Disney good - Scan bad

Crow71
Crow71 Member Posts: 679 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Disney World is awesome. We had a super time.

Want to hear a Disney crap bag story? Of course you do!!

I don't know about you guys, but I keep a list of all the interesting places that I have changed my bag. Add The Magic Kingdom to the list. Sometimes the bag starts to leak with no warning. Sometimes there are warning signs. When the wafer gets itchy, it's time to consider a change. When the wafer suddenly gets really itchy, it's time for a change right now. No dipstick required.

I got the sudden itches right outside of Cinderella's Castle. I told Kim that I'd meet her and the kids at the Sword and the Stone thing beside the carousel, across from Snow White's Scary Adventure and hurried off to find a bathroom. The handicapped stalls at Disney are amazing. They're bigger than my old dorm room. With a sink. The regular stalls are tiny. I rarely use the handicapped stall, but this time I definitely was. By the time I found a bathroom, the skin under the wafer felt like it was melting. Just my luck, the handicapped stall was occupied by a father who's handicap was 2 young kids who had to poop at the same time. "Don't touch that. Are you finished? Come on, your brother has to . . . don't touch that!! Okay, wash your hands while . . . NOT THERE!!" etc. etc.

It went on for quite a while. Finally I yelled, "Hey there you **** ****, wipe those brats and get'em the hell out of my way!!!" Okay, I didn't really say that. You can't say stuff like that at Disney. Maybe the Mall, but not Disney. At this time Mr. Dribbles was going nuts, and I was about to create my on little Splash Mountain. Finally the dad and kids left. I didn't even give him a dirty look. I was focussed. Of course there was pee all over the floor, but I didn't let that break my concentration. 2 seat covers on the floor for the old bag and wafer. 2 seat covers on the sink for the new bag, wafer and paste etc. Damn, forgot to put a seat cover on the wet seat. Too late now. Old bag off. And then . . the dance. The old 'stoma two step.' I clean. Dribbles poops. I clean. Dribbles poops. I swear. Dribbles poops. Dribbles poops. Dribbles poops. I clean. Dribbles poops.

Finally I got the wafer on. The bangle was a little off but not too bad. (Bangle= Bag Angle. KIm came up with that one.) I had my doubts about whether the wafer would stay. Mr. Dribbles is very close to my HIPEC scar, and sometimes the wafer doesn't want to stick to the scar. Also, I might not have let the skin dry enough. I put on some pink tape for good measure, said a little prayer to the Stoma Gods and got out of there.

I had left my mobile phone at home like an idiot, so back at the Sword and the Stone thing, there was nothing to do but wait and obsess about whether the wafer was coming lose again. I've gotten pretty good at casually and inconspicuously sticking my hand down my pants to adjust the bag or check for poop, but even with the sparse crowd, there is no way to do this while standing beside the Sword and the Stone thing. And I'm pretty sure that standing around the Magic Kingdom with your hand in you pants is a sure fire way to get kicked out of Disney. Finally Kim and the kids came around. All was well, we had a great rest of the day, and the bag lasted until we got back to the hotel.

I was real sad to leave Disney. I didn't have cancer there.

We got back yesterday. I had a scan this morning and then met with my onc. Folfori has failed. All liver and lung tumors are bigger with several new ones in my liver. I'll get the full report tomorrow. These results are a bit of a surprise. My CEA has always been an accurate marker for me and it has been going down. It sucks to go from being so happy to so sad. We'll figure something out tomorrow. I'll probably have some questions for you guys.

Take Care - Roger
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Comments

  • okthen
    okthen Member Posts: 232
    Im am so sorry about your
    Im am so sorry about your news! Just wanted to let you know that you are in me and my husbands prayers!
    Chriss and Jack
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    Ahhh Roger
    So glad cancer wasn't at Disney World.
    I'm praying and thinking my best wishes your way when you get your full report tomorrow.
    I hesitate to ask this, I've been hesitating for a long time, but sometimes you wonder about things, so I'm going to ask and state things I guess.
    I don't understand Folfori, I understand it contains somewhat the regime that I did, but it isn't exactly the same. I ended up with my regime because it was felt I would need surgery to get rid of the blockage I suffered from my tumor in the colon, not to save me, it was called palliative surgery if I were to have it. I ended up not needing it (thank you Supreme Being for that one), but my regime has worked so well for me. I was considered never to be operable, blah, blah, blah. But my tumors are all shrunk. So what is the difference in the regime? What is different from mine, Oxiplatinin, Avastin and Xeloda and everyone else's Folfori?
    Was it the regime or genetics? It's just that I see so many Stage IV's, and here I am, looking operable, tumors shrinking, disappearing everywhere and the only difference I can really see is the chemo's that we're on, I've only met one other that has the same chemo as myself and their doing well. Just food for thought I guess, and then I'm guessing maybe you'll take the thought to your onc, and maybe it will work for you. Crap shoot, don't you know.
    Roger, I think about you often, I hope for the best for you, I pray for you, I hope I didn't offend with my thought above, I guess I'm just grasping at straws as to why I should be doing well and others aren't, I just want everyone to be in my same boat, we're on the Titanic, I'm in the life raft, but I don't want to row away with the others in the boat, I want everyone out there in that unknown dark ocean to climb aboard with me, to feel a little safer, I want us all to have the life vest and a hand from nowhere reaching down and grabbing hold of us to pull us aboard to safety.
    The reason I bring it up, is could more people do better on my chemos or is it genectics, it's such a toss up with cancer, knowing what will work, what won't.
    I just wonder, why me, why am I doing well, and mostly I think it's my chemo combo, but of course in the world of cancer I could be totally wrong.
    Love at you Roger
    Winter Marie
  • Crow71
    Crow71 Member Posts: 679 Member

    Ahhh Roger
    So glad cancer wasn't at Disney World.
    I'm praying and thinking my best wishes your way when you get your full report tomorrow.
    I hesitate to ask this, I've been hesitating for a long time, but sometimes you wonder about things, so I'm going to ask and state things I guess.
    I don't understand Folfori, I understand it contains somewhat the regime that I did, but it isn't exactly the same. I ended up with my regime because it was felt I would need surgery to get rid of the blockage I suffered from my tumor in the colon, not to save me, it was called palliative surgery if I were to have it. I ended up not needing it (thank you Supreme Being for that one), but my regime has worked so well for me. I was considered never to be operable, blah, blah, blah. But my tumors are all shrunk. So what is the difference in the regime? What is different from mine, Oxiplatinin, Avastin and Xeloda and everyone else's Folfori?
    Was it the regime or genetics? It's just that I see so many Stage IV's, and here I am, looking operable, tumors shrinking, disappearing everywhere and the only difference I can really see is the chemo's that we're on, I've only met one other that has the same chemo as myself and their doing well. Just food for thought I guess, and then I'm guessing maybe you'll take the thought to your onc, and maybe it will work for you. Crap shoot, don't you know.
    Roger, I think about you often, I hope for the best for you, I pray for you, I hope I didn't offend with my thought above, I guess I'm just grasping at straws as to why I should be doing well and others aren't, I just want everyone to be in my same boat, we're on the Titanic, I'm in the life raft, but I don't want to row away with the others in the boat, I want everyone out there in that unknown dark ocean to climb aboard with me, to feel a little safer, I want us all to have the life vest and a hand from nowhere reaching down and grabbing hold of us to pull us aboard to safety.
    The reason I bring it up, is could more people do better on my chemos or is it genectics, it's such a toss up with cancer, knowing what will work, what won't.
    I just wonder, why me, why am I doing well, and mostly I think it's my chemo combo, but of course in the world of cancer I could be totally wrong.
    Love at you Roger
    Winter Marie

    Hey Marie - Love right back
    Hey Marie - Love right back at you. Thanks for the good thoughts and prayers.

    Folfox is oxaliplatin and 5FU. Oxy is a newer drug that is platinum based.
    Folfori is Irinotecan (also called camptosar and CPT-11) and 5FU
    Xeloda is the pill form of 5FU

    At dx in 7/'09 I was also told that surgery was not an option. I did 6 months of Folfox and had a great response. I had surgery last April. While recovering from surgery and a big infection, the cancer came roaring back. I did Folfori because it is usually effective and not as toxic. But my cancer is not affected by irinotecan. I will most likely go back to Folfox. Each cancer is a bit different, and it can mutate and become resistant. Like you said - it's often a crap shoot - a toss up.

    I know exactly how you are feeling. I've had ups and downs - mostly ups. I've wondered why I was doing well when others were suffering. Right now is a low point, but I'll bounce back.

    Take care Winter Marie. I've been following you and I hope surgery will be successful.
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    Roger
    I am glad you had no cancer at Disney. It certinly is a magical place. How did the kids like it? I hink we are all kids at heart. Hands off to you for taking + enjoying such a magical place. My kids absolutley love the ocean, and when we went to Californis several years ago (they were~ 16 + 11) we went to Univeral; they loved it, but wanted to spend more time at Santa Monica beach jumping the ocean waves - they are magical too; just not manmade.

    That said, I am sorry there was cancer waiting when you got home, do you know what is next? Are you KRAS mutant or wild-type? You are already fought + eliminiated a lot of cancer in the body. My understsnding is when cancer mets are not being systemically as in pre, post cancer senarios,it can grow. It can get beaten back too. I am awe that you did such a big trip with such recent major surgery. What a wonder Dad + husband to Kim.
  • just4Brooks
    just4Brooks Member Posts: 980 Member
    Dude...
    I'm sure happy you had a great time with the wife and kids. Disney is the best place to forget about cancer and just enjoy the family. Now it's back to work with dealing with this cancer. Start setting your mind to be ready to fight again and looking at all your options. Make some phone calls and do what you gotta do. Let me know it I can do anything on my end.

    Brooks
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    Roger
    Roger,
    I am so glad that you all had a wonderful time at Disney! It is a magical place. I am sorry to hear about the progression. It would make sense if they gave you Folfox again since it was so effective.

    I'll be praying for you and your family.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    Welcome back
    Glad you and the family had a nice break from the real world and joined Mickey at his house for a while. I don't think you can ever get to old to enjoy it, even if all you do is watch the children's faces as they explore it all.

    You potty story is so funny...while I haven't had that exact experience, I think we all can relate to the 'when ya gotta go...ya gotta go' scenario.

    Sorry that the news from the scan was not better. Sending prayers for a treatment plan which will knock that cancer for a loop.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • Sonia32
    Sonia32 Member Posts: 1,071 Member
    Hugs Roger
    I'm so glad you had a great time at Disney, sorry to hear about your results. Praying that they find the right chemo for you.

    Sonia
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    Sonia32 said:

    Hugs Roger
    I'm so glad you had a great time at Disney, sorry to hear about your results. Praying that they find the right chemo for you.

    Sonia

    Roger feel so sorry for the Scann News!
    So if folfox was great first time l suppose that,s the drug you need ,please keep us informed about your news, and don't hesitate to ask for anything you can need!
    Hugs!
  • Kerry S
    Kerry S Member Posts: 606 Member
    Looks like you fell into the damn creek getting your hat
    Damn Roger,
    Looks like you fell into the damn creek getting your hat. The liver is a concern. Have you asked them about liver chemo embolization??

    Kerry
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    Roger
    Excuse my chemo brain. I saw you post last night and thought I had posted to this thread. UGH. I'm so happy that you let Mr. Dribbles out to see the sights at Disney. Stomas get excited about being away from home too!

    I'm happy to hear that your family had such a wonderful time. You guys deserved it and it will always be your first that the family can remember forever. It was great that you got to leave your cancer at home and that it didn't hop in and hide away in your luggage.

    I'm sorry to hear about your damn scan. My onc says that my scans follow behind my CEA. Is it maybe possible that your tumors are still showing but, they perhaps decreased in size or activity and they haven't caught up with the decline of your CEA? I don't know if you asked the doc about that. I also don't know how your CEA works for you. I just know that mine is a good enough indicator that even when something isn't showing as changed on my scans, my onc expects the change to later show up, according to what my CEA shows. I will keep positive thoughts for you as you address the scan issue.

    PS: so glad you didn't get arrested at Disney with your hands down your pants!
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    thanks for the good news, sorry for the bad
    I am so glad to hear you had such a great time at Disney, minus the suck time in the bathroom waiting for the stall. Sounds like you have really adjusted well to your ostomy, thank you
    God! It is truly magic when you are able to enjoy a day so completely that cancer loses it's hold on you! Those memories will always be there, just retrieve them when you need some happy time! I am sorry to hear about the tumors in your liver coming back with a vengeance; I am sure your docs are on top of it and will change your chemo around to get back on top of this. You are so strong and I watch your fight very closely; I guess the connection we have through Baptist and the HIPEC makes your fight of so much more interest to me. You and Kim are such a good team, very well matched, and you are young. Keep fighting!
    mary
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    funny bag story
    Hi Roger,

    First of all, let me say you had me in stitches while reading the details of your bathroom bag change and the "hands down the pants at Disney" issue! I know it wasn't actually funny, but I had never heard it described so before.
    I'm so glad you still had a good time at Disneyland with your family.
    Then, back to reality. Reality is hard. I'm so sorry you got such surprising and difficult scan news. Like others mentioned, maybe you should go back on Folfox again. I thought about that for myself, as I had great results from it too (but I'm allergic to the oxi, so they won't put me back on it). If you don't have allergic issues to the oxi and it worked for you, I'd push for that if I were you.
    Depending upon your complete results that you find out soon, maybe even looking into the chemo emobilization and HIPEC might be something to do.

    I am praying for you, Roger- for answers, for peace, and for a treatment that will really kick the cancer back this time!

    Lisa
  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    Hey Roger,
    I'm so glad that


    Hey Roger,

    I'm so glad that you and your family had a wonderful time at Disney. We're hoping to get back there again later this year since we need some magical cancer free time too. :-) I'll pray that your doctor will prescribe Folfox for you again and that it will reduce the tumors. Sending you love and cyber hugs! (()) - Cynthia
  • This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    Roger
    Well, you've had Disney and the good news is they can never take away your memories of that:)

    CEA counts are intersting Roger, and I've found out that mine don't appear to mean too much either. I'm sitting at 0.5 right now - the trumpets should be sounding, the balloons falling out of the ceiling, there should be cake and candles.

    Instead, I've got a raging Cancer inside me. So, maybe we worry a little bit less about CEAs now, huh? They are a marker, but not a definitive marker by any means.

    As was mentioned, if you have not been KRAS tested, you could request this. If you are negative, then they can give you VECTIBIX, which is the drug they can give you when FOLFIRI fails.

    And there is RFA and CyberKnife that can be used on the liver, if you qualify for those.

    I hate all of this for you and your family - it's a kick in my gut, so I know it must be in your as well.

    For now, take a look into the KRAS testing and see what happens there and then we'll move forward and see what the next options are.

    -Craig
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Vacation and Scan
    So glad that you had such a good time at Disney. Yup when the wafer starts itching it's time to think about changing it. Sorry to hear that your treatments aren't working. Maybe they can give you another cocktail to try. There has to be other options out there.

    Kim
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member

    Vacation and Scan
    So glad that you had such a good time at Disney. Yup when the wafer starts itching it's time to think about changing it. Sorry to hear that your treatments aren't working. Maybe they can give you another cocktail to try. There has to be other options out there.

    Kim

    Disney good
    happy too that you had such a good time at Disney. Sorry about that scan...remember the old credo....one step at a time....there will be a new cocktail and tomorrow will tell

    all best of luck and a hug

    mags
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    Roer and Kim:
    I am so sorry about the scan results. Gosh Roger, I follow your blog and postings here and you have had a rough a time as I have ever read about. I have no words of wisdom or treatment options to offer advise on.

    I know Kim is probably so busy taking care of the kids and you so if you need anything whatsoever research wise, doctor wise, whatever, please don't hesitate to ask. Myself and others on the board will go into overdrive if you guys need us.

    Take care - Tina
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    geotina said:

    Roer and Kim:
    I am so sorry about the scan results. Gosh Roger, I follow your blog and postings here and you have had a rough a time as I have ever read about. I have no words of wisdom or treatment options to offer advise on.

    I know Kim is probably so busy taking care of the kids and you so if you need anything whatsoever research wise, doctor wise, whatever, please don't hesitate to ask. Myself and others on the board will go into overdrive if you guys need us.

    Take care - Tina

    Hey Roger Doger!!!!
    That stinks... I mean...really??? That cancer crap can just back on down off your arse... I mean who does it think its messin with????? Really??? You keep on track Rog.....don't let this throw ya.... I know you will whip it down again..and again...and again...and however many times it TRIES to win..... u rock...u rule...love ya dude!!!

    Jennie