Fear of recurrance is natural...it is the "cancer cloud" above our heads that keeps us wondering about every twinge and ache. I got worried when I started to feel the EXTREME fatigue I felt before I was diagnosed. I would say to trust your instincts since you are more in tune with your body now more...

A friend gave me a recipe book called Eating Well Through Cancer and it has recipes for all types of side effects including Neutropenia. I was also told of herbal remedies though my doc is not a fan of anything other that modern medicine. He feels that it can be detrimental to chemo so I am having t...

Hi Eve, I remember watching the Ted Koppel special last May called Living with Cancer. It was a documentary about a friend of his who was fighting Stage IV colon cancer. He received his treatment at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. He had lung mets, but more than one, and the doctor there did a new exper...

I remember asking the nurse about what would happen to my hair with Folfiri since I had just grown back a nice thick and newly curly head after Folfox. She said it would be worse. She was right and after the 2nd and 3rd treatments my hair fell out in globs and I was leaving my DNA all over town but ...

I recommend the book "Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul"! It has some really great stories and is full of positive thinking. I have been finding inspiration and solice in it. Also, on a more medical note...the book "Digestive Wellness" is another great resource. It talks of how you can boost your ...

I, too, lost a friend to this horrible disease last March. It is hard to cope since it is so close to home. You are correct in that everyone is different and will have different side effects and outcomes, etc. and we have to stay focused on healing and beating the odds. My most recent hospital stay ...

I am so devastated to hear that this disease has taken another loved one away. Stay strong everyone, Margot

I am so sad to hear this news. My heart goes out to you and her family. The mere thought of the degree of their loss is devastating.
Margot

Thank you, Monique, for your kind words. I truly appreciate it. My surgeon was the best....they are out there and do exist! Actually, I have had 3 surgeons and 5 surgeries and all were great experiences in prep and recovery. All of them were personable and took time with me...especially my last surg...

Thanks for the warm welcomes! Good to hear from all of you. Kelly -- the only thing I have noticed from Erbitux is skin related: annoying rash and dry skin. I was given a gel (Clinamyacin) to put on the acne-like rash which helps. I guess its trading off one unsightly or uncomfortable side effect fo...

Ron,
News like yours is what we all need to hear! Congratulations to you...a true survivor against the odds the oncs give. I strive to follow in your footsteps!
Margot

Hello everyone...I hope you are all doing well since my last post in May 2007. I have not had the chance to read posts so I am not up to date on everyone's progress. I have missed this message board and all the support everyone offers but have not been able to find the courage to post until now. I e...

Yesterday was 4 weeks post surgery and am now feeling better from my surgery. I also was experiencing the most pain on my lower right side. I assumed it was because that is where my appendix was. It is much better now. My surgeon said it is because I am right handed and hence right legged and use th...

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and input. It seems that it is a matter of preference rather than efficacy. I am not a big pill taker to begin with which makes me shy away from Xeloda. This biggest diffence between the different opinions was in the use of Ironoteacan....the Stanford doc said to...

Thank you for sharing....this is EXACTLY the kind of encouragement and hope I need right now. So glad your mom beat is going strong. I would also be curious as to what her treatments were. There are currently so many advances and that your mom survived when there was less to offer is fantastic.