Neupogen is what my doctor gave me. To start, it is one shot a day for 5 days starting the day after infusion. She said if I start getting bone aches to call and they will lower the dosage (say 3 days vice 5). With the appointment this morning, she said the shots are fairly common. In my case, due t...

This past Tuesday I went in for my 2nd folfox treatment. I had gone in the previous week for labs but was told they wanted to redo them. It sounded like there may have been an error in my blood draw or whatever the lab tech did, I wasn't to bothered by it since it gave time for the lidocaine cream t...

Thank you all for your support and advice. Since my original post, my home care finally sent a nurse who has more experience with ostomies. Even if she isn't a WOCN, she did have some initiative to help me find out some answers to my questions. Once chemo is over I think I will request a referral to...

Yeah, it's disheartening, when a high profile woman dies from breast cancer, it really makes the news - not so when a high profile person dies from colon cancer. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that feels this way. I wouldn't wish any type of cancer on anyone, but come on news team! When Octob...

I'm a pinterest.com nut. I like finding fun crafts to do with my kids, sewing stuff and home improvement stuff to do about the house. Keeps me off the streets.

You will most definitely have a catheter. It will depend on how much you are flushing on when they will take it out. For me I think it was about 4 days. I HATED that damn thing. I hated them post baby deliveries, but this seemed worse...probably because it took them longer for them to disconnect me....

Make sure your wipes are alcohol free. Makes a big difference! Also if even that wiping is painful find a bottle (similar to the ones they use for ketchup etc at restaurants) fill it with water and gently spray your hind quarters. Your doctor should be able to get these bottles easily from the baby ...

Thanks for the link. I've already taken the liberty of checking the site out. I've never blowdried my pouch. I'm using a two piece system, so the wafer stays on and I change the pouch as needed, usually after a shower (my preference). If I'm changing the wafer I do lay down and press it in place for...

I had my APR about 6 weeks ago. I did 28 rad treatments with xeloda. I held it together pretty well thru the radiation, i guess. I had the weeping buns and that. To be honest, the worst thing about radiation and after is the bowel movements. To prep for my APR I had to do the usual colon blow that y...

I'm so angry right now! I had an APR about 6 weeks ago and am healing well. Due to the location of my rectal tumor an APR and permanent colostomy were in order. The whole goal is to beat cancer I get that. My surgeon is awesome, but the aftercare has been miserable. My surgeon specifically wanted me...

Anita, If you really want to have more kids one day, than I say save some eggs. Why not? Don't get me wrong, cancer sucks. It takes a toll on your body and your relationships, you have to stay strong and believe in yourself. Before my husband was diagnosed with stage III melanoma (btw they say that ...

Thanks for this thread, it was informative. I start chemo on Monday. I'm nervous as hell!

Last May I had my first round of chemo with Xeloda and 28 rounds of radiation for Stage 2 colon cancer. I laid on my back for my treatments, with the machine making 9 stops. I had very bad burns around my anus by the end of the radiation treatments and nothing really seemed to help, but after a few...

I am sorry to have to see yet another young person join the group. I was diagnosed in December, at the ripe age of 31, with stage 3 rectal cancer. My family hasn't taken the news as best as can be expected. We've been thru a lot already in the last couple years and this didn't help anything. My husb...

The type of cancer (colon or rectal) and the staging usually determines if and when you will get chemo and/or radiation. Colostomies are typically given to recital cancer patients who have a tumor so low that getting positive margins will invade the sphyncter muscles thus rendering them incontinent....