Official pathology report

SnapDragon2

Its been an emotional day.  I cried and hugged my surgeon.  Got staples out of my abdomen.  Pathology report states: clear margins, stage IIIB.  I now have 4 months of folfox to go.  Its the last sprint in this marathon to beat cancer!

SandiaBuddy

Staging

I was a stage 3b as well.  Chemo likely will be a challenge.  Reading the many posts on this board will likely help you prepare, but you will likely have a month or two to heal before chemo.  Congratulations on the good news.

suzycruise76

Oh,so great!!!!

Hi SnapDragon, I so understand you...yes,it is very emotional to get great results. I,personally, cried a few times when getting good results,never cried after being diagnosed with cancer or getting all those scary informations regarding treatment.

And yes,I too hugged my wonderful surgeon after getting final NED in October 2019,and a few months prior to it I cried and hugged my oncology doctor,when she agreed with me NOT to take an offer of another (mop-out?) chemo because my pathology reports and all other test came completely negative. 

I see that you are going to be on folfox for 4 months...well,I wish you to get fast and easy through it,and be completely free of treatments (and disease of course) in summer.

All the best,

Suzy

Trubrit

Good news

It surley is a roller coaster of emotions. 

Continue to heal and get your body ready for the onslaught of FOLFOX.  We will be with you all the way. 

Tru

Annabelle41415

Wonderful

That is awesome news.  Enjoy this news and keep healing.  Remember to walk.  You have to be really relieved at this point, and you can make it through treatment as we are all here with any struggles you might have.

Kim

SnapDragon2

SandiaBuddy said:

Staging

I was a stage 3b as well.  Chemo likely will be a challenge.  Reading the many posts on this board will likely help you prepare, but you will likely have a month or two to heal before chemo.  Congratulations on the good news.

Good morning!  Thank you for

Good morning!  Thank you for sharing your stage.  I will have to follow you to be more knowlegeable.  My surgeon says I should start chemo within a month to 6 wks of surgery, so ya I was thinking it is going to be rough just from that aspect.  I am going to compliment the folfox with IV vit C to hopefully help with the challenging affects of the chemo.

SnapDragon2

suzycruise76 said:

Oh,so great!!!!

Hi SnapDragon, I so understand you...yes,it is very emotional to get great results. I,personally, cried a few times when getting good results,never cried after being diagnosed with cancer or getting all those scary informations regarding treatment.

And yes,I too hugged my wonderful surgeon after getting final NED in October 2019,and a few months prior to it I cried and hugged my oncology doctor,when she agreed with me NOT to take an offer of another (mop-out?) chemo because my pathology reports and all other test came completely negative. 

I see that you are going to be on folfox for 4 months...well,I wish you to get fast and easy through it,and be completely free of treatments (and disease of course) in summer.

All the best,

Suzy

Good morning, Suzy!  Thank

Good morning, Suzy!  Thank you for your note.  I am so happy you are NED!!!!  Its a nice comfort to know I can share things and you all know exactly what I mean.

SnapDragon2

Trubrit said:

Good news

It surley is a roller coaster of emotions. 

Continue to heal and get your body ready for the onslaught of FOLFOX.  We will be with you all the way. 

Tru

Good morning, Tru!  Thank you

Good morning, Tru!  Thank you so much for the encouragement.  I am getting myself ready for the onslaught!

SnapDragon2

Good morning, Kim!  Thank you

Good morning, Kim!  Thank you so much.  I (we) are def enjoying the relief of "knowing."  I have been walking every day at least twice.  The weather is not the greatest for it but who cares about a little mud and cold temps   I am just happy I can do it.  

SandiaBuddy

Xelox/Capox

You also might want to look at the option of Xelox/Capox (pill plus infusion) as an alternative to the port/pump, if you do not already have the port.

SnapDragon2

SandiaBuddy said:

Xelox/Capox

You also might want to look at the option of Xelox/Capox (pill plus infusion) as an alternative to the port/pump, if you do not already have the port.

I was windering about that. 

I was wondering about that.  I have a port.  I did 5fu and rad before surgery.  I had no idea a pill was an option, was never told about it.  I hated the pump with a passion.

AnneO1965

YAY!!!

So happy to hear that your margins are clear!! Did you end up with the colostomy, or are they going to be able to reverse it for you?  I was also Stage 3B and I did the 4 months of Folfox, I just did mine before the surgery.

Hopefully the first couple of rounds will be a breeze for you. Just remember that ANY time you start feeling something different, to mention it to your oncologist. Maybe they can adjust your dosage so your side effects aren't that bad.

I was stubborn about doing the full dosage the whole 8 rounds.. 6 rounds in my doc cut my dosage because of the neuropathy. Said I should of told her sooner because she didn't want to cripple me.

SnapDragon2

AnneO1965 said:

YAY!!!

So happy to hear that your margins are clear!! Did you end up with the colostomy, or are they going to be able to reverse it for you?  I was also Stage 3B and I did the 4 months of Folfox, I just did mine before the surgery.

Hopefully the first couple of rounds will be a breeze for you. Just remember that ANY time you start feeling something different, to mention it to your oncologist. Maybe they can adjust your dosage so your side effects aren't that bad.

I was stubborn about doing the full dosage the whole 8 rounds.. 6 rounds in my doc cut my dosage because of the neuropathy. Said I should of told her sooner because she didn't want to cripple me.

HI Anne!  Thank you for

HI Anne!  Thank you for sharing your stage with me too.  You really helped me prepare for surgery and I am so grateful to you for it.  I do have a perm bag.  I need any and all tips to get thru this folox.  The only thing I have learned for sure thru all of members here is the vit c really helps most.  My surgeon asked to be part of the 4 mths and said its all pretty standard but wants to be included to make sure I am getting everything I need on time and thoroughly.  Mainly I think because my oncologist isn't part of the hosp team I had surgery at.  

SandiaBuddy

SnapDragon2 said:

I was windering about that. 

I was wondering about that.  I have a port.  I did 5fu and rad before surgery.  I had no idea a pill was an option, was never told about it.  I hated the pump with a passion.

Pill

Several board members had to work to overcome the automatic use of a port.  I hate needles and I am fairly insistent, so my doctors gave in pretty easily.  There are old discussions of the profit motive for the port, but I think the reimbursement pattern has changed more recently, so that may no longer be relevant.

AnneO1965

SnapDragon2 said:

HI Anne!  Thank you for

HI Anne!  Thank you for sharing your stage with me too.  You really helped me prepare for surgery and I am so grateful to you for it.  I do have a perm bag.  I need any and all tips to get thru this folox.  The only thing I have learned for sure thru all of members here is the vit c really helps most.  My surgeon asked to be part of the 4 mths and said its all pretty standard but wants to be included to make sure I am getting everything I need on time and thoroughly.  Mainly I think because my oncologist isn't part of the hosp team I had surgery at.  

Lots of protein... If you can

Lots of protein... If you can't manage to eat it, get the drinks like Boost or Ensure. Ask your oncologist to speak to a nutritionist, they can tell you the best things to eat. That being said, you probably aren't going to want to eat, force yourself. You have to keep your blood levels up or they won't give you your treatment.

REST REST REST  let the house go... Let the laundry go. You will need to sleep. There is a service that offers housecleaning to patients undergoing chemo, I'll see if I can find a link for it.

https://cleaningforareason.org/