Just found out I have cancer

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DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Nov 21, 2017 12:26 pm

I'm sorry you're going through this and hope you won't have to wait long for biopsy results!*hugs* Once my GI surgeon told me I had colon cancer I told family about it and posted it on facebook/message boards because I wanted as much support as possible. Everyone is different. There are no major cancer centers here so everything was done at the local hospital. If there is a cancer center near you I would go there. Good luck!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

ScaredButGottaWin
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:53 am

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby ScaredButGottaWin » Fri Dec 08, 2017 1:17 pm

Had surgery two days ago, planned to do resection. Unfortnately, they found several seeds/mets in peritoneum, so they sewed me up and I start chemo soon. So I am stage IV signet ring adenocarcinoma. I am so lost and hopeless. This cant be happening. It is not fair. My wife doesnt deserve to see me die. Please no this cant be happening. How do I moveforward, when the odds are my credit card will outlast me. Ifeel so temporary. I hate this world of F-ing cancer. I am not mentally strong enough for this. I just cant believe it
Colonoscopy Nov ‘17
Peritoneal Mets discovered Dec ‘17 (signet ring cell)
FOLFOXIRI - Jan'18-April '18
HIPEC May '18 (NED!)
FOLFIRI June '18-April '19
Recurrence Jan '20 - peritoneal cavity

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susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby susie0915 » Fri Dec 08, 2017 6:52 pm

Don't give up. There are so many on this forum that are stage 4 and ned 10 years later. I know it was devastating to hear that news, but you can be one of the many that can beat this disease. I am always amazed at the many insipirational stories that are on this board. The people here are incredible. I'm so sorry for you and your family, I know this news is devastating. I will be praying for you.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

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Maggie Nell
Posts: 1150
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 1:57 am
Location: Central Highlands, Victoria, Oz

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby Maggie Nell » Sat Dec 09, 2017 8:07 am

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:Had surgery two days ago, planned to do resection. Unfortnately, they found several seeds/mets in peritoneum, so they sewed me up and I start chemo soon. So I am stage IV signet ring adenocarcinoma. I am so lost and hopeless. This cant be happening. It is not fair. My wife doesnt deserve to see me die. Please no this cant be happening. How do I moveforward, when the odds are my credit card will outlast me. Ifeel so temporary. I hate this world of F-ing cancer. I am not mentally strong enough for this. I just cant believe it


Well, that sucks!

Backing the truck up here, you just had surgery two days ago and I hope that you're still in hospital and
post-surgery pain is being managed nicely? Before you go decking your wife out in widow's weeds and
having her maxing out that credit card with retail therapy j-u-s-t y-e-t (nothing like premature imagination),
dial back on the Charlie Brown AUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!! for a sec.

Seems to me that you are already moving forward with your chemo scheduled to start soon. Your surgeon/oncologist/
medical team are practiced and experienced in carrying you to the next stage - all you have to do, for now, is show up
and maintain a curiosity and willingness for how this f-ing-journey-you-did-not-sign-up-for is going to unfold. Fortitude
will come to you, humans are hard-wired to be real hard to bump off when we get our dander up.

What decision did you come to with notifying your employer and work colleagues?
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59130&p=467411#p467411
DX April 2015, @ 54
35mm poorly diff. tumour, incidental finding following emergency R. hemicolectomy
for ileo-colic intussusception.
Lymph nodes: 0/22
T3 N0 MX
Stage II CRC, no adjuvant chemo required.

AnonSurvivor
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:04 pm

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby AnonSurvivor » Sun Dec 17, 2017 9:01 pm

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:Had surgery two days ago, planned to do resection. Unfortnately, they found several seeds/mets in peritoneum, so they sewed me up and I start chemo soon. So I am stage IV signet ring adenocarcinoma. I am so lost and hopeless. This cant be happening. It is not fair. My wife doesnt deserve to see me die. Please no this cant be happening. How do I moveforward, when the odds are my credit card will outlast me. Ifeel so temporary. I hate this world of F-ing cancer. I am not mentally strong enough for this. I just cant believe it


I strongly recommend consulting with GI oncs at a major cancer center. I was also stage IV, but Mass General and Yale took care of that over five years ago.

Find the right team and resolve to win.

ckumar
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2017 1:31 am

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby ckumar » Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:46 am

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:Had surgery two days ago, planned to do resection. Unfortnately, they found several seeds/mets in peritoneum, so they sewed me up and I start chemo soon. So I am stage IV signet ring adenocarcinoma. I am so lost and hopeless. This cant be happening. It is not fair. My wife doesnt deserve to see me die. Please no this cant be happening. How do I moveforward, when the odds are my credit card will outlast me. Ifeel so temporary. I hate this world of F-ing cancer. I am not mentally strong enough for this. I just cant believe it


I am sorry you are in this position. My husband was diagnosed this past July with stage 3 Signet Ring Colon Cancer. There is a lot of scary info online about this so my advice is to be selective on reading medical reivew journals. They outline usually the most rare/worst outcome type cases. There are real people on here that have been fighting this for years and being successful in doing that!

I also started a Facebook group for people dealing with this specific type of colon cancer. Feel free to join us. We’re new but the more people we have the more benefit our members will get! You are not alone. Remember we are a source of support when/if you need it. Best of luck.

- Carissa

Link to support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/172408260175324/
Husband age 37 Dx 7.28.2017
Colon Cancer - Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma
Lynch Syndrome - Positive
Sx 7.25.2017 - All Margins Clear
Stage 3C: T4a-N2b
High Grade
Sickle Cell Trait
Blood Clot - Iliac Vein
**Blood Thinner**
Type 2 Diabetic
Starting Folfox 9.14.2017
Boy age 3 & Girl age 12

ScaredButGottaWin
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:53 am

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby ScaredButGottaWin » Fri May 04, 2018 6:46 pm

Just an update here. I don't check in too often anymore - trying to live my life. I finished 9 rounds of chemo (switched to FOLFOXIRI), and I have HIPEC in two weeks. Excited to get on with it! Also terrified that there will be some non-resectable disease, but we find out soon!
Colonoscopy Nov ‘17
Peritoneal Mets discovered Dec ‘17 (signet ring cell)
FOLFOXIRI - Jan'18-April '18
HIPEC May '18 (NED!)
FOLFIRI June '18-April '19
Recurrence Jan '20 - peritoneal cavity

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Robino1
Posts: 463
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:09 pm
Facebook Username: Robin.lawthers
Location: Florida

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby Robino1 » Fri May 04, 2018 6:58 pm

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:Just an update here. I don't check in too often anymore - trying to live my life. I finished 9 rounds of chemo (switched to FOLFOXIRI), and I have HIPEC in two weeks. Excited to get on with it! Also terrified that there will be some non-resectable disease, but we find out soon!


Where and who is doing your HIPEC?
At 54 2014 1st colonoscopy colon cancer detect
Colon resect margins clear. No chemo Stage II
2017
Distend abd, pain in intestines.
CT scan seeding & Ascites
Lap diag - cancer on the omentum
CEA 217; 219
FOLFOX started 6/17
CEA 202
8/29/17 CT melting of tumor.
Latest CT scan shows 2 new tumors and return of ascites.
CEA: (2017)9/30 -109; 10/12 -99.1; 11/4 -90.7; 11/30 -70.7; 12/14 -83.4; (2018)1/4 -73.3; 2/1-84.2; 89.2; 89.8; 88.5; 81.8: 93.5; 107; 119
BRAF V600e

ScaredButGottaWin
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:53 am

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby ScaredButGottaWin » Fri May 04, 2018 8:19 pm

Dr Levine at Wake Forest in NC
Colonoscopy Nov ‘17
Peritoneal Mets discovered Dec ‘17 (signet ring cell)
FOLFOXIRI - Jan'18-April '18
HIPEC May '18 (NED!)
FOLFIRI June '18-April '19
Recurrence Jan '20 - peritoneal cavity

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Robino1
Posts: 463
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:09 pm
Facebook Username: Robin.lawthers
Location: Florida

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby Robino1 » Sat May 05, 2018 7:15 am

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:Dr Levine at Wake Forest in NC


Thank you :)

Please keep us posted on how it goes.
At 54 2014 1st colonoscopy colon cancer detect
Colon resect margins clear. No chemo Stage II
2017
Distend abd, pain in intestines.
CT scan seeding & Ascites
Lap diag - cancer on the omentum
CEA 217; 219
FOLFOX started 6/17
CEA 202
8/29/17 CT melting of tumor.
Latest CT scan shows 2 new tumors and return of ascites.
CEA: (2017)9/30 -109; 10/12 -99.1; 11/4 -90.7; 11/30 -70.7; 12/14 -83.4; (2018)1/4 -73.3; 2/1-84.2; 89.2; 89.8; 88.5; 81.8: 93.5; 107; 119
BRAF V600e

Strong
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat May 05, 2018 8:56 am

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby Strong » Sun May 06, 2018 9:32 am

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:Just an update here. I don't check in too often anymore - trying to live my life. I finished 9 rounds of chemo (switched to FOLFOXIRI), and I have HIPEC in two weeks. Excited to get on with it! Also terrified that there will be some non-resectable disease, but we find out soon!


There's no shame in living your life!

I remember so clearly that moment of waking up from my colonoscopy, listening to the G.I. and thinking I'd have surgery the following Monday. My surgery was four months later. There's so much to learn on this journey and it seems the folks here have seen it all.

I wish you the best with your outcomes, and I wish for strength to face the challenges, and peace in your heart. You've made it through some really hard stuff. Hang in there!

John
47 year old male, DX at 44
10/15 DX rectal tumor T3N1M0
11/16 6 weeks chemo-radiation
2/16 LAR and ileostomy
3/16 intestinal blockage and abscess
5/16 8 folfox treatments, (3 w/ ox, 5 w/o)
9/16 ostomy reversal
CEA <1.0 and clear scans since

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ocstacy
Posts: 264
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:29 pm
Facebook Username: stacy

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby ocstacy » Mon May 14, 2018 11:51 pm

My mom was diagnosed exactly one year ago, one week before Mother's day. Her dr. straight out told me while she was still sedated that she had cancer and it didn't look good. I immediately when into a daze.. and got weak. Ran to bath room and started to cry. Never in a million years, would I EVER think that my healthy, Japanese mother would EVER get cancer. Well, she did. When my mom woke up, she said, I heard you crying, they found something didn't they? I told her that they found hemmy's, and they took a biopsy. I didn't want her to get worried. So the third day we went back in with my dad, and it was confirmed. The last year was probably the hardest year of my life caring for my mother. I had to help my mom with her insurance, chose the right colorectal surgeon off of Yelp out of all places and she had a successful, yet complicated surgery with a rocky recovery. I was her nurse, her backbone, and stayed with her at the hospital as she woke up from her 4 1/2 hour surgery. It was the most depressing thing I had to go through but we made it through! Long story short, my mother went from stage 3 to now REMISSION! :mrgreen: This support site has truly been my back bone on products, information, stories, support, food advice, pain advice, emotional support, etc. I was all alone with this as my brother and I are not ammicable. My mother lives two doors down from us just like the movie "My Greek wedding". We are praying that her reversal is successful this summer. Hang in there. Finding out that you have cancer is the most horrible news ever, but you can get through with it. Biggest advice! Make sure you choose a board certified colorectal surgeon, and look up reviews on YELP. I did that for my mom and asked questions to patients about their prognosis, and outcome. This was very important to me. There are GOOD doctor's and okay doctor's and not so great doctor's. Do your research. Best of luck.
Caregiver/daughter to dear mother age 78, dx 5/09/17 because of me!! :wink:
Rectal CA Stage 3 low-grade adenocarcinoma- 6 cm
Neoadjuvant start 7/10/17 ended 08/16/17
3D Lap. surgery @ Keck USC, Dr. Sang Lee 10/17/17 temp ileostomy
11/1 hospitalized abscess/hernia - home 11/06/17 antibiotics
NO LYMPHS INVOLVED! NEAR PATHOLOGICAL RESPONSE! YAY! :shock:
Took her last chemo med 05/10/18! Ileo reversal 07/24/18
1st BM after reversal 07/25/18 Anal Fissure 8/15/18
Me:1st Colonoscopy age 38. 08/17 Benign polp.

ScaredButGottaWin
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:53 am

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby ScaredButGottaWin » Mon Dec 17, 2018 11:31 pm

Update here - it’s been a while.
Did 9 rounds FOLFOXIRI between 12/17 and my HIPEC last May.
Surgeon thinks they got it all. Yay! Unfortunately, pathology was bad, with several lymph nodes cancerous. Recovery from surgery was relatively easy - 8 nights in hospital, and back at work a week after that. Been doing FOLFIRI/avastin ever since. Scans clear and CEA stable-ish around 1.0, but this was never a big indicator for me (maybe 2.5 at diagnosis).

Anyway, life goes on for now. I have some recurring abdominal pains and mild nausea, but dr is not too worried. So we wait and see.
Colonoscopy Nov ‘17
Peritoneal Mets discovered Dec ‘17 (signet ring cell)
FOLFOXIRI - Jan'18-April '18
HIPEC May '18 (NED!)
FOLFIRI June '18-April '19
Recurrence Jan '20 - peritoneal cavity

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Thu Dec 20, 2018 12:35 pm

Congratulations on having clear scans!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

Naniconi
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:53 pm
Facebook Username: Connie

Re: Just found out I have cancer

Postby Naniconi » Tue Jan 29, 2019 6:42 am

Where did you have HIPEC done and who’s your surgeon?
Thanks
naniconi caregiver to husband 68 y/o
Dxd 12/11 stage 3 CC
Surgery 1/12
Folfox 1/12 to 7/12
Carcinomatosis 5/14
Folfiri Avastin 5/14 up 1/19
Ascites 1/19
Will start Keytruda


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