Newly Diagnosed 2018

Futurecancersurvivor
Futurecancersurvivor Member Posts: 7 Member
edited May 2018 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi All! I'm a 43 year old mother of 2 newly diagnosed with colon cancer. It all started on the 7th when I had my colonoscopy. I managed to stay awake and saw the ugly that was hidden in my upper right quadrant of my large intestine. Afterwards, my doctor told me it was cancerous. My the 8th I informed my managers and co-workers that I had cancer, and I would be attending alot of appointments. The very same day, I made my appointment with the general surgeon for the following day and scheduled the CT scan for the next. By the end of the week, I knew that my CT scans did not show evidence of the spread of the disease and it was a go for surgery on the 17th. My liver and kidney functions were normal as well. The 17th approaches and I go to surgery, everything went well, discharged on the 21st (kind of a baby, dont like pain that much) Yesterday, I get a phone call from the surgeon letting me know that my biopsy of the 12 lymph nodes showed 4 was tested positive for cancer. The surgeon told me he would say I have stage 3 colon cancer and to schedule a PET scan. I'm terrified! I made the appointment with the oncologist yesterday. I dont know what to expect, I read these discussion boards and google everything, but its a vicious cycle. I cant sleep, I really dont want to eat anything, but force myself to do so for my mom and the kids. This is so tough! If anyone has anything to say at all, please feel free to ask questions or comment. 

Oh my mother had colon cancer at 50, so I was told to get testing done in my early 40s....

 

Comments

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #2
    Welcome! Wow, they got you in

    Welcome! Wow, they got you in fast! That's great! I was initially diagnosed as stage 3 due to some lymph nodes being positive. They did some follow up chemo after I'd had the surgery. I assume you won't know what the next step is once they get the CT scan results.

    Jan

  • Futurecancersurvivor
    Futurecancersurvivor Member Posts: 7 Member
    #3
    JanJan63 said:

    Welcome! Wow, they got you in

    Welcome! Wow, they got you in fast! That's great! I was initially diagnosed as stage 3 due to some lymph nodes being positive. They did some follow up chemo after I'd had the surgery. I assume you won't know what the next step is once they get the CT scan results.

    Jan

    Hi Jan! 

    Hi Jan! 

    My initial CT scan results indicated no spread of thw disease but my Dr wants a PET scan to find smaller tumors that are less than 1mm. Are you cancer free?

     

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    #4
    Sorry you are here

    Sorry you are here, but you have found a good support network.  Based on the experiences of others, it seems likely they will recommend chemo, usually starting a couple of months after the surgery.  It makes sense to get as strong as you can during your recovery period, and to eat and exercise as much as your health permits.  Sorry about your circumstance, but as with all of us, we try to make the best of it.

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    #5
    Stop googling everything.

    Stop googling everything. There is a lot of misinformation out there. And it is scary. Waiting for scan results is scary. I saw someone call it scanxiety. Very accurate. Will you be getting chemo?

  • Futurecancersurvivor
    Futurecancersurvivor Member Posts: 7 Member
    #6
    Thanks guys! I’m waiting for

    Thanks guys! I’m waiting for an appointment for PET scan to be available. I’ll try not to google so much. My mind tends to ask questions and I naturally gravitate to the web, I know bad. I’m gonna Cut that out! My appointment with the oncologist is scheduled on the 6tth. 

  • Futurecancersurvivor
    Futurecancersurvivor Member Posts: 7 Member
    #7
    JanJan63 said:

    Welcome! Wow, they got you in

    Welcome! Wow, they got you in fast! That's great! I was initially diagnosed as stage 3 due to some lymph nodes being positive. They did some follow up chemo after I'd had the surgery. I assume you won't know what the next step is once they get the CT scan results.

    Jan

    Jan, where are you on your

    Jan, where are you on your recovery? 

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #8
    Just look at you...

    so young and healthy. Two things that you have going for you, in beating the beast. 

    Everything is scary these first few months. So many tests, results, options.  As for the PET scan, all I can advise on that is EMPTY YOUR BLADDER. I almost peed all over myself because the sugary stuff they inject just cranked my bladder up to full, then ever-full. So uncomfortable! 

    I had an awful time trying to sleep. It was (and still is) at night time that all the dark thoughts come flooding in. It got so bad that my head felt like it was going to explode.  I went looking for help and found a CD of guided imagary for Cancer patients. WOW! It woked for me so well, that I started sleeping even better than I had before diagnosis. I went from there to meditation.  It doesn't work for everyone, but its worth a try. 

    You have found a great site in this forum. Stick with us, and we'll help you through the trials that are ahead. 

    Tru

     

     

     

  • Cindy225
    Cindy225 Member Posts: 172 Member
    #9
    Newly Diagnosed 2018

    Hi Future Cancer Survivor!  Great name and goal!  I had a routine colonoscopy where a polyp was found and removed. It was cancerous. Unfortunately, the polyp sat on a lymphatic blood vessel which is a marker for spreading. I had surgery to remove the tumor, rectum and surrounding lymph-nodes. The biopsy indicated 7 of 13 lymph-nodes were impacted and I was restaged to IIIB.  I was stunned that a routine colonoscopy went from a polyp to Stage IIIB cancer. I completed 12 rounds of chemo and now NED for 18 months. I totally feel your panic. I felt that too.  It’s a challenging journey but take it one day at a time.  Your family will give you strength and determination to get through this. The CSN forum is a wonderful place to ask your questions and share your thoughts. 

    Cindy

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #10
    Futurecancersurvivor said:

    Jan, where are you on your

    Jan, where are you on your recovery? 

    I am now stage 4 with mets in

    I am now stage 4 with mets in one lung. I was diagnosed Dec 31, 2013. I have a CT scan coming up on Monday and we'll see if I go back on chemo now or if I can wait until the fall. It makes me sick and sun sensitive so waiting would be wonderful. I'm told I will never get rid of my cancer, I'll never be NED. But I'll have a good amount of time, likely over another ten years, maybe longer and the cancer will just be maintained. Like someone with diabetes or any other chronic illness. They can't get rid of it but they can help me live with it.

    Jan

  • darcher
    darcher Member Posts: 304 Member
    #11
    Sorry you're here.

      As Abita said, lay off google.  What it knows is mostly stuff that's 20 years out of date.  That, and avoid the miracle cure sites.  Everything from dirt, urine, deer placentas, and apricot seeds have been touted to cure cancer.  It's all BS.  Stick to what your doctors tell you.  It isn't easy and having positive lymph nodes is scary.  Mine was a little different.  I had chemo and radiation which was followed up with surgery.  It came back with clear margins, no lymph node involvement, and something else that was good.  For the life of me I can't remember.  That's one side affect of chemo.  It makes you forgetful. 

     Like Trubrit said, having something like guided imagery can work.  I went through some tough times mentally and gave it a try.  You have to work it for it to do any good.  A happy place to go to when the chips are down or you're falling into the pit of dispair.  

     

  • SonicSedition
    SonicSedition Member Posts: 30
    #12
    Futurecancersurvivor

    Hey there! I think we know each other... but I'll leave it at that Wink

    Like you, my first thought was RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH! It pretty much drove me crazy for the first few days. So much old and misinformation out there. But... I do think knowledge is key. Stick with the tried and true sites like this one, and https://www.cancer.net/ from the American Society of Clinical Oncology.  

    I'm at the beginning of my journey as well with just a few days in with my Chemo & Radiation. It is going to be a long road but as many here have said... very doable. It's a whirl-wind of data, tests and Dr Visits but I want to know as much as I can so that when I speak with the Dr's I can relate. Take the time to write down questions you want answered as well. 

    If you are with a provider that allows you to email your Dr's do it! That way you will have a permanent record of information that you can reference whenever you want. Even though I'm a newbie here as well, I've gotten some of the best advice and support I could have ever imagined. It's a good feeling. Everyone here has a story, and all are happy to share… it... and support.

     

     

     

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    #13
    SonicSedition said:

    Futurecancersurvivor

    Hey there! I think we know each other... but I'll leave it at that Wink

    Like you, my first thought was RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH! It pretty much drove me crazy for the first few days. So much old and misinformation out there. But... I do think knowledge is key. Stick with the tried and true sites like this one, and https://www.cancer.net/ from the American Society of Clinical Oncology.  

    I'm at the beginning of my journey as well with just a few days in with my Chemo & Radiation. It is going to be a long road but as many here have said... very doable. It's a whirl-wind of data, tests and Dr Visits but I want to know as much as I can so that when I speak with the Dr's I can relate. Take the time to write down questions you want answered as well. 

    If you are with a provider that allows you to email your Dr's do it! That way you will have a permanent record of information that you can reference whenever you want. Even though I'm a newbie here as well, I've gotten some of the best advice and support I could have ever imagined. It's a good feeling. Everyone here has a story, and all are happy to share… it... and support.

     

     

     

    Pubmed

    Perhaps avoid google, but do not overlook pubmed as a valuable source of scientific information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

  • Canadian Sandy
    Canadian Sandy Member Posts: 784 Member
    #14
    Good luck on your journey

    Good luck on your journey Sonic. Be optimistic and never forget the power from above. 

  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #15
    Hi and Welcome

         Sorry you have to be here. It is a good place to get information and vent and all the other things that are difficult for cancer survivors to do in normal life . I joined up in november 2001 and have always returned although my cancer has not come back. Thre are other aspects of cancer survival that you can't get from doctors . There are people here that have lived thru it and can give you some insight. having said that we are all different and although we follow the same general path often our individual  paths do differ. The most important thing to understand is that we do survive. I am out over 20 years cancer free.  Wishing you a speedy recovery and a cancer free future, Ron.

  • BRHMichigan
    BRHMichigan Member Posts: 368
    #16
    Welcome

    Best wishes to you. This is a terrific forum, with lots of diverse opinions and experiences. For me the first 6 months were emotional hell. I started doing better once I recovered from surgery. I have tried and still employ a number of alternative therapies along with chemo which is going well. I agree that scans can be terrifying, but pray and stay positive. You have a lot to fight for, as we all do! 

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #17
    So very sorry

    Oh my goodness you are so young even getting tested so early and I'm so sorry that you have to be here but you will find this group comforting, and informing.  Once you get the scan out of the way they will have a plan for you.  Some of us will be on what you will be going through (or have been in the past) and we can help you get through it.  You will have a rollercoaster of emotions going on now.  It's ok to be afraid because it is the unknown.  Don't be afraid to let your emotions get the best of you, but don't let it overrun you as you have little ones.  You can beat this and do NOT go on the internet for information.  It is outdated and not accurate.  We welcome you to the board and come here with all your questions.  There are many on here waiting to help.  Let us know how the scan comes out.

    Kim

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