New Member Introduction

amyboston
amyboston Member Posts: 91
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I was diagnosed on Oct 5 with Stage IIB cancer of the Sigmoid Colon. I live in
Boston and am 62 years old. I am an artist. I was having symptoms for a few months before the colonoscopy. The doctor said if I waited another six months it would be inoperable.

This is all new to me. And I have been bouncing around emotionally for the past
two weeks. At first I was angry, then weepy and sad, and then tiredness sets in and
I feel depressed. I feel as though I am on a rollor coaster emotionally.

Anyway, I am new to the discussion board and hope to both contribute and get something
out of the discussion.

God Bless,
Amy
«1

Comments

  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    Welcome
    Hi Amy,

    Sorry about your diagnosis but glad you seemed to catch it before it got worse. Have you had your surgery already? Is there a plan of action for your treatment, if any?

    Mine was Stage III lymph pos/zero mets in my sigmoid colon also. I had 13 inches of colon removed and then because of the lymph involvement, adjuvant chemo of 5-FU and leucovorin was prescribed to "mop up" any renegade cancer cells. I opted to not do any chemo but to follow Easter Medicine & dietary modalities of curing cancer instead after watching my sister go through end stage cancer of her small intestine when she was in her early 30's. I was 39 when I was dx'ed and my sister was 30 when she was dx'ed. No prior family history. I have remained cancer free for over 8 years now!! Yea! It's been quite a journey.

    Many of us on here can completely relate to running the gamut of emotions post dx that you're experiencing. This is a great place to vent those emotions--especially if/when you find that those around you just aren't "getting it" and that can be utterly frustrating.

    So welcome to the Semi-colons. Jump in and join the club. You can get to know us by reading our websites on here and we can get to know you by yours if you fill one out.

    peace, emily the juice chick
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Welcome
    First of all welcome to the boards and secondly, you have now become a member of a wonderful family. We are here to help get you through you ups and downs. Feeling like being on a roller coaster is very normal and it will continue that way for some time. Not sure what your treatment will be but once you find out, let us know and we can let you know mostly what to expect. I was an emotional wreck when I first came to this board, but you will soon learn the language and share your experiences with newer members. Let us know how you are doing. And jump right in with any questions you might have - we talk about everything and anything here. Welcome!

    Kim
  • Paula G.
    Paula G. Member Posts: 596
    Hi Amy
    Sorry that you have to have this crap!!! You came to a good place. People on this board are great.
    Everything you are feeling is so normal. My husband is the one with colon cancer. It is so up and down. The people here have helped us much. Best to you and keep your chin up. Paula
  • amyboston
    amyboston Member Posts: 91
    2bhealed said:

    Welcome
    Hi Amy,

    Sorry about your diagnosis but glad you seemed to catch it before it got worse. Have you had your surgery already? Is there a plan of action for your treatment, if any?

    Mine was Stage III lymph pos/zero mets in my sigmoid colon also. I had 13 inches of colon removed and then because of the lymph involvement, adjuvant chemo of 5-FU and leucovorin was prescribed to "mop up" any renegade cancer cells. I opted to not do any chemo but to follow Easter Medicine & dietary modalities of curing cancer instead after watching my sister go through end stage cancer of her small intestine when she was in her early 30's. I was 39 when I was dx'ed and my sister was 30 when she was dx'ed. No prior family history. I have remained cancer free for over 8 years now!! Yea! It's been quite a journey.

    Many of us on here can completely relate to running the gamut of emotions post dx that you're experiencing. This is a great place to vent those emotions--especially if/when you find that those around you just aren't "getting it" and that can be utterly frustrating.

    So welcome to the Semi-colons. Jump in and join the club. You can get to know us by reading our websites on here and we can get to know you by yours if you fill one out.

    peace, emily the juice chick

    Surgery Date
    Thank you Emily, Kim and Paula.
    It feels better to have support and realize that others are going through or have gone through what I am.

    My surgery date is Nov 13. I thought that they would do it sooner, but they have me scheduled for pre-admission testing. I already had a blood test, etc. Will do the MRI before surgery.

    They said if the lymph nodes or anything else that the MRI and pathology (???) are affected that they will do chemo, but I haven't heard from an oncologist. I have just talked to the Surgeon (she is great so far) and the nurse that handles her patients.

    All of this is real new to me, I am trying to read what I can about colon cancer without scaring me half out of my wits. etc.

    Thanks for the welcome, and I will look at the websites, and do one of my own (maybe next week)...

    take care and blessings,
    Amy
  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    amyboston said:

    Surgery Date
    Thank you Emily, Kim and Paula.
    It feels better to have support and realize that others are going through or have gone through what I am.

    My surgery date is Nov 13. I thought that they would do it sooner, but they have me scheduled for pre-admission testing. I already had a blood test, etc. Will do the MRI before surgery.

    They said if the lymph nodes or anything else that the MRI and pathology (???) are affected that they will do chemo, but I haven't heard from an oncologist. I have just talked to the Surgeon (she is great so far) and the nurse that handles her patients.

    All of this is real new to me, I am trying to read what I can about colon cancer without scaring me half out of my wits. etc.

    Thanks for the welcome, and I will look at the websites, and do one of my own (maybe next week)...

    take care and blessings,
    Amy

    Easter Medicine??
    haha, while I believe in the Resurrection, I did Eastern Medicine - NOT Easter! HA!

    You normally don't hear from an oncologist until you have your surgery and stage is determined. For me, the oncologist whom I saw in the hospital was NOT the one that I ended up with for some reason. And thank god for that cuz the one that came in while I was recovering from my surgery totally talked bombing and war jargon to me and that scared me to wits end. He was talking about chemo being like smart bombs going off inside me finding the renegade cancer cells that may have set up camp somewhere else since I had lymph involvement. He made me feel like defecting and running over the boarder to Canada! haha! Personally I'm not into the whole War on Cancer approach but hey, to each her own. We all approach cancer very subjectively.

    The oncologist that Mayo assigned me to was VERY kind and supportive of my decision to not do any chemo and do it with alternatives instead. I thought this was so very open and progressive of him. If he hadn't been supportive, I would have searched until I found one who was. Even my surgeon (who is from overseas) was highly interested in my doing Traditional Chinese Medicine and said his grandmother used to use TCM also.

    Ok, I'm completely digressing here...when what I want to say is that yeah, a lot about cancer can be very scary. Don 't feel alone in that. We're all here to help you navigate through your fears. Many of us have cried a river of tears in fear (my littlest one was 21 mos old when I was dx'ed and I have 5 kids--I surely wasn't ready to check out). So make sure when you get your oncologist that you trust her/him and that s/he doesn't scare you more. Stats can be very scary and remember their often old. I pretty much ignored mine until I beat it. :-)

    peace, emily
  • just4Brooks
    just4Brooks Member Posts: 980 Member
    Rollor coaster emotionally
    First of all welcome to the board, My name is Brooks and I have stage 3 colorectal cancer. I have went through 6 ½ weeks of chemo and radiation and then on August 13 surgery to remove the tumor. Surgery went great and the tumor showed NO signs of cancer left from the treatments. Now I’m at home recovering from the surgery and have done 3 out of 9 my final round of chemo. Everything looks good so far. Try to come to the board often becoause these wonderful people are a big help.
  • amyboston
    amyboston Member Posts: 91
    2bhealed said:

    Easter Medicine??
    haha, while I believe in the Resurrection, I did Eastern Medicine - NOT Easter! HA!

    You normally don't hear from an oncologist until you have your surgery and stage is determined. For me, the oncologist whom I saw in the hospital was NOT the one that I ended up with for some reason. And thank god for that cuz the one that came in while I was recovering from my surgery totally talked bombing and war jargon to me and that scared me to wits end. He was talking about chemo being like smart bombs going off inside me finding the renegade cancer cells that may have set up camp somewhere else since I had lymph involvement. He made me feel like defecting and running over the boarder to Canada! haha! Personally I'm not into the whole War on Cancer approach but hey, to each her own. We all approach cancer very subjectively.

    The oncologist that Mayo assigned me to was VERY kind and supportive of my decision to not do any chemo and do it with alternatives instead. I thought this was so very open and progressive of him. If he hadn't been supportive, I would have searched until I found one who was. Even my surgeon (who is from overseas) was highly interested in my doing Traditional Chinese Medicine and said his grandmother used to use TCM also.

    Ok, I'm completely digressing here...when what I want to say is that yeah, a lot about cancer can be very scary. Don 't feel alone in that. We're all here to help you navigate through your fears. Many of us have cried a river of tears in fear (my littlest one was 21 mos old when I was dx'ed and I have 5 kids--I surely wasn't ready to check out). So make sure when you get your oncologist that you trust her/him and that s/he doesn't scare you more. Stats can be very scary and remember their often old. I pretty much ignored mine until I beat it. :-)

    peace, emily

    easter/n medicine
    Emily,
    Ni How Ma': (hi, how are you in Chinese)...

    I didn't notice the easter/n medicine...but it did give me a good laugh.

    Fortunately, I am both spiritual and also follow traditional Chinese
    Medicine. We have a Chinatown here in Boston and some very good Chinese
    herbalists. There is one down the street from me where I live.

    A year before being diagnosed I was vegan and just last year started eating
    meat again, I was wondering if that was the cause.

    Anyway, I read your posts and was intrigued by what you posted
    concerning your treatment.

    I still feel a bit overwhelmed by it all including the initial meeting with
    my surgeon and GP after my DX.

    Thank you for your support and warm welcome, it is greatly appreciated.

    Blessings, both Chinese and Western...

    Amy
  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    Welcome
    Hi Amy,

    So happy you found this forum. I'm 57 Stage IIIc 8/32 lymph nodes positive. Had resection 2 years ago followed by chemo. Have no recurrence 2 yrs. Yeah! I didn't find this wonderful forum until recently. It has been such a blessing, I'm glad you found it early on. You can ask any question,express any emotions and feel comfortable. We have all been on this journey although we each have our own experiences we are able to minister to one another. So much wisdom, compassion and encouragement here. I'm 2 years out and still experience a broad range of emotions. For now take one day at a time. Sorry you have to join our club but welcome. Remember, you can ask any question and know someone here will be able to help you out.

    Blessing to you,

    Debbie (gramma)
  • GOOFYLADIE
    GOOFYLADIE Member Posts: 232 Member
    Welcome to the board
    Hi Amy,
    I just wanted to say hello. I am a Stage IV 11 year colon cancer survivor. I have been clear 11 years. So ask questions, take pen and paper at hand to all appointments. Ask a friend or family member to go with you to appointments because during the emotional roller coaster we tend to have everything thing go in one ear and out the other. Even though its important or nerves get the best of us.

    This is a fabulous place to be, to be cared for, to share, let of steam, cry, whine, get angry and be damned get even better yet; get the damn beast Cancer. So pop in a snack and drink at your side, sit down read all the posts I guarantee your gonna find a few here, that totally get what your going thru.

    Nice to meet you, Make it a Great Day!!!
    Goofyladie (Cass)
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Sorry
    Hi, Amy.

    I'm sorry about your diagnosis, and we all certainly understand how you're feeling. Please post as often as you want, and we'll be here to support you.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    2bhealed said:

    Welcome
    Hi Amy,

    Sorry about your diagnosis but glad you seemed to catch it before it got worse. Have you had your surgery already? Is there a plan of action for your treatment, if any?

    Mine was Stage III lymph pos/zero mets in my sigmoid colon also. I had 13 inches of colon removed and then because of the lymph involvement, adjuvant chemo of 5-FU and leucovorin was prescribed to "mop up" any renegade cancer cells. I opted to not do any chemo but to follow Easter Medicine & dietary modalities of curing cancer instead after watching my sister go through end stage cancer of her small intestine when she was in her early 30's. I was 39 when I was dx'ed and my sister was 30 when she was dx'ed. No prior family history. I have remained cancer free for over 8 years now!! Yea! It's been quite a journey.

    Many of us on here can completely relate to running the gamut of emotions post dx that you're experiencing. This is a great place to vent those emotions--especially if/when you find that those around you just aren't "getting it" and that can be utterly frustrating.

    So welcome to the Semi-colons. Jump in and join the club. You can get to know us by reading our websites on here and we can get to know you by yours if you fill one out.

    peace, emily the juice chick

    Freudian Slip?
    A Freudian Slip is what Sigmund wore under his dress ;-)
    Well Em, you're into carrots and all so why not Easter (Bunny) medicine?
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    Hi Amy
    Sorry to hear about your diagnosis but it is good they caught it when they did. Judging by how you feel you seem perfectly normal to me. It is a roller coaster ride. You will find many different points of view here on how to deal with cancer, anxiety, depression, to chemo or not to chemo, and just about everything else under the sun.

    I did see you comment below/above about being a vegan then eating some meat over the past year. I'm not doctor but I seriously doubt that it was caused by that recent foray into meat. I also saw that you are reading all you can about colon cancer. A word of caution to you, PLEASE DO NOT believe everything you read on the internet or in books about survival rates for your cancer. Most all of the data is out of date so it is not accurate and will only cause you more anxiety and/or just freak you out.

    You will most likely find that the people here are very supportive. We may come from different backgrounds, faith, cultures, political views, treatment views, but we all have cancer (or are caregivers) so we have a common goal.

    Welcome...
    -phil
    (Stage IV, 5 1/2 years living with cancer)
  • pluckey
    pluckey Member Posts: 484 Member
    Welcome To the Family amy!
    Hi Amy-
    I have Stage 4 Colon Cancer- Had surgery 1 week after DX, Mets to all lobes of liver. I'm on cycle 11 of chemo, not sure how many I will have at this point. Pet Scan in a few weeks to determine if they can resect part of liver, and then other therapies. I have responded well to chemo-

    The folks on this board are a WONDERFUL resource of information, support and love. It's not a club we would ever choose to be in, but it's so very critical to be part of a group that "gets" what we're going through.

    No limits on the questions or support you need- ask away, vent away, share.

    ((HUGS))

    Peggy
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    Hi Amy,I am sorry to hear
    Hi Amy,I am sorry to hear your DX.My busband's DX was in this May,rectal cancer stage2,but all the chemo and radiation before surgery went well,sugery was very successful,pathology report showed that he was down staging from stage2 to stage1,next step is to take adjuvant chemo.At the beginning you always feel overwhelmed,but with time,the more you understand this disease,finally you will calm down.At east coast,especially in Boston,you got best doctors and best medical care,please just take one day at a time,things will get better.When things start moving,you will feel different.We are living in NH,so we are not far.If you have any questions,please let me know,I would like to help you as much as I can.Take care,Amy.Best luck to you with the coming up surgery.
  • butterfly23
    butterfly23 Member Posts: 256
    Welcome!
    Hi Amy,
    I was diagnosed with stage 4 cc. 2 years ago, I have mets to spine and lungs. I am currently in treatment. I am 39 years old. You came to the right place. We are here for you! Keep us updated when you get more information. Let us know what treatments you will be having.
    Hugs,
    Karyn
  • patsy1954
    patsy1954 Member Posts: 85
    Wecome From a Neighbor in Maine!
    We are practically neighbors! I live in Maine, only 2 hrs from Boston. I am 55 yrs old and was diagnosed with Stage 4 in April. Had surgery 2 days after diagnosis and started Chemo 4 weeks after surgery. I went to Dana Farber for second opinion and they agreed with my oncologist, so that made me happy. I get my last treatment today. Have had 11 treatments and can't wait for this week to be over. You will love this site, I only wish I had found it sooner. I agree with other postings, don't look at the statistics, way too scary and not accurate! I have found lots of strength in friends, family and most of all in prayer and church. Hope to keep hearing from you. Good luck with everything!

    Pat
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    patsy1954 said:

    Wecome From a Neighbor in Maine!
    We are practically neighbors! I live in Maine, only 2 hrs from Boston. I am 55 yrs old and was diagnosed with Stage 4 in April. Had surgery 2 days after diagnosis and started Chemo 4 weeks after surgery. I went to Dana Farber for second opinion and they agreed with my oncologist, so that made me happy. I get my last treatment today. Have had 11 treatments and can't wait for this week to be over. You will love this site, I only wish I had found it sooner. I agree with other postings, don't look at the statistics, way too scary and not accurate! I have found lots of strength in friends, family and most of all in prayer and church. Hope to keep hearing from you. Good luck with everything!

    Pat

    Hi Amy!
    It's nice too meet you, welcome to our family! I know it's a scary diagnosis, but we can get through this! Think positively, and live for tomorrow!!! Hope you stick around and post a bunch, and not be afraid to ask anything! Eastern Medicine is actually really interesting me, so stick to it if it works well for you as well!!

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    Shayenne said:

    Hi Amy!
    It's nice too meet you, welcome to our family! I know it's a scary diagnosis, but we can get through this! Think positively, and live for tomorrow!!! Hope you stick around and post a bunch, and not be afraid to ask anything! Eastern Medicine is actually really interesting me, so stick to it if it works well for you as well!!

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna

    Buenvenidios! Welcome!!

    Buenvenidios! Welcome!!
  • amyboston
    amyboston Member Posts: 91
    PhillieG said:

    Freudian Slip?
    A Freudian Slip is what Sigmund wore under his dress ;-)
    Well Em, you're into carrots and all so why not Easter (Bunny) medicine?

    Pink Slip
    Is that like a Pink Slip?

    When I was a child, my family kidded me about getting a pink slip. I thought that it was
    actually a slip that one wears.

    I just got off the phone with the hospital, later on this week and next week, are the MRI and CT appointments.


    Thank you, you made me laugh. :)

    and thanks to all who welcomed me, somehow just knowing there are people out there who have been through this or are going through this makes me feel like I am not alone.

    Thank you!!
    Amy
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    hello Boston!
    Hi Amy

    Welcome to the board! Sorry that you had to come here, but I'm thinking you'll find it fruitful. I grew up in Dorchester. Where do you live in Boston?

    Leslie

    stage 4 rectal cancer
    dx May'08
    Radiation/neoadjuvant chemo Xeloda/oxaliplatin
    LAR Sept'08
    liver resection Oct'08
    adjuvant chemo FOLFOX 10 tx (Dec'08-May'09)
    currently NED, and they are watching closely
    second PET/CT coming up early Dec'09