Just came back from the oncologist - bad news

2

Comments

  • Crow71
    Crow71 Member Posts: 679 Member
    #22
    Eric - You've been through a
    Eric - You've been through a lot and you're due for a break. I'm picturing your squarely in the group that xeloda works for. Juice up some kale and cabbage. Cancer hates the stuff. Even if it doesn't help, it so swampy it'll momentarily take your mind off the chemo side effects.
    Many sparks - Roger
  • Luv2lunch
    Luv2lunch Member Posts: 270
    #23
    Prayers for you
    Hi Eric,
    My Mom and I are new to this site. Just want you to know we have you in our thoughts and prayers. We will be praying very hard for you.
    Love,
    Linda and Ellie
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #24
    Luv2lunch said:

    Prayers for you
    Hi Eric,
    My Mom and I are new to this site. Just want you to know we have you in our thoughts and prayers. We will be praying very hard for you.
    Love,
    Linda and Ellie

    Good knowing you
    I sure hope the xeloda works. If it doesn't, I would like to say that you have inspired me in my fight and I am glad I was able to share our experience. You have an excellent attitude and deserve the best possible response. I know there is nothing that can be said to assuage your mind. But, I believe you have and will continue to face these obstacles with a sound mind and strong heart. This has been your burden and you have carried it as well as any. If you need anything, if I have the ability, I will do my best to help. Peace.
  • karguy
    karguy Member Posts: 1,020 Member
    #25
    Oh no
    I hate bad news like that.I will be praying for you,just don't give up ,and give that cancer hell.Good luck with the xeloda,it worked good for me.I hate cancer.You put your mind to it,and beat the cancer.
  • 462lt
    462lt Member Posts: 117
    #26
    karguy said:

    Oh no
    I hate bad news like that.I will be praying for you,just don't give up ,and give that cancer hell.Good luck with the xeloda,it worked good for me.I hate cancer.You put your mind to it,and beat the cancer.

    Sorry
    Sorry about the bad news but Xeloda works wonders and really not that bad on the side effects. HOpe to hear from you again soon with the good news that it is working.Laura
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #27
    Oh, Eric.
    Oh, Eric.

    I've told you before that you are just very special to me. I can't even really tell you why exactly, but I just cared for you immediately. I am praying that you will get a great miracle, because you certainly deserve it. We all love you!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Kenny H.
    Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
    #28
    tootsie1 said:

    Oh, Eric.
    Oh, Eric.

    I've told you before that you are just very special to me. I can't even really tell you why exactly, but I just cared for you immediately. I am praying that you will get a great miracle, because you certainly deserve it. We all love you!

    *hugs*
    Gail

    Man I admire your courage.
    Man I admire your courage. You can do it & Xeloda is some powerful stuff. Keep nutrition up to. Talk at you later.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #29
    Sorry
    Just don't know what to say. You were always there when we were starting chemo and saying "get this chemo party started" and you were such an inspiration to me. There were nights that you would write a post and still being up there was my post answering you. You are in my thoughts and prayers for this journey ahead. You are very much loved by me and all of us on this board and you have such a great attitude with all you have been through. Hoping that this new treatment will get you through this next hurdle for you which it very well could with your great attitude.

    Hugs! Kim
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    #30
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Sorry
    Just don't know what to say. You were always there when we were starting chemo and saying "get this chemo party started" and you were such an inspiration to me. There were nights that you would write a post and still being up there was my post answering you. You are in my thoughts and prayers for this journey ahead. You are very much loved by me and all of us on this board and you have such a great attitude with all you have been through. Hoping that this new treatment will get you through this next hurdle for you which it very well could with your great attitude.

    Hugs! Kim

    PM
    Sending you a PM
  • pf78248
    pf78248 Member Posts: 209
    #31
    So sorry you had bad doctor visit
    Eric,

    That's news no one wants to hear but that zeloda is good stuff and I agree with the others that there is no reason at all you can't be in the 20-25% group! You are quite a fighter and such a dear member of this board. Everyone of us love you, Eric and will be sending prayers and positive vibes. And there are trials, too.

    I agree if your Mom wants to join it would be wonderful to have another angel. I am sending you my best wishes to you and your Mom tonight. I know you both are really, really down but try to stay the positive fighter you have been!

    Hugs and Healing,
    Priscilla
  • Aud
    Aud Member Posts: 479 Member
    #32
    dear Eric
    Holding you in the Light, as always, for healing, hope, and strength. I sure do hope the Xeloda works.
    love and hope to you.
    ~Aud
  • k1
    k1 Member Posts: 220 Member
    #33
    Sorry to hear
    I'm so sorry that your doctor visit produced bad news. I hope the Xeloda works for you and that you have many more days to share with us and with all the those you love and cherish. You are brave and courageous and an inspiration.


    k1
  • thready
    thready Member Posts: 474
    #34
    Keep on
    Eric,
    I am so sorry. I want to beg you to keep-keeping on. My brother tells me to just keep on living, no other option. I know you have a great attitude and the best support possible so I will pray that the meds work, that miricles will happen, that you will find a good trial, but you need to keep living buddy, cause we need you here-heaven can wait a while.
    We will be sending you all the prayers, good thoughts, vibes etc that can be possibly sent.
    We all love you!!!
    Jan
  • coolvdub
    coolvdub Member Posts: 408 Member
    #35
    Aud said:

    dear Eric
    Holding you in the Light, as always, for healing, hope, and strength. I sure do hope the Xeloda works.
    love and hope to you.
    ~Aud

    You can beat it
    Eric,

    Such a positive attitude and strength you posses, you are an inspiration. Totally bad news but you are handling it with dignity and grace. I will be praying extra hard for you to be in the 25% that the Xeloda works for. If anybody deserves to have it work it's you. Stay positive and let us know if we can do anything for you.

    Don
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #36
    lousy news BUT
    Oh, Eric -- I'm so sorry you had this lousy news/meeting. But I'm glad that there is a plan -- and a decent chance of success. And as you say -- hopefully there will be a new trial or drug popping up soon (I'm trying to stay one step ahead of the game myself!). I can't remember if you have been on Xeloda before. I'm on it now (in a cocktail) and have been on it before both in combo with other drugs and on its own -- as maintainence chemo. It ain't bad. In the meantime, prayer and some 'alternative' approaches/management both seem like great ideas. I will certainly be sending my prayers and best wishes your way.

    Love,
    Tara
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #37
    why just xeloda alone? Maybe Gemzar?
    HI Eric,

    I'm sorry you've been told this- I HATE it when I hear doctors saying things like that to their patients- talk about a punch in the guts! Anyhow, have you already talked to your doctor about taking more than just the Xeloda?

    I am currently taking Xeloda, Avastin, and Gemzar (gemcitabine). Gemzar is FDA approved for non small cell lung cancer, a type of kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, and some metatastic breast cancers. It isn't FDA approved for colon cancer, but there was a clinical trial at USC run under Dr. Lenz with Xeloda and Gemzar used with stage IV colon cancer patients & the results came pretty good. Dr. Lenz at USC in Los Angeles (whom I consulted with), Dr. Fanta at UCSD in San Diego(whom I also consulted with) both advised my regular oncologist that I really needed to take Gemzar with Xeloda (since I didn't qualify for any clinical trial that I could find). We proposed it to the insurance and they denied it twice. I started on it as a cash basis, but then proposed another submission to the California Dept. of Managed Care & insurance came back and approved it. Sooo... I'm thinking that my insurance approving this after all set a precedent for other insurance companies. I would be happy to even help you find some information to give to your doctor, if that would help. Please let me know- Xeloda very well may help you, but if your onc is saying it has only a 20-25% chance of helping, then why doesn't he find an additional med to give to you with it??!!
    No giving up here!!!!

    Let me know if I can help or give you any more info. I still have the info from Dr. Lenz about it.

    Chin up- you're gonna still fight this!

    Lisa
  • christinecarl
    christinecarl Member Posts: 543 Member
    #38
    Odds
    You can beat them. I continue to be inspired by your fight, any of us would be lucky to have 20-25% of that. I will keep you in my prayers.
  • vhtqm1
    vhtqm1 Member Posts: 107
    #39
    you just never know
    it's kinda crazy but them odds you were recently given are higher then at any stage of my experience through this journey. i'm always told were lucky to be where we are and it's just a miracle you survived your initial prognosis and now we find ourselves here dealing with possible last chance treatments and one thing we know is we know nothing. you just never know Eric what will happen. i too recently/currently have been dealing with last option for treatment and this last round has been given to me during a very rough time dealing with all these side effects not only from the medications but the damage being caused by the cancer itself. it seems if this current treatment doesn't work there's just not much out there after they can do with the exception of maybe something surgically just to help with quality of life issues. well, all that being said the 5FU i'm currently on appears to be working somewhat. my vomiting is slowing down and my eating is beginning to make some gains. after loosing over 10lbs this last 10 days and dealing with substantial pain and agony since July 1 i'm beginning to make some progress. the pain is diminishing, i am being careful for what i choose to eat but i am eating on occassion and drinking protein shakes. well, it's quite surprising but after all was said and done i'm still here and writing you which i also couldn't of done a couple weeks ago. so, there's still a chance and knowing you as we do your not going to give up but give it your best shot and maybe in a couple weeks we can write eachother on how well were feeling. DEAL?? i hope so...take good care Eric
  • sfmarie
    sfmarie Member Posts: 602
    #40
    Oh Eric
    I am sorry you received this news from your onc. On the other hand, you have fought this hard that you have to believe this can be beat! Do not give up hope. I do not know what to say other than I am praying hard for you. You have been an inspiration to me when I first came on this board and I only hope I have given some of that back to you.
    Hugs,
    Marie
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #41
    sfmarie said:

    Oh Eric
    I am sorry you received this news from your onc. On the other hand, you have fought this hard that you have to believe this can be beat! Do not give up hope. I do not know what to say other than I am praying hard for you. You have been an inspiration to me when I first came on this board and I only hope I have given some of that back to you.
    Hugs,
    Marie

    Keep the fight!


    We want you here Eric and Donna is saying, "FIGHT." Do everything and whatever it takes!!!!

    I am praying for you Eric!!!

    This really sucks!!! Please do a healthy diet and juice if you can. I am not saying that it will be a miracle and work for you, but I have read that diet helps people on their last leg. TRY it!!

    Let me know if I can help in any way.

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