Recently diagnosed

Tigerfan92

Most people either love us or hate us in the SEC. Gotta root for my alma mater though! I haven’t decided to miss treatment days for certain but likely will. I have a friend that had 28 rounds of radiation and she missed 4 days over Thanksgiving. I feel like it will be ok and give my body a break toward the end of the treatment. From what I understand, it starts getting uncomfortable after 3 weeks or so. Just hope I am feeling up to the travel.

I don’t mind sharing about the ileostomy. My polyp had been removed piece meal during a colonoscopy and it didn’t have clear margins. The surgeon recommended an LAR due to NCCN guidelines. The location was high in the rectum and he said I had a 50/50 chance of the ileostomy because of the possibility of leakage. Imagine my dismay when I woke up with a pouch. It’s not ideal and it has been the hardest part of recovery. I am almost 6 weeks post op and just now starting to be able to stand up without pain.

I feel like the resection recovery was nothing compared to the ileostomy. That’s probably why the docs are saying you will be up and running after a short time. Will the surgeon have to remove any of your rectum to achieve clear margins? My understanding is the further down the rectum, the higher the chance of leakage.

bdix4573

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705947#Comment_1705947

I’ve always liked LSU. Love the helmets. Death Valley seems like a great atmosphere. Brian Kelly’s a good coach you guys will be challenging Bama in a few seasons.

Sounds like a short intermission from treatment isn’t going to have a negative impact on your progress. Also a rest and change of perspective might help to keep your motivation high.

My tumor is 33 cm from the anal verge. So almost a foot. My wife and I asked about the possibility of a ileostomy . His response was only of the bowl was inflamed.

Cancer using the metric system is another reason to despise both. The surgeon didn’t say anything about margins. I didn’t think to ask at the time. I’ve asked around about his reputation. Patients and colleagues say he’s great so I’m going to accept their appraisal of his ability.

Any idea what’s causing your pain when standing?

Tigerfan92

I am hoping the coach will bring us a championship. I have been reading about the side effects of Xeloda and it sounds like I need to completely avoid the sun. Dang this cancer! It’s ruining my sun time!

Isn’t that the truth about the metric system? I have googled the conversion more than once! Sounds like the surgeon could take a few inches on each side of the polyp and it won’t be close to the rectum. Have they removed any part of the polyp? My GI doc removed mine in pieces and the pathology had positive margins for cancer. It made it tricky for the surgeon because he wasn’t the one that removed it.

How did you find your surgeon? My GI doc recommended mine and my husband and I really liked him but it was my mom that found the best question to ask. She read if a surgeon does less than 50 a year to find another one. I asked my surgeon how many surgeries he performed each year and he said between 150-220 depending and I told him it was all good. Lol. He also performs robotic surgery and my LAR was robotic. Do you know if yours will be robotic or laparoscopic? Hopefully you won’t have to be cut open.

May I ask, how’s your wife taking all of this? I think my husband is taking it okay but I don’t think he would tell me if he wasn’t. He hasn’t said much about treatment and doesn’t get into the details like me. He just wants me to do whatever gives me the best outcome.

I think the pain when standing is the muscle cut during the ileostomy to create the stoma. I can remember when I left the hospital, one of the discharge docs told me not to bend down very much.

bdix4573

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705972#Comment_1705972

Brian Kelly will keep you guy’s competitive for years to come. Nothing better than college football In the south. It kills me, our oldest son wants to go to Ohio State.

Can you do a hat or strong sun screen I’m going to try to plan my next cancer during the winter months.

None of my polyp was removed aside from the tissue for the biopsy. I went straight from the colonoscopy to meeting with the surgeon a few days later the surgeon is the hospitals oncology surgeon I know some people whose family members have worked with him and they were very positive. I asked about robotic assisted or lypo but no it’s going to be an open incision.

You may ask and I will answer. My wife is a RN so she understands what’s going on initially she was concerned until the CT results returned and meeting with the oncologist and surgeon. After that her position is surgery should take care of it she supportive and done a good job of keep me from over reacting emotionally. Sounds like your husband and I are similar . Don’t care about the how just get the results

I’ve got a pretty strong core not sure if that will help or not.

Tigerfan92

Ohio State! Doesn’t he know it’s cold up there? Lol I grew up in the south and don’t think I could handle the winter weather up north.

I assume the location is hard to get to and that’s the reason for the open incision? My cousin had to have that done about 10 years ago due to cancerous cells. He said the first few days weren’t so great but he is fine with no issues.

I heard from the doc’s office and the pet scan showed no evidence of metastatic disease. Yippee! I spoke with the medical assistant and she said there was something where I had surgery but she wasn’t sure how to read it. Will have to see what the radiation doc says about it. My surgeon follow up was also today and he said it is usually inflammation in the area of the surgery within the first 2-3 months.

the surgeon also said my stomach pain is from the stoma and should get better. Even if you have a strong core, I am thinking recovery will be a minute versus robotic or laparoscopic.

SandiaBuddy

For what its worth, I never had any problem with sun exposure on capecitabine (Xeloda), and I would walk outdoors for at least a couple of hours a day.

bdix4573

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705987#Comment_1705987

We live in Ohio so despite my best efforts he’s been indoctrinated. The weather isn’t terrible but I prefer the south as well. Nice weather and nice people.

I have no idea the reason for an open surgery. The surgeon said that’s how he operates (no pun intended).

That is fantastic news!!! Great to hear I’m sure it makes everything you’ve endured worth it. So what’s next ? Do you have a time frame as to how long your treatment will last?

Tigerfan92

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705989#Comment_1705989

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705989#Comment_1705989

Thank you SandiaBuddy! I stumbled across a thread someone said his hands peeled. Maybe I will be able to wear lots of sunscreen and be out in the sun a little while.

Tigerfan92

He comes by it honest then. I am sure it’s a great school, just cold.

LARs can be performed with minimally invasive procedures. Is your surgeon old? Do you have any info on his outcomes? How many of these surgeries does he do each year? Is it the location of your tumor requiring it maybe?

i am so relieved the cancer didn’t spread. Now I go through chemo radiation for 28 days and then 8 cycles of chemo while hoping all goes well and I can continue to work during treatment. A month after that I will be able to have the ileostomy reversed as long as there are no issues from radiation. Nothing seems cut and dry when it comes to cancer treatment.

My surgeon said the pain was from where he worked on the ileostomy and it should keep getting better. I have been cleared to walk the dog!

SandiaBuddy

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705994#Comment_1705994

"Hand/foot syndrome" is fairly frequently reported. I have no recollection that it is related to sun exposure. I took the advice from this forum and started using heavy cream (Walmart knock off for Eucerin) on my hands and feet before chemo started and used it throughout. Whether that actually helped or not I am uncertain, but I never had a problem, other that some neuropathy, which, to the best of my understanding, is internal.