Hello Survivors... I could really use a lift -- Thanks All!

[MzApe]

Hello all. I've finished 3 rounds of chemo and I'm a little down right now. I would love to hear some Survivors of Stages III-IV tell me how well they're doing. I'd like to hear from some looooooong term Survivors especially. Please tell me that things sort of get back to where your health isn't paramount to everything. I'd like to picture myself in 10 years teaching my daughter to drive. Is that a reasonable picture? My onc won't play the prognosis game - fair enough, and I just don't buy into the doom and gloom prognoses on the internet. How about some real stories - just a few lines, if you like - from real Survivors. Thanks so much!!!

[Sweet Peg]

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!! Yes, you sure can be teaching your daughter to drive 10 years from now!!

I am a TWO YEAR Stage IIIa CC survivor. I have not felt this good in years. Yes, the six months of Chemo is not fun nor easy, but it is for 6 months and then your life starts getting back to normal. I am not saying you will not worry about recurrence because you will...that is normal, but you will start feeling more normal after you are off the Chemo about 3 weeks. You will keep getting stronger, stop feeling tired and be able to do the Chemo Dance!! LOL

It isn't easy doing the Chemo, but keep smiling, think positive and take one day at a time. I looked back at when I was in school and thinking about Summer vacation. It always seemed so far off!! But before you knew it, Christmas vacation was here, then Spring Break then SUMMER!!! We had 9 months of school and the Chemo is 6 months!! When you get to the halfway point, the last 6 are on the downhill side and for some reason the just go faster!! Set some benchmarks to help you through the last 9. That helps too.

Hang in there, it DOES get better!! Keep coming here for support and feel free to email me if you like. I will give you any help or support you need. If I can do it so can you!!! Now go kick some Cancer BUTT!!!!!

Peg

[Frank G]

I was diagnosed Sept 06 with stage IV with liver mets. Surgery was not possible because liver tumors were to difuse. Dr. said he could probably buy me a year.

I began Xeloda,Oxiliplatin and avastin at 3 week intervals.After 3 treatments my cancer activity dropped by 90%.After 6 treatments my catscan results last week showed liver tumors continuing to die and large tumor in my colon was down to 4cm's and was "Virtually inactive".

I am on a 4 week holiday to be followed by xeloda and Avastin.

From the begining God gave me the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness. They gathered manna each day and did not move until the silver cloud moved.I have been led to pray for short term needs and I have been rewarded by seeing my prayers answered. If I live to be 80 I will never know if I am cured of cancer so I continue to live one day at a time and trust God with the length of my days.

Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.


Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.


Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

[missjv]

hi,
i was diagnosed june 06 stage 4 with liver mets. had liver resection dec 06 to remove 3 small mets. am now on 6 months of chemo to catch any microscopic stuff that might be trying to grow. i was told at 1st by a bonehead doctor that i had statisticaly 2 years thats the statistics i told her kiss my ass im not a statistic. i went for another opinion and treatment and am now no evidence of disease. anything is possible please get second third or 4th opinions and go to a large cancer center where they specialize in colon cancer. im a true believer that surviving cancer is not only the patients will to survive but the expert treatment one can receive if they go find it. i had to refer myself to large cancer center and im glad i did i had a whole team working with me, a colon surgeon, a liver surgeon, and an oncologist who specializes in colon cancer and i have been given a very good prognosis. i feel great and am very optimistic that i can beat this crap. so check out all your options. there are so many treatments available especially for the liver if that is the only sign of metastasis even though you might have alot of tumors on liver there is hepatic artery treatment, sirt spheres, chemobilization, rfa, and a few more available along with chemo can make a world of difference but you have to look out for yourself and be on top of docs. my onco told me just because colon cancer reaches stage 4 does not mean it still can't be cured. there is hope you just have to find it. good luck!

missjv

[nodo]

It is all so overwhelming, but keep picturing yourself doing the things that you want to do in the future. You can do it and a positive mindset is a big step! I am a 3 year stage IIIC cc survivor and mom to four little ones. My baby was only 8 months old when I was diagnosed and I remember just hoping to be here to walk him to his first day of kindergarten. I am now determined to walk him to his first day of his senior year - and I will!

There is no doubt that chemo is hard and all the emotions that come with diagnosis is even more difficult, in my opinion. At some point, you just need to put your faith in knowing that you are doing everything you can to fight your illness. I think what you do for yourself mentally can be just as important as the medicine you are taking.

I found it helpful to break my chemo into quarter. After 3, I was done with one chunk and a quarter of the way there. 6 months of chemo was nothing compared to the rest of my life and it sure as hell beats the alternative. Just picture that chemo destroying any cancer cells that may remain. You will feel well again and, while I can't tell you that I never think about it anymore, I can tell you that I love life like I never have before. The sun shines brighter now and I am a better mom to my children because of my appreciation for what I have. So, don't feel bad that you have down days - we all have had those. Just keep going and think about all that great stuff that is still down the road!

[Magnolia]

I was diagnosed 3/10/06 with Stage IIIc CC. Had surgery 3/20. (Call on Congress day will be my one year anniversary of NED!) I had twelve rounds of Folfox with Avastin, and I'm doing twelve more of just Avastin. I'm still NED and feeling fine. I did pretty well with the chemo, and I'm definately feeling better off of it. Avastin is doing very little in the way of side effects. Just the funny nose stuff. We have a thread about that. When all this started, my doc told me to plan to be at my daughter's graduation and wedding. I will be. You keep thinking positive too. I will yet again mention my favorite book, "The Anatomy of Hope" by Jerome Groopman. It looks at positive thinking from an oncologist's point of view, and puts a little science behind it. Very good.

[Ron50]

Hi Mzape,
I was dx at age 48 . Aggressive stage 3 into 6 /13 nodes. I lost most of my descending colon and had chemo every tuesday for 48 mos.
I now work seven days a week and although I have health issues ,some chemo related,I have been ca free for over 9 years.Wishing you the same good fortune . Ron.

[Susan]

Hi,

I was diagnosed stage iv with mets to the omentum on June 1, 2004. I have been on chemo the whole time - most of it has been low dose maintenance. You didn't say what kind of chemo you were on, but I am assuming it's the heavy duty stuff.

Chemo is one of the hardest things you will ever do. No doubt about it. The good news is this - you will get through it. There is an ending point. Once the chemo is over (or reduced, as is my case), you will notice your energy returns quickly. It's pretty amazing.

You will probably always think about your health, but in time you will think of it differently than you do now. Right now, it's all about feeling lousy and beating the cancer. I can truthfully tell you that I do think about the cancer everyday - it is part of my life. Mostly I think about health in a positive way - nutrition, exercise, and treasuring the people around me. Your priorities are going to get totally rearranged for the better. Focus on the things that truly matter to you.

You've read all the gloomy five year survival statistics for people with advanced colon cancer. Well, nuts to all that. After my initial surgery, the surgeon told me there was no cure for me and darkly hinted that I might not want to make any plans for after June, 2006. Cheery fellow. It wasn't until four days later that the oncologist told me that the disease had been totally resected and I actually had a chance to beat it.

New advances are being made in the treatment of colon cancer every day. There is every reason for you to believe that you will be teaching your daughter how to drive ten years from now. Good luck to you. Susan

[MzApe]

Thank you all who answered! You are all inspiring and patient. I was being a baby, so I kicked my own butt and now I'm better. I think just being a mom with an 19-month-old and an 8-yr-old, I wanted to hear from either other moms with young kids, or those who could help me see being here in their future. I heard from both parties and I thank you very much. I feel much better now. When I go to the onc office, all I see is grey hair and I feel so apart from them. I don't feel that way when I read everyone's posts here. Although I do feel shocked at how many people my age and younger are diagnosed exactly like I was. Damn! Colon cancer is sneaky! Somehow, somebody needs to get the word out, cuz it was not even on my radar and my family history screams of colon cancer. All I thought was, eh, wait til I'm 50... Now I'm praying for 50! Hopefully, cc awareness month will help, but all the ads I see are for the same 50+ group. We need a few of the colander young people to do public service announcements or something. I'm thinking of dying my newly shortened hair blue and wearing a t-shirt that says "Don't make me blue for you too!" "Talk to your Doc!" My daughter LOVES the idea Any more good ideas? I'd like to hear. Thanks again and God Bless!!

[Magnolia]

I was diagnosed at 51 and had an 8 year old.

[Dave38]

Hi MZAPE,I was diagnosed at 38 with stage 4 colorectal cancer.I had 16 inches of my colon removed along with chemo and radiation{thats fun exposing your butt to nice looking nurses for 8 weeks} I'am now a 5 yr. survivor and do o.k. besides frequent trips to the rest room.Just stay positive and talk to the old people in chemo. some of my greatest friends at that time were those people.P.S. I'am actually teaching my daughter to drive now,after thinking I would never have that chance.Good luck

[KEEP THE FAITH]

Hello all. I've finished 3 rounds of chemo and I'm a little down right now. I would love to hear some Survivors of Stages III-IV tell me how well they're doing. I'd like to hear from some looooooong term Survivors especially. Please tell me that things sort of get back to where your health isn't paramount to everything. I'd like to picture myself in 10 years teaching my daughter to drive. Is that a reasonable picture? My onc won't play the prognosis game - fair enough, and I just don't buy into the doom and gloom prognoses on the internet. How about some real stories - just a few lines, if you like - from real Survivors. Thanks so much!!!

i had stage IV. during surgery, they only took out two lymph nodes and one is cancerous. but the cancer did not go through the colon wall. i had nine months of weekly chemo. this coming april, it will be the 10th year anniversary of my colon surgery and resection. i am living proof that you will be around to teach your daughter to drive. by the way, i was 49 when diagnosed and my family doctor was assuring me i was too young to have anything serious. how much information has improved within the last ten years. there is no history of colon cancer in our family. history starts with me now. i am a survivor and so will you.