Stage IV Colon Cancer Questions

sammer4u said:

I was dx with Colon cancer
I was dx with Colon cancer stage IV in November of 2011. I had surgery to remove the tumor in my colon, was given a colostomy, and started Chem in December 2011. I did chemo till March 28. I then had a portal vein embolization done to the right side of my liver in early part of May. I just went thru a liver resection surgery on June 28 and had a infection to the incision on July 9 which required me to stay overnight in the hospital for IV antibiotics. I had an open wound that we had to pack with gauze and as of today it almost healed up. I am anxious for it to heal, as I have a couple more rounds of chemo to go thru and then I can get my colostomy reversed, and start trying to live a normal life. I can tell you most of my chemo and surgeries were a cake walk. This most recent surgery (liver resection) was going to be the same until the infection brought it's ugly head up! I have been tired as the liver is regenerating, but knew that ahead of time. I can tell you more details if you would like, just giving you the basics quickly now. good luck!!!

Scott

Hi Scott:
It sounds like you
Hi Scott:

It sounds like you have been to hell and back. I am so sorry to hear of all that you have been through. It does sound like you are starting to mend. I hope things go well for you. I would love to hear more details when you feel up to it. Take care of yourself.

Katherine

sammer4u said:

Hell and back??
Katherine, I am not sure that I feel that I have been to hell and back. As I mentioned, most of my dealings with this cancer to this point has been a cake walk. No issues with my first initial surgery when they found the tumor just the shock of the colostomy. And the last surgery for the liver resection, was good to go till the infection. That is when my fun started but all in all things are good. I had a open wound July 9th that was 4" long, about 1" deep and 1" wide. Now today it is close to closing and healed up. I do have some soreness in that area, but that is going away. One noticeable thing that I have is the nuerapathy from the chemo. My finger tips are very numb, along with my heals and toes. I really wish that would go away. But what do you do? All part of the experience, and one day it will be all a brief memory. All in all it will about 1 full year for me to have been thru all this and done playing I hope. Just will have to do check ups for the next 10 years, and forget how often the first five years!?? But that is nothing compared to the ordeal I have been thru... but do not get me wrong, it was a cake walk compared to other stories I heard. A friend of mine went in a week before I was diagnosed, and he had the same thing.. colon cancer. He died two months ago as he was loaded with tumors and incurable. Pretty sad, but I am going to make it out alive and good to go!!!

Take care, and again if you have any specific questions let me know. I will let you know my experience and will not lead you astray. Most of my stuff has been positive. My Oncologist has been great and referred me to an awesome liver specialist.

Have a good weekend,

Scott

Hi Scott:
I am glad to hear
Hi Scott:

I am glad to hear that you are doing so well. What type of chemo are you on? I am on the Folfiri and Avastin. I am at the clinic for approximately 5 hours and then I am sent home with a chemo drip for 48 hours. I have been told there will be some hair loss. Did you lose your hair and when? They said it would be around the 2nd or 3rd treatment before I notice it falling out. The nurses said it will "thin" but not fall out completely. So far I have not lost any hair but I am trying to prepare myself for when it happens. The one chemo med the oncologist told me would cause neuropathy and he did not want to give it to me because of my MS, so maybe we are on different chemo meds.

I started with a oncologist, Dr. Sehkon, who is in our medical group close to our home. At first he told me that I had less than 2 years to live and that I had the "garden variety" colon cancer but he wanted me to get a second opinion and sent me into Chicago to see another oncologist, which I did. The oncologist in Chicago, Dr. Polite, said it was the Goblet Cell cancer and that he would do a CT scan in 3 months and have his surgical team see if they could do a "debulking" surgery in 6 months, where they would go in and remove all of the tumors. He said if they could do this it would buy me more time.

I then had to go back to Dr. Sehkon to set up chemo treatments and he was very surprised that the Dr. Polite thought it was Goblet Cell cancer. This all makes me uneasy because I am getting two different opinions but now Dr. Sehkon has taken the side of Dr. Polite. I am going to see how it goes and what they say in January and if it does not sound good then I am going to see another oncologist. I also do not like the fact that neither of these doctors will look at me when talking, they always talk to my husband like I am not in the room. This upsets me to the point I want to say "hey, I am over here, talk to me!!!" I am sure I will blurt it out on my next visit.

I am sorry to hear about your friend. That is so sad. Take care and thank you for the info, I truly appreciate it. Have a good weekend!

Katherine

sammer4u said:

Hell and back??
Katherine, I am not sure that I feel that I have been to hell and back. As I mentioned, most of my dealings with this cancer to this point has been a cake walk. No issues with my first initial surgery when they found the tumor just the shock of the colostomy. And the last surgery for the liver resection, was good to go till the infection. That is when my fun started but all in all things are good. I had a open wound July 9th that was 4" long, about 1" deep and 1" wide. Now today it is close to closing and healed up. I do have some soreness in that area, but that is going away. One noticeable thing that I have is the nuerapathy from the chemo. My finger tips are very numb, along with my heals and toes. I really wish that would go away. But what do you do? All part of the experience, and one day it will be all a brief memory. All in all it will about 1 full year for me to have been thru all this and done playing I hope. Just will have to do check ups for the next 10 years, and forget how often the first five years!?? But that is nothing compared to the ordeal I have been thru... but do not get me wrong, it was a cake walk compared to other stories I heard. A friend of mine went in a week before I was diagnosed, and he had the same thing.. colon cancer. He died two months ago as he was loaded with tumors and incurable. Pretty sad, but I am going to make it out alive and good to go!!!

Take care, and again if you have any specific questions let me know. I will let you know my experience and will not lead you astray. Most of my stuff has been positive. My Oncologist has been great and referred me to an awesome liver specialist.

Have a good weekend,

Scott

Hi Scott:
I am glad to hear
Hi Scott:

I am glad to hear that you are doing so well. What type of chemo are you on? I am on the Folfiri and Avastin. I am at the clinic for approximately 5 hours and then I am sent home with a chemo drip for 48 hours. I have been told there will be some hair loss. Did you lose your hair and when? They said it would be around the 2nd or 3rd treatment before I notice it falling out. The nurses said it will "thin" but not fall out completely. So far I have not lost any hair but I am trying to prepare myself for when it happens. The one chemo med the oncologist told me would cause neuropathy and he did not want to give it to me because of my MS, so maybe we are on different chemo meds.

I started with a oncologist, Dr. Sehkon, who is in our medical group close to our home. At first he told me that I had less than 2 years to live and that I had the "garden variety" colon cancer but he wanted me to get a second opinion and sent me into Chicago to see another oncologist, which I did. The oncologist in Chicago, Dr. Polite, said it was the Goblet Cell cancer and that he would do a CT scan in 3 months and have his surgical team see if they could do a "debulking" surgery in 6 months, where they would go in and remove all of the tumors. He said if they could do this it would buy me more time.

I then had to go back to Dr. Sehkon to set up chemo treatments and he was very surprised that the Dr. Polite thought it was Goblet Cell cancer. This all makes me uneasy because I am getting two different opinions but now Dr. Sehkon has taken the side of Dr. Polite. I am going to see how it goes and what they say in January and if it does not sound good then I am going to see another oncologist. I also do not like the fact that neither of these doctors will look at me when talking, they always talk to my husband like I am not in the room. This upsets me to the point I want to say "hey, I am over here, talk to me!!!" I am sure I will blurt it out on my next visit.

I am sorry to hear about your friend. That is so sad. Take care and thank you for the info, I truly appreciate it. Have a good weekend!

Katherine