New to the Battle

Welcome
Mike,

As the others have said, to bad we have to meet this way but you've come to the right place.

I was Stage 3 colon (ascending). 12" removed, 2 lymph nodes cancer, 6 Mos (12 rounds) of chemo and as of Dec 07, I am still NED!

Keep your positive attitude. It's such a big help. Try and surround yourself with positive people and always keep your energy for moving forward.

Let us know what you find out as far a what stage, what treatment, etc.
Keep a notebook and write all question down (for the Onc). Make sure someone goes with you to the Doctor. That person will pick up things you don't.

My best to you and yours.
Claudia

another mid 40s
I was 43, just shy of my 44th birthday when I was diagnosed. Stage IIIB, in August of 2004. Surgery, chemo. Recurrence in my abdomen in 2006, surgery and chemo again. I am now waiting for results of a suspicious area in my liver from my last PET, but doing well. At the time of diagnosis I had 17 and 20 year olds. I have since seen my oldest get married and am currently enjoying my first grand child! I am looking forward to more grand children and to seeing my youngest married at some time in the future! Treatments today are so much better than they have been in the past, and there are so many of us living with this beast. How is your wife doing? Does she have a support group? This will be hard for her as well, and I am sure she is trying to be strong for you. Keep us posted.
mary

How's Mike, I know, the biopsy was only hours ago
I was thinking about you and your liver biopsy, too soon for results but how's Mike? I have a procedure on Thursday (unless they reschedule tommorow when I go to clinic) they are going to put in a Porta-Cath to use for the Chemo-Therapy infusions.

I hope you made it through and can communicate tommorow.

Later,
Mike

VickiCO said:

Hi Mike & Mike
First Mike - hope all went well today.

Second Mike - I also will have my port inserted on Thursday. We can hold good thoughts for each other.

Got my surgeon lined up - I am ready to go!


Vicki

We are going to do great, I can feel it
Vicki, We will be there together and we're going to be better off with the port from all I read. Good luck

menright said:

The waiting is making us NUTS!
Vicki:

I wish you the best with your port and the beginning of Chemo. Like you, I am eager to get started. It is really odd to be anxious to start poisoning ones body, but it is for the greater good.

I am going on a month since Dx and still no treatment. A question to the collective group would be: When should I become concerned about the delays to treatment? I hope to start next week yet I am preparing for doctors/nurses telling me about further delays. I have the Xeloda pills already and just waiting for instructions.

Sorry for ranting in your space.

I hope all goes well for you Vicki. I hope we can continue to share our parallel journey, if for nothing else to know we are not alone.

Best wishes!

Mike

Ranting
Mike said: "Sorry for ranting in your space."

Well Mike, this is YOUR space too. I'm sorry that it is, sorry for anyone that needs to be here. Please feel welcome here. Rant, vent, scream, cry, encourage, laugh, and have fun. It is all allowed here, and we don't even dock for spelling.

You have added to our group already. Please rant here!

Kimby

menright said:

Biopsy gone bad
Well I just received word that there is one small spot on the liver that is indeed cancer. I so hoped otherwise.

Now my treatment plan will change and become prolonged.

I was told this is a roller coaster ride and they weren't kidding.

Wish me luck. I have an appointment with the chemo oncologist tomorrow to review the biopsy and lay out the treatment plan.

I guess I will be setting aside the Xeloda pills and going to a more agressive Chemo plan. Any ideas what that would be?

Any questions I should be asking tomorrow from your collective experience?

Mike

Hang in there
Mike, I know that was the last thing you wanted to hear, its tough news but, this is one of the more treatable cancers and we can beat this too. Is it possible to excise the liver lesion surgically in addition to more aggressive chemo? I don't know if that is even a question you want to ask. I know from my treatment team and my internet research FOLFOX may be the chemo regimen. 12 courses of IV therapy delivered of 2 1/2 days. That is the regimen they are preparing me for. If you hear that term tommorow we can talk some about it.

My day pales in comparison, but preparing for the IV chemo is why I had the Port-a-Cath placed today. They may suggest that to you if they go the IV chemo route.

There is a treatment plan that can work. I hope you are finding your Oncologist to be someone you have faith in. I hope you have a good visit tommorow and a plan develops that you can quickly begin is formed.

Mike B.

menright said:

Cancer gone
Your story is what I hope and pray for. I have heard of the possibility but love to hear from someone who had it happen. I take it you had treatment before surgery which took care of the cancer?

Thanks,

Mike

No pre-surgery treatments
I know I've read on this site where others have done chemo and rad prior to surgery, but for whatever reason, my docs took out the polyp during the colonoscopy that was cancerous, marked the spot on either side in the colon and then scheduled my surgery. They had me do a CAT scan, which showed some irritation closer to the stomach, and although the surgeon though it wasn't anything significant, he nonetheless had me to an upper GI. The radiologist who did that one was great and when she couldn't find any evidence of an irritation, she called the CAT scan doc and had him talk her through it while I was still on the scope. Nothing showed up, which was why she called him. Then it was time to resked the surgery and I went in on the 20th. They couldn't find anything cancerous and instead of taking out 18 inches and affiliated lymph nodes, they took 5 inches and several nodes. So the only pre-surgery treatment was the colonoscopy and follow up scans and Xrays.
And now, I'll do a PET scan every three months twice and then if nothing has been revealed, do one followup after another 6 months and then no more oncologist and just an annual colonoscopy to make sure everything is OK or to stop a recurrence early. I'm all for that. We're praying that your swift recovery and NED status.