Well this is a bit late but wanted to share my experience. I was diagnosed with colon cancer after receiving a colonoscopy in late January. They scheduled a resection operation in February to remove the canerous area. I was still having terrible fluid retention problems, so I had to get clearance from a cardiologist and pulmanologist. They said I only had a 10% chance of making it through surgery if I didn't have open heart surgery first. My heart was only working at 15 to 20% of capacity so the surgery had to be done immediately. I had gained 70 pounds in the previous six weeks. All the doctors got together to see if they could actually do the surgery. The heart surgeon said he could fix the problems but didn't know if I could make it through the surgery. There was a great bit of discussion as to whether or not to go ahead or if my chances were so low that I wouldn't make it. After much debate and drama, they transferred me to NW Regional Medical Center where they have a heart center. They did a double bypass and repaired 2 valves. To make a long story short I obviously made it. However, I started having chest pains again about 3 weeks after surgery. They rushed me to the hospital for a catherazation and found that I have another bad artery. My heart is now operating at about 40 to 50%.
At six weeks they felt I was strong enough to have the bowel resection and did it September 2nd. The surgeon said he found about 5 inches of obvious cancer and removed about 18 inches of colon. He also removed 26 lymph nodes. The tissue went to pathology for analysis. The report came back showing the cancer had spread beyond the colon, and was found in 20 of the 26 samples, as well as the colon itself. They set the diagnoses as stage 3c cancer. Research says stage 3C has about a 40% chance of a five year survival. I went to an oncologist and he sent me for a PET scan and told me I had to have chemo. he said "not having chemo was just plain suicide". They are going to put in a "port" for the chemo. I will have to have at least six months of it. He got the results last Wednesday and I got a call from a hospital for pre-admittance the next day. I asked what for and they said it was for the port. then I got a call from a home nursing agency attempting to set up an appointment to come here to the house to start a 48 hour chemo pump. I didn't know anything about any of this. When I was at the oncologist, he said he would have a treatment plan ready for me, and we would discuss it when I came back in a week. I'm supposed to go see him this Wednesday (9/28) to discuss it. The PET scan showed the cancer spreading so he was going to start me with the 48 hour treatment before starting the regular chemo treatments. He didn't tell his scheduling department that I was taking coumadin (blood thinner) and they had to reschedule the port procedure. Now the doctors are arguing about who is going to do the procedure. Such drama!! My regular surgeon (Dr Paul Wizman) is absolutely wonderful, knows me well and really cares. He has done 3 operations on me and has been involved with all my medical issues for the last 3 years. I am a person to him, not just another patient!!! That is very hard to find down here in south Florida. So, at this point, I will be going to the oncologist Wednesday, have to port installed Thursday and the chemo home pump attached and started Friday.
As you can imagine, this is all very intense, scary and nerve racking!
I wake up feeling good but by around 3pm I get weak and tired. The chemo is just going to make that worse. I'm nervous and anxious to know what he is going to tell me on Wednesday. I'll let you know.
In the interim, I keep busy with our web store www.stuffnthingscorp.com . Riata CRM Support and Custom programming.
I am writing this blog to share my experiences with my Cancers, Weight Issues, and Surgeries over the last few years. Hopefully it will help some of you, as well as making me feel better while sharing. You will also see what is on my mind when I just feel like sharing or ranting. Sometimes I will share items from our store.
Hello, Bob, it is Marie from AC Dropshippers and Wall to Wall Books.com. I read your latest blog and agree that all of this is scary, nerve wracking and disconcerting, to say the least. My mom had colon cancer surgery and then radiation treatments afterward. The doctors didn't give her much hope of surviving for more that 3 or 4 months. But God is good and God is faithful. He answered our prayers and she was with us for much longer and was even well enough to be matron of honor in my daughter's wedding. She lived with that darned feeding tube in her stomach for a year and a half because they said she would never be able to eat normally again. They were wrong!
ReplyDeleteTrust your doctor, the one who you say is also your friend. And trust the Lord for HIS healing, whether he gives you more time here or heals you by taking you to heaven. I will be praying for your decision making in your treatment and for the healing of your body. God is the best medicine. He knows you inside and out and every hair on your head. He loves you and is there for you no matter what. Jeremiah 33:3 is one of my favorite verses. I am quoting it without looking it up so it may not be perfect. God says, "Call unto me and I will show you great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." That would be my advice. Put your trust in Him. God bless you. I will post my email so that I get your updates. Big hug to you!