Just Diagnosed...
Comments
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Welcome to the board utoh, and also feel sorry you have to
be here ,but is an excellent place that will help you in your adventure you will find very supportive people able to help you in any of your doubts , and fears.My first suggestion , just keep a positive attitude doctors will do the rest I'm sure about!.
Hugs!
Pepe, Barcelona.0 -
Just a thought...
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Interview surgeons to find out if they have experience with colon cancer.
Have your surgery and then you will know what type of cancer you have. Unless they biopsied the tumor and already know what type of cancer you have.
Find an Oncologist that has experience with your type of cancer. I interviewed 6 Oncologists, 2 said they had seen my type of cancer once. "Next!" One said they had seen it once, but it was not a big deal. "Next!" (I have Signet Ring Cell a very aggressive cancer.)
It came down to three, all had similar approaches for the treatment, so it was a personality issue. Whom was the best fit for me.
Keep a positive attitude! It was the most important part. I have had cancer twice and both times attitude made for a quicker recovery. Get a support group of friends and family, this is an additional support group. It is good to have people around that you can vent and trust.
If you have questions ask the forum. It has helped me a lot. Is this normal, etc.... Many have done this before you and can help on what to expect and how to deal with it. There is much more good information here then bad.
Best Always, mike0 -
Sorry
So sorry you have to join our group, but you have come to a great board of people. You will experience a rollercoaster of not only emotions, but tests and appointments. Make sure you come here often with your concerns and questions. Let us know more about your situation when you find out. We are here to help you in your journey.
Kim0 -
Welcome Utoh, you have come
Welcome Utoh, you have come to the right place. You are just beginning your journey, so you will have to wait a bit and let the results come in. Then your drs. will guide you.Question everything. We are here and believe me the people here are a wealth of information and common sence. It is overwhelming and scary. So be good to yourself.
Keep us posted and good luck to you,
Judy0 -
I am glad you found this
I am glad you found this site. I am sorry that you have cancer. It sucks! You will go through so many emotions as you come to grips with you new reality. I am a uterine cancer survivor but come to this site as colorectal cancer and uterine cancer can be related. For now focus on finding the right doctor and do get atleast two opinions from colorectal oncology surgeons. The American Cancer Society can help you find credentialed cancer centers. Please take one day at a time. You will feel better once there is a treatment plan in place. ((((HUG)))
Peace and caring,
Lori0 -
Welcome. I know how you feeljjaj133 said:Welcome Utoh, you have come
Welcome Utoh, you have come to the right place. You are just beginning your journey, so you will have to wait a bit and let the results come in. Then your drs. will guide you.Question everything. We are here and believe me the people here are a wealth of information and common sence. It is overwhelming and scary. So be good to yourself.
Keep us posted and good luck to you,
Judy
Welcome. I know how you feel hang in there. Until you get a scan, you won't really know if your cancer is isolated. Either way, keep the faith. I was DX stage IV, Nov 2008, still here, with no active cancer. Believe!0 -
Sorry for your diagnosis.
Sorry for your diagnosis. You will be receiving a lot of information now, you are right about that. You might want to take someone with you to appointments, it helps to have that support and to have someone else listening to the Dr's. ....we will be here for you too! This is a great place.
Gail0 -
Hiplh4gail said:Sorry for your diagnosis.
Sorry for your diagnosis. You will be receiving a lot of information now, you are right about that. You might want to take someone with you to appointments, it helps to have that support and to have someone else listening to the Dr's. ....we will be here for you too! This is a great place.
Gail
I wanted to welcome you and as you already know this is an amazing site and a wonderful group of caring, informative and compassionate people. Look forward to hearing from you:)Melissa0 -
Welcome to the "club." None of us asked to join, either!
I think one of the best things you can do is make a notebook with questions, notes about what your doctors say, etc. And take someone with you to appointments, if you can.When you're dealing with a new diagnosis, it's all overwhelming, and you might forgot important info.
*hugs*
Gail0 -
one step at a time
I found this place after my mum was dx. People here help me to go through the most difficult time. I remember I had no idea what was going to happen to my mum and I was so sad and helpless back then.
I personally don't like the staging thing! That is just a number, a number created by the researchers.
Best wishes Dora0 -
Hello
Hello,
Welcome and sorry, as others have said. Wow- I didn't find this board until a year and a half after my diagnosis- you are fortunate and "on the ball!" with looking and finding it. I was diagnosed in August 2007 with stage IV colorectal cancer (w/ metastasis/tumors in both lungs and liver). Not good, but I am still here, 3 years and 9 months later and am hanging in there! I have stayed strong and still can do pretty much most everything I could do before (as busy mom of 3 kids, a husband, two dogs and three cats!).
This is at stage IV & there are several on the board who are stage IV and have been going longer than me. Even a few who were diagnosed stage IV and are now cancer free!
Hopefully, you will be a lesser stage but, even if it is stage III or stage IV, know that there are many treatments and choices out there. Some oncologists are good at being positive and others are pretty bad at it. I hope and pray that your doctor is one of the positive outlook types. If he/she isn't, then try not to take it to heart- doctors don't know everything even if they think they do! Only God knows how someone is going to do & everyone's body is different and reacts differently to treatments.
I recently added holistic/naturopathic treatments and supplements into the mix, along with still doing chemo. I am fortunate to have an oncologist who is pretty open to that stuff (plus I told him I'd do it anyway, but I wanted to be up front with him and let him know everything I was wanting to do).
Best wishes & please let us know how your biopsy comes back and when you find out your staging and "plan". Remember, if you're not satisfied with what he/she has to say or propose as a plan, it's always a good idea to seek out another opinion (preferably from someone not related to the same medical group).
Take care- I care! Remember- there's ALWAYS hope!
Lisa
0 -
Wow, there's actually somelisa42 said:Hello
Hello,
Welcome and sorry, as others have said. Wow- I didn't find this board until a year and a half after my diagnosis- you are fortunate and "on the ball!" with looking and finding it. I was diagnosed in August 2007 with stage IV colorectal cancer (w/ metastasis/tumors in both lungs and liver). Not good, but I am still here, 3 years and 9 months later and am hanging in there! I have stayed strong and still can do pretty much most everything I could do before (as busy mom of 3 kids, a husband, two dogs and three cats!).
This is at stage IV & there are several on the board who are stage IV and have been going longer than me. Even a few who were diagnosed stage IV and are now cancer free!
Hopefully, you will be a lesser stage but, even if it is stage III or stage IV, know that there are many treatments and choices out there. Some oncologists are good at being positive and others are pretty bad at it. I hope and pray that your doctor is one of the positive outlook types. If he/she isn't, then try not to take it to heart- doctors don't know everything even if they think they do! Only God knows how someone is going to do & everyone's body is different and reacts differently to treatments.
I recently added holistic/naturopathic treatments and supplements into the mix, along with still doing chemo. I am fortunate to have an oncologist who is pretty open to that stuff (plus I told him I'd do it anyway, but I wanted to be up front with him and let him know everything I was wanting to do).
Best wishes & please let us know how your biopsy comes back and when you find out your staging and "plan". Remember, if you're not satisfied with what he/she has to say or propose as a plan, it's always a good idea to seek out another opinion (preferably from someone not related to the same medical group).
Take care- I care! Remember- there's ALWAYS hope!
Lisa
Wow, there's actually some hope? I met with an oncologist yesterday for a consult, (my biopsy hasn't come back yet) and he wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine I did like that I was continually referred to as "young" at 51. I'm getting super-confused though. How does a treatment team work? In other words, who directs? I'm meeting with a colorectal surgeon tomorrow, who I assume will order CAT scans and other tests. How do I get all the doctors coordinated? Does the surgeon run the show? The oncologist said I'll have 6 weeks of chemo and radiation, then surgery then more of either chemo or rad (can't remember which, but have notes somewhere).
You all are wonderful and amazingly upbeat - what a help with my attitude adjustment (since the reality hasn't sunk in yet...)0 -
Nah, we're just trying to make you feel good!UtOh said:Wow, there's actually some
Wow, there's actually some hope? I met with an oncologist yesterday for a consult, (my biopsy hasn't come back yet) and he wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine I did like that I was continually referred to as "young" at 51. I'm getting super-confused though. How does a treatment team work? In other words, who directs? I'm meeting with a colorectal surgeon tomorrow, who I assume will order CAT scans and other tests. How do I get all the doctors coordinated? Does the surgeon run the show? The oncologist said I'll have 6 weeks of chemo and radiation, then surgery then more of either chemo or rad (can't remember which, but have notes somewhere).
You all are wonderful and amazingly upbeat - what a help with my attitude adjustment (since the reality hasn't sunk in yet...);-)
Of course there's hope. I'm stage IV, dx (diagnosed) over 7 years ago.
There are many opinions out there as you will soon enough find out. Ultimately, YOU are in charge of your treatment. My best advice is to get an oncologist that you trust/like. Usually they call many of the shots like getting scans and the course of treatment. They also coordinate surgeons and all. At least that is how it worked for me at Sloan Kettering. IF you do not like your oncologist or the dx seems dire, get a second opinion. A second opinion can't hurt anyway IMO.
You will see on this site that the approach is split between traditional treatments (chemo, surgery, radiation, etc) and alternative treatments (TCM - Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbs, supplements, prayer, etc.) Some do a combination of both methods. Some hospitals actually offer alternative treatment options while others will tell you to stay away from them. No one has a sure-fire method of dealing with cancer since it's behaves differently in all of us. What works for one may not work for another and visa-versa. What's important is how YOU feel about what is being done.
It's also a VERY good idea to have an advocate for yourself if possible. If you have a spouse or partner/sibling/friend who can go with you to appointments to take notes it's VERY helpful. You'll be hit with a lot of info that can be hard to absorb. I would often bring a digital voice recorder with me and record my meetings with my oncologist. One other thing, do not over research things on the internet. Most of that data that is out there is old. Even things that are 2 years old may not be true anymore. Things change quickly in this field and the data doesn't always reflect that. There is also helpful info out there but anyone can make a website and post anything they want to, just keep that in mind. And my advise is don't pay attention to statistics. They are for horse races. You are not a stat, you're a person. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If they tell you that you have X amount of years left I'd find someone else. My opinion is that no good oncologist is going to tell you something that they have absolutely no idea about. No one knows how you will react to treatment until you do it.
A positive attitude will go a long way too. Some on here will dispute that, but some people are glass half-empty people anyway. It certainly can be a bumpy ride but there are plenty of people on here (many are stage IV too) who have beaten cancer or they live with cancer.
I wish you well, feel free to ask away on here. There is no shortage of opinions!
;-)
-phil0 -
Who calls the shots?UtOh said:Wow, there's actually some
Wow, there's actually some hope? I met with an oncologist yesterday for a consult, (my biopsy hasn't come back yet) and he wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine I did like that I was continually referred to as "young" at 51. I'm getting super-confused though. How does a treatment team work? In other words, who directs? I'm meeting with a colorectal surgeon tomorrow, who I assume will order CAT scans and other tests. How do I get all the doctors coordinated? Does the surgeon run the show? The oncologist said I'll have 6 weeks of chemo and radiation, then surgery then more of either chemo or rad (can't remember which, but have notes somewhere).
You all are wonderful and amazingly upbeat - what a help with my attitude adjustment (since the reality hasn't sunk in yet...)
In my
Who calls the shots?
In my case, (I think it makes a difference if cancer is colon or rectal or combination)- my surgeon called all the shots. I had surgery 2.5 weeks after diagonsis, didn't even meet or consult with an oncologist until 3-4 days post op. One of the oncologist at Mayo came in to talk about staging of the cancer based on tests and lymph node bioposy. Once my surgeon cleared me, which was 4 weeks post op, I met with oncologist close to home, got my port and got chemo 5 weeks post surgery. And since then, 3 years ago!! the oncologist has called all the shots, the surgeon has done 2 additional surgeries, but very definitely she is not in the forefront for my cancer care.
In your case, I am guessing due to your comment about radiation and chemo prior to surgery that your cancer location is more rectal area than colon- generally colon isn't treated with radiation. And it tends to be the norm to let the oncologist run the show until you are ready for surgery. And then the surgeon takes over for his gig, and then back to the oncologist for further care.
And with that welcome! I was 50.6 when diagonsed with stage 3B colon cancer 3 years TOMORROW. I am completely free of cancer and hope to maintain that for many years to come. Absolutely there is hope!0 -
Treatmentlisa42 said:Hello
Hello,
Welcome and sorry, as others have said. Wow- I didn't find this board until a year and a half after my diagnosis- you are fortunate and "on the ball!" with looking and finding it. I was diagnosed in August 2007 with stage IV colorectal cancer (w/ metastasis/tumors in both lungs and liver). Not good, but I am still here, 3 years and 9 months later and am hanging in there! I have stayed strong and still can do pretty much most everything I could do before (as busy mom of 3 kids, a husband, two dogs and three cats!).
This is at stage IV & there are several on the board who are stage IV and have been going longer than me. Even a few who were diagnosed stage IV and are now cancer free!
Hopefully, you will be a lesser stage but, even if it is stage III or stage IV, know that there are many treatments and choices out there. Some oncologists are good at being positive and others are pretty bad at it. I hope and pray that your doctor is one of the positive outlook types. If he/she isn't, then try not to take it to heart- doctors don't know everything even if they think they do! Only God knows how someone is going to do & everyone's body is different and reacts differently to treatments.
I recently added holistic/naturopathic treatments and supplements into the mix, along with still doing chemo. I am fortunate to have an oncologist who is pretty open to that stuff (plus I told him I'd do it anyway, but I wanted to be up front with him and let him know everything I was wanting to do).
Best wishes & please let us know how your biopsy comes back and when you find out your staging and "plan". Remember, if you're not satisfied with what he/she has to say or propose as a plan, it's always a good idea to seek out another opinion (preferably from someone not related to the same medical group).
Take care- I care! Remember- there's ALWAYS hope!
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I was interested to find out what type of treatment you are currently doing. I am a primary caregiver for my best friend who is also stage 1V. She has been 2 years in this stage but has recently been told that if she lives until Christmas it will be a miracle. She was recently put into a clinical trial with the drug barivnev, along with 5fu, leucovorin. This drug caused her to have a stroke so she was taken out of the trial. Her Dr. says he is virtually out of options for treatment, since she has the wild kras protein this limits her drug options.
thanks
michelle0 -
You guys rock - every time IPatteee said:Who calls the shots?
In my
Who calls the shots?
In my case, (I think it makes a difference if cancer is colon or rectal or combination)- my surgeon called all the shots. I had surgery 2.5 weeks after diagonsis, didn't even meet or consult with an oncologist until 3-4 days post op. One of the oncologist at Mayo came in to talk about staging of the cancer based on tests and lymph node bioposy. Once my surgeon cleared me, which was 4 weeks post op, I met with oncologist close to home, got my port and got chemo 5 weeks post surgery. And since then, 3 years ago!! the oncologist has called all the shots, the surgeon has done 2 additional surgeries, but very definitely she is not in the forefront for my cancer care.
In your case, I am guessing due to your comment about radiation and chemo prior to surgery that your cancer location is more rectal area than colon- generally colon isn't treated with radiation. And it tends to be the norm to let the oncologist run the show until you are ready for surgery. And then the surgeon takes over for his gig, and then back to the oncologist for further care.
And with that welcome! I was 50.6 when diagonsed with stage 3B colon cancer 3 years TOMORROW. I am completely free of cancer and hope to maintain that for many years to come. Absolutely there is hope!
You guys rock - every time I check in, there are so many nice posts with LOTS of encouragement & knowledge. It's highly appreciated. Okay, met with a surgeon who basically told me the same thing the oncologist did: radiation & chemo, surgery & more chemo. The iliostomy (ack, need to get up to speed on my medical terms - surely that's misspelled for 6 mos while I do the chemo. She examined me and believes the tumor's high enough up that she can reconnect everything in the end (bad pun, sorry). Still not staged tho (& that's really wigging me out, the not knowing) but am going Mon for chest xray, Tue for ct scan (iv & oral), and Wed a.m. an anal MRI. Whew. Keep your sunshine coming my way, please!! 0
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