No more chemo! Yay!

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Patrusha
Patrusha Member Posts: 487
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Saw the oncs yesterday and gave them a chance to talk me out of stopping Folfox after only five infusions. Candidly one of the oncs said I may have received the benefit of the Chemo just in those five infusions. Balancing that with the bad stuff (esophagus problems, possible heart problems, and memory problems) and the CON side was definitely outweighing the PRO side. So I dropped out of the study I was in.

I'll still get the usual care: bloodwork every three months and colonoscopy in July, one year after my surgery. They said they'd do the CT scan in January to ease my fears about the liver "cysts" they found back in July....

An interesting thing about the CEA count one of the oncs told me, too. I told him I didn't think CEA was a good indicator for me because it was only at 1.5 before surgery and just below 1 two months later when I started chemo. He said that a lot of times people who had low CEA like me would then have much higher CEAs in metasteses, especially in the liver. I thought that was kind of interesting and thought I'd pass that along.

I get my port out next Friday! Yay!!! I was a little surprised they didn't want to keep it in for a while, "just in case," but they said the chance of possible blood clots wasn't worth leaving it in. I am not sad to see it go.

So, that's my good news. I feel good about this decision and know it is the right one for me. I'm just listening to that ", small voice" inside of me that just keeps saying, "everything is OK. Get on with your life."

So I am. Love to all.
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Comments

  • spongebob
    spongebob CSN Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #2
    Pat -

    That's AWESOME! I am so happy for you and so glad you are listening to that inner voice. I have said it before, but I think it bears saying again; I think that innervoice is really God whispering in our ear.

    Be well and, as my daughter will shout shortly i am sure, NAKED HAPPY DANCE

    (don't count on me doing one personally... well, unless you have dollar bills... DOH... gonna get banned for sure now...!)
  • scouty
    scouty CSN Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #3
    Patrusha,

    You have "killed many brain cells" debating about this for so long. YGG (you go girl), inhale, exhale and move forward with as much positive energy as you can muster.

    Interesting about CEA, thanks for sharing that.

    I hope you are working on your diet and other lifestyle "stuff" so the **** cells continue to hate your bod.

    Let me know if there is anything else I can do to support you.

    Lisa P.
  • valeriec
    valeriec CSN Member Posts: 348 Member
    #4
    spongebob said:

    Pat -

    That's AWESOME! I am so happy for you and so glad you are listening to that inner voice. I have said it before, but I think it bears saying again; I think that innervoice is really God whispering in our ear.

    Be well and, as my daughter will shout shortly i am sure, NAKED HAPPY DANCE

    (don't count on me doing one personally... well, unless you have dollar bills... DOH... gonna get banned for sure now...!)

    Well said SB, hats off to you. I, too, believe that innervoice is God whispering in our ear. We just have to be still sometimes and listen.
    ValerieC
    (and your right-you are probably about to be banned-lol)
  • KathiM
    KathiM CSN Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #5
    YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA!!!!!

    NAKED HAPPY DANCE!!!!

    I love my 'inner voice'...told me that the 4th Adriamycin was too much...Your story sounds so close to mine...and here I sit, 2 years post dx...NED!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • KathiM
    KathiM CSN Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #6
    KathiM said:

    YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA!!!!!

    NAKED HAPPY DANCE!!!!

    I love my 'inner voice'...told me that the 4th Adriamycin was too much...Your story sounds so close to mine...and here I sit, 2 years post dx...NED!

    Hugs, Kathi

    And, You are one of the bravest, strongest people I know...I am proud to call you 'friend'!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • ron50
    ron50 CSN Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #7
    Hugs Pat:) Ron.
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #8
    Hi Patrusha, you are not going to be anymore my chemo buddy, but you don't know how happy I am for you,enjoy your Holidays and the rest of your healthy life. lots of hugs
  • Moesimo
    Moesimo CSN Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    #9
    Woohoo!!!

    I didn't get all my chemo either, and I am still here and NED. It has been almost 3 1/2 years since my surgery.

    Go out and celebrate,

    Maureen
  • Russell05
    Russell05 Member Posts: 60
    #10
    Great news Pat. I had not gotten all my chemo that they said I needed. But as it turned out I must have gotten enough. So far almost 2 yrs. port removed still ned. Yay again for you.

    Russell
  • goldfinch
    goldfinch CSN Member Posts: 735
    #11
    Woohoo!!! Congratulations!
    Mary
  • jams67
    jams67 CSN Member Posts: 925 Member
    #12
    I've been and still am married for many years, almost 40! Anyway, moving forward from cancer must feel like being divorced and then thinking about dating again. You look around and wonder, "now what?" Well the music is turned up high, and NED wants to dance until your shoes fall off. Glad to hear your good news! jams
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover CSN Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #13
    Hi Pat -

    I think you made a great decision. You had five treatments, you are Stage II, you are having side effects. I'll bet you have gotten the most benefit from treatments already - I'd have dropped out if I were you. SO - WOW - DONE with cancer treatment and being Stage II that means you can go on with a normal life. How wonderful!

    Your CEA info is interesting and I shall remember that.

    Take care, have fun, be happy and celebrate,
    Betsy
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #14
    spongebob said:

    Pat -

    That's AWESOME! I am so happy for you and so glad you are listening to that inner voice. I have said it before, but I think it bears saying again; I think that innervoice is really God whispering in our ear.

    Be well and, as my daughter will shout shortly i am sure, NAKED HAPPY DANCE

    (don't count on me doing one personally... well, unless you have dollar bills... DOH... gonna get banned for sure now...!)

    I have some dollar bills, SB!!! LOL!!! The still small voice is definitely the Lord. He never shouts.. just waits for us to shut up long enough to be "heard."
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #15
    scouty said:

    Patrusha,

    You have "killed many brain cells" debating about this for so long. YGG (you go girl), inhale, exhale and move forward with as much positive energy as you can muster.

    Interesting about CEA, thanks for sharing that.

    I hope you are working on your diet and other lifestyle "stuff" so the **** cells continue to hate your bod.

    Let me know if there is anything else I can do to support you.

    Lisa P.

    I must confess, Scouty, that my diet of late has been atrocious. I am getting back on track, slowly but surely.
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #16
    KathiM said:

    And, You are one of the bravest, strongest people I know...I am proud to call you 'friend'!

    Hugs, Kathi

    Awwww, sniff. I can't wait to get my first official dancing with NED dance card.... pehaps in January after my CT scan, eh?
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #17
    ron50 said:

    Hugs Pat:) Ron.

    Hugs back atcha, Ron!
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #18
    betina61 said:

    Hi Patrusha, you are not going to be anymore my chemo buddy, but you don't know how happy I am for you,enjoy your Holidays and the rest of your healthy life. lots of hugs

    Hey, Betina, I'll still be your chemo buddy in spirit and I'll continue to pray for you as you keep traveling the chemo road. You have a great Christmas!
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #19
    Moesimo said:

    Woohoo!!!

    I didn't get all my chemo either, and I am still here and NED. It has been almost 3 1/2 years since my surgery.

    Go out and celebrate,

    Maureen

    Now that's what I want to hear!!! I did celebrate. Hubby and I went out for breakfast and just spent some nice quiet time together. It was long overdue....
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #20
    Russell05 said:

    Great news Pat. I had not gotten all my chemo that they said I needed. But as it turned out I must have gotten enough. So far almost 2 yrs. port removed still ned. Yay again for you.

    Russell

    That's what I like to hear, Russ.... chemo can work even if you don't go the entire route. That is so encouraging....
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #21
    goldfinch said:

    Woohoo!!! Congratulations!
    Mary

    Thanks, Mary. Hope you are feeling well these days!

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