scared to death

I am sorry you are going through this, but the good news is that they were able to get all the cancer out and, with some chemo, you should be back to your normal, healthy self in no time. The word cancer is the scariest word I ever heard in my life, but it has been beaten, and you can beat it too. This board is a fountain of information and support, so don't ever hesitate to e-mail any one of us or post at your heart's content. Monica

Hi Hoagiemom.....I'm sorry that you are going through all of this. I want to tell you that a year ago, I was right where you are....diagnosed with Stage III CC, with 3 positive lymph nodes. I went through 7 months of chemo, and I'm still alive and kicking. I know exactly what you're feeling, and I'm here to tell you that you'll make it through this! Take one day at a time, and try to keep a positive outlook. There is light at the end of the tunnel :-)

Mary

Your post could have been mine, 3 years ago, in Dec 03. My baseline colonscopy had 2 small polyps; surprise, one was cancerous. On to a colectomy, surgeon says everything looked great; another surprise, 1 positive node. Well, 6 months of chemo and I can only hope that all those nasty cells are gone for good.
You will get through this, one day at a time. The chemo was tolerable; support from family and friends and this board were "priceless". (I also found this site while waiting for chemo.)
I have been No Evidence of Disease (NED) since July of 03, (according to my onc, who counts from completion of chemo.) Whatever date I use, I'm hear to tell you that this is a managable process. With the surgery behind you, you have already gotten through a big step. Take good care of yourself.
Best of luck, Keep us posted, Judy

ron50 said:

Hi Hoagiemom,
Cancer is just a cruddy disease and we cure diseases all the time. Sure it is a toughie but so are the folks who inhabit this board. I was dx st3 with 6 bad nodes. I have been clear for over nine years. I'm scared of spiders and sharks but not cancer,sharks i stay away from and spiders ,well in australia we wear flat sandals called thongs and that takes care of the spiders. If at some time ca pops up again well I'll just have to beat it again,no worries. All the best ,Ron.

Hi Hoagiemom,

As you have already noticed, we all have similar stories.

I had colonoscopy, fairly big polyp that "looked healthy" and shouldn't be cancerous, was. Shouldn't have spread, and surprise, one lymph node had cancer. Six months of chemo to kill anything lurking. And here I am today. You'll be writing this same post a few years from now, I'm certain. I am 2 years and 4 months past surgery and when I determined I was cancer free or NED. It's not a fun journey, but it can be an enlightening one and one that is well worth completing.

All my best,

Patricia

P.S. You have found the best site for knowledge and support.

Hi,

I'm sure that you see there is a similarity in all these posts. It is normal to be scared. It is quite a shock when we are told. I was told a little over a year ago that I might have diverticulitis or colits. Suprise came when I had a colonoscopy that I had stage 3 cc (1 node cancerous). My GI doc was suprised too. I was only 42 at the time. You will find that there are many "young" people here on this site that don't reach the "age" requirement per insurance. As the others said, take one day at a time. Please come back and ask any questions you have. We have all been there. You are now an official "semi-colon" and this disease CAN be beat! HUGS!!!

Lisa F.

hi hoagiemom,

I also had Stage III colon cancer in my sigmoid colon. I too had 2 positive lymph nodes (out of the 19) that were close to the site. No mets (thank god).

I had my diagnostics and surgery done at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN which is world renowned. The adjuvant chemo that was recommended was 5FU and Leucovorin. My oncologist is wonderful.

I declined the chemo and instead went on an alternate route of Eastern Medicine with dietary modifications and juicing of fresh organic veggies being the foundation of my protocol. Cancer likes an acidic blood pH so my goal has been to stay alkaline. Juicing organic green veggies helps me do this. Cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment. Cancer likes sugar and processed foods. Cancer cells have more sugar receptors than healthy cells so it gobbles up the sugar and goes on a feeding frenzy. that's one reason why diet is so vital in healing cancer. Juicing also provides live enzymes which are integral to a healthy body.

I also took many supplements, herbal and otherwise. I consulted a Naturopathic Doctor who helped me tweak my supplements targeting cancer. My Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner did all the "hands-on" treatments of acupuncture and massage to name a few.

Thankfully I have remained CANCER FREE for the past 5 1/2 years and I continue to juice and maintain a cancer prevention regime.

I tell you all this to give you hope and an awareness that there are options for you out there.

I was 39 at my dx and was still nursing my 20 month old. I have 5 kids and a cancer dx can be a nightmare experience if we allow it. It is possible to come to the place that cancer can be a powerful positive force in one's life too. You are in the fear mode (we all go there) and now that i am on the other side I am telling you that you will be here one day too!

You have come to a wonderful place for support. We're a crazy bunch of semi-colons!

So claim your cure and focus on its success!

peace, emily who is happy to be alive each and every day!

I understand the fear you have about your diagnosis and everything that goes along with it. You have definitely come to the right place for advice and support. As you probably have read or will read, there are many stage III and IV cancer survivors on this site. Once all of this sinks in, you will be ready to fight this and will have a great deal of knowledge about this disease and the treatments. Your case sounds very hopeful to me. You will get through this. You are in my prayers.

-Lee-

Hi Hoagiemom,
Welcome to this wonderful site. Yes it's a crummy way of getting here but you will be so thankful you found us! My husband just finished his 4th round of chemo this week and has 8 more to go but it hasn't been all bad. You will find many here who have a wealth of knowledge and experience and they all offer support each and everyday. The best advice I can give you is ask ,ask ,ask questions be proactive in your care it gives you a sense of power over this crummy diease. Another suggestion is have a positive attitude thats 90% of the battle. Keep us informed how you are doing, and any questions are good questions never feel a question is dumb because it isn't! Take care and I will add you to my prayer list.

Sandy