Husband Newly Diagnosed - Scared

Hello Christine.

I just finished my chemo treatment for stage 3 colon cancer.  I was diagnosed on Halloween morning last year and had the surgery (colectomy) tdinghat afternoon, my right side. The surgeon also removed my appendix. I didn't even had time to digest the inforamtion. It had to be done because I had been in pain for over 1year! I MADE IT THROUGH!!!! So will your husband. Your family been through it before so they know what to expect and were strong for you and now they will be strong for him too!

Sending you positive thoughts and prayers.

Warm regards,

Eve

that seems so unfair that your family got hit twice, but there's nothing fair about cancer, is there? Lets hope he's staged very low. We can offer more practical advice once we know his treatment plan. Folks here have done just about all of them including clinical trials of new drugs. Immunotherapy seems promising in finding a cure, who knows?, a breakthrough may be just around the corner. In the meantime stay strong, optimistic and loving. You've been through it, think back on what you needed from your husband then and give that to him now. He's lucky to have you. There have been many caregiver spouses on this site (mostly wives) but I've always found it odd the person that actually has the cancer stays quiet. Why aren't both of you posting? You both need support, you both have questions and you're probably both scared. Does he tell you to ask us things? No judgement, just wondering out loud. If he's the strong silent type that's determined to gut it out I would caution him that it might hurt his outcome. It seems like with this disease unexpected things happen all the time and treatment plans get tweeked a lot. People react wildly differently to the same meds and not saying something can get you 'you know what.' Stay calm and good luck, any cancer is bad but stage 1 or 2 is no sweat. 3 and 4 are worse but beatable. Best wishes!

Easyflip/Richard

christine4life said:

Staging

How do we find out what stage the cancer is at?  All we were told by the GI doctor is that it is cancer.  Would the final pathology report have that information or do we have to wait until surgery is scheduled?

I would think he would have ordered at CT or PET scan. Surgery will usually be able to tell the stage up to stage 3. They will take several lymph nodes in the area of the resection to see if the cancer has travelled through the lymph nodes. But he also needs to do a scan to see if there are any metastasis to distant organs. Usually the liver or lungs. But hopefully they caught it early.

Aloha Christine,

My thoughts , prayers and hugs go out to your Husband, you and your family. I am 47 and was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer and Lynch syndrome. I have had a partial colectomy, appendectomy,and total hysterectomy. Like thats not enough I also have a partial small bowel obstruction  with vaso vagal episodes.  I did not choose to have cancer but now that I have it I have found a light at the end of the tunnel with all of my new cancer friends. The support you will find here is healing in itself.

Prayers,

Surfermom

Might want to read up on cimetidine for colon cancer and these articles  cancer surgery, CRC, CAM for cancer.  Even with a bad case, they were life saving and life enhancing for us

Also  adding CEA, CA19-9, ESR, hsCRP, LDH  to your blood tests, if not already there, before and after chemo/surgery can have distinct advantages for adjuct choices and future monitoring.  Also a current 25 hydroxy vitamin D blood test is important, many CRC patients are highly vitamin D deficient.  

christine4life said:

Thank you!

Thank you for the information.  He had an MRI on Saturday and we were able to get an appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday.  We are hoping for good news on Wednesday.  We still have not heard any results from his colonoscopy except the tumor is "cancer" and that the CT scan was inconclusive.  It's been hard waiting to see what stage it is, but we are hoping the stage is a low one.

Well, it looks like surgery is your next step. 

Get it out of there, then its gone, gone, gone. They will do the path thing and be able to stage it. It is good to know what you're dealing with. 

The surgery is a doddle (can't remember if thats an American word. Let me know if it needs to be translated) if all goes well.  Hubby will be happy to know that the tumour is out and then you can move forward with whatever comes next. 

Keep us posted. 

Sue - Trubrit

My name is Sandi, and like my username says itsakraizyride. I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the colon in January of 2012, had a hemicolectomy sigmoid/decending then cancer free for 20 months. I also have Crohn's disease, which is both the reason I have cancer as well as the reason I have been able to get it early when a routine ct showed liver mets. One. 7 months Folfox then liver resection at Moffitt last October. Too late, now returned liver, lungs, peritoneum and so far 2 lymph nodes. 3 failed chemotherapies now on Erbitux...a monoclonal antibody...which helped me drop 120 points off CEA in 1 month. 351.7 to 232.5. This has been a crazy ride, but I have lost hardly any weight, feel pretty good most days considering there are other issues, and to look at me you would not know I am sick. I guess I am one of the lucky ones since this is my third rodeo, but I intend to be here a while so I guess I have to fight the good fight, keep my eyes on the prize, and live one day at a time. I have many lesions in my liver in both lobes so I am not a surgical candidate, 3 in lungs and 2 on peritoneum. Pelvic node, and axillary (armpit) I don't know why so far from each other. They say no cure for me, but it is my belief that ALL things are possible....I turned 54 last month, and my prize is my 20 months old granddaughter Maddison. I WILL walk her to her first day of kindergarten. Hello to everyone!!!