Postby Nicolouna » Fri Nov 27, 2020 11:54 am
One of the many things I learned from this 7+ year journey for me, is that while the doctors know a lot about cancer, there is a lot they don't know. Statistics are helpful in determining the plan of action, but a person is an individual, not a statistic. Personally what has helped me has been to make short term goals... ex: get through surgery, recover, 1 chemo at a time, etc. Live day by day. You can't control the diagnosis or see what will happen in the future. Be happy with the decisions you make. My mentality is to do the most you can to treat the disease, whether that's surgery, chemo, radiation (if appropriate), change of lifestyle, etc. Don't take medical advice from Dr. Google. I've found it personally difficult for me to make any long-term goals, especially since I've had multiple recurrences now but I very much live every day to the fullest, I do things that make me happy, do not do things out of guilt, avoid toxic relationships. I understand your stress, trust me, it comes and goes for me but I try not to dwell on it. Cancer is a life-changing diagnosis, truly a journey, whether it is short or long so like others have mentioned, there is a learning curve.
Dx @ 27yo, female w colon cancer (T4N0M0)
Aug 2013: R hemicolectomy
FOLFOX: Oct 2013-April 2014, NED
May 2016: had a baby ❤️
June 2017: L ovary met, surgical removal
July 2017: pancreatic met
Aug 2017: FOLFIRI
Dec 2017: Whipple’s. 1/36 nodes+
May 2018: 12 FOLFIRI done, NED
Sept 2018: abnormal cyst R ovary - surgery, no cancer (false alarm)
Dec 2019: abdo wall met, resected, clear margins
Oct 2020: new primary colon ca (T4N0), partial colectomy
Nov 2020: XELOX reaction, converted to FOLFOX