Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

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CaliforniaBagMan
Posts: 330
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: California

Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby CaliforniaBagMan » Thu Feb 16, 2017 8:00 pm

I was diagnosed stage IIIb in July 2007. It's hard to believe this is "year 10" since that happened.

Many names I now see here are unfamiliar, but the descriptions and stories are well known. I recognize the great and difficult ordeal so many are facing, whether they are the patient, caregiver, or other. I walked in those shoes as the patient, plus have a few lingering effects that remind me of the consequences of aggressive treatment. I hope to send strength and courage, and I'm looking forward to doing it again in a future post when I hit the actual 10-year mark in July. So many posts here recount great difficulties, so I thought a quick message might be good as a reminder there can be some very good outcomes. So far, mine was one of them.
CT guided biopsy on mass - still NED !!!
CT scan finds new 2x3cm mass on 10/09
APR surgery 11/07; NED thereafter
Folfox/radiation 9/07-10/07
DX Stage III rectal cancer 7/07

SusanNore
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:12 pm
Location: Encinitas CA

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby SusanNore » Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:33 pm

Eric, I just logged on with you in mind specifically. I too am a long-timer here, having reached 10 years last year. As always, it's good to hear how you are doing. You are my hero on this forum, as I believe you are to many here. Your strength, endurance, persistence, pain, joy, impressive bike miles and abundant gardens are a beautiful and always welcome presence on this forum.

Just my thoughts this evening. I don't post any longer (until now) but always keep an eye out for all who are here.

Susan
Dx 6/05 Stage III Rectal w/lymph mets; LAR surgery 7/05, completed Folfox and radiation 3/06.

SusanNore
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:12 pm
Location: Encinitas CA

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby SusanNore » Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:44 pm

Oops! So sorry....thought the original post was Eric (saw "Bag" and thought it was Eric). However, my sentiments still stand. Congrats CaliforniaBagMan. Whether you have bike miles and gardens or not... :oops:
Dx 6/05 Stage III Rectal w/lymph mets; LAR surgery 7/05, completed Folfox and radiation 3/06.

Bob_Weiss
Posts: 743
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:23 am
Location: Brooklyn, NY

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby Bob_Weiss » Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:21 pm

I was diagnosed 7 1/2 years ago, and last saw my oncologist a few years ago. He indicated the chance of a recurrence are remote. Apparently,there is a big difference between rectal cancer that is local vs. metastatic. Local cases are going to survive; the metastatic cases have a much more difficult future journey.
Stage 3 R/C -1 node+ ( 7/09)
5 wks radiation, 2 wks chemo: 5FU (8-9/09)
Rectal surgery: tumor removal (11/09)
10 rounds Xeloda: 3000mg/daily 1 wk on/1 wk off (1/10-6/10)
Supplements: Aspirin, Calcium, Vit. D3
03/27/17: 7+ yrs. since surgery--still NED

mdev
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2015 7:19 pm

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby mdev » Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:29 pm

Thanks for sharing this. I love hearing these stories and we need them!
2015-09-29 DH has sigmoid colon removed, CEA 1.2
2015-10-06 diagnosed pT3 N1a M0 stage IIIb
2015-10-22 8 rounds FOLFOX, 4 rounds 5FU, CEA post chemo 1.5
2016-06-16 CEA=1.9
2016-07-28 CEA=2.1, CT shows NED
2016-09-08 CEA=2.2
2016-10-27 CEA=2.0, CT shows NED
2016-02-02 CEA=1.6
2017-05 CEA=1.5, CT shows NED

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HopeForJesse
Posts: 249
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 9:39 am
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby HopeForJesse » Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:31 pm

Thanks for taking the time to report back here and provide hope to us still in the trenches and fighting.
Congrats.
DH DX 01/16 49 YO inop RC stage IV liver mets
MSS TP53 APC,BRCA2
12/15 CEA 241, FOLFOX to 11/16
LAR/ileo 5/16 Clear margins 1/29 nodes
HAI, reversal, liver resections7/16
FUDR 8/16 -NED 3 mos
Rising CEA 3/17 Xeloda, 5/17 -12/17 Erbitux & Iri stable but lung/lymph mets CEA 2.7
5/18 5 days SBRT radiation to sternum 10/22/18 surgery to remove zyphoid process met
6/11/19 5FU added to cetuximab and irinotecan CEA 16
Ephesians 3:20 Our God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine!

Staci's team
Posts: 386
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:43 am
Location: Canfield, Ohio
Contact:

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby Staci's team » Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:39 pm

And CaliforniaBagMan's case is not an isolated one....Staci is 8+ years out from a Stage IIIb diagnosis and APR surgery as well. She has had a couple of surgeries since her original one to remove the scar tissue that has caused her to have blockages, but in each of those cases her doctors have not seen any signs of the cancer returning.

It's easy to get to a dark place with this disease, but know that there are success stories out there as well.


Chris
Husband to Staci, diagnosed at age 32
Clinical dx Stage II/III rectal cancer, 7/2009
APR surgery 11/09 leading to...
Pathological dx Stage IIIB, ypT3N1M0, 11/2009
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/staciwills
Member of The Colon Club's Board of Directors

jens22
Posts: 1013
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:26 am
Facebook Username: jspirio
Location: Long Island, NY

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby jens22 » Tue Feb 21, 2017 9:05 am

It's great to hear from you...10 years out...that gives us all hope. Times they are a changing and success stories are becoming more often.
Colonoscopy 3/10 for ? hemmorrhoid.
Diag Colon Cancer 3 days later
Colon Ressection 3/30/10
Stage 3B 5/14 Nodes positive.
Power Port and 7 months of Chemo
Port removed 11/11
8 negative Cat Scans..... 10 years cancer free and Discharged from Sloane Kett!!
Diag age 47 , now 57 Mom of 3 boys.

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Now in year 10 after Stage IIIb diagnosis

Postby Lee » Tue Feb 21, 2017 10:34 am

Congratulations, 10 years is a major milestone.

I posted something Sunday night, seems to have disappeared. Maybe it will come back, butt anyways

CONGRATULATIONS :D

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!


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