The Colon Club

peanut_8 wrote:you can avoid them altogether, just google up 'happy dancing squirrel gif'

peanut_8 wrote:CRguy personified.
at least in IMO

peanut_8 wrote:super cool.

CRguy wrote:chest and abdominal xrays ( multiple views ) and abdominal / liver ultrasound, all this fall
continued general blood tests including CEA ( not a marker for me ) CA19-9, LDH, liver enzymes
probably on a 6 month basis with HgbA1c every three months ( I'm on a statin which keeps me borderline in the high FBS zone )
...and whatever she thinks needs checking OR I ask her for... !

CRguy wrote:OK so I know I have been here for a few years...
AND I have spewed and waxed poetic ...
AND I have a few relevant topics in which I have some experience....
BUTT I am after all just another ColoRectal Guy. Right ?

I've written, rewritten and pruned my signature info probably 20 times since I first registered.
Everything I thought was important I included when I thought it was important to do so, and a lotta times I just honoured fellow members...past and present.

I recently had a request to share some more info about "my Journey" from a newer member.
Knowing all my homies here and all the stories we are all following, I didn't think my own info was really all that earth shattering.

BUTT upon reflection ... we all have something to share and it would not be in keeping with the very spirit of this forum for me not to do so as well.

HERE, only because a new friend ‪jalusa‬ asked ...... is the exec summary CR Journey :

August 2006 - lower GIT / "backdoor" issues, doc appt, tests all OK, age 55
February 2007 - definite fecal blood, scheduled colonoscopy, blood tests
May 2007 - colonoscopy / biopsy confirms rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma, CT, MRI, many blood tests follow
June 2007 - 6 weeks neo-adjuvant chemoradiation with Xeloda ( 3600 mg/day ), blood tests, CTs
August 2007 - TME via LAR of primary tumour, originally Stage IIIC, temp ileostomy, pCR ( pathological complete response to chemo-rad )
September 2007 - pelvic abscess, more blood tests, cultures, mega antibiotics, IVR drain placed
October - abscess resolved, started adjuvant chemo with Xeloda ( 4000 - 5000 mg/day ) declined FOLFOX at that time
February 2008 - JOINED THE COLON TALK FORUM !!!!!!! ... oh yeah, and had ileostomy takedown

Until October 2009 - many bloods, ultrasounds, Xrays, many CTs, many recheck appts
... WHEN an eagle eyed Radiologist spotted a "WTF is that" in upper left lung on a survey xray .... NOT a CT !
Back into diagnostic mode : PET scan, repeat CT scan, MRI, referral to thoracic specialist, more blood tests etc.etc.etc.

April 2010 - VATS wedge resection of a "clean margin" confirmed mCRC tumour, diagnosis of a benign bronchogenic cyst, power port implanted
( removed 3 years later )

June - November 2010 - FOLFOX 12 cycles, many bloods, scans, appts. etc.

November 2010 - May 2015 : follow up monitoring with CT, MRI, chest xray, exams, blood panels, CEA / CA19-9
May 2015 - suspicious "new" area of question in liver. Info updated later in this topic but appears to be a fat mass fatty infiltration.
May 2015 - June 2016 : ultrasounds and CT, bloods
Oct 2016 : bloods and routine follow up colonoscopy

( typically my "blood panels" include GGT, AlkP, ALT, AST, Bili, LDH, CBC with differential and 6 month to yearly total cholesterols, LDL, HDL,TG, FBS, HA1c, PSA, CK, CRP, BUN, creatinine and eGFR. )

As of November 2017 Update, my tally of the number of times I've had these things done appears to be :

CT = 18 ( chest/abdomen/pelvis )
PET = 1
MRI = 2
colonoscopies = 5
sigmoidoscopies = 2
chest/abdominal xrays = 6
abdominal ultrasounds = 5
full blood panels = 33
CEA = 28 ( not a marker for me, never over 1.4 )
CA 19-9 = 8
CRC related surgeries = 5
FOLFOX = 12 cycles
Xeloda = 10 cycles

I'll try to keep the above list up to date !

... and NOW finally I don't have to write all this stuff down again....
I am just going to refer everyone HERE ... so thanks to my buddy for making me get it all together in one place now !
If you think there is something I can help with or need to clarify, please post here or PM me.
I have now included a link in my signature which leads to this post.

( Found another mini-review in this topic from 2013
and there is always the Calling ALL Colorectal CANUCKS ! topic for a little more light reading )

Cheers and Harmony to all
CRguy still on the Journey

CRguy wrote:Ok as promised in another topic, here are some details of my homegrown :
Follow Up For Those with no Follow Up Protocols

abdominal U/sound : liver, pancreas, gallbladder, biliary tree, vessels, spleen, kidneys all normal

chest Xrays (not CT) : cardiopericardium, mediastinum, lungs, pleural spaces all clear and within normal limits

abdomen / pelvis Xrays (not CT) : within normal limits and expectations

mild degenerative changes in thoracic spine and hips ( = Thank you to all my karate training partners ! )

This imaging was done now, being 16 months after last CAP CT scan. We are planning another set next year, with a tentative date for next CAP CT in 2 years, making it a full CT every 3 years since leaving the BCAA. The Xrays U/sound will continue to be yearly unless otherwise indicated and as mentioned a CT, MRI or PET can be added at anytime if needed.

CEA, CA 19-9, PSA are being done every 6 months
My regular blood tests are also every 6 months for FBS, HgbA1c, liver enzymes etc.

SO my friends ... that seems to be it for now

Moving forward one step at a time in CR land
Harmony to ALL on the Journey
CRguy