fears about the liver "cysts" they found back in July....

An interesting thing about the CEA count one of the oncs told me, too. I told him I didn't think CEA was a good indicator for me because it was only at 1.5 before surgery and just below 1 two months later when I started chemo. He said that a lot of times people who had low CEA like me would then have much higher CEAs in metasteses, especially in the liver. I thought that was kind of interesting and thought I'd pass that along.

I get my port out next Friday! Yay!!! I was a little surprised they didn't want to keep it in for a while, "just in case," but they said the chance of possible blood clots wasn't worth leaving it in. I am not sad to see it go.

So, that's my good news. I feel good about this decision and know it is the right one for me. I'm just listening to that ", small voice" inside of me that just keeps saying, "everything is OK. Get on with your life."

So I am. Love to all.

spongebob

Pat -

That's AWESOME! I am so happy for you and so glad you are listening to that inner voice. I have said it before, but I think it bears saying again; I think that innervoice is really God whispering in our ear.

Be well and, as my daughter will shout shortly i am sure, NAKED HAPPY DANCE

(don't count on me doing one personally... well, unless you have dollar bills... DOH... gonna get banned for sure now...!)

scouty

Patrusha,

You have "killed many brain cells" debating about this for so long. YGG (you go girl), inhale, exhale and move forward with as much positive energy as you can muster.

Interesting about CEA, thanks for sharing that.

I hope you are working on your diet and other lifestyle "stuff" so the **** cells continue to hate your bod.

Let me know if there is anything else I can do to support you.

Lisa P.

valeriec

spongebob said:

Pat -

That's AWESOME! I am so happy for you and so glad you are listening to that inner voice. I have said it before, but I think it bears saying again; I think that innervoice is really God whispering in our ear.

Be well and, as my daughter will shout shortly i am sure, NAKED HAPPY DANCE

(don't count on me doing one personally... well, unless you have dollar bills... DOH... gonna get banned for sure now...!)

Well said SB, hats off to you. I, too, believe that innervoice is God whispering in our ear. We just have to be still sometimes and listen.
ValerieC
(and your right-you are probably about to be banned-lol)

KathiM

YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA!!!!!

NAKED HAPPY DANCE!!!!

I love my 'inner voice'...told me that the 4th Adriamycin was too much...Your story sounds so close to mine...and here I sit, 2 years post dx...NED!

Hugs, Kathi

KathiM

KathiM said:

YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA!!!!!

NAKED HAPPY DANCE!!!!

I love my 'inner voice'...told me that the 4th Adriamycin was too much...Your story sounds so close to mine...and here I sit, 2 years post dx...NED!

Hugs, Kathi

And, You are one of the bravest, strongest people I know...I am proud to call you 'friend'!

Hugs, Kathi

ron50

Hugs Pat:) Ron.

betina61

Hi Patrusha, you are not going to be anymore my chemo buddy, but you don't know how happy I am for you,enjoy your Holidays and the rest of your healthy life. lots of hugs

Moesimo

Woohoo!!!

I didn't get all my chemo either, and I am still here and NED. It has been almost 3 1/2 years since my surgery.

Go out and celebrate,

Maureen

Russell05

Great news Pat. I had not gotten all my chemo that they said I needed. But as it turned out I must have gotten enough. So far almost 2 yrs. port removed still ned. Yay again for you.

Russell

goldfinch

Woohoo!!! Congratulations!
Mary

jams67

I've been and still am married for many years, almost 40! Anyway, moving forward from cancer must feel like being divorced and then thinking about dating again. You look around and wonder, "now what?" Well the music is turned up high, and NED wants to dance until your shoes fall off. Glad to hear your good news! jams

Betsydoglover

Hi Pat -

I think you made a great decision. You had five treatments, you are Stage II, you are having side effects. I'll bet you have gotten the most benefit from treatments already - I'd have dropped out if I were you. SO - WOW - DONE with cancer treatment and being Stage II that means you can go on with a normal life. How wonderful!

Your CEA info is interesting and I shall remember that.

Take care, have fun, be happy and celebrate,
Betsy

Patrusha

spongebob said:

Pat -

That's AWESOME! I am so happy for you and so glad you are listening to that inner voice. I have said it before, but I think it bears saying again; I think that innervoice is really God whispering in our ear.

Be well and, as my daughter will shout shortly i am sure, NAKED HAPPY DANCE

(don't count on me doing one personally... well, unless you have dollar bills... DOH... gonna get banned for sure now...!)

I have some dollar bills, SB!!! LOL!!! The still small voice is definitely the Lord. He never shouts.. just waits for us to shut up long enough to be "heard."

Patrusha

scouty said:

Patrusha,

You have "killed many brain cells" debating about this for so long. YGG (you go girl), inhale, exhale and move forward with as much positive energy as you can muster.

Interesting about CEA, thanks for sharing that.

I hope you are working on your diet and other lifestyle "stuff" so the **** cells continue to hate your bod.

Let me know if there is anything else I can do to support you.

Lisa P.

I must confess, Scouty, that my diet of late has been atrocious. I am getting back on track, slowly but surely.

Patrusha

KathiM said:

And, You are one of the bravest, strongest people I know...I am proud to call you 'friend'!

Hugs, Kathi

Awwww, sniff. I can't wait to get my first official dancing with NED dance card.... pehaps in January after my CT scan, eh?

Patrusha

ron50 said:

Hugs Pat:) Ron.

Hugs back atcha, Ron!

Patrusha

betina61 said:

Hi Patrusha, you are not going to be anymore my chemo buddy, but you don't know how happy I am for you,enjoy your Holidays and the rest of your healthy life. lots of hugs

Hey, Betina, I'll still be your chemo buddy in spirit and I'll continue to pray for you as you keep traveling the chemo road. You have a great Christmas!

Patrusha

Moesimo said:

Woohoo!!!

I didn't get all my chemo either, and I am still here and NED. It has been almost 3 1/2 years since my surgery.

Go out and celebrate,

Maureen

Now that's what I want to hear!!! I did celebrate. Hubby and I went out for breakfast and just spent some nice quiet time together. It was long overdue....

Patrusha

Russell05 said:

Great news Pat. I had not gotten all my chemo that they said I needed. But as it turned out I must have gotten enough. So far almost 2 yrs. port removed still ned. Yay again for you.

Russell

That's what I like to hear, Russ.... chemo can work even if you don't go the entire route. That is so encouraging....

Patrusha

goldfinch said:

Woohoo!!! Congratulations!
Mary

Thanks, Mary. Hope you are feeling well these days!