The Colon Club

Dear colon clubbers,

Just wanted to share with you that yesterday I took my last Chemo after dinner.

Once I was put on Xeloda only, my quality of life as no comparison with how it was before, while receiving Oxaliplatin.

I still have a number of side effects, but nothing that keeps me from smiling and playing with my daughter or working around the house. I've returned to work and I'm trying to create a new and happy normal for myself.

I thought this day would never come.. so for all of you who are still in the trenches, hold on, the day will come when you can take pause and breath again.

For all chemo lifers out there, much respect for your fight and perseverance.. I will be thinking in all of you during the waiting years until I can hear the word CURE.

I hope that I will never have to hear the word cancer again in my lifetime.

Much love and may thanks for these months of positive energies and inspiration that you've offered me.

Keep strong!
I will be thinking of you,

Ana

Congrats on finishing chemo. It does feel good when you're done.

Congrats! My mom just finished her LAP surgery and recovering. She has to take Xeloda for 6 months. She did pretty well with it but her post op surgery recovery has been so tough!

Cheers!

[Ana & Alex] wrote:Dear colon clubbers,

Just wanted to share with you that yesterday I took my last Chemo after dinner.

Once I was put on Xeloda only, my quality of life as no comparison with how it was before, while receiving Oxaliplatin.

I still have a number of side effects, but nothing that keeps me from smiling and playing with my daughter or working around the house. I've returned to work and I'm trying to create a new and happy normal for myself.

I thought this day would never come.. so for all of you who are still in the trenches, hold on, the day will come when you can take pause and breath again.

For all chemo lifers out there, much respect for your fight and perseverance.. I will be thinking in all of you during the waiting years until I can hear the word CURE.

I hope that I will never have to hear the word cancer again in my lifetime.

Much love and may thanks for these months of positive energies and inspiration that you've offered me.

Keep strong!
I will be thinking of you,

Ana

I'm happy for you and hope that you remain in NEDville. It sounds like Oxaliplatin was pretty rough for you. I found Xeloda to be manageable - haven't done the XELOX yet.

Congratulations on finishing chemo and I'm glad you're doing well!*hugs*

[Ana & Alex] wrote:Much love and may thanks for these months of positive energies and inspiration that you've offered me.
Keep strong!
I will be thinking of you,
Ana

Ana congratulations on your success my friend.
SO glad you are able to move ahead with your "normal" !!!!!!

Please consider being an ongoing part of our forum from time to time, if you are able.
Stories like yours WILL ......
PAY IT FORWARD to others just beginning their Journey

I believe the true strength of this forum is exactly the " months of positive energies and inspiration that you've offered me "

This IS who we are here... = SUPPORT !

Cheers, Harmony and best wishes
CRguy

Well done! It's been a long haul but you made it to the end and I do remember just how tough it was for you. I truly hope that now you can begin to put all that stuff behind you and enjoy life to the full with your family.
Now almost 3 months out, chemo feels a long way back! Takes a little while to sort of let go but life is soooo great after it's all done! I have even forgiven that horrible oxaliplatine for how bad it made me feel! I feel as though if you can do Folfox....you can do anything!!
Love and big hugs from across the miles!
(I don't look into the Forum often but was delighted to read your post!)
Judi xxxxxxxx

Congratulations!

Wonderful news, so happy that you can enjoy your life and your kids!

Fantastic!! Congratulations and glad you are living life again as you want. Enjoy!

Ana, I know you had a very hard time with Oxaliplatin from the beginning.
I just wanted to say congratulations on your treatment ending and wishing you reside permanently in Nedville!
Big Congrats!

Congratulations!!! It is wonderful to hear from people who have made it through what some of us are still going through. Seeing your post brightened my day.

Dear Colon Clubers,

Thank you so much for your replies. I intend to keep visiting the forum and paying it forward as CRGuy said, but at the moment I really need to take a pause from cancer until I feel I've recovered emotionally.

We are having a hard time still with all the side effects and getting used to the new normal. I'm so happy I only did 4 Oxi! I'm having Lhermiette and massive Neuropathy 2 months after stopping it and its not getting better. Fatigue and nausea are still there. I'm angry and tense sometimes, and concentrating is still a challenge..

It is unbelievable all the strains that cancer adds up to your life. My relationship with my husband has suffered a great deal, but we love each other and we will make it work I'm sure. I still feel like a handicapped mother but it's getting better a little bit everyday. The chores at home are heavy as usual and sometimes it's hard to accept that I'm so tired still. I'm going to get a promotion at work but I'm overwhelmed at the moment, that sometimes I question the sense of it. And I'm back to the university - so, you have that as well. And my parents left since Summer, so here we are again, alone in the middle of Europe with a toddler in our hands.

Oh! And my mother in law as been diagnosed with advanced multiple myelom 3000KM away. I mean, WHAT THE FU**? My husband is struggling to keep his game on.
What a fuck*** year.

My colostomy is behaving very well and I'm proud of it and used to it. Although I have still some issues, I'm starting irrigation this next Friday and I know it will get better..

I feel so many things changed that I don't know exactly where to start. Some days I will feel myself at my limit, some days I will feel happy.. some days i can't believe this happened to me.

Sometimes I'm sure I will live to became 80.. sometimes I'm afraid of dying in the next couple of years. I guess this is why they call it survivorship- it really doesn't end with treatment.

It doesn't end and that is why you have to find your new normal...and things will never be the way they were. It's like losing your innocence. And im happy its over and i hope im free for a long time, but its always a bittersweet taste the stays with you after treatment.

But ima gonna work it.
So long I'm alive, everything will be manageable, somehow. One day at a time...

Thank you all so much for everything..
Very best of luck for those still in treatment..

I will see you soon

Love,
Ana

I understand your feelings. I'm 19 months out of treatment and I still think back of my year of initial diagnosis to end of adjuvant chemo, and it brings tears to my eyes. I'm still dealing with neuropathy as it didn't really kick in until a month after I finished. I do know it was at least 6 months before my energy level felt close to back to where is was. You do what you need to do, just know all are here to help you with any issues you may have or if you just need to vent. This disease has changed all of us permanently physically, mentally, and emotionally. We all have to find what our new normal is and do what we need to do to deal with it. Take care. You will always have support here.