New Board Member

kmacknj
kmacknj Member Posts: 7
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hello all. new member today. 41 with 1st folfox chemo done today. diagnosed in october. wasnt staged due to a perforation and infection. doctors have good outlook but wont really say how good. cea is 0.05 with apparently no lymphnode involvement so hopeful. tumor is 7cm x 4.8cm in rectosigmoid so hopefully it stays localized. well differentiated as well. just a newbie looking for some help and guidance. hasnt really set in that I am fighting cancer, kinda surreal right now. feel ok after coming off bottle today, little sluggish but overall good. no real side effects, a little with the cold drinks but thats it thankfully.

looking forward to speaking with some of you.
trying to STAY STRONG

kmack

Comments

  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    welcome
    kmack, so glad to see you've made it here so early in your journey. I hope you find the help and support you need, it's been a blessing to me! You've got one under your belt, I hope your side effects are minimal! Well differentiated sounds really good! When the shock wears off, I'm sure you'll have all kinds of questions! I'm really so sorry you had to find yourself here, cancer just sucks big time!
    mary
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Welcome
    Welcome to the board. Sorry that you had to find us, but glad that you did. We are a great bunch of people that will support you through the journey that you are just now going through. Glad you made it through your first treatment ok. Folfox is a cumulative drug and the more of it that you have the more symptoms that will occur so please remember that next time it might be a little more aggressive. We have talked about every subject on this board so don't be afraid to bring one up. You have just joined a great family. Welcome.

    Kim
  • christinecarl
    christinecarl Member Posts: 543 Member
    Hi
    Welcome to the board, very nice to meet you. It is so strange to be a part of this whole cancer thing indeed. It is good that your Drs are hopeful, we are hopeful for you too :)
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    Welcome, kmack!
    I am glad you found us. We are a very supportive group + I hope you will find this helpful.
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Hi
    Hi! Welcome to the board!

    I'm sorry about your membership in this "club," but if you need anything, you've come to the right place!

    From what you stated, your situation sounds really good, so hang in there.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    Hello
    Hello, you have found the right place for support and words of advice. I started 1st Folfox this week also. On Tuesday. I was diagnosed in June and had some different treatment than you initially possibly due to your other conditions. I know how you feel about the surreal, it still hits me as not possible it's me at times. But then something brings me back to reality. Keep staying strong and check here often.

    Gail
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    Hey Kmack
    Welcome on board. Buckle up, take a deep breath and come along for the ride. So sorry that you have to join us but, happy to have you here. And Welcome to the FOLFOX club. There are quite a few of us in the club right now. Must be the end of year rush or something!

    I also had a rectosigmoid tumor but, it couldn't stay put and ended up outside the colon, attached to the abdominal wall and wormed it's way into my small bowel as well. Now it looks like it also made it's way to 2 places in the bone which happen to be very near where the original tumor was. I had no lymph node involvement until after surgery where 2 borderline distance nodes started showing up near my liver. Dang thing. So glad that your tumor is better behaved! Have you had surgery yet?

    PS: I started a blog on my page giving some info on my FOLFOX side effects and some general humor. If you're interested you can take a look my clicking on my name and then going to the blog section.
  • TMac52
    TMac52 Member Posts: 352
    Hi Kmack...........tmac
    Hi Kmack...........tmac here,
    Welcome I look forward to sharing with you.
  • kmacknj
    kmacknj Member Posts: 7
    Lori-S said:

    Hey Kmack
    Welcome on board. Buckle up, take a deep breath and come along for the ride. So sorry that you have to join us but, happy to have you here. And Welcome to the FOLFOX club. There are quite a few of us in the club right now. Must be the end of year rush or something!

    I also had a rectosigmoid tumor but, it couldn't stay put and ended up outside the colon, attached to the abdominal wall and wormed it's way into my small bowel as well. Now it looks like it also made it's way to 2 places in the bone which happen to be very near where the original tumor was. I had no lymph node involvement until after surgery where 2 borderline distance nodes started showing up near my liver. Dang thing. So glad that your tumor is better behaved! Have you had surgery yet?

    PS: I started a blog on my page giving some info on my FOLFOX side effects and some general humor. If you're interested you can take a look my clicking on my name and then going to the blog section.

    Thnaks for th all the support
    Tahnks to all for the great welcome and offers of support. I pray that we all have wonderful stories of long life to post for others to read. I am sure as I progress the questions will come
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    Welcome
    As we would all rather not be here, we face the fact that we are, because we all were given those dreaded words "you have cancer".
    I'm glad you found us. We're pretty good at understanding. If you need to rant, rave, cry or be joyful, we'll shoulder it all, we'll cry with you, and give tears of joy at each and every wonderful milestone that happens.
    We care, we care for each and everyone of us. We've laid our hearts out, cried our hearts out, and had our hearts filled with joy!!! We've run the gambit here, and will no doubt, continue to do so.
    Our arms are out to welcome you, to help you all we can.
    Winter Marie
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member

    Welcome
    As we would all rather not be here, we face the fact that we are, because we all were given those dreaded words "you have cancer".
    I'm glad you found us. We're pretty good at understanding. If you need to rant, rave, cry or be joyful, we'll shoulder it all, we'll cry with you, and give tears of joy at each and every wonderful milestone that happens.
    We care, we care for each and everyone of us. We've laid our hearts out, cried our hearts out, and had our hearts filled with joy!!! We've run the gambit here, and will no doubt, continue to do so.
    Our arms are out to welcome you, to help you all we can.
    Winter Marie

    Gosh Winter Marie
    I luff ya!
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    Lori-S said:

    Gosh Winter Marie
    I luff ya!

    Gosh Lori
    You just filled my little ole' heart.
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    Welcome
    We are a pretty mixed bunch here...from all walks of life...in all stages of life. We share not only the diagnosis, but also a true caring for everyone who finds their way here.

    Sounds like you are staying on top of your diagnosis and treatment, which is a good thing. You have to be your own best advocate when it comes to your care.

    Don't let it worry you that the docs won't really say much about prognosis...in a way that is a good thing. At least they are not lumping you into statistics. Here we don't belive in statistics, as every day one or more of us beats them. The best outlook for you to have is that this can be managed and there are lots more days, weeks, years to be lived.

    Good luck with the treatments, and keep us posted about you.

    Marie who loves kitties
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    sincerely wish you were not here
    but now you are here, then buckle up as you are on the folfox roller coaster.
    welcome to the club, its exclusive, these people are truly amazing and open and caring.
    I have found the support and advice and guidance incredibly valuable.
    Hope you do as well.
    Pete