Mom with Stage IV Colon Cancer & Liver Mets

prayers will abound
Hello,

I am also a strong believer and I will definitely be praying for healing, peace of mind for everyone in the family, and for "maximum results of the chemotherapy, with minimum side effects".
Folfox and Avastin is apparently the most commonly used regimen for stage IV colon cancer. I had it, as did most others here on this board. The oxalyplatin in the Folfox is the one the can have some really punching side effects. The side effects on that include extreme oversensitivity to cold so you can't eat or drink anything cooler than room temperature for a few days after getting it. It has some others too, but the other main one is neuropathy. This can cause tingling in the hands and feet and eventually numbness. It can also cause muscle cramps which could make the hands cramp inward. About halfway through all the treatments, I started losing feeling and control of my hands and I'd start dropping things, couldn't hold a pen or pencil, and would have tingling/numb feet, which make walking uncomfortable. Not to scare you, but just make you aware of what to watch for. The good news for me was that I got all the feeling back in my hands and most in my feet. None of the other side effects from it lasted in me. From the 5FU (what comes out of the pump that she'll likely be "hooked up" to for a couple of days), side effects can include having the hands turn a brownish color, with the palms of hands and soles of feet turning a splotchy red. They may also get sore and the skin may peel there. Also watch out for sores in the mouth. Biotene mouthwash is good to have on hand ahead of time to help with that. Also, biotene toothpaste or some kind of sensitive mouth toothpaste will probably be needed. For the sore, dry, or peeling skin, try Bag Balm ointment or any other "cow udder" ointment. Aveeno lotion with oatmeal also worked well for me.

I'm reminding myself about the 5FU side effects as I write this to you, as I will be going back on it again next week, myself.

I know this is a very tough time on your mom, you, and the whole family. As the one with the cancer, I sometimes felt I had to be the one to do the emotional boosting up for my husband and other family members. I'm grateful I was able to be in that state of mind- I believe it was the Lord giving me that strength.
Again- I will be praying for your mom, you , and your whole family.

Note: Even though I was not considered a surgical candidate at the time of my diagnosis (too many widespread tumors in my liver and both lungs), I responded well to the chemo & after just three Folfox/Avastin treatments, about 2/3 of my tumors had shrunken away or had gotten smaller. I ended up not needing that colon/rectal resection because my rectal tumor disappeared with radiation! I did end up getting liver surgery in May '08. Mine was pretty bad at diagnosis and I'm still here alive and very kicking! While my cancer isn't gone, it is manageable and I'm hanging in there. There are MANY other people on this site, however, who have actually gone from stage IV to NED (no evidence of disease), and some have been that way now for several years. So, there is definitely hope!!!

If you haven't already been told so, I'll tell you now "don't read or believe the internet survival statistics on stage IV colorectal cancer!" They're dismal, but more importantly to know, they're all outdated! In order to be a statistic, the information has to be at least 5 years old because survival statistics are usually based on patients diagnosed and treated at least 5 years ago. Five years ago, there weren't as many treatment options, so the outcomes now are much, much better than you'll read about!!

Best wishes to your mom, you, and your family!

Take care,
Lisa

KFen725 said:

Thanks!!!
Hi, all,

Thank you so much for the encouragement & advice. I agree that it is very important for my family to be positive ALL THE TIME in front of mom. I really feel like God has been holding us in the shelter of His wings during these past few weeks and will continue to do so. He is faithful!

Also very awesome is how often I'm reading that the stats online are so outdated - THAT IS AWESOME!!! I remember first reading 8% right after mom was diagnosed and just feeling such a shock. But I hear it's more like 30+ nowadays for a lot of people. Either way, God is bigger than any statistic, and each person is different! We are not statistics!!!

Praying for healing for all of you that are in this fight with us. Cancer really changes the course of things, but it doesn't have to be "who someone is".

I also believe in the power
I also believe in the power of prayer and praise God for my healing from colon cancer. I'll be praying for your husband and yourself.

God Bless,
Diane