dulcimergal

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Michigan

Hi, how are you? I've been reading all of your posts and I think we are both in the same boat. I was diagnosed 3-10-08 with rectal cancer after an ultrasound they staged me at III. I went through 5 weeks of radiation and 5-fu and am scheduled to have surgery on tuesday 6-10-08. I was just wondering where is your tumor? how high up? Did they mention a temporary ileostomy to you? Did they run any tests after rad?
Look forward to hearing from you and wish you all the best in your surgery!

Denise

DulcimerGal · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: Re: dulcimergal

Wow Denise - nice to meet you! You certainly seem to have similar issues to me. I did see on another post that you are having Laproscopic surgery - I'm seeing my surgeon Thursday and will ask him why that is not an option for me.

I think it is because my tumor is very close to my sphincter muscle.
They have not done a test since I finished radiation - my surgeon is a fan of the infamous DRE - so that is what I have to look forward to on Thursday. The tumor was originally around 4cm and very low in the rectum as I mentioned.

Where is your tumor? is it further up? And Yes - if the surgery goes well and my surgeon can get a cancer free edge to attach the colon to - I will have an ileostomy when I wake up. If he can't get a cancer free edge of at least 2 centimeters - then they will have to take it all out and do a colostomy.

I am also having the tumor out, the lymph nodes, the pathways (blood vessels etc) and surrounding peritoneal fat as the tumor had gone through the rectal wall. Also my surgeon specifically said he wants to take a good look at my other organs, as CT scans do not always tell the whole story.

I see you already finished chemo and radiation, do you know if it shrunk your tumor yet? If so - how much???

I had six weeks of that mess, and then the Doc wanted to wait til June 18th to do the surgery to give the tumor time to shrink more.....I never had an ultrasound though I have asked about it several times.

So - where do you live in Michigan? I went up to Grand Rapids where my daughter lives for all my second opinions - she wanted me to stay up there for the whole year.......no way - for me it is just too darn COLD!!

Thanks for the good wishes - you will get your surgery before me - so I hope you feel well enough to post and let us know how things go.
I certainly hope it goes well for you too

DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Michigan

Dulcimergal,
My tumor is 3-4 cm and according to my colonoscopy it is at 13 cm up, but according to the ultrasound it is at about 10 cm. The ultrasound showed that it has just started to get through the wall and he noted that a lymph node was possibly involved. Hopefully the five weeks of chemo/rad knocked everything out! I'm really curious to see how well it worked. I only had to go through five weeks, but that was plenty for me. I can say though that I have noticed my bowel changes are for the better, I don't have the pressure and everything coming out looks normal (it's become a habit of looking to see how it looks).

My doc and rad onc. like to do the surgery at 4 weeks, so my time is coming up tuesday. I can't wait for it to be cut out , but boy am I nervous.

I live in Chesterfield, which is about 30 minutes from Detroit. It's supposed to be 80-90 degrees all week!!!!

Have a great day and stay in touch.

Best wishes,
Denise

REB · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:18 pm Post subject: Re: dulcimergal

DulcimerGal, just checking to see how you are doing.
_________________
10/01/07 - Removal of Stage III Colon Cancer Tumor and Temporary Colostomy
Started Chemotherapy 11-07-07 - FOLFOX regimen - 5-FU (5 Flurouracil) and leucovorin, oxaliplatin. Also Avastin
Last Chemo treatment 04-09-08, Colostomy Reversal 04-28-08 Age:41

DulcimerGal · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:15 pm Post subject: Re: dulcimergal

Thanks REB!

I got the reversal done yesterday morning....brought PC to the hospital and just now got online!

I have an incision just like you....covered with a dressing right now - it looks good though when they change it.
Yesterday and today only ice chips and to day just small sips of fluid, wow it made me nauseous....Doc says to go slow. They bought me a dinner tray of liquids tonight - but I only sipped the broth and some hot tea.

I am dying with gas and cramps....Doc put the scope down to check on the recontruction and dilated the J pouch before closing my ileostomy - so I guess there's a bunch of air in there....all supposedly went well and looks good, but I sure do hurt right now....

But hey - THE BAG IS GONE!!!!!! Yea....

Not sure when they will let me go home though....hoping for soft foods tomorrow

Cheers
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Michigan

Hi Dulcimergal,

I'm glad to hear everything went well!!! Time to celebrate the bag is gone!!

It's best to take it slow and easy. You'll soon be home. I hwad surgery on Wed. and home Friday.

Good luck.

Denise

DulcimerGal · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:04 pm Post subject: Re: dulcimergal

Hi Denise.....

How are your bowels??? C'mon - tell me what I'm in for!!!

Cheers
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Michigan

Dulcimergal,

Well the first week was basically running back and forth to the bathroom.
This week has sort of slowed down, I have a window between 5-7 pm where I run back and forth maybe 5-10 times, but it seems to be getting better and not so bad. I'm still real nervous leaving the house, so I try to work around the 5-7 time.

I also have a glass of Citrucel everyday and that seems to firm everything up.

I went to have my staples removed today and my surgeon told me it should be about 9 months before my bowels are retrained. I also have to go for a colonoscopy in January. (I'm already nervous).

Denise

REB · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:24 am Post subject: Re: dulcimergal

It sounds like you both are on the road to recovery. It does get better.
_________________
10/01/07 - Removal of Stage III Colon Cancer Tumor and Temporary Colostomy
Started Chemotherapy 11-07-07 - FOLFOX regimen - 5-FU (5 Flurouracil) and leucovorin, oxaliplatin. Also Avastin
Last Chemo treatment 04-09-08, Colostomy Reversal 04-28-08 Age:41

DulcimerGal · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:36 am Post subject: Re: dulcimergal

Denise are you having chemo next as well? Or was your stage so low they decided you don't need it?

I am still suffering mightily from gas - did you have that too? I always feel like I just have it worse than anyone else.....

Reb - I do think today is better than yesterday - though I already know the Doc is in no hurry to send me home, I will not be out today like you were Denise......he has already said it might be Sunday for me....

Thank goodness I brought the PC.

I am going to have to think about working from home, it sounds like this bowel management with the rectum gone may be too difficult to handle in a big office. Denise I assume you are not working right now......?

I have already been off for over two months now....

Cheers
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Michigan

Dulcimergal,

Yes, I meet with the onc. on tuesday. He is adamant about doing folfox just as a precaution. I think it's the best for me since I don't want to have any regrets later. Are you doing any?

As far as gas, I did not have that problem at all. They kept asking and I had nothing.

Why are they keeping you til Sun? They sent me home right after bowel movement.

I have had my ofice set up at home for the past 3 yrs, so I'm pretty lucky with that. I work from my couch lately....and have the security of my bathroom close by.

Denise

DulcimerGal · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: dulcimergal

Hey Denise -

My Doc is having me do Xeloda - which is the pills, so no port has to be put in - I start on SEPT 8th - 2 weeks of pills, then one week off, for four months.

I asked about folfox, but he prefers to use that for higher tumors...he likes xeloda for very low rectal tumors. It is something that there are so many differing treatments and approaches.....I went along with it as all the research does seem to have just as good an outcome as infusion.

Lucky you having home office! I am sure my boss will help me work out something so I can work from home.....I just hope it doesn't have to go too long.

So I've now had two meals......I am kind of wierded out - they are bringing salad and corn and stuff I haven't been eating with the ileostomy - no discussion yet about what foods to start with - so I have just eaten a few bites of each.....tonight - mashed potatoes and meatloaf....which I did eat....I thought I would start out with really low residue......

What will happen if I eat a salad???

So far - one small bowel movement - yeah!!!! Oh my gosh - the stuff we discuss on this forum........my mother must be turning over in her grave.....!!!

Cheers gang!
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Michigan

Dulcimergal,

What's new? Are you still in the hospital?

Denise

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Colon Cancer and Rectal Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others