Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

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dianetavegia
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Facebook Username: Diane Weldy Tavegia
Location: Villa Rica, Georgia

Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby dianetavegia » Sat Apr 13, 2019 7:47 am

I thought I'd never forget about Stage IV cancer but I go weeks and when it does come to mind I think it must have been a dream. April 11th was 7 years since my liver resection and the rib pain is pretty much gone. I had to look up the date!

My TSH for my thyroid is finally stable and my energy is back but I gained 20 lbs while telling my onc that something was causing this. He'd tell me it was my age and sedentary lifestyle. I've been eating so carefully and even limit my sweet tea to one a day and have lost a few pounds. I do NOT want to get back to my pre thyroid weight because tho I was younger, my face looked sort of sad. My cheeks were sunken. So, if I have to stay overweight to save my face, so be it! Meanwhile all my bloodwork is great and other than some arthritis that flares up when I've been chopping a tree down or digging a trench, I'm great.

I see my onc for ONLY a CEA in October and then will be discharged from his care. He's been saying cured for a year now. I won't see him this spring. So CURED from Stage IV and living life after cancer!

Photo is our children, 2 grand kids and my mother. Yep, I'm the fluffy girl!

Keep hoping, praying and believing! Never give up!
Diane

Image
Stage III cc surgery 1/7/09. 12 tx FOLFOX
Stage IV PET = 1.5cm liver met. HR 4/11/12

14 years since dx and 11 years post liver resection.
Pronounced CURED and discharged by onc

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.” Psalms 30:2

Gravelyguy
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2018 6:03 pm

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby Gravelyguy » Sat Apr 13, 2019 10:34 am

Thanks Diane,

I am about 1 1/2 years out from surgery and feeling pretty good but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about the cancer. It is encouraging that time helps!

Dave
6/17 dx mRC t3n1m1 very low rectal tumor 2 liver Mets 1.3 cm and .9 cm

6/17 begin 4 rounds Folfox w/Vectibix
9/17 short course radiation
10/17 rectal and liver resection LAR with coloanal anastomosis (no rectum left)
11/17-3/18 8 rounds Folfox
6/18 still NED!! Takedown
8/28/18 still NED! CEA .8 new low for me
10/18/18 colonoscopy clear
12/12/18 CEA .9 still NED!
6/11/19 CEA 1.0
12/19/19 CEA 1.0 still NED!
6/17/20 CEA 1.1 still NED!
12/15/20 CEA 1.1still NED!
12/16/21 CEA 1.2 still NED!

Punky44
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:29 pm

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby Punky44 » Sat Apr 13, 2019 10:36 am

Awesome! The day I don’t think about this will be the best day ever.
Caregiver to my amazing mom (68 at dx)
10/1/18 DX with rectal cancer; CEA 17
T3N2M0
Total neoadjuvant therapy:
8 rounds Folfox 11/5/18 - 2/11/19
Short course radiation 3/14/19 - 3/20/19
Robotically assisted laparoscopic LAR 3/21/19
Pathology report says yT2N0M0 with 0/38 nodes
6/28/19 Reversal and port out
CEA 2.1; 1.9; 2.6; 2.8; 2.3; 2.4; 3.0; 3.4; 3.1; 3.4; 3.0; 3.1; 2.6
Latest update: 8/21/23 Clear CT with CEA 2.6!

Me: 34, first colonoscopy 11/16/18—normal! Come back in 5 years.

Detox
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 5:27 pm

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby Detox » Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:39 am

You are cured but I definitely recommend getting CEA tests at least annually as it never hurts be cautious.

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sat Apr 13, 2019 12:13 pm

That's wonderful! :) Beautiful family!
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! :)

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby Lee » Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:49 pm

Congratulations, that is a major milestone. Beautiful pic of your family,

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

MissMolly
Posts: 645
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2015 4:33 pm
Location: Portland, Ore

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby MissMolly » Sat Apr 13, 2019 5:19 pm

Diane:
You have always written so lovingly of your immediate family and the close relationships shared between each of you, so it is especially meaningful that you have shared this photograph of you and your family.

You and your mother are “Two Peas in a Pod.” The resemblance between the two of you is endearing. And it is obvious that you share with your mother an amazing resiliency and fortitude. I believe that you said that both of your parents are in their early 90’s (?), independent in their daily activities and aging with grace.

Warm kudos to you for reclaiming your health and thriving . . . and continuing to offer a beacon of comfort to others.
Karen
Dear friend to Bella Piazza, former Colon Club member (NWGirl).
I have a permanent ileostomy and offer advice on living with an ostomy - in loving remembrance of Bella
I am on Palliative Care for broad endocrine failure + Addison's disease + osteonecrosis of both hips/jaw + immunosuppression. I live a simple life due to frail health.

mtmama
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:43 am

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby mtmama » Sat Apr 13, 2019 5:53 pm

The other c-word—cured?? Amazing! Good for you, and thank you for sharing your milestone. It's an inspiration.

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dianetavegia
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:47 pm
Facebook Username: Diane Weldy Tavegia
Location: Villa Rica, Georgia

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby dianetavegia » Mon Apr 15, 2019 10:53 am

Detox wrote:You are cured but I definitely recommend getting CEA tests at least annually as it never hurts be cautious.


I'll have my final CEA with my onc this October and then I've asked my primary to continue once a year until I've passed 10 years since my liver resection. It's already been 10 years 4 months since my original dx. He said I could have one a year for the rest of my life if I'd prefer.

I'll be 69 in December. Since I could never have chemo again, I'm not sure if I'll continue CEA's after 80. I'll make that decision in 10 years.

Four grand daughters were not in the photo. Two live in Connecticut and the other two are grown and had already gone home when we took the photo. They both had to work the next morning. We do have such a precious, precious family. Love them all dearly.

My mother is very ill but I think much of it is caused by her emotions. She has 6 cardiologists because they have all told her nothing is wrong with her heart. She now thinks she has a rare breast cancer found mainly in women in their 20's/ 30's so she's having more tests this week. She's told the few in our family who will speak to her that she'll be dead in 18 months. I do feel sorry for her, but she's been an angry woman as long as I can remember. We are VERY different personality wise. I'm more like my Daddy. Mother can start an argument in an empty room. My Daddy and I are easy going, seldom angered and very forgiving. They've been divorced for 48 years. He'll be 92 this year and she turns 87 in July.

I noticed a lot of new names and wanted to share HOPE. I was so sure I'd never go a day without fear and dread and was surprised one day when I realized that I had completely forgotten cancer and treatments, surgery seemed like something someone else endured. Not me.

God bless y'all!
Diane
Stage III cc surgery 1/7/09. 12 tx FOLFOX
Stage IV PET = 1.5cm liver met. HR 4/11/12

14 years since dx and 11 years post liver resection.
Pronounced CURED and discharged by onc

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.” Psalms 30:2

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Jack&KatiesMommy
Posts: 640
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:08 pm
Location: Columbus, OH

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby Jack&KatiesMommy » Mon Apr 15, 2019 11:16 am

Congratulations, Diane....you look beautiful and I am so happy that you are here to share in their lives and live yours without thinking about cancer all fo the time!!!
Cynthia
Cynthia
Mommy to Jack (8) now (18) and Katie (4) now (14)
(My Most Precious Things)
Dx 8/11 Stage IV CRC (liver mets) CEA 2,600+
9/11 Folfiri 2/12: Failed Liver Resection
5/12 HAI pump/removed primary
4/13 Liver Resection
8/13-12/15 (10) RFAs lungs
5/17: Upper Left Lobe of lung resected.
02/18: 3 new lymph mets lung
05/18: Keytruda (MSS w/Intermediate TMB): NED CEA: 66.4, 39.2, 23.8, 13, 3.5 1.8, 1.0, 2.8 3.9, 5.0, 5.6, 1.5, .8,

Deb m
Posts: 558
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:08 am

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby Deb m » Tue Apr 16, 2019 3:13 pm

Congrats.

deb

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WriterGirl1969
Posts: 524
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:48 pm
Location: Central NY

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby WriterGirl1969 » Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:35 am

This was beautiful to hear, Diane. :)
I'm not quite to the forgot I had it place in my life yet, but I am happy to be able to say my 3 year scans just came back clean yesterday (although I've developed an allergic reaction to the contrast dye). Hopefully in another couple years I can join you in hearing that magic word "cured."

--Tracy
DX 3/4/2016 Colon Cancer; age 46 Mom of then 4-yr-old
Stage IIIB: T3N1M0
3/31/16 Surgery
4 to 10/2016: Xeloda Monotherapy
CEA: 10/16 0.56, 1/17 0.54
CT CLEAR: 3/6/17; 4/17/18; 4/16/19
NED 3 years
“If I can help somebody as I walk along, then my living shall not be in vain.”

zephyr
Posts: 363
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 7:31 am

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby zephyr » Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:03 pm

dianetavegia wrote: Mother can start an argument in an empty room.


Oh my gosh, I spit out my water when I read that! Thanks for the laugh (my monitor is not laughing but will just need to get over it already). I have a similar family situation.

dianetavegia wrote: I noticed a lot of new names and wanted to share HOPE. I was so sure I'd never go a day without fear and dread and was surprised one day when I realized that I had completely forgotten cancer and treatments, surgery seemed like something someone else endured. Not me.


Every time I read a message like yours, I am filled with hope. Thank you for posting.
Nov-2009 Early stage CRC, routine colonoscopy
2010-2014 F/U colonoscopies, all clear
Jun-2016 CRC during F/U colonoscopy, surgery, Stage 4, KRAS, MSS
Aug-2016-May-2018 Folfox, 5FU, Folfiri & Avastin
Aug/Sep-2018 YAG laser surgeries (Germany), 11 nodules removed
Nov-2018 clean CT scan
Mar-2019 New lung nodules
Apr-2019 Dec-2020 Xeloda/Avastin, SBRT, cont. Xeloda/Avastin
Mar-2021 Forfiri/Avastin
Mar-2022 Ablation & Thoracotomy
Feb-2023 Folfiri & Avastin
Nov-2023 Xeloda & Avastin

mariane
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:16 pm

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby mariane » Mon Apr 22, 2019 10:04 am

Congratulations Diane!!! I am so happy!!
mom of now 14 years old twins, dx @ 40 in 6/2015 with upper rectal cancer, 10+ liver mets, CEA 140
chemo: 8/2015 - 10/2016 - 4xFOLFIRINOX, 2xFOLFOX, 8xFOLFIRI, 10x5FU, HAI pump -12xFUDR
4 surgeries, complete pathological response
CEA<2 since 10/2015
NED since May 2016

I praise God for every day with my family!

jens22
Posts: 1013
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:26 am
Facebook Username: jspirio
Location: Long Island, NY

Re: Finally reached the 'forgot I had cancer' spot!

Postby jens22 » Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:28 pm

Diane Im a fluffy girl too!! Its so nice to forget. But I can't forget all those we lost along the way. Thank you for always sharing and being inspiring.
Colonoscopy 3/10 for ? hemmorrhoid.
Diag Colon Cancer 3 days later
Colon Ressection 3/30/10
Stage 3B 5/14 Nodes positive.
Power Port and 7 months of Chemo
Port removed 11/11
8 negative Cat Scans..... 10 years cancer free and Discharged from Sloane Kett!!
Diag age 47 , now 57 Mom of 3 boys.


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