Postby DonutHead » Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:15 am
Thanks so much for the reply, Lydia. I am 48 and was angry knowing this all could have been avoided had I a colonoscopy at 40. So many younger people in this forum than the, ‘you need a colonoscopy’ crowd at 50. Damn shame for anyone to have to go through this and the waiting around is the worst. I am an action guy and I want it all done now! To think I was carrying around and developing a malignant tumor over the years....I would have gone into the zone of no return had I avoided my colonscopy...and I almost cancelled it and just moved on until the magic number 50. That would have been too late! It burns me to know this could possibly have been avoided, but here I am, here we are! The joke is I was medically cleared over all if those years and neither doctors or I had any clue!
This morning is with the oncologist. I am not sure I can sit for an infusion. My thoughts of are being in a crack house where everyone goes to get their fix. i know, bad analogy, but i see humor in everything, even this. I have accepted it, relented. What else can we do. When I realize that nearly half of men in their lifetime will experience some form of cancer, i am sort of thankful mine came now, when i am in excellent health, and that it was caught early. We are in limbo with work and that’s fine. We should be overseas and had so many plans!
I feel as if it is best to just go on and get this done, think little about my condition or worry because in the end, I have little control over it other than the process itself. My tumor was somehat flat, less than an inch by half inch in size, and had just broken into the submucosa of the inner colon lining, but had not gone though the muscalaris and into the surrounding tissue. the doctor guessed in two more years it would have gone that way and things would be a while hell of alot different! so indeed i count my blessings, whatever they may be. Two weeks after surgey and I feel perfectly fine and like myself again. I had scars and war wounds from other skirmishes in life, so these physical scars will blend in just nicely. I just ran 4 miles again for the first time in two weeks and was only 2 mins behind my normal time! It felt great to be back!
Will let everyone know how the oncologist goes, but i will push for oral chemo because sitting for infusions will get to me and cause me a great deal of anxiety. Keep moving and stay focused!
DH
Male 49 yrs.
09/2017: Colonoscopy 2.2x2 cm lesion - Invasive Adenocarcinoma
- CT - slightly enlarged LN; CEA 2.0
- LAP Rectosigmoid - 8' and 25 LNs removed
- Biopsy - 1/25 LN slight molecular invasion
- Stage IIIa - T3 N1 M0
- Chemo: 3 of 8 rds Ox; 8 rds 4000mg Xeloda
10/2017: PET - NED
03/2018: PET/CT - NED
09/2018: Colonoscopy & PET/CT - NED
03/2019: CT - NED
09/2019: Colonoscopy & CT - NED (0.9 CEA)
03/2020: CT - NED (1.1 CEA)
11/2020: CT - NED (1.2 CEA)
Still Here!