Hello everyone...I hope you are all doing well since my last post in May 2007. I have not had the chance to read posts so I am not up to date on everyone's progress. I have missed this message board and all the support everyone offers but have not been able to find the courage to post until now.
I ended up with 3 surgeries under my belt (so to speak) last year. March was a small hernia repair (which likely occurred as a result of my first surgery), followed by a complete hysterectomy in April due to a reccurrence of colon cancer in my ovary, and then treatment again. I began with Folfiri (5Fu, leuco, Irinotecan) and then added in Avastin. After 4 treatments with Avastin, I ended up in the ER with neutropenia and a 104 fever. It turned out that I was suffering from an absess due to a small bowel perforation (most likely the result of a side effect from Avastin). We tried to ward off surgery but the absess left me with a small bowel blockage and off to the OR again to have more removed. I was so scared since we lost a friend to colon cancer after a similar surgery just months before. I worried so much for my family. My wonderful and very caring surgeon was so positive and gave me the strength to get through. I developed and infection in my incision and back to the OR to be reopened. I was left with an open wound. 6 1/2 weeks later, I got to finally leave the hospital...open wound and all. I was on IV nutrition for 5 1/2 weeks and at 5'8" weighed only 106 when I got home. Now I am on 5Fu, Leuco, and Erbitux....I am leaving Ironotecan out for a while since it made me so sick. I need to give my body a chance to heal and get stronger. I will have a Petscan in 2 weeks and am hoping my lighter dose cocktail is doing the job. To add insult to injury...my dad lost his cancer fight last month. He fought to the end with dignity and valor.
I hope to have the chance to catch up on the posts to see how you all are doing. My best to all.....
Margot