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In a Nutshell
Buzzard
CSN Member Posts: 3,043 Member
I just got home from Nashville...........Not real good but I am still here, and as long as I can put 2 feet on a cool floor every morning all will be well, after that, well, I won't have much say in it anyway.....
The path reports came back on the 2 areas that were "thought" to be inflammation. Turns out its cancer as well as the nodule that was taken out of my windpipe. Pretty certain that the 2 spots that showed up on the PET were nodes in the chest area.
The spot on the liver is simply just that, a spot and we are going as if it is cancer as well. I opted to not do a biopsy yet and instead to start chemo and then watch what the liver does as well as the spots on my lung and windpipe...
My Onc tells me that I have a very small amount of cancer in my body but its simply the areas that it is located is what is so tricky. They are not going to remove all surgery options as of yet but for now chemo seems to be the right protocol to try and stabilize or shrink what is there. She tells me that I have a better than normal chance to beat the statistics because of the minimal amount of cancer I have and the shape I am in. It also took 2 years for the first spot to met and then 1 year for the next spot. She says mine is slow in growing and if chemo can stabilize it I may live a long time. I guess we will see.
I will be doing the standard protocol of Folfiri with Avastin. One day every 2 weeks with an approx infusion time of 2.5 hrs...then a fanny pack for 2 days following. I asked her if this would be forever and she said yes, as long as it was keeping it at bay...She will also check on my tumors to see if they tested for K-ras mutation...that gives them another arsenal as far as receptor initiative treatment.
So I am now on maintenance chemo. She says that chemo breaks are often done if a patient responds well there are times when people take breaks from treatment and they simply keep an eye out for scans and if it starts showing progression again then back on the chemo again.....
Its not what I was hoping for but for some reason the thought of another surgery right now just doesn't seem to appealing.
I am officially retiring September 21st on my 6 year olds birthday and I will start to actually act like a retired person.
I am as are we all hoping that in the 2-5 years that are in front of me that someone will progress in this disease to where we can have 2-5 more then 2-5 more and so on ...I think we will get there someday..Its my hope for us all...til then, when life hands you a lemon.................throw it in the trash !!! LOL.......no matter how chitty it gets.........Life is Still Good.........love to all, buzz
The path reports came back on the 2 areas that were "thought" to be inflammation. Turns out its cancer as well as the nodule that was taken out of my windpipe. Pretty certain that the 2 spots that showed up on the PET were nodes in the chest area.
The spot on the liver is simply just that, a spot and we are going as if it is cancer as well. I opted to not do a biopsy yet and instead to start chemo and then watch what the liver does as well as the spots on my lung and windpipe...
My Onc tells me that I have a very small amount of cancer in my body but its simply the areas that it is located is what is so tricky. They are not going to remove all surgery options as of yet but for now chemo seems to be the right protocol to try and stabilize or shrink what is there. She tells me that I have a better than normal chance to beat the statistics because of the minimal amount of cancer I have and the shape I am in. It also took 2 years for the first spot to met and then 1 year for the next spot. She says mine is slow in growing and if chemo can stabilize it I may live a long time. I guess we will see.
I will be doing the standard protocol of Folfiri with Avastin. One day every 2 weeks with an approx infusion time of 2.5 hrs...then a fanny pack for 2 days following. I asked her if this would be forever and she said yes, as long as it was keeping it at bay...She will also check on my tumors to see if they tested for K-ras mutation...that gives them another arsenal as far as receptor initiative treatment.
So I am now on maintenance chemo. She says that chemo breaks are often done if a patient responds well there are times when people take breaks from treatment and they simply keep an eye out for scans and if it starts showing progression again then back on the chemo again.....
Its not what I was hoping for but for some reason the thought of another surgery right now just doesn't seem to appealing.
I am officially retiring September 21st on my 6 year olds birthday and I will start to actually act like a retired person.
I am as are we all hoping that in the 2-5 years that are in front of me that someone will progress in this disease to where we can have 2-5 more then 2-5 more and so on ...I think we will get there someday..Its my hope for us all...til then, when life hands you a lemon.................throw it in the trash !!! LOL.......no matter how chitty it gets.........Life is Still Good.........love to all, buzz
Comments
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Buzz
Crack that f-ing nutshell my friend, I'm pretty sure your the one that can crack it and find a silver lining hiding in there. I've got a lot more f-ing words to say, but rather then offend, I'll be saying them to myself for some time over a few situations here that are ticking me off.
Love back at you by the way,
Winter Marie -
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sorrySonia32 said:Sending you love and hugs
You will fight this and beat it, hey if our craig the cowboy can five times, pah this is nothing for you.
for this news Buzz.we all dont want to hear those chemo for life words.i heard them about a month ago and was devistated.turns out the cheno doc was all mixed up because my surgen is in control and he said my liver was ready to be resected.the lung is a wait and see.i dont know what to say buzz except you are a strong person,you have the faith and you got us.love to you and your family....Godbless....johnnybegood -
Ditto Winter Marie'sherdizziness said:Buzz
Crack that f-ing nutshell my friend, I'm pretty sure your the one that can crack it and find a silver lining hiding in there. I've got a lot more f-ing words to say, but rather then offend, I'll be saying them to myself for some time over a few situations here that are ticking me off.
Love back at you by the way,
Winter Marie
Ditto Winter Marie's Sentiments!!
If anyone can kick it's Azz, YOU can
((hugs))
Peggy -
Hey Buzz:)
Maybe it won't turn out to be chemo for life - maybe it's just "Chemo for NOW."
If your onc thinks that the cancer is in small enough numbers to manage or cut back on, then maybe surgery will still be an option down the road after you see what you are going to see. I know you don't want anymore surgery, but as you yourself have often said, it's away to cut it out and get it out of there, if it is not in spots that are dangerous.
I know surgery and chemo would at least allow for you to knock it back down and not have to be on chemo regularly. There could be periods of breaks then.
You're on the chemo plan I just finished only four months ago. I hope you respond well to it and feel better than I did on it. You already know about your WBCs and what to do if those drop. I will add that my onc recommended we wait 24-hours after pump unhook for the Neulasta shot, because they said it worked better in that timeframe.
Of course, if driving distance is long, then the shot on the unhook day.
I know you are just as ornery as I am - oh, who am I kidding? You're more ornery than me by far:) LOL!
I figure to still be seeing your mug for more than 2-3 years though - I know it and you know it too.
Anything I can do - just call my name.
Wishing you nothing but the best!
-Craig -
I've been reading your posts
I've been reading your posts as a new person and marvel at your strength. As you
said, you just threw the lemon in the trash. And maybe as other's have said, it won't be chemo for life. The retirement life may just give you the R and R you need to keep those nodes at bay.
In balance and light.
Laura -
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Hang in there tough guy!
Hey Buzz,
Good luck and hang tough, I'm on folfiri Avastin too, doing #6 today. I have mets to lungs, liver and the last pet I had showed adrenal gland. Cea was up to 60 prior to treatment and last count 5.7, the doc thinks I'm doing well. I too will be here on maintenance my Onc said. Stay strong!
Aloha
Donna -
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