My mom diagnosed with colorectal cancer

[Soccermom2boys]

Her doctor ( specialist colorectal surgeon) told her the cancer is entirely on her rectum and she will most likely need a bag for the rest of her life. She is very nervous and scared. So am I.

Thanks for coming back and sharing the update. Scary times for sure, I have been there and done that as they say. It is a long road ahead as she is just at the start, tell her to truly deal with the day in front of her, can be overwhelming if you try to look for an end in sight when you first get started. She will get through it, there will be tough times, but also surprisingly good ones.

I had to have a permanent colostomy because of my tumor's location. While it's not one's first choice to have an ostomy, it really is not so bad as one thinks it will be. Sure it takes an adjustment period and definitely tacks on some initial anxiety, but with time she will come to accept her new reality and honestly, she won't have to give up any activity because of it. A definite help would be for you and/or her to venture over to the UOAA website (United Ostomy Associaions of America, UOAA.org) if it does seem she will be in need of a permanent ostomy. She will have a permanent colostomy (you have your entire colon, just have the rectum removed) which is different from an ileostomy in which the ostomy is created at the end of the small intestine. Just something for you to research and learn about--always better to be prepared and then if it happens she won't need an ostomy then no harm done, but if she will need one, best to have an idea of what all it entails.

Keep coming back and let us know how she's doing as well as yourself--so wonderful to know how much you care for your mom, she's lucky to have you help her through this.

[ocstacy]

The tumor is 4cm. She is getting a port on Friday. Then, she will start radiation and chemo for 6 weeks. Each week she will get 4 straight days of radiation and on the fifth day she will get chemo. Repeat for 6 weeks. Then recover 4-6 weeks for the surgery. Her doctor ( specialist colorectal surgeon) told her the cancer is entirely on her rectum and she will most likely need a bag for the rest of her life.

My mom's tumor is 6cm and I believe one lymph is affected. Tomorrow is her last day of radiation and chemo until surgery. Her GI said the same thing that she will most likely need a bag for the rest of her life but her colorectal surgeon mentioned that he could possibly save her sphincter muscle and hand sew her a new rectum which was nice to hear. She did the Neoadjuvant therapy and surgery will take place in October sometime. She is very nervous as well and has NEVER had surgery her entire life. The only time she was in the hospital was when she had me and her my brother. She wishes that she can do the watch and wait approach but the dr. does not recommend it. I wish your mother the best luck with her treatment. I am very nervous as I am getting a colonoscopy this Friday!

[NHMike]

My mom got her results from the CT scan and MRI. The cancer is stage 3c and spread to one lymph node. The tumor is 4cm. She is getting a port on Friday. Then, she will start radiation and chemo for 6 weeks. Each week she will get 4 straight days of radiation and on the fifth day she will get chemo. Repeat for 6 weeks. Then recover 4-6 weeks for the surgery. Her doctor ( specialist colorectal surgeon) told her the cancer is entirely on her rectum and she will most likely need a bag for the rest of her life. She is very nervous and scared. So am I. She wants to stay close to home and isn't interested in a 2nd opinion. I will respect her decision because all I do is add stress to the situation when I ask too many questions. I am so glad I found this forum. I am hopeful my mom will seek out this forum as well. There are so many caring people with a lot of knowledge. Thanks again for all your support.

I'm right there with your mother though I think that it's 2 or 3 lymph nodes. I'm in week 3 of chemo/radiation so I likely know a bit of what she's going through now emotionally. Her treatment program, though, is a little different from mine. I was nervous and scared and still nervous and scared though I do have hope seeing all of the others that have survived. We're happy to answer questions and provide support for her if she wishes to join here.