Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

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NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:53 am

Basil wrote:
NHMike wrote:I have my first appointment at Dana Farber since before the pandemic started tomorrow morning. They called today with a list of COVID questions. I'm planning on driving down around 5:15 AM to get there at 6:15 AM for bloodwork and a 7:30 AM appointment. I'll wear my own mask into the building and then get one of theirs at some point. This will be my first trip into Boston proper since February so I will be careful touching anything as MA is still seeing about 300 new cases per day. So I'll bring several extra gloves, hand sanitizer, etc.

I'd guess that people living in Boston are used to the routine of living there and may think that this is excessive but I'm trying to take as many precautions as I can.


I delayed my 3 year scans from July to August to now September. MDA is in Houston’s medical center and things have been crazy there with the Covid patients. I figure I don’t need to be there and the patients don’t want me there given the circumstances.


It still seems pretty bad there. COVID typically drops sharply about six weeks after the peak, so, as bad as things may look, a lot of those cases resolve fairly quickly. The major hospitals will get it right, if not already, too.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Fri Aug 28, 2020 8:14 am

It's been a month and things have generally improved. I've not worked in my job for three weeks and my cardiac numbers, except for VO2Max, are a lot better. The combination of more sleep, less stress and more exercises have made changes for the better. It has been a busy three weeks though.

Stuff related to job loss:

- There's a process where I received an electronic document to sign along with a lot of reading before signing. I'd read, sign, wait a few days for another document, and repeat.
- Package up my laptop and send it back to them via FedEx.
- File first time unemployment. Our state website for unemployment is awful - looks like they took a paper system and threw it on the web. Before the pandemic, you went into their local offices to file. I guess that it was better to collect more information and they made it somewhat painful to encourage you to look for work. I haven't filed yet but I will. Then, to actually receive benefits, you have to file a claim every week. I called them up and found out that I wasn't actually eligible for benefits until next March because I received so much in severance. They essentially gave me seven months of severance.
- I have to file for COBRA. If you lose your job and you had company health insurance, then you are eligible for COBRA which allows you to continue your insurance for eighteen months. The policy indicates that you get the first month free. Our costs will be $1,500 per month for COBRA which provides for excellent coverage and dental. I'm dropping the vision coverage because the place we go for optical doesn't take our insurance. I have to send in the COBRA paperwork today.
- Pension Plan. I had setup the pension plan for a lump-sum distribution to my 401k but I'm losing the 401k so I had to call Fidelity to get them to file an exception request to move the lump sum into an IRA instead. They said that they would do this but I will follow up with them.
- 401k - Thee's a 30-day lockup on the 401k and there's a 60-day deadline to move it. If I don't move the 401k, they will send me a distribution which would mean a massive tax bill. So I set up an appointment with one of their advisors for 30-days out (he's also a Certified Financial Planner and offered me those services if I need them. I am thinking that over. He said that they could move it overnight and it's with the same brokerage company so my access and account management should be nearly the same as with my 401k.

Income:

I made well over a year's salary in trading profits in these three weeks so I have some level of confidence in being able to generate enough to live on. What I found is that my trading and investing is a lot better when I have more time to focus on it.

Other Stuff:

I've been doing some home remodeling with the additional time and plan to do more to make things more comfortable at home as we're spending more time here due to the pandemic. I am thinking of a trip this fall. Our state currently has 221 COVID infections, the second lowest in the United States. So I don't feel that bad about going out though we haven't done a lot of that. Most of these infections are in my county and surrounding counties so there are lots of areas in my state that have no infections. Vermont and Maine are other options. Vermonth has about 132 infections, Maine has about 450. So overall, very low infection rates in Northern New England. A low number of infections greatly reduces mental stress.

The Home Gym is quite usable. I would like a few more pieces - like another barbell so that I wouldn't have to move weight plates around; but I don't have the room. I'm using a middle-school quarter-mile track and running around the neighborhood. The spin bike is great when the weather is bad. And I have an area for weights and another area for Yoga. I've also done a lot of work on my computer systems. One of my laptops had to be reformatted as it had our corporate security software on it and there's no way to remove it other than wiping out the operating system and installing fresh. I have a very nice system at home though I am thinking of building a new Windows system that I use with a few MacBook Pros. Dell and Hewlett-Packard reported great results yesterday - a lot of people are buying computers and tablets for work at home or study at home. So not a good time to buy a computer - but I enjoy building computers so that's a project that I have for the next couple of months.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for COVID. The United States has declining New Cases Per Day and the active cases are leveling off. Our numbers are still huge but they drop very sharply as new cases per day decelerates.

A number of people have recommended quitting to me for quite some time and it is relaxing. I have plenty to do but I don't have the pressure associated with a traditional job. It feels pretty weird.

The Nurse Practitioner recommended a visit with the surgeon and a flexible sig exam I do plan to do this but I want to get the COBRA stuff squared away. I technically don't have insurance right now - but I have a number to call if I need a procedure done. I need to establish insurance, which will be retroactive to my termination date, and then schedule the appointment with my surgeon.

It's really important to get stuff done correctly and in a timely manner as there can be serious financial complications if you don't do everything as it should be done.

One last thing - a lot of people are moving to my area. It's considered very safe but we had a migration from Boston that started several years ago. People want to be able to buy a house and send their kids to good schools and so people in the US are moving from cities to suburbs like crazy. The pandemic only accelerated that trend and it's partly due to people being able to work remotely.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Thu Sep 10, 2020 4:55 am

It's been one month and six days since losing my job and I've been adjusting to the world of being unemployed and it's not bad.

I wanted to schedule an appointment with my surgeon but I technically didn't have health insurance coverage for the past 2 1/2 weeks. I received the COBRA letter confirming my coverage and giving me the details on costs, where to send checks and when they are do. I sent them a check for $3,500 yesterday which should cover me until the end of November. COBRA will run through February 2022 so I will have to look at the public exchanges late 2021. There are plans that I like in MA and OK plans in NH but I am hoping that there's something comparable to what I have now in NH for 2022. I will take a look at what's available in NH for 2021 - if there's something comparable, then that would make things easier. Plans on the public exchanges comparable to what I have now would probably cost more, perhaps up to $2,500/month.

A Biden Administration would likely result in additional options, particularly if he lowers the Medicare age to 60 from 65. But I don't know that I'd choose to go on Medicare. The other changes in his policy proposals probably wouldn't affect me though they would benefit a lot of other people. I am unaware of any policy proposals for healthcare by the current Administration. I do need to keep an eye on any potential legislation coming down the road on healthcare coverage as I'm sure many others here that have similar circumstances.

The only place where I'm still connected to my former employer, outside of COBRA coverage, is the 401k plan and that's getting moved over to an IRA in two weeks (earliest possible date).

My local YMCA has announced that they are opening up the tennis courts this month for group lessons and will be opening them up for general use in October so I un-suspended my membership. The indoor track is open at one of their facilities but I have not used it yet. I haven't used their gyms either. You have to sign up for gym use and they have a limit of ten people using the track at any time. They also close the areas for cleaning a few times per day. The number of infections in my town is currently under 5 as is the number in the city where one of the YMCAs is open - so the risk of infection is tiny at this time. Still, it will feel strange going back to the gym. I am just using my home gym, a local Middle-School track, and the great outdoors as my gym.

We're also working on home remodeling as is just about everyone in the area. I've been looking at finding a larger home as well in a quieter place. We are getting inundated with people moving from Boston for the lower cost of living, lower taxes and lower infection rates. There are 242 cases in New Hampshire but 9,000 cases in Massachusetts. We have the second-lowest number of infections in the United States.

For those outside the US, COBRA is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. If you lose your job or quit, you are eligible to continue coverage with your employer's plan for up to eighteen months (longer if you have certain conditions). But you pay the full cost of coverage. Normally employers pay for part of the insurance and it can be a fairly large part. Health insurance is considered a fairly big perk for working in corporate jobs.

The demographics of employees is the biggest factor in healthcare costs. If you worked in a company with a lot of young employees or a lot of healthy employees, then total insurance costs to the company and employees would be lower, assuming equivalent health insurance. So the risk pool of the company is a big factor in health coverage expenses and, ultimately, costs to the employer and the employees. The public exchanges tend to be more expensive because higher-risk people are typically forced into it because they don't have any other choices. I don't think that there is a requirement anymore to have health insurance though I'm not 100% sure of that. But that means that younger, healthier people can opt out of insurance which makes for overall worse risk pools and higher insurance costs.

I was visiting my mother a few weeks ago to drop off groceries and she told me that all of us (there are four of us that are still alive) are unemployed. I'm 61, my older sister is 62 and my younger sisters are 60 and 58. My older sister worked as a nurse for about 40 years and her hospital is being bought out by a private hospital system. The are going to fire all the employees and have them interview to be hired back. The employees will lose all back sick and vacation time. My sister has significant sick and vacation time (you can accumulate years of this in many hospital systems) and decided to just leave and take a lump sum payment for her benefits. And she has essentially retired. Her husband works a tech job so that they have income and health insurance.

My middle sister hasn't worked for a decade. She has a chemical engineering degree from Penn and Masters from Harvard but she's had significant GI issues and had to stop working. My youngest sister was working in an accounting firm but she has a daughter with special needs and quit to help shepherd her through the end of high-school and getting her into college. Her husband fell into a large inheritance shortly after they got married (this was expected). He doesn't really work but they don't really have to.

My mother pointed out that she worked until she was 87 and that we're all slackers finishing so early (she didn't say that but I think that she thought it). Her benefit, though, is that we have more time to help take care of her.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby Rikimaroo » Fri Sep 11, 2020 10:14 am

Mike

I setup a IRA with JP Morgan Chase and logged into my 401k account online and requested a rollover withdrawal, check payable to the institution where the IRA is. It was all really simple and completed in about 2 weeks total. 401K company mailed mea check - I had to take the check to the bank (Chase) and they deposited it. I do the SMART IRA account with Chase, which they allocate my money for investing. So far not bad, but when the market does bad, you know how it goes.

Glad your health is good, jobs will come and go, but keep up on the health.

Riki.
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Fri Sep 11, 2020 10:35 am

Rikimaroo wrote:Mike

I setup a IRA with JP Morgan Chase and logged into my 401k account online and requested a rollover withdrawal, check payable to the institution where the IRA is. It was all really simple and completed in about 2 weeks total. 401K company mailed mea check - I had to take the check to the bank (Chase) and they deposited it. I do the SMART IRA account with Chase, which they allocate my money for investing. So far not bad, but when the market does bad, you know how it goes.

Glad your health is good, jobs will come and go, but keep up on the health.

Riki.


I opened a couple of IRA accounts at Fidelity (by accident) and the 401k will go directly into one of the IRA accounts in ten days. They will transfer all of the positions over as well though I'm 100% in cash at the moment. It looks like it will be really easy to do with Fidelity as well but it's easier as it's all within one bank.

The Hewlett-Packard pension rollover will also go into one of the Fidelity IRAs and I need to call them to check the status on that. I think that happens in October.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:13 pm

Just thought I'd post a note on a friend that had cancer in the 1990s and was on a chemo drug that gave her MS in the 2010s. She has had multiple rounds of chemo and stem cell therapy and was able to stand up on her own (she has needed 7x24 care for the past year). So it is progress. I was able to see her for the first time in over a year via FaceTime. That's a stunning amount of hope for her as she could have been paralyzed for the rest of her life.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Caat55
Posts: 694
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby Caat55 » Sat Oct 17, 2020 1:58 pm

Hi Mike,
I continue to be a little more clumsy, less dexterity than before chemo but it subtle so is it older age or neuropathy, so I am not on computer much except to do work. Teleheath and virtual classroom are hard on eyes as well so the blogs that used to support me are a drain on my eye and hands,

I am sorry to see you have lost your job, it seemed to be a great source of pride. More important is the loss of insurance. What do the health care markets look like in your area?
I find in CA the covered California plans are very good, as it Medicare . My husband will be eligible for Medicare next month so we are looking at all the costs. There is an Agency on Aging which has seminars and virtual counseling to help with decisions. So much to take in.
Susan
Do at 55 y.o. Female
Dx 9/26/17 RC Stage 3
Completed 33 rad. tx, xeolda 12/8/17
MRI and PET 1/18 sign. regression
Surgery 1/31/18 Ileostomy, clean margins, no lymph node involved
Port 3/1/2018
Oxaliplatin and Xeloda start 3/22/18
Last Oxaliplatin 7/5/18, 5 rounds
CT NED 9/2018
PET NED 12/18
Clear Colonoscopy 2/19, 5/20

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:09 pm

Caat55 wrote:Hi Mike,
I continue to be a little more clumsy, less dexterity than before chemo but it subtle so is it older age or neuropathy, so I am not on computer much except to do work. Teleheath and virtual classroom are hard on eyes as well so the blogs that used to support me are a drain on my eye and hands,

I am sorry to see you have lost your job, it seemed to be a great source of pride. More important is the loss of insurance. What do the health care markets look like in your area?
I find in CA the covered California plans are very good, as it Medicare . My husband will be eligible for Medicare next month so we are looking at all the costs. There is an Agency on Aging which has seminars and virtual counseling to help with decisions. So much to take in.
Susan


Thanks for your note. At our age, it's often tough to tell whether it's aging or side-effects from treatment.

I'm on COBRA and it's about $1,550/month so I'll do that until it runs out and then look at the exchanges. They are not horrible nor great in my state and I will consider moving to Massachusetts if things don't improve here. Massachusetts has an absolute ton of plans including one that is similar to what I have now. Even their Medicaid program is well-liked.

If Joe Biden wins next month, and the Democrats take the Senate, then we may have Medicare at age 60. I do not know whether or not I would go that route but it is an option.

Not having to work is actually easier. I am still quite busy and much better able to exercise but I'm able to get a reasonable amount of sleep and reduce stress from not having to work. I think that everyone should have a long sabbatical every couple of years. I could go and look for work as I think that there is a fair amount of it in my field; but I'm focused on yoga, weight-training and cardio for now.

I have looked at the Medicare parts several years ago when dealing with billing issues for my mother but will have to look at it again at some point.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Mon Oct 19, 2020 5:36 pm

The Male functionality lost after the LAR appears to have started working today. There is an old thread on Colon Talk about it which I need to read up on. I also have to look through an anatomy book to see how things are supposed to work and I have a number of papers to go through on the subject. It's nice when you get something back to working.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Utwo
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 10:14 am
Location: T.O.

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby Utwo » Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:54 am

NHMike wrote:I made well over a year's salary in trading profits in these three weeks.
What I found is that my trading and investing is a lot better when I have more time to focus on it.
NHMike, do you mind sharing what you did in August?
I also have more spare time since September 1st. :(
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:36 pm

Utwo wrote:
NHMike wrote:I made well over a year's salary in trading profits in these three weeks.
What I found is that my trading and investing is a lot better when I have more time to focus on it.
NHMike, do you mind sharing what you did in August?
I also have more spare time since September 1st. :(


Just trading stocks.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Wed Oct 21, 2020 5:05 pm

I picked up some Sujo Kombucha today. I really like the Costco Kombucha (Ginger Lemon) but they sell it in 8-bottle boxes and that would be a lot of space in the fridge. A cup of that stuff will clean you out in about eight hours and I was thinking that it wouldn't be bad to get a cleanout once a week.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Sat Oct 24, 2020 4:34 pm

The Kombucha works quite well - I just have to drink 1/4 bottle for it to do its thing. Maybe two bottles a week. I'd like to buy it at Costco but it would take up a lot of space in the fridge. One option would be to get a mini-fridge in the basement - which I'm thinking about.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

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

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby Gravelyguy » Sun Oct 25, 2020 5:46 pm

Hi Mike,

I enjoyed making kumbacha before my diagnosis but lost the taste for it during treatment. I may have to try it again. I haven’t had the need to crush the system too often but it is nice to know that that might do it!

Hope you are enjoying your retirement. I am a year away from when I can retire and still wrestling with the idea. Trying to teach during this pandemic may help sway me!

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!

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Mon Oct 26, 2020 1:22 pm

Gravelyguy wrote:Hi Mike,

I enjoyed making kumbacha before my diagnosis but lost the taste for it during treatment. I may have to try it again. I haven’t had the need to crush the system too often but it is nice to know that that might do it!

Hope you are enjoying your retirement. I am a year away from when I can retire and still wrestling with the idea. Trying to teach during this pandemic may help sway me!

Dave


There are a ton of different flavors out there. It's nice to have an option when you really want a cleanout and you don't want to go with medication.

I am surprisingly busy - lately doing a ton of home remodeling. All that stuff that you let go over the decades - you can clean it up and fix it up. Everyone is doing it though - not just retirees. The motivation is that you have to spend more time inside (or in the great outdoors) so might as well make where you spend a lot of time more comfortable.

It is very difficult to think about retirement if you've worked all of your life - you feel scared, you question your self-worth; because we are so tied to our jobs in the United States.

But at least in my case and the case of everyone I know: it's an easy transition.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT


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