Remember we are all in this together............

Betsydoglover
Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
edited December 2022 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi all - most of you don't know me, but I have been hanging around since my initial Stage IV diagnosis in May 2005 (liver met, plus sigmoid tumor). I've been doing really well and like many survivors I sort of drifted away from posting on this and Colon Club board. But, I read all the time.

And, I am disturbed now. Folks quitting, people arguing about religion? i refer you to Lisa P's (aka SCOUTY) post a few weeks ago. We are here to support one another. Not to argue about religion (remember, there are two things not to argue about - religion and politics!)

I have no issue with people posting their religious preferences, but mostly I hope we all remember that we are here to help each other in the fight with this terrible disease.

Betsy
Diagnosed Stage IV 5/05 (liver met)
Sigmoid colectomy 6/05
6 cycles Xeloda/oxaliplatin/Avastin - ending 12/05
NED since 10/05
CT and PET scans too numerous to mention!
Thoroscopy 4/17 to remove VERY TINY lung nodule

Comments

  • Paula G.
    Paula G. Member Posts: 596
    #2
    Your Post
    I just joined yesterday and put a post on today. My husband found out he had stage4 colon cancer in November. He had surgery to remove it from his colon. It mets to his liver and small flecks in both lungs and a small spot on his adrenal gland. He is now on 5-FU, Avastin, Eloxatin and Leucovorin Calcium. What do you mean NED since 10/05 I need hope. Paula G.
  • kimby
    kimby Member Posts: 797
    #3
    Paula G. said:

    Your Post
    I just joined yesterday and put a post on today. My husband found out he had stage4 colon cancer in November. He had surgery to remove it from his colon. It mets to his liver and small flecks in both lungs and a small spot on his adrenal gland. He is now on 5-FU, Avastin, Eloxatin and Leucovorin Calcium. What do you mean NED since 10/05 I need hope. Paula G.

    NED
    NED = No Evidence of Disease formerly known as remission
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    #4
    I am glad you posted this
    I am glad you posted this Betsy. I too have not been regular on this board for a while but it is not because of the religion thing. However, I am very glad I missed all of that. This is not the first episode of "Days of Our LIves" we have had on this forum and I doubt it will be the last but for now I recommend turning off the TV! Onward people! We have more important things to focus on.
    -Susan H.
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #5
    an idea
    Maybe those who want to can post their religious beliefs on the "About Me" page since that's really what it is. There, people can send each other messages that that have to do with that and leave the cancer board for cancer discussions.
    Wake up Phil, it will never never happen on here!
    ;-)
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #6
    I was inspired to see that
    I was inspired to see that you are doing so well.I have just been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with liver mets.When you have survived such an ordeal I can see why you would want to distance yourself from it but the surviviors are just the ones who should post on these boards. We need people like you. You are a walking inspiration and a miracle.
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #7
    eric38 said:

    I was inspired to see that
    I was inspired to see that you are doing so well.I have just been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with liver mets.When you have survived such an ordeal I can see why you would want to distance yourself from it but the surviviors are just the ones who should post on these boards. We need people like you. You are a walking inspiration and a miracle.

    Glad to Inspire
    Hi Eric - I'm glad I could inspire you.

    There is hope, most definitely. I've had to readjust my thinking a bit, however, with this recurrence. But, if I can go 3+ more years before another recurrence, it will be good. (And there are people like Susan - shurimikova above - who have gone lots more than 3 years after lung wedge resection.) I guess I am saying I may have to embrace the chronic disease model. I'll start a 6 cycle course of Xeloda + Avastin in about a week, to be followed by Avastin only up to at least a year out. If I react to these drugs the way I did 4 years ago, I'll do ok in the side effect department - especially in the absence of oxaliplatin! This time it's adjuvant chemo for me - that will be a different psychological experience - in 2005 we were looking for shrinkage / disappearance of disease, plus no new development - now we are looking for no new development of disease only as there is nothing visible to shrink.

    A Stage IV diagnosis is overwhelming. The important thing is to take it one step at a time and to realize that there is hope, that most statistics you can find are outdated and even more importantly are "statistics" - they don't have anything to do with an individual.

    Wishing you the best,
    Betsy
  • wanxia58
    wanxia58 Member Posts: 8
    #8
    Betsydoglover said:

    Glad to Inspire
    Hi Eric - I'm glad I could inspire you.

    There is hope, most definitely. I've had to readjust my thinking a bit, however, with this recurrence. But, if I can go 3+ more years before another recurrence, it will be good. (And there are people like Susan - shurimikova above - who have gone lots more than 3 years after lung wedge resection.) I guess I am saying I may have to embrace the chronic disease model. I'll start a 6 cycle course of Xeloda + Avastin in about a week, to be followed by Avastin only up to at least a year out. If I react to these drugs the way I did 4 years ago, I'll do ok in the side effect department - especially in the absence of oxaliplatin! This time it's adjuvant chemo for me - that will be a different psychological experience - in 2005 we were looking for shrinkage / disappearance of disease, plus no new development - now we are looking for no new development of disease only as there is nothing visible to shrink.

    A Stage IV diagnosis is overwhelming. The important thing is to take it one step at a time and to realize that there is hope, that most statistics you can find are outdated and even more importantly are "statistics" - they don't have anything to do with an individual.

    Wishing you the best,
    Betsy

    Thank you, Betsy, to be also my inspiration!
    I was diagnosed as Stage IV in July 2008. However, my cancer didn't go to the liver or the lungs yet. It went to the small intestines, and it was taken out. A lot of lymph nodes are affected too. It's very encouraging to know that people like you are doing well. I just finished a 12 time chemo treatment. I wasn't ready to go for more. Now, I guess I understand that it isn't the end of the chemo at all. I'm kind of ready to go for more, thank to you.

    By the way, I'm a dog lover too.

    wanxia58

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