How many Stage 3 Rectal Cancer Survivors are there here?

Lovekitties said:

Dear Minnie
Plan for a long future and have answers prepared for when hubby asks about years out from now.

After all, no one knows what tomorrow will bring so might as well make those plans!

Hugs,

Marie who loves kitties

I couldn't agree more!
Who knows what the future is....

One of my favs:

"Life is a journey, not a destination".

Who really should care about the future, unless it's about financial stuff or your kid's well being?

(If you look at my pic....I never imagined I would be skating on a piece of frozen canal in a far off land....but I did and I enjoy every experience to the hilt...file it away in my head for memories when I'm old and grey...*smile*).

Dutch knuffels, Kathi

Minnesotagirl said:

You are all so awesome
Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond ~ you are all great and inspiring too. I am so scared ~ just can't quite get over this daily fear thing. I lift it to the Lord everyday and night...but always lurking in my thoughts throughout the day. I think what I most struggle with is thinking about the future...beyond 1 year. I have a tough time when my husband asks me "where should we be 3-4 years from now", I just seem to freeze and usually get a tear in my eye of wondering what my response should be~

I pray we will all still be corresponding together 5 - 10 -15 years from now!!!

Oh "Need Support" ~ numbness in your hands and feet can last for up to 1 year from treatment or forever...I am still dealing with it in my ankles, feet, toes, hands...about 9 months out now from last treatment ~ be careful so you don't fall or burn yourself taking a shower/bath...been there and done that~ I take Vitamin B6 but I don't think it helps. I also did swimming prior to hip fracture and I think that kept blood flow going but hard to swim when you don't feel your ankles or feet ~ but it can be done! Good luck to you and I hope yours leaves quickly...

Thanks again everyone, ~"Minnie"

Minnie...honestly I have a
Minnie...honestly I have a tough time with the future question my self. But I pretty much try to keep it to myself. For my kids I tell them a long time so lets plan for great vacations. The month after I finished chemo my 12 yr old son asked me what if it comes back and without taking a second to take a breath I said then I'll do it again. And that satisfied him. And for now that is what I want. My family to be comfortable enough to not worry about me not being here. I'm still new here in the cancer world, so I hope that the longer I play the part of a survivor that it will become habit and I will too believe it. It's what I want and reach for. I still follow Emily and Scouty's paths (the best I can as I'm a work in progress) but I sure hope I never have the delima again of to chemo or not to chemo.

Cheers to a long future, with a glass of veggie juice!

gail

Minnesotagirl said:

Oh you are so young...
Zirotra,

I am so sorry that you are facing all of this at such a young age. Unbelieveable and to think you have also lost your mother. I am so very, very sorry. I see that you believe in God also from your bio...I will add you to my prayer list. I am hoping that the CEA is nothing but something definitely to take seriously`...take good care of yourself and make sure you ask lots of questions. Were you tested for Lynch Syndrome being you are so young or does your family have a cancer history? I am curious why they did not give you chemo prior to surgery? Well, enough questions from me...you can tell I am a mother at heart? I have three grown children and a 1 year old grandson.

Keep in touch...I want to make sure you are not alone on this journey. Prayers of healing to you Dear One and God Bless.

Minnesotagirl

Thanks
They did give me some chemo and radiation b4 surgery, they are unsure why i got cancer. they did test me for lynch syndrome and it was -ve . life throws curve balls at you and in my case all the curve balls came too fast, right after one another. currently i tried to switch treatment strategy from Xelox (nasty drug which worked) to CPT-11/Xeloda (it didnt work for me). Now i have to see if i should go onto clinical trials and or take xelox... best of luck to you also. will PM you for your treatment details

neons356 said:

Here's one
Diagnosed stage 3, age 53, 1993. Permanent colostomy, chemo, radiation, and 2 more surgeries. One to remove another piece of colon damaged by the radiation, and the other to remove adhesions which kept causing blockages. 18 years later still NED, very little change in lifestyle or diet.
Carl

Second surgery ??????
Your case is almost the same as my husbands. He is going in to have surgery to remove scaring from radiation. Very encouraging. He had been in total remission 3 years then started having problems about 9 months ago just finished 5 mons chemo scan normal, CEA at 4 and still doing Avastin but will have to take a break for surgery.

Stage 3 rectal
Diagnosized stage 3 rectal in February 2010. One lung nodule identified with ctscan in June 2012. Dealing with it. So - 2+ years NED. Hoping for good news for us all.

sitting here w my grandson
it has been so long i forget my exact dx (ok maybe chemo brain) - my dx was march of 2008, but it was stage 3 and i have no colon. pretty happy. life is good. who knew pooping in a bag could be so okay.