Update on my sweet husband

Pamcakes
Pamcakes Member Posts: 112 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I haven't posted much since Richard's APR in march 2019. He has adjusted amazingly to the colostomy. Richard has clean scan until January 2020. Then a spot on the liver was found. He had a liver resection in February 2020. he had a clean scans in May then in aug another spot was found in the liver in the portacaval lymph nodes. In a few weeks we have his 3 month visit at MD Anderson. They are going to do a liquid biopsy to confirm it's cancer. Richard will likely start on folfori with the 5-fu  pump. This has been very hard on Richard. He's still ready to fight through more chemo and we pray he will have another surgery. Their was a spot on the lung, but they feel it's inflammation. They will keep monitoring this as well. We just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary last night with our family and friends. Richard is only 41 and by God's Grace healthy otherwise. he is scared, but remains so positive and says he's ready to fight. this will be his first time on this chemo. 

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    Ah, Pancakes!

    It is always hard to read of recurrances, and your hubby has had his share. 

    It is a terrible blow, especailly after having clear scans. One can never prepare for it either.  

    I have not heard of a liquid biopsy. I will have to go look that up. 

    I will keep your hubby in my thoughts and prayers. 

    Tru

  • Pamcakes
    Pamcakes Member Posts: 112 Member
    edited October 2020 #3
    Trubrit said:

    Ah, Pancakes!

    It is always hard to read of recurrances, and your hubby has had his share. 

    It is a terrible blow, especailly after having clear scans. One can never prepare for it either.  

    I have not heard of a liquid biopsy. I will have to go look that up. 

    I will keep your hubby in my thoughts and prayers. 

    Tru

    Thank you! Since the lymph

    Thank you! Since the lymph nodes are close to the portal vein they said it's dangerous to do a biopsy. We were told basically the just test the blood to determine if there are any cancer cells. It was something new to us Also. 

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #4
    Pamcakes said:

    Thank you! Since the lymph

    Thank you! Since the lymph nodes are close to the portal vein they said it's dangerous to do a biopsy. We were told basically the just test the blood to determine if there are any cancer cells. It was something new to us Also. 

    Good luck

    I did read up on it, and while I have heard of blood being tested for Cancer, I had never heard the expression Liquid Biopsy.  So, I learned something today, sadly at your husband's expense. 

    Keep us posted on dates, and I will be sure to think especially of him on that day. 

    Tru

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    edited October 2020 #5
    I am happy that spirits are

    I am happy that spirits are still high and that there are no big tumors!

  • KelleyTX
    KelleyTX Member Posts: 36
    edited October 2020 #6
    I'm sorry to hear about the

    I'm sorry to hear about the possible continuation of your husband's cancer. Has he made any anti-cancer lifestyle changes since being diagnosed? 

    Kelley 

  • Pamcakes
    Pamcakes Member Posts: 112 Member
    #7
    KelleyTX said:

    I'm sorry to hear about the

    I'm sorry to hear about the possible continuation of your husband's cancer. Has he made any anti-cancer lifestyle changes since being diagnosed? 

    Kelley 

    Thank you. Sadly I've not

    Thank you. Sadly I've not been able to encourage him to make too many lifestyle changes regarding foods, sugar etc. we eat pretty healthy in general, but not totally clean. I think with the recent occurrence once again he is starting to come around. 

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    edited October 2020 #8
    Pamcakes said:

    Thank you. Sadly I've not

    Thank you. Sadly I've not been able to encourage him to make too many lifestyle changes regarding foods, sugar etc. we eat pretty healthy in general, but not totally clean. I think with the recent occurrence once again he is starting to come around. 

    A balance

    I'm sure you know there is a balance.  While some people are very happy about going totoally clean and crazy healthy, there are others - like myself - who want to continue to enjoy food and treats, while being a little more cautious. 

    I had a friend here on the forum, when she was in her last stage, said to me 'I wish I had had that ice cream', as she denied herself everything fun, hoping it would make a difference.  It didn't, and she regretted not 'enjoying a bit of the fun stuff' as she ended her sojourn here on earth. 

    Tru

  • Pamcakes
    Pamcakes Member Posts: 112 Member
    edited October 2020 #9
    Trubrit said:

    A balance

    I'm sure you know there is a balance.  While some people are very happy about going totoally clean and crazy healthy, there are others - like myself - who want to continue to enjoy food and treats, while being a little more cautious. 

    I had a friend here on the forum, when she was in her last stage, said to me 'I wish I had had that ice cream', as she denied herself everything fun, hoping it would make a difference.  It didn't, and she regretted not 'enjoying a bit of the fun stuff' as she ended her sojourn here on earth. 

    Tru

    exactly!Richard had a year

    exactly!Richard had a year and a half of really not enjoying food or anything really. I want to ensure he is eating healthy, but I want him to eat the ice cream. He's fought so hard. He's said from the beginning of this that he wants quality of life over quantity. I love him so much that I will stand by him to do what I can to ensure he has quality. He had a year off chemo and was able to have some normalcy again. I'm so thankful he was able to have the break for so long. He told me that break allowed him to appreciate the fight more.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #10
    Sorry

    So sorry to hear that he has gone through so much and yet continues bravely to continue.  Wishing him much success on the new treatment and hope that it shows great promise in shrinking the tumors.

    Kim

  • Live_4_Caring
    Live_4_Caring Member Posts: 3
    edited October 2020 #11
    5FU

    My husband has been on and off and on, etc throughout his fight the last 22 months. The main side effect he and another cancer survivor we know has been neuropathy. I know my husband has said that if that's the price for beating cancer that's fine by him. He has it mostly in his hands, while the other person we know has permanent loss of feeling on the bottom of his feet. Everyone's different, but just thought I'd give you a heads up. The oncologists have creams and sometimes vitamins they may suggest. It's worth a try to see if it works. 

    It's been a lot to process for us the past almost two years, so I'm just joining on here. I pray he responds well to the treatment.

    We are in our 40's as well, and we made a friend in our church with a gal in her mid to late 30's fighting colon cancer as well. I know doctors were so shocked by my husband being so far advanced with stage 4 cancer, and never had symptoms other than abdominal cramping right before ending up in the ER. So scary when it's so young.

     

  • Pamcakes
    Pamcakes Member Posts: 112 Member
    #12
    Live_4_Caring said:

    5FU

    My husband has been on and off and on, etc throughout his fight the last 22 months. The main side effect he and another cancer survivor we know has been neuropathy. I know my husband has said that if that's the price for beating cancer that's fine by him. He has it mostly in his hands, while the other person we know has permanent loss of feeling on the bottom of his feet. Everyone's different, but just thought I'd give you a heads up. The oncologists have creams and sometimes vitamins they may suggest. It's worth a try to see if it works. 

    It's been a lot to process for us the past almost two years, so I'm just joining on here. I pray he responds well to the treatment.

    We are in our 40's as well, and we made a friend in our church with a gal in her mid to late 30's fighting colon cancer as well. I know doctors were so shocked by my husband being so far advanced with stage 4 cancer, and never had symptoms other than abdominal cramping right before ending up in the ER. So scary when it's so young.

     

    thank you!So sorry you are

    thank you!So sorry you are going through this as well. Richard has completed 54 cycles of chemo already. He completed 12 of the FolFox, 5-fu and Avastin. The rest were just 5fu and Avastin. He's had a colectomy in July 2017, liver ablation -Aug, 2017, APR (colostomy )-March, 2019 and a liver resection Feb. 2020. They are now moving on to a 2nd line of chemo(folfori with the 6-fu & Avastin). Richard has almost no lasting effects of neuropathy. he was off chemo for a year. Lots of prayers your way!

  • Pamcakes
    Pamcakes Member Posts: 112 Member
    edited October 2020 #13
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Sorry

    So sorry to hear that he has gone through so much and yet continues bravely to continue.  Wishing him much success on the new treatment and hope that it shows great promise in shrinking the tumors.

    Kim

    Thank you. This time around

    Thank you. This time around has been pretty difficult on Richard. I am so worried he is starting to feel hopeless. He has agreed to see a psychiatrist for meds as he has really been struggling with anxiety. 

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