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  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #22
    Hi Gayla, I'm 42 andI got
    Hi Gayla, I'm 42 andI got diagnosed in Feb of this year with rectal cancer stage I, I'm now stage III because I'm following an unusual pattern. That doesn't really mean anything, it just is what it is and happens sometimes. The chemo is working very well. I'm now in my 5th week of treatment. The only thing I can add is that I'm sure the second doctor would suggest the chemo as your first doctor is suggesting and then the radiation which seems to be standard but I would go for a second opinion right after the PET scan. Bring all of your lab results and all of your scans on disk, have a second person look at it and get his opinion. Let him tell you his opinion without offering the first docs opinion. It gives you a great peace of mind when two doctors tell you that you do indeed have this specific cancer and your path is a good one. I wish I had done that because my second opinion disagreed with my first completely. I had already done the first surgery. You can only go forward. The second guy was a top guy at one of the top cancer hospitals. I did some research and he was right on the money with his treatment plan.

    Also just a tidbit, I recently learned that you want to do MRIs and scans that involve chemicals being put into your body on non-chemo weeks whenever possible. All those chemicals pack a wollop in your body all at once. Obviously you don't put a PET scan off (or any other timely scan) if it's on a chemo week but it's useful when it's a routine scan. It was a good lesson.

    Hang in there and try to smile when people ask you how you are a million times and tell you stupid stories (and they will). And when your family just makes you want to go ahhhhhhhhh! It gets better and it tapers off. It's hard for people to understand how this feels. They all love us and mean well. We're also now going to have to set a rule about going to any doctor on Friday the 13th! =) Helen
  • marbleotis
    marbleotis Member Posts: 720 Member
    #23
    Hi Gayla
    Welcome aboard. You will feel like you are on a roller coaster most of the time. That is ok - because sometime it is slow and sometimes it is fast.

    My story - I had debilitating pain on left side front and back. Scan (kidney stone), ok for 2 weeks then it came back. ER visit, scan, presents like Gall stone except pain was on opposite side. HIDA scan showed a large gallstone. Removed Dec 5. Happy me. Until 3 weeks later when pain came back on left side in front only. Slight anemia also. Lets's do a colonoscopy and endo since we had not done this yet. Friday, Jan 13th the Gastro told me that I had colon cancer. I was stunned! I was also only 49. I am stage 3b (3 nodes and with no mets), Colon surgery 1/31/12, Port implanted 2/28/12, 12 rounds of 5-FU/Oxali started 3/7/12 and ended 8/23/12. Now I have scans on 9/18. Since I started with clean scans we have a good feeling then colonoscopy again in Jan and so on......

    Sounds like you have a great relationship with your Onc - that is important. ASk alot of questions and when looking on the internet only look toward trustworthy sites (ACS, Sloan-Kettering - like these). You will read alot of stupid junk and get yourself upset over nonesense. Every colon cancer is different in each patient. Everyone reacts differently to treatment. Be good to yourself. My husband and family (girls 24 and 20) have been wonderful through all of this and understand that I need to be watched the rest of my life but this will not stop me from living. I am less stressed, 60 pounds lighter (thanks to the chemo-diet), and have a whole new outlook on life, jobs, working, laughter, family, friends and life in general.

    These boards have been a huge help to me. There are people that post that have been navigating this for years. I think of them as mentors.

    Please keep us posted.

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