I will be the first to tell you that I have not experienced one iota of survivor's guilt. Not one. I am sooooo grateful to be considered cured, but I am left with scars. Cancer has changed me, permanently, and the person I used to be is no longer with us. I miss her. I do. And sometimes it makes me...

I know it will be hard to do but don't assume the worst when you don't know the results yet. Worst case if you do need surgery to remove it there are plenty of people who know what you're feeling and will support you. I was in the same place ten years ago. Life isn't fair but you never know how thin...

I did XELOX and handled the side effects pretty well. I kept working and going to the gym (not several days after an infusion though). If you've got the ability to wait I would. Everyone has a different experience with side effects. Starting a new job is the last thing I would have wanted to do when...

Another port gone. Congrats!

Congrats. It is such a big day when that thing comes out!

Sorry that you joined our club. That sounds pretty similar to what I remember happening. Waiting for tests and appointments at the beginning is completely nerve wracking. Hang in there. You'll get a lot of support here.

I don't think anyone that hasn't been through cancer can fully know how awful it is and what it can do to your psyche. I can't imagine anyone going through it unscathed. The time before a scan absolutely awful. You're not alone and we're rooting for you! Hi Paul, For me, Mike (MM) summed it up with ...

I am not on active chemo, but I have read extensively on this subject, and oncologists are nearly uniform in recommending the COVID-19 vaccines for cancer patients (including those on active chemo). And when I was on active chemo, my team told me to get a flu shot (I did). They actually were able t...

It's a really hard position because we should be so excited for the end of active treatment but we've realised active treatment feels like a 'safe place' because he's constantly monitored and has very regular contact with the professionals! The gap inbetween surveillance tests/scans feels very scar...

I got so excited when I saw my caller ID say that my care center was calling me. I thought for certain it was going to be for a vaccine appointment. They wanted to move my colonoscopy appointment.

Thank you so much and thank you for being so honest! I'm slowly realising it's never going to go away, I just pray we get to a point like you have, where it isn't a paralysing fear that makes up second guess decisions :(. We'd love to be able to have a care free life like we used to, that just isn'...

He's got a CEA tracker blood test in April, then every 6m for 3yrs. A CT scan in July, then another in 9m. A Colonoscopy in October. So the aim is for them to all confirm NED and stay that way, we just can't help feeling that we're waiting for bad news, please tell me this feeling gets easier over ...

roadrunner wrote:For those with any concern about needles (I have to believe most of us have overcome that, but just in case)

Oh how I wish that were true for me.

5 years is a huge milestone. Congrats to her!

No one warned me about "first bite pain". I learned about it on this forum. I got advice to swish with apple juice before eating. It did seem to help. Might have been a placebo effect but that was fine with me.

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