New Recruit

[Londoncharlie]

What a great community this is, hello all.

I have recently been recruited to the ranks of the unwell. A colonoscopy in September revealed a tumour in my ascending colon. I underwent a hemicolectomy two weeks ago, which I am relieved to say seems to have been successful. Unfortunately, the histology was rather discouraging. The tumour was T4 and although 34 lymph nodes were removed, leaving clear margins, 4 of those lymph nodes proved to be cancerous. I will now need chemotherapy for between 4-6 months, though this cannot start until the end of November.

I am only 29 years old, and this whole episode has complete knocked me for six (sorry, English cricketing expression!). Having to consider one's mortality at this age is very odd; it feels like my plans for the future have been blown apart. I've coped with this realisation much better than expected, but the thought of dying young grabs me by the scruff of the neck every now and then.

Anyway, I'm very encouraged to hear some of the good news stories on here. It really helps to hear from people who have been through this and come out the other side. I hope my experience will be similarly encouraging.

[Georgie]

Hey Charlie (I figured that's your name, sorry if I'm wrong!)

I'm in Oz and got the cricket expression no worries, even made me smile a little!

I was 29 when I was diagnosed too, it just plain sucks. I too was a stage III, T4 tumour in my rectum. I had a positive node on my staging scans which was negative by the time I got to surgery (post chemo and RT - the way that rectal is usually treated). I am now 15 months NED (No Evidence of Disease) - hope this can give you a little positive outlook.

I hope you are recovering well from the surgery, it's pretty major! The chemo - I assume you will have FOLFOX, is bloody awful. But, if it does the trick and gets rid of any residual cancer cells then it's worth it. There is plenty of info here on the side effects and what to expect, try doing a little search on the forum and see how you go.

You are young, it sucks. The way I thought of it though, to stop the dwelling, is that I am young but I am fit and healthy enough to take the treatment. I did not have any complicating factors that an older patient may have (high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc). So although it bites completely, I decided I could and would fight it with all I had. I hope you can do the same (and join me in NED-ville soon!)

Once you've done a few more posts (10 I think) pm me if you have any questions or just want to chat.

Keep fighting the good fight!

Georgie

[Jimswife]

Charlie ..... Another uk er .....there's not many of us on here ..... My husband was diagnosed in oct last year same stage as you .... T3 Tumor , 2 from 21 nodes positive , stage 3 has a good prognosis , around 70-75 percent with chemo , many go on to be completely cured , I'm going to bump up the thread "stage 3 ned for how long " .....there pages upon pages of stage 3 survivors on there ..... I know stage 3rs ... 16 , 26 and even 40 years clear from stage 3 .....and with many more cancerous nodes than yourself .... It's beatable !!!!

[Jimswife]

You should be able to find the topic now Charlie . First page near the top

[GreenLakeGirl]

Welcome Londoncharlie! Sorry to see you join our ranks, but if you're going to have colon cancer, you've found a fine place for support. I was a T4 with 3 positive nodes three years ago at 37, and I'm clear now. Once you've gotten past the surgery (make that surgeries for me, since I had several to remove my whole colon and refashion a j-pouch), chemo for 4-6 months can seem endless. So really break it down and concentrate on one treatment, one week, or one day at a time.

You should be able to PM Georgie (or anyone else) and share those cricket comments after 3-4 postings...

[Londoncharlie]

Thanks Georgie, very pleased to hear you're doing well.

I haven't been told the exact form of chemo yet, but apparently I should be able to go to work on it(?). I feel mentally and physically prepared for it, though maybe I'm being naive about how hard it's going to hit me. You're right that age must be a definite positive. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I'm fortunate to have a lot of good friends around me, though I will be living alone during the day for all intents and purposes (I house share with a couple of other guys). Not sure whether it's going to be feasible to be home alone after a dose?

Into the unknown. Life has suddenly become a more intense experience, though weirdly not in an entirely negative way. It does make you reassess priorities, brings you closer to those around you.

[Londoncharlie]

Thanks for the encouragement Jimswife- that thread is certainly inspiring, just the tonic! Hope your other half is doing well.

GreenlakeGirl- delighted to hear you're clear. Thanks for the advice.

[Jimswife]

He's doing very well . All clear since surgery . The chemo for you will most likely be folfox for 6 months , it's a very powerful and effective drug designed to eliminate any stray cancer cells although they say up to 65 percent of us stage 3rs are already cured by surgery alone , chemo is only adjuvant ...meaning it is aimed to kill off any cancer that may or may not be lurking ..... Kind of an insurance policy if you will x

[Monique]

Hi Charlie,

I can totally understand how your diagnosis has rattled you. I was diagnosed six years ago with a T4 tumour and two of my lymph nodes were involved. I underwent surgery (had 18 inches of my colon removed) and followed up with seven months of chemo (I had to postpone my chemo twice due to low platelets). Last year I passed my five year mark.

Although I was ten years older than you are, I was devastated to be diagnosed at what I felt what such a young age. And yes, I felt that my future plans had been blown apart. However, I'm happy to report that a year following diagnosis I was able to create a new future for myself.

Anyway, hang in there and please feel free to PM me.

Best,
Monique

[Jimswife]

Monique thanks for sharing , we are exactly one year to the day since surgery . T3 Tumor . 2 nodes involved . Stories like your give so many hope for a cancer free future

[Nellie]

Hiya London Charlie!

Silly mid off/on
Lbw - leg before wicket
Googly
Bowl a maiden over
Century

The list could go on and on..... I love cricket terminology, years and years ago I was the youngest member of the Glamorgan County Cricket Club, I think I was a sixer (six months old!) so i was told, still love to watch cricket with my 85 year old dad, but that doesn't happen that often, only when I manage to hop the pond. Hoping to get out of Chicago-land for a visit if I manage to get a chemo break - i'm stage 4, diagnosed end of May, emergency surgery to remove tumor that was totally blocking colon. 2nd surgery couple of weeks later to suck up fluid in the gut (ascites). Now on number 9/12 chemo, (sitting here with my handy dandy take home pump) folfox, the last 2 with avastin ~ everyone's different, I have had minimal side effects with it, I work in an elementary school and work daily except for chemo days and even though getting up in the morning is a bit of a problem (I have the most well used snooze button) I am glad to be there, it keeps the mind from going to the occasional dark places it can sometimes go to when you dwell on things.
You will do great Charlie, go ahead and kick cancer's arse (oops I meant a@#e - sorry!!)
Cheers,
Nellie

[wwroam]

Maintaining the terminology, I couldn't let this one pass through to the keeper.
Hopefully by now, you have had the chance to work through the pages of the post that Jimswife retrieved. There are now quite a few of us past 5 years NED on this board, but will rarely post, having settled into the role of lurker. You are entering the worst 8 months of your life, but it passes, and if you permit yourself, you will return to your regular life. Complete your chemo , get regular follow-ups and you will probably go on to a good life. If you can, work. I did, many others do, and it makes it so much easier to pick up the reins when chemo is finished. Depending on your occupation of course.
Wayne

[Londoncharlie]

Nellie- impressive recall from the age of six months! Glad to hear chemo is treating you relatively well, and that you're on the home straight (switching sports metaphors now, sorry). The one thing I have learnt so far is that there is no hard and fast rule about how it affects you. Will just have to wait and see. Heartened to hear that you're sill working. For me, that will be a really important way of trying to ensure that I keep as much normality as possible.

Wayne- thanks for unlurking to throw that my way. I'm delighted to hear how well things have gone for you.

Well, thanks all for the inspiring words. Here's to a decent innings for all of us!

[Londoncharlie]

oops, meant to thank you too Monique. How terrific that you're 5 years clear. Wishing you all the best.

[Jimswife]

Charlie wayne is correct, long term survivors don't hang around cancer forums or support groups such as this , there off enjoying life to the max .... The occasional one will post every once in a while but once a few years have passed there off enjoying life , you will most likely be fine after treatment , stages 1-3 are all potentially curable as there no mets involved .... They all have high success rates ....even some stage 4 people will go on to lead a cancer free life ...I've connected with many on sites such as Facebook , there's a lovely support group on there called colontown . It was set up by a 10 year stage 3c colon cancer survivor ....she's remained cancer free since treatment 10 years ago , with double he amount of lymph spread that you had , if your on facebook I'd highly encourage you to join , there's a whole load of us on there all ready to offer support and advice x