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9yrs later..

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:31 pm
by Grdngrl552
oh I came here today after a long time. I had a check up and it shows how far I have come because I didn't even know they ran a CEA as part of my blood work - I hadn't had one in a long time. But the feeling all came back when I got a call saying my tests were normal except one and I said which one was that. When the nurse said CEA I froze. I managed to voice 'what was it?' she said 3.2. I sighed in relief because to her in a regular doctors office that is a red flag, but for me it is finally proof my CEA has lowered from the 6 it stayed at for so long and didn't budge from. A move to lower in my world and experience is still celebration. So it led me back here. I see so many comrades from the past - (I don't even know my old username). But my heart is heavy with the sweet souls no longer here, and the beautiful unwavering well wishers and encouragers who have remained ..I gasp to see them and it warms my heart - I turned to them to light my way and help me navigate. I feel guilty I haven't stayed as they have, to hold the hands of the newcomers. I so looked to this group for every answer I could find. Knowledge is power. I traveled this path and there have been so many lessons.

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:51 am
by Basil
I ain't going to lie, there's a part of me who wants to stick around and help when I can. Others who have done so have been a wealth of information. But There's another part of me who wants to progress to the point I don't think about cancer much and drift away from online support groups, like friends who move to different cities (mine being NEDville). I realize that may be a bit selfish but cancer has been overwhelming, like it seems to be for most all of us, and I'm ready to kick it out and fill that void with family, friends and work.

Cheers to you. Congrats on the 3.2. More evidence that you are a permanent resident of NEDville.

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:58 am
by Shana
Thank you for coming back to share your positive news!

I get both sides of the coin, wanting to live a cancer worry free life and also to give back to those fighting on. This is unlike other social media because we all truly share a common experience.

Stay well, it's a gift and hope for all of us!

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:05 am
by Robino1
I would be thrilled at a CEA 6 :D

Congrats on the good news! Thank you for coming back and sharing the positivity. :)

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:23 am
by susie0915
Congrats. I understand how you feel Basil, but it is difficult to not think about cancer even 17 months from treatment and cancer free. The side effects from treatment and constant testing is always a reminder. It's getting better but does get in my head. I'm working on it.

I'm happy for your low cea. My lab has below 5 as normal.

Basil wrote:I ain't going to lie, there's a part of me who wants to stick around and help when I can. Others who have done so have been a wealth of information. But There's another part of me who wants to progress to the point I don't think about cancer much and drift away from online support groups, like friends who move to different cities (mine being NEDville). I realize that may be a bit selfish but cancer has been overwhelming, like it seems to be for most all of us, and I'm ready to kick it out and fill that void with family, friends and work.

Cheers to you. Congrats on the 3.2. More evidence that you are a permanent resident of NEDville.

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:00 am
by DarknessEmbraced
Congratulations, that's wonderful news! :D

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 5:19 am
by lovelife789
AWESOME news!
I think we should have a thread dedicated to people who are in NEDville. So whenever we feel down, we can refer to that post and gain some strengths!

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:47 am
by teacher2017
Hope. Thank you for the hope. It's worth it's weight in gold.

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:01 am
by Jachut
Funny, I dropped it in today after literally years too. Congrats on your good results - I probably dropped in because I just had a scan and bloodwork after seven years. It was supposed to be my last one, I had the scan and headed off to Thailand for a holiday. One night I sat bolt upright in the middle of the night thinking "what if there's a letter from my surgeon waiting when I get home?". What do you know, there was. My blood ran cold, I can tell you. I have "infiltrates in the chest, probably the result of a healing chest infection". Trouble is, I havent had a chest infection, not even a cold. Still, I had a clear chest xray so I'm sure like your brief scare, it will turn out to be nothing after seven cancer free years. I just wish I didnt have to wait 6 weeks to see my surgeon.

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 8:43 pm
by dianetavegia
I'm just 10 weeks shy of 9 years from original dx and 4 months shy of 6 years NED after a 1.5 cm met was found and a liver resection April 2012. This is the first time in 9 years that I only had blood work and that was Tuesday. My CBC was perfect but the CEA and chems are sent out and will be posted online at 10:15 a.m. tomorrow morning at Labcorp. My CEA goes from 2.7 to 3.4 and has remained in that range except when I had pneumonia and it went to 4.4 . Still, I'm anxious (to some degree) and am praying like crazy that it's still normal. Labcorp has a high norm of 3.9 for a non smoker.

That's wonderful news about your CEA. Elevated CEA's can be from things like fibrocystic breast, polyps, obstruction, inflammation, infection, tummy issues, fatty liver, taking vitamins with large amounts of Biotin for hair and nails, age (increases with age even in those who've never had CRC) and lowers with morbid obesity.

INFILTRATES: my onc told me if you failed to fully expand your lungs during a 'take a deep breath and hold it nowwwwwwwwwwwww' that it can give the appearance of infiltrates, tho when I had a tiny area, I'd just gotten over a 7 week cough that my family and half my church had last March.

Glad and rejoicing with you on your awesome news!

Diane

Re: 9yrs later..

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 7:10 am
by horizon
lovelife789 wrote:I think we should have a thread dedicated to people who are in NEDville. So whenever we feel down, we can refer to that post and gain some strengths!


There is a thread for stage 3's.

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