If it's not available online, you should ask for copies of everything - bloodwork and scan reports etc. each time your husband sees the oncologist.

I always have to ask, they never offer them automatically.

That's wonderful news. I see you've been on a big roller coaster this week, but ending on a high is the best thing ever

Why not try an epilator or a razor. My Braun epilator has a few attachments, one of which is a razor, so you get two hair removal gadgets in one.

I'm very sorry that you have to go through this again, but glad you didn't ignore what your body was telling you. I like how they moved so fast, without even waiting for results, so you know you are in good hands. I hear very good things about Sunnybrook, so at least you are in the right place and t...

CR Guy

The FOLFOX Prison Blues is brilliant - it s/be the Colon Talk anthem

I'm confused - why would continuing with the xeloda be just considered to be of "psychological benefit". It's chemo, not carrot juice.

I would opt for either continuing with xeloda or having FOLFOX without the oxi.

Good Luck!

Don't place too much hope in a foot massager (that's the same as a TENS machine right?). I used one religiously starting midway through chemo, and for months after, hoping to ward off neuropathy, but it didn't do a thing for me. In fact, a cheap wooden foot roller helped me more (albeit temporarily)...

I experienced exactly the same symptoms as you mentioned, including the weird "electric" sensation in my arms when outstretched. I think the unexpected (and potentially dangerous one) was the lack of balance in the shower. If I closed my eyes to shampoo my hair, I would be very unsteady an...

If you look at my signature, you will see that my CEA rose during chemo. When I was first diagnosed my CEA was 8.6 and went down to 1.2 after surgery. It then rose during chemo and levelled off after treatment was over. My oncologist said he doesn't usually test CEA during chemo, because inflammatio...

I was pretty alarmed to hear that chemo was not offered for Stage 2 in Canada, so I checked up on this. However, the Standard of Care seems to be the same as in the US. While most Stage 2s don't get chemo, those with a high risk of recurrence, will get it. High risk is determined by: - The tumour is...

I dug out some of the info (shown below) that I researched while undergoing FOLFOX. I did get permanent neuropathy in my feet, despite taking vitamins. My hands were pretty bad as well, but that went away in time, and they are fine. From reading other accounts, it seems to be the feet, are more impa...

If your dr is experienced, he can probably tell by just looking at it, if it's cancer or not. Immediately after my colonoscopy, the dr told me it was cancer, and recommended a surgeon, without even waiting for a biopsy. I was then given a blood test, which showed an elevated CEA. Your dr told you th...

Coffee was the only thing I enjoyed drinking during chemo - cold drinks/water had a metallic taste and I had to force them down. If I had to give up my morning coffee, I would have been really depressed. So my take is, that it was beneficial to my mental health, during a time when I neeed a boost, a...

Wow, that's quite the Christmas present - a very impressive drop in CEA. That, combined with pain reduction and tumour shrinkage, sounds like you found the right trial. I'm very happy for you, and hope you continue to see good results.

The only way I've ever got scan reports, is in person, at my oncologist's office (only then, can I get a copy). It's incomprehensible to me why a hospital would just mail out MRI results without having a doctor explain what is going on. Apart from it being inappropriate, how would they even know tha...