Newly Diagnosed

I am a 34 year old mother of three and was just diagnosed with colon cancer that has metzed to the liver.  I go in for treatment every two weeks, I will be going in for my fourth this Tuesday.  So far I feel pretty lucky (considering).  The side effects from the chemo are very minimal.  Just a little tingling in my hands when they get too cold. It's tough to read my doctors but I know they are fighting for me very hard.  I will have to have surgery on my colon and major surgery on my liver.  The tumor there is very large.  My surgeon seems quite capable and I have heard nothing but good things about my oncologist.  I try not to think about this too much.  I'm just trying to go about my life as usual, zoo trips with the kids, camping, birthday parties etc..   I have changed my diet drastically.  Mostly fresh vegetables, fruit, whole grains and little fish and chicken.  It's so frustrating though.  I hear so many stories about how people were not helped by standard medicine. It makes me second guess everything me and my doctors are doing.  Am I doing the right thing going through chemo?  Is the fact that I am having no major side effects and feel absolutely wonderful as good of a sign as I think it is? Am I kidding myself that I could actually beat this?  I don't hear of too many people my age who have this so it's so hard for me to believe that the negative stories I have read actually apply to me.  I would hope that my young age and relative good health (except for the cancer of course) put me in an entirely different category than most people dealing with this.  I try to keep up a happy face but the fact is I am very scared and I wish I could talk to someone who has beat this and can give me some hope.  If there is anyone out there who has a positive story, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Hang in there - you can beat this - many with stage 4 with the profile the same as yours have beat the beast  I was stage 3 B 3years ago and I am considered a survivor.  I hope that others with stage 4 will post.  Keep positive and fight like hell.  That's what I have done.  Your are young and the chemo is having minimal effect on you- you have a good shot.  I have arrived where I am today by working on acceptance along with hope and prayer.  Once I knew that I must keep myself in a posture of acceptance of any outcome, I found I could relax and enjoy life without the constant fear of  what this or that scan would show or what my doctors would tell me.  God Bless you and Good luck.  Wrap your children and your family around you and stay determined.

Hi Youngmom....in fact you are way too young for Cancer....every body is! My wife was diagnosed with Colon Cancer with Liver Met. At first, she started with severe abdominal pain, ... it was peritonitis, she had emergency surgery. After few days we went home and had to come back to the Clinic several times. Finally we were diagnosed on Dec 26 07. Since then, life changed. She received a colon surgery on Jan 08 and started Chemo on Jan 21 08, all her pain was gone. Since then, she received 9 round Chimo and on JUN 05 08 the oncologist tried a curative surgery (Liver surgery), unfortunatelly they couldn´t do it, because she still had peritoneal tumors.

The Chemo she started was FOLFOX+Avastin and then they replaced the Oxilaplatino for Camptosar (Irinotecan); i.e. FOLFIRI+Avastin, because she had a severe allergic reaction (anafilaxis). The Oxilaplatino also caused her tinglying on her hands and feet....she was able to take just 2 round. Afterward, she had very good reactions to the Chemo rounds...one day very tired, one day ok...and then, her life is normal. If you want to avoid that tinglyin feeling, you have to stay away from cold surfaces and cold drinks. 

So far so good. Although, they weren´t able to perform surgery, we are OK and the Oncologist will replace the Avastin for Herbitux for a while.

About the diet, my wife has always been a "little piggy" (she normally weights about 100 pounds)....but lost 15 pounds with the Colon surgery!!!....They gave her Promyrtil and she was able to gain weight...a lot, now she weights 116 pounds! Thus, healthy diet is a good thing....I recommend you to enjoy life....a bit of butter, ice cream, bacon.....won´t kill you. 

She is very healthy and happy right now....she is a extraordinary person...so strong. 

My wife also believes in alternatives ways and I believe it really helps. I think Chemo and surgery are the correct and "standard" ways, but "alternatives ways" are necessary. If you want to calls us, do so. We live in Santiago, Chile.

What really puts you in a "different category" is your "happy face" and your strength within, don´t lose it!!! Good luck and don´t forget to enjoy life as it is.

Hibert

Keep up the good fight!  If you have faith in your doctors then trust their advice and (rule#1) do what they say.  Your main job now is to keep your chin up and take great care of your self. Try looking a the "Super Foods" books.  They talk about foods that can help your body fight.  Let your family help you.  And keep your self up, physically and mentally.  I "discovered" THE NAP.  A 10 minute rest recharged me like you wouldn't believe.

And have faith.  Prayer is neat stuff---it helps you focus and stay in touch with important things in life. 

Hello,

You are definitely young- I was also considered young for this- diagnosed at age 41.  Rectal cancer w/ mets to liver and both lungs.  Now, 10 months after my severe stage 4 diagnosis, NOTHING shows up on my PET scan at all!  After almost 6 months of Folfox +Avastin, I went from 12+ tumors in my liver (not a surgical candidate) down to just 3, which no longer showed up on the PET, just the CT.  Iwent from numerous in both lungs to just one 1 cm nodule in the upper right lobe of my right lung.  At that point, the Drs. decided to focus on my original rectal tumor.  I then had 6 weeks of radiation & weekly chemo to prepare it for the rectal resection.  Guess what?  It completely disappeared & pathology reports showed nothing there, but with completely absolutely fresh new tissue.  I didn't need the rectal resection!  I did just experience having the liver surgery, however (even though the remaining 3 didn't show up on the PET, they needed to come out).  My liver surgery was just 2 weeks ago today.  It was major, but I'm actually healing and getting around a lot better than I thought I would.  I wrote an account of my liver resection surgery under the "rectal cancer" section of the message board, if you're interested in reading it.  SO- yes, there can and are positive outcomes, even when the initial diagnosis seems quite grim.  If you have a faith in God, please cling to that- He's got you in the palm of His hand!  My faith has definitely been strengthened through this all.

Blessings to you,

Lisa

 

On 6/7/2008 lisaann wrote:

Hello,

You are definitely young- I was also considered young for this- diagnosed at age 41.  Rectal cancer w/ mets to liver and both lungs.  Now, 10 months after my severe stage 4 diagnosis, NOTHING shows up on my PET scan at all!  After almost 6 months of Folfox +Avastin, I went from 12+ tumors in my liver (not a surgical candidate) down to just 3, which no longer showed up on the PET, just the CT.  Iwent from numerous in both lungs to just one 1 cm nodule in the upper right lobe of my right lung.  At that point, the Drs. decided to focus on my original rectal tumor.  I then had 6 weeks of radiation & weekly chemo to prepare it for the rectal resection.  Guess what?  It completely disappeared & pathology reports showed nothing there, but with completely absolutely fresh new tissue.  I didn't need the rectal resection!  I did just experience having the liver surgery, however (even though the remaining 3 didn't show up on the PET, they needed to come out).  My liver surgery was just 2 weeks ago today.  It was major, but I'm actually healing and getting around a lot better than I thought I would.  I wrote an account of my liver resection surgery under the "rectal cancer" section of the message board, if you're interested in reading it.  SO- yes, there can and are positive outcomes, even when the initial diagnosis seems quite grim.  If you have a faith in God, please cling to that- He's got you in the palm of His hand!  My faith has definitely been strengthened through this all.

Blessings to you,

Lisa

Where did you go for treatment???

Dear Lisa,

 

I just read your message about your RC and surgery and want to say also......Praise The Lord.  While we're dealing with Small Cell Lung Cancer (my husband) I know it's been God who has carried us.  In our little church alone there are about 4 people dealing with various types of cancer and if it weren't for the prayers, we wouldn't be here. 

 

I wish you continuous remission and I try to remember everyone on this board who is dealing with any kind of cancer in my daily prayers.

Kathy

Hi. Lisa, all your information has been very helpful. I´ve read your posting under the "rectal Cancer" section. Your case is very similar to my wife´s (I described it on this section). You even sound like her...is funny, thank you. 

I´m writing from the Clinic room, lying next to her, with a wonderful view of the sun coming up just behind the Andes mountains.....hoping for better days.

She is 45 and on JUN 05 she almost went under surgery, but they found several small peritoneal tumors and decided to cancel it (for now) the surgery....my question to you or to anyone is...has anybody had peritoneal tumors and had it removed? How?  

Thanks

I just had the liver resection surgery at UCSD/Moores Cancer Center in La Jolla, CA (San Diego).  My oncologist is Dr. Ed McClay, where I had my main chemo treatments was at Pacific Oncology in north San Diego County in Vista, CA- not really anywhere reknown.  My surgeon down at UCSD is pretty reknown, though- Dr. Andrew Lowy.  He moved in this past year from Cincinatti & was at MD Anderson before that.

Best wishes-

Lisa

Hibert,

I've not experienced peritoneal tumors so, unfortunately, I can't help you there.  Have you ever discussed Cyberknife with any of the doctors?  Google cyberknife and you can find out more about it & if they do it near where you are.  I don't know if that would work in that area, but it'd be worth checking into.  I'm assuming they'll probably start your wife on a different chemo after finding these other tumors.  Best wishes to you and your wife.  P.S. I'd love to see the Andes Mtns. someday!

Take care,

Lisa