- Anyone had lumps and bumps on road through remission?

mykidsmommy
mykidsmommy Member Posts: 76
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey all you great people who read and respond to this board..... You all help put my mind at ease and it brings me great comfort reading your stories.
So here's my quickie background and update. I am stage III cc dx Feb 07. I had surg and 12 rounds of crappy chemo. I have finished chemo October of 07. So while in my first year of "remission" a CT showed two tiny lumps, one liver one lung. A PET was done and it ruled out the liver not the lung. So we watched the lung and three months later it does appear to be a smidge bigger, as the PET done this week showed. So my onc said we will do a biopsy and a lazer zapping all in one procedure. He was glad to say although this was a little bigger - it was encouraging that there are no more. Strange way to process I guess... "your crappy news could have been not just crappy but really bad, and it wasn't so yeah!". I am not popping champagne over this. But here's what I want to know - have any of you had cancer lumps here and there - removed them here and there , and that was that??? My doc said he would do a few of these but if they "kept popping up" we would have to talk about more chemo. I am not even thinking about that yet. I am thinking about a lung biopsy and that fact that because it is such a tiny lump, there is a great chance of lung collapse. But all that being said, I really want to hear if any of you have had lumps and bumps along the road to remission???

Comments

  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #2
    Lumps & Bumps
    Hi. Personally I have had no lumps & bumps (except for another primary cancer), but I know plenty people on this board have had them. I'm sure you will get some good information from some of them. I just wanted to let you know that I'm praying for you and that I hope there are no more lumps, bumps and chemo. Chemo sucks, but cancer sucks worse.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #3
    yea, some lumps and bumps
    This may not be the news you want to hear but I am your classic lump and bump gal! I was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer 6 years ago. Had presurgical chemotherapy, followed by surgery, followed by more chemo.

    Two years later, I had one solitary lung met. Removed surgically and followed by chemo.

    Since then, I've had two more recurrences (about 18 mos apart each time) --both times solitary lung met. Both times I had surgery to remove the lesion, followed by "mop up" chemo. (I do know others who have not had chemo under such circumstances -- it is quite controversial -- ).

    So, not a rosy story. BUT -- I consider myself fortunate that each time I have a solitary met, and it was amenable to surgery. And the chemo, while not fun, has been bearable. But, most importantly, I have led a normal/wonderful life in between these treatments. Enjoying every second with my two kids, continuing to enjoy my job (and very grateful to my flexible colleagues), travelling all over the place, going out with friends, exercising. As I have written elsewhere on this board (today!), I am advocating and embracing a "chronic disease" model. I can live like this for a looong time. Not my first choice maybe but it is OK. (Especially considering the alternative!).

    I hope your biopsy shows no cancer. But, if it is -- it can be fine. Please feel free to write me anytime. And, don't worry too much about lung collapse -- I've never had one (in spite of LOTS of poking at my lungs!!). BTW, after one lobectomy and two wedge resections, I am still hiking, walking, doing yoga. Well, not today -- I'm one day post chemo infusion and spent my day sleeping and watching TV! But those other days....

    Good luck to you.
    Love,
    Tara
  • mykidsmommy
    mykidsmommy Member Posts: 76
    #4
    Thanks Tara
    Hi - Thanks so much for your story- I am wondering a little more about your single lung lumps and why you had to follow with chemo - was it based in size? Just Curious?
    And I am hoping this e-mail finds you feeling half way decent on a post chemo day.
    I so appriciate the feedback. I am doing pretty good emotionally, realizing this is my new norm. And learning from you guys helps so much. I was so happy to hear your reply and how you live your life and carry on in between all the little distractions that come from surviving cancer. It is not a straight road is it? I get that know. As long as the long ahead is VERY long I am happy to take whatever twist and turn is required.
    Now it's time to bake cookies with kids and laundry - life does not stop for anyone of this stuff!
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #5
    Just a little bump
    I haven't had the experience, but just wanted to say that I'm praying this will be just a teensy little bump in the road, and that you will have nothing but excellent health from now on.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #6
    mykidsmommy said:

    Thanks Tara
    Hi - Thanks so much for your story- I am wondering a little more about your single lung lumps and why you had to follow with chemo - was it based in size? Just Curious?
    And I am hoping this e-mail finds you feeling half way decent on a post chemo day.
    I so appriciate the feedback. I am doing pretty good emotionally, realizing this is my new norm. And learning from you guys helps so much. I was so happy to hear your reply and how you live your life and carry on in between all the little distractions that come from surviving cancer. It is not a straight road is it? I get that know. As long as the long ahead is VERY long I am happy to take whatever twist and turn is required.
    Now it's time to bake cookies with kids and laundry - life does not stop for anyone of this stuff!

    chemo after removal of lung met
    No, it wasn't related to size. More to "philosophy". Since my first diagnosis, I have leaned towards the most aggressive treatment. Partly because I have children whom I want to stay ALIVE for, partly because I am young (well, relatively! 44 at diagnosis) and strong (again, relatively!) and I have been able to tolerate the chemos pretty well. My oncologist has been of a similar view. But, as I said, I know there are different philosophies on this. After my last surgery (3rd lung met), my oncologist said no chemo. Actually, this made me a bit stressed -- I didn't like the feeling of sitting around waiting....not doing anything to help. Over the summer, he attended several conferences -- and presented my case at a couple! Opinion was divided about 50:50. Anyway, we decided to proceed with more chemo (just 6 cycles - 3 weeks apart). Is this the right decision? Who knows. But it feels right to me right now. I am hoping and praying this won't be your path...But, as you say, we can cope with the twists and turns....Best wishes to you and those two gorgeous kids!

    Tara
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #7
    lumps and bumps
    Hey mykidsmommy... you have to sign your posts so we know what to call you :)

    I'm still going through a lumpy ride so don't have a complete answer for you yet. I have 2 mets on my lung that have to come out and 5 teeny tiny spots that they aren't even sure yet if they are mets or scar tissue, so we are waiting on those. I am having the 2 mets that have to come out done by RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) where they go in with the guidance of a CAT scan, and blast the lesions away with Radio Frequency waves (which basically burns the kaka out of the lesion, leaving the surrounding lung tissue totally untouched.

    My oncologist and I talked about the options (lung surgery followed by chemo, or chemo followed by lung surgery) and she said that she would like to refer me to an interventional radiologist who does RFA procedures to see if I'm a likely candidate (they only do RFA if there is a possibility of a cure or a way of prolonging a healthy, good quality of life). She said that if I end up not being a candidate then we would go the chemo/surgery route... but it turned out that I was a good candidate, so we are going that root.

    Soooo.. yes, we are having them removed, but is that it, never to have a problem again? Hmmm... only time will tell. I sure hope so!! :D

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #8
    kmygil said:

    Lumps & Bumps
    Hi. Personally I have had no lumps & bumps (except for another primary cancer), but I know plenty people on this board have had them. I'm sure you will get some good information from some of them. I just wanted to let you know that I'm praying for you and that I hope there are no more lumps, bumps and chemo. Chemo sucks, but cancer sucks worse.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten

    Me, too!
    No further CRC troubles...still have some ahem, well, TOILET issues (I lost my entire rectum and sigmoid colon), but manageable as long as I don't 'sin' and eat something 'naughty'.

    6 months after surgery, I had a second primary site cancer. Treatment was ACT (chemo) and rads...I always wondered if this could qualify as 'post-surgical' chemo for the rectal...lol....

    I'm wishing you a smoooth road from here on out!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • mykidsmommy
    mykidsmommy Member Posts: 76
    #9
    CherylHutch said:

    lumps and bumps
    Hey mykidsmommy... you have to sign your posts so we know what to call you :)

    I'm still going through a lumpy ride so don't have a complete answer for you yet. I have 2 mets on my lung that have to come out and 5 teeny tiny spots that they aren't even sure yet if they are mets or scar tissue, so we are waiting on those. I am having the 2 mets that have to come out done by RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) where they go in with the guidance of a CAT scan, and blast the lesions away with Radio Frequency waves (which basically burns the kaka out of the lesion, leaving the surrounding lung tissue totally untouched.

    My oncologist and I talked about the options (lung surgery followed by chemo, or chemo followed by lung surgery) and she said that she would like to refer me to an interventional radiologist who does RFA procedures to see if I'm a likely candidate (they only do RFA if there is a possibility of a cure or a way of prolonging a healthy, good quality of life). She said that if I end up not being a candidate then we would go the chemo/surgery route... but it turned out that I was a good candidate, so we are going that root.

    Soooo.. yes, we are having them removed, but is that it, never to have a problem again? Hmmm... only time will tell. I sure hope so!! :D

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl

    Thank you Thank you
    Once again you very cool ladies - have helped me. I was asked at a Christmas party tonight, "so you're all good right? No more cancer right?" I was fully prepared to answer about the fact that we are watching extra careful and gettig things when we find them and get them while they are small and easily removed etc., but that this is my new protocol, and i thought of the "chronic disease model" you talk about here and I felt so better prepared emotionally to answer and feel good about it. This is all ok, and it is what we have to do to get to the five year mark.
    I am planning on the RFA the week after Christmas before New Years , so I can maximize my deductible being paid off before the first of the year and it starts again!
    I am bummed I have to do it, but I am ok with it, I am really mostly sad I have to tell the kids about having it done - cancer has been on their back burner for awhile and this means I have to bring it up again, Such is our new life as a cancer survivor mommy.
    Good Night dear CSN friends.
    Honor

Discussion Boards