Stage Four posting here for first time. Have been reading for a few months. I feel compelled to tell my story since I am alive and feeling well. I crave survival stories, but have been afraid to see myself in that way. Jinxing myself? I'm still scared and always will be.
So impressed with the thoughtfulness and intellect of members. Very inspirational and educational, and a real godsend for me in my darkest moments. From the sidelines, I've donated to the Club and gifted Colondars to my medical team for Christmas, but exposing myself on the forum as a "healthy" Stage Four cancer patient seems right now.
Here goes:
Female- Age 54 at DX after MD discouraged my requested colonoscopy at age 50 physical because no fam hx of cancer or symptoms. Working on forgiving myself for listening to him and delaying. Always lean, fit, active, and health conscious.
May 2010- fatigue sent me for a physical- Dx: cancer- ascending colon and right liver lobe (two lesions).
June 2010-Three oncology consults -including Dr.Personality
June 2010- Folfox
Sept 2010- Right liver lobe/colon resections, gallbladder/appendix removal- return to hospital for infection of incision
Nov 2010- March 2011- Folfox
NED
Halloween 2011- Right lung recurrence- one 8mm lesion
Nov 2011- VATS
Feb 2012- Xeloda -2000mg (Marshall plan-5days on/2days off) after no real consensus from two tumor boards- doing for 4-6 months just because I'm scared not to
NED as far as I know
There. That's my cancer self, in a nutshell. Thanks