The Colon Club

If you read a lot of threads, you come to learn that it's a pretty long road ahead when you start out and wonder how you'll get through it.

Like most situations involving this disease, my sense is that this challenge could go well, medium or poorly. So be it. Them are the facts of life and there is no changing it. I've been very fortunate so far and can do nothing more than taking my drs. advice in preparing and hoping for the best. My doctors think I have a good chance of having a positive result and I look forward to that.

Basil wrote:Biopsy came back and I had a complete pathological response to preadjuvant chemo. Since rounds of FOLFOX completely destroyed the tumor. 41 nodes all negative. I am officially NED and require no further chemotherapy....
...
adjuvant chemo cancelled
reversal scheduled 9/25/17
(praying I don't have to add on from here) ...

Is your reversal still on for the 25th?

Yes it is.

I bet you can't wait. I hated my ileo, gave me nothing but problems. I know many people adjust quite well. Whenever I would change the bag my stoma would just start bleeding. The ostomy nurse could never figure out why. It made my so happy when the surgeon said he would reverse if he had to do surgery after I had a bowel blockage 4 wks after my resection. When the ostomy nurses came to see me in the hospital they stood over me and watched in dismay as my stoma began to bleed once the bag came off. So I was reversed early, made it a little more difficult during chemo with diarrhea but all is good now. Good luck with your reversal and so glad you don't have to have adjuvant chemo. I was quite disappointed when my surgeon recommended chemo after surgery since he told me I prob wouldn't need after chemo/radiation since all that was left was scar tissue. Have a great holiday weekend.

Thank you.

I absolutely, fully, wholly with all my being hate the ileo. I'm one of those people that hasn't adjusted and gotten used to it. I'm counting the days until the reversal.

Basil wrote:Thank you.

I absolutely, fully, wholly with all my being hate the ileo. I'm one of those people that hasn't adjusted and gotten used to it. I'm counting the days until the reversal.

Have you found out if you will be getting chemo or not? If you should get chemo, you might want to keep that ileo until you are finished with chemo. I understand your frustration. While I have a permanent colostomy without issues. I guess those ileo can be a real pain in the ass. Butt from what I understand, it can be helpful while on chemo.

good luck,

Lee

My case was referred to conference, which is a meeting of generally senior oncologists, surgeons and radiologists to discuss unique situations. The unanimous decision was no more chemo. My onc is good, but not senior, and he's going to have to make a hell of a case for me to go against my surgeon and the conference's advice. Factoring into this is that my surgeon is not just a cutter; he's a guru on all things colorectal cancer. He's also my primary care physician at MDA.