The Colon Club

I like reading these stories. Had my six month blood draw and checkup (no scans) and all was well. In and out in 29 minutes. That’s 2.5 years from stage 3. Hope you all are doing well.

Sorry, everyone for the delayed response. My scans and tests were clear so 2 years following surgery NED. My CEA was 0.9, which was new and some diverticulitis, but all the docs suggested I was doing quite well. No more colonoscopy follow ups for the next 5 years, which I find strange??? so will get another from a different doctor in a year to be on the safe side. My oncologist wants me to have one last 6 month interval CT scan in March before reverting to a year, so fingers crossed I can get some more distance between my anxiety bombs soon!

Hope everyone is well, moving forward, and had a Happy Christmas with your families! Thanks for being there for each other!

DonutHead wrote:Sorry, everyone for the delayed response. My scans and tests were clear so 2 years following surgery NED. My CEA was 0.9, which was new and some diverticulitis, but all the docs suggested I was doing quite well. No more colonoscopy follow ups for the next 5 years, which I find strange??? so will get another from a different doctor in a year to be on the safe side. My oncologist wants me to have one last 6 month interval CT scan in March before reverting to a year, so fingers crossed I can get some more distance between my anxiety bombs soon!

Hope everyone is well, moving forward, and had a Happy Christmas with your families! Thanks for being there for each other!

Congrats and Merry Christmas!! ...I enjoy reading all of these great reports!

DonutHead wrote:Sorry, everyone for the delayed response. My scans and tests were clear so 2 years following surgery NED. My CEA was 0.9, which was new and some diverticulitis, but all the docs suggested I was doing quite well. No more colonoscopy follow ups for the next 5 years, which I find strange??? so will get another from a different doctor in a year to be on the safe side. My oncologist wants me to have one last 6 month interval CT scan in March before reverting to a year, so fingers crossed I can get some more distance between my anxiety bombs soon!

Hope everyone is well, moving forward, and had a Happy Christmas with your families! Thanks for being there for each other!

Thank God! I have been waiting for this!!!! So glad you are well and you are putting this dx behind you! You give us such hope!
You are a God send, truly. You helped me during such a dark time in my life. Strangers helping strangers turned warrior friends. Merry Christmas and a happy healthy new year! May you grow very old, wrinkly and gray!
Lydia

I get so much hope with threads like these. It could seriously be me that's NED with no reoccurrence. It has to be someone, right?

Hi

I was just diagnosed with cancer today. I’m sure you understand where I am mentally.

I read through this entire thread over the weekend as I suspected I might be having to take this journey. I literally I’m starting from square one like teacher and am hoping for some positivity and to meet you all.

I’m looking for anything. I’m scared. I read the posts and get motivated to fight. But then look at my kids and fear leaving them soon.

I’m waiting on a meeting with a colorectal surgeon to determine next steps.

Welcome to the forum...we have all been there from the start and most of of us are here now. You are in good company and we are here to help. Being afraid is normal, I am still afraid. Once you are diagnosed, your world seemingly changes, but in reality it doesn't. You now have a fight on your hands, but you are not alone. you have doctors, family, friends, strangers on the forum. We are here for you! You have a million questions...ask! we are moving in to a new year and what you need is hope and determination. Do not give up before you even start. I will not kid you, there will be tough times. However, just know that this disease strikes when we least expect it, hides, fights back...but it can and has been BEATEN! Do not get down on yourself or feel defeated....you have only begun to fight! You are in all of our prayers! Let us know how we can help!

In the words of the great Winston Churchill...Despite the odds, we will never, Never, NEVER surrender!

I'm so sorry about your recent diagnosis. Based on my experience, the first few weeks are the worst - the dreaded C word, the big unknown, the frantic online reading (not a good idea, except for this forum, really, although I still find myself googling things a lot). Then slowly things fall into place - a better knowledge of what's what, a treatment plan with clear objectives. Things are way better in terms of treatment than they were even 10 years ago. Stay hopeful! As you can see on this forum, many have beaten this beast; others are still fighting, and will keep fighting for a long time. Cancer has gone from being a death sentence to being more and more often a chronic disease, that people live with/manage while still having a good quality of life. Hang in there XXXXX

Thanks to both of you for replying.

I’m just finding I’m trying to find a way to adjust and live my life as normal as possible. I don’t want to waste anymore time being sad but also have this crippling scare that rushes over me.

This of course happens over the holidays so everything is more emotional and moving slower. I want to get into a surgeon ASAP but of course the one I was recommended is closed today and tomorrow!

I work for a major casino and it blows my mind casinos are open 24 hours a day but medical facilities seem to move at their own pace. This is my life. I need to know more about what’s going on inside of me!

Just going through what I think maybe the anger phase.

AmyG wrote:I get so much hope with threads like these. It could seriously be me that's NED with no reoccurrence. It has to be someone, right?

Yes it can be. And I feel like some handle this like a chronic illness. We have to be hopeful and sometimes put cancer in a box on a shelf. Keep doing all we can do- control our diet and hope that some scientist somewhere makes a breakthrough.

We are absolutely here for you!!!! I have learned a lot as you can see from this thread - I still go through all the emotions.
You must know this- stats are old. And include the old, those who refuse treatment ana those who die of something else. So those numbers will not help you. Join support groups with a wealth of information. Blue Hope Nation, Colontown - all on Facebook. They really helped me. You are in limbo right now but you must be your own advocate. You won’t know much until they remove whatever needs removing. Then you will get a pathology report with answers and info. You will feel much better with a plan. Please keep in touch and let us know what state you are in. Add a signature to your posts too. We wish you well. You can do this!!!
Lydia

Malidosa wrote:Thanks to both of you for replying.

I’m just finding I’m trying to find a way to adjust and live my life as normal as possible. I don’t want to waste anymore time being sad but also have this crippling scare that rushes over me.

This of course happens over the holidays so everything is more emotional and moving slower. I want to get into a surgeon ASAP but of course the one I was recommended is closed today and tomorrow!

I work for a major casino and it blows my mind casinos are open 24 hours a day but medical facilities seem to move at their own pace. This is my life. I need to know more about what’s going on inside of me!

Just going through what I think maybe the anger phase.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I was diagnosed on 12/31/19. I’m meeting with a second surgeon this morning as my case has a couple wrinkles in it that will probably require more invasive treatment during surgery. I’m extremely nervous this morning and telling myself to calm down and breathe. I have 17 year old twins who are being extremely strong and that helps. I’m worried about leaving my kids too.

It’s so hard to do in the beginning while you sit and wait... take some breaths, possibly try to meditate (I never tried before but I’m going to start). Many hugs and know you’re not alone. Come to this board anytime for support!!!!

We have all been there. It is healthy to have all of the emotions, just be sure to work through them. What i learned in the early stages of my diagnosis is to inform yourself and to always have a plan. one step at a time and deal with only what is in front of you. fear is normal, i still fear what could come tomorrow. my world of invincibility was shattered when diagnosed and i will never be the same.

the thing is, you got this. you need to be confident in YOU. Having a strong support network is key, but YOU will be doing the heavy lifting. We are lucky to be in an era where there is so much working on our side with the doctors, the care, treatment, and medical advances. Just never ever quit!

Hi all-
I figured since we are on a Coronacation I’d check in. I actually forgot to post in Feb when I got my clear scan! So happy for it but I’m learning that PTSD is very real and I can’t just let it go and put it in the past. Stage 4 won’t let me. Still feel action in my liver but nothing on the scans. It did mention a non-changing nodule on my lung but no one refers to it as anything. Anyone go to a therapist? Is it helpful or am I wasting my money and inevitably making myself feel worse? Hoping you are all well and keeping busy. Hoping you are also social distancing.

Lydia

Hi Lydia,
So nice to hear that your scan showed still NED!
I agree a stage IV mark will always follow us, but I think we are all fragile. It comes with our human condition, we drive cars, we can get a virus, our beloved ones can also get sick and leave us. So I try not to waste time and do everything I can to enjoy life. For me it means being with my children, taking long walks with my dog, running, playing the piano, working and starting new projects all the time (in the middle of an origami crush right now). So therapy is for sure a positive thing if you want to find out things about yourself, but my advice is to think about cancer as something that happened and can come back just as any other accident in life.

A big hug

Claudia