On Apr 03, 2012 10:34 PM Starryskies214 wrote:
Hi everyone, I'm really new here and have been reading through some of the posts. I've been learning some stuff but most of it is scary. I'm 26 years old and was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer (spread to liver and lymph nodes) on February 15th (I have no family history, I don't even like red meat...). On the 2/22 I went in for a left hemicolectomy, which I'm healing well from. I've also had two rounds of chemo (Folfox and Avastin) and have 3 more scheduled.
I know it's good to have support of people who know what you're going through but I've been hesitant and I'm wondering if I should just stay off of the internet when it comes to this stuff. Like I'd never heard it referred to as "terminal cancer" until today. I don't see myself as terminal. I've read some posts and see where doctors give some people an estimated amount of time left. I just feel lucky that no doctors have told me how much time to expect because I think that would make it so much harder. I was silly and googled the survival rate, which I feel I would have been better off not knowing.
I'm so sorry for anyone who's going through this or anyone who has family who's going through it. I have a husband and a 6 year old daughter and I feel like it's almost easier for me to go through it than to see someone I love going through it. I don't see that I have any option but to make it through, I guess I almost hadn't even thought that I may not. Only when I first heard cancer from my GI doctor did I think, 'people die from cancer' but since then it hasn't been a thought.
If everything goes according to plan, my liver lesions are shrinking and I'll have them removed sometime in the next 2 months, followed by more chemo and that'll be that!
I was wondering if anyone has suggestions about things to eat when you don't feel like you can eat anything. On my chemo weeks, food sounds so gross my diet has basically been saltine crackers. I've talked to the dietician at the cancer center I go to but it's easy to say that I'll even though I don't want to than it is to actually do it.
Also, I've been finding out more about the liver surgery and was wondering if anyone has been through it and how hard is it to recover from in comparison to a left hemicolectomy. I was in the hospital for 5 days after that surgery and I just didn't know how the recovery rate was in comparison.
I'm sorry this is so jumbled, my nerves are up and I just have so many thoughts that it's hard for me to get them all down in a way that makes any sense haha.
Thank you if you read this and thanks for any replies!
I wanted to share my story with you, screw the statistics...you are an individual not a number!!!
I was diagnosed in Nov 2009 with stage 4 colon cancer with mets to my lymph nodes, liver and both lungs. I found out in the emergency room when I went in for severe stomach pains that I thought was my appendix. I had 16 inches of my colon removed the next day. I went to my first oncologist appointment where I was told that chemo would buy me some time, but my options were limited because of how many spots I had. There was one on each lung and 7 spots on my liver. I was told that it would be around a year and a half to 2 years with chemo. I left that doctors appointment devastated and went for multiple opinions asking for aggressive treatment. I found a doctor who was willing to see what could be done, rather then just fill me with chemo for time being added on. I had 8 doses of 5 FU, luekovorin, oxaliplatin and avastin. Had a 6 week wait and went for a portal vein emobolization to increase the size of the good tissue in my liver. This was successful, so they went back in for another portal vein emolization to increase that tissue even more...again success. I then had enough good tissue to make liver resection possible, and all 7 spots were removed. I was told to anticipate 14 to 20 days in the hospital to recover, as they ended up removing 70% of my liver. I was out in 4 days after the surgery. I waited 2 weeks and went in to have the right lung spot removed, out in 4 days again...back in the following week for the left lung, out in 3 days. I had to wait another 6 weeks and then went back for another 8 rounds of the chemo...had some complications with the oxaliplatin, but tolorated it very well. It has now been 1 year and 6 months since chemo and I have NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE still. The team of doctors I had were incredible, and telling them I wanted an aggressive treatment did play a factor. I was in great shape and only 39 years old...and no way ready to just "buy some time". I kept a very positive attitude the entire time. I always thought to myself that if I got to down or depressed than the cancer had already won. I wanted to live life, not live with cancer. I stuck to my normal life as much as possible...including going to the gym with that damn chemo back attached for a little work-out. Do not let cancer take over your life. Let yourself feel hopeful, enjoy the time you have everyday with that new found perspective only someone that has gone through this has. I did find it helpful to join a support group, and I think my attitude helps some of them in my group. There is a lot of sadness, fear and pain that you go through with this disease and getting it out in an environment of understanding is helpful...it also allows you to try and normalize your life by getting what is on your chest off.
You will recover at your own pace from the surgery, it can be rough the first day or two, but get up and walk as soon as you can..it really does help. You will have a few days of being strangley tired after, but as the liver regenerates it passes. I hate food that I craved post surgery, things that had protein to help your body recover and actually some whey protein shakes to round it off.
I am hoping everything goes well for you...feel free to reach out if you would like, happy to provide a perspective from the other side of all the craziness