Hi Jay, My staging was by the Dr that performed a rectal ultrasound. I'm not sure how he determined the lymph nodes were suspicious. This Dr did note the size of my tumor but did not write anything about the size of the nodes. I did ask my radiation oncologist about this and she said the main thing ...

Hi mozart13, hope the rest of your follow up tests turned out great.

Wishing you, Jolene, lakeswim, and all our fellow W&Wers a very happy and healthy New Year!!!

lakeswim, I don't believe I ever had radiation proctitis. However my rectum was extraordinarily sensitive for at least a year after radiation finished. I was told the treatment causes the nerves to be much closer to the surface, presumably because whatever is normally at the surface got burned off b...

Just wanted to report I had another six monthly follow up last week. The results of both the MRI and the flex sig were fine. That's now 4 1/2 years NED since the end of my radiation treatment. Apparently I get one more six monthly follow up and then go annually after that. My Doctor told me at their...

lakeswim, I kept thinking about you, and wondering how you were doing. So glad to hear you are doing well :!: :!: :!: Please keep us up to date going forward...all us W&Wers have to stick together. :) Jolene, so glad to hear your good news too! The check ups do become easier as time goes by, but...

Great news Jolene!!!

Your body will now start to recover from all that treatment. It might be a slow process but it does happen, and you'll be back to normal before you know it!!!

Congratulations Jaynee, your words are so true!!!

Hey, drama at work should be a piece of cake compared to the cancer journey you went thru.

Hi PRS - thanks for the heads up !! Did you get booster jabs to avoid low blood count ? Mine's Nivestim - done on the 3rd/4th/5th day after infusion to keep the blood count going. It gives me random chest pains though during those booster jabs day but at least it has helped my blood count stay on t...

How do you mean prepare for it to get worse before it's finished ? I'm left with 2 more cycles and will be using a new arm for that, I'm hoping nothing too bad will happen !! I haven't been particularly struck with fatigue as yet except for the first 3-4 days after infusion. But yes, it's definitel...

Jolene, my MRIs only take 45 minutes, I wonder why yours take 1.5 hours? For my last few infusions I had them switch arms half way thru the infusion. that might be something for you to consider. Yes, the treatment is bitch to get thru, and be prepared for it to get worse before it's finished. You ju...

Thank you, mozart13

Just wanted to report this week marks the four year anniversary of my Complete Clinical Response and being offered the W&W program. :!: :D I had a follow up rectal exam back in April. As usual my surgeon had one of her residents in tow. I remarked to him that Dr McLemore had literally saved my a...

My problem during chemo was exactly the opposite of constipation. Sometimes with the nausea I felt like a human fire hose at both ends! :D I had a different doctor for my last colonoscopy, and part of his prep was to drink a 10oz bottle of magnesium citrate the day before beginning the regular MiraL...

My arm is no longer aching, the ache went away around day 4/5 but that was also the time when I felt the most exhausted when the steroid weans off. It's day 12 of my very first cycle and I'm starting to feel mild tingling on my palms. I guessed its coming !!! Hi Jolene, the tingling in the palms is...

Jolene, the first cycle wasn't too bad at all, I was pleasantly surprised. I think chemo might be like radiation, in that the effects become cumulative. On the oxi infusions, they were infused thru a vein on the inside of an elbow, and the nurse would find the best looking vein to stick each time I ...