Re: New to group. Recurrence to liver

April 20, 2004

Yes , it makes perfect sense. While my husband is still

undergoing chemo for stage III diagnosis back in July 2003, my

biggest fear is recurrence...although I am told, if it's contained in

the colon itself (recurrence) or to the liver, this can be some of

the " best " (if there is such a thing LOL) recurrences as they are

still considered curable.

My mom was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer September 2002 and

went into remission April 2003. It's back and back with a vengence

so while I have not cruised at 75 mph on a level highway for a year

and half now, a big mountain has definitely been thrown in my path

and I will do the best that I can to climb it. Talk about being mad

at the whole world....and a few other things too...I certain hear you

on that.

Don't give up...you've come this far and both of you will continue to

go further. Welcome to our board and please keep us posted.

Monika, caregiver to Bert diagnosed stage III with 4 lymph nodes

involved 7/03 On 5fu/leucavorin through 12/03...switched oncologists

and; put on 5fu/leucavorin/oxaliplatin as considered high risk. To

date, still on chemo...all scans continue to remain clean...including

latest colonoscopy (4/04)

> Hello everyone. I'm new and would like to say a few words. My

> husband was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer 2 years ago

> this month. After surgery and chemotherapy/radiation, we kept our

> fingers crossed. Follow-up tests have been performed regularly and

> yesterday we found out that he has mets to the liver. His

oncologist

> is scheduling surgery in Houston in the next couple of weeks. Wow.

I

> went to bed mad at the entire world. My mood this morning is

> somewhat better, not much. I plan on looking through the archives

> this afternoon and getting familiar with some of your stories. I

feel

> as though I've been riding on an interstate, at a smooth 75mph and

> all of the sudden, I'm traveling on some pig trail, going at the

same

> rate of speed. Does that make sense? Here we go again... Thanks

for

> letting me vent my frustration.

April 20, 2004

Monika is right ........... although this is a " trail " you

didn't want to take ..... if they have caught it early in his liver,

there are so many things they can do now, that wasn't available a

few years ago. We all wish you had been able to continue cruising

down that smoother highway, but we are here for support and

information as you take this " TEMPORARY " pigtrail bypass! ) Keep

the faith,............you have every reason to expect that they can

jump on this and gain some control over the situation.

Best Wishes!

Donna Sisco

S/O Rick, 50, Arkansas

09/19/02 - Diag. Stage IV Colon Cancer with 6 of 6 Pos. Nodes and

60%+ Tumor Burden in Liver

09/24/02 - 10cm Tumor removed from Colon

10/22/02 - Began CPT-11/5FU/LV Chemo - Had some shrinkage in 7

months

06/11/03 - Appt at MD - Suggested changing chemo – failing

current treatment

07/25/03 - Began Oxaliplatin/Xeloda Chemo

10/20/03 - Increased Xeloda – Still failing treatment

11/12/03 - Added Celebrex - continued failure

01/15/04 - Switched to FOLFOX4 chemo

02/23/04 - CEA drops 80 points

02/25/04 - First Symptoms of Brain Problem

03/01/04 - Brain Scan (MRI/CT) 1 " Brain Tumor - Left Parietal Lobe

03/02/04 - Began 10 Whole Brain Radiation Treatments and Decadron

03/15/04 - Last WBR Treatment

03/18/04 – Took last Decadron - extremely fast weaning process

03/22/04 - First Grand Mal Seizure (5 day hospital stay)

03/22/04 - Back on Decadron, added Dilantin & Insulin

04/06/04 - Resumed Folfox4 Chemo with added drug Erbitux

04/20/04 - Switched to CPT-11 with Erbitux

April 20, 2004

Ladies,

Sorry to hear about your husbands and tumors in the liver. Its

ok to be mad, but get over it quickly because they need you to be

hopeful, not mad. You and the others are why they drag themselves

in for all of the crap they have to go through.

I got chemo today, FOLFOX, and it was the first day so I got

oxaliplatin. Last night I was pissed about this whole thing, which

I usually am the day before chemo starts because the five days prior

are ones which I feel really good overall. I really did not want to

go for chemo. But I did. Afterward, I didn't feel that bad, so I

dragged myself out to the track with my wife and the three younger

ones to watch the oldest run the best she's ever run - 5:46 for the

1500 as a 12 year old ain't bad. After I was there for a couple of

hours, I felt really bad - it hurt to try to press the buttons on

the car keyless entree remote because of cold sensisitivity, I had a

headache, my stomach felt bad, and it was an effort to take steps

because I was fatigued. But I did it, got home, forced myself to

eat dinner and drink a lot, took a snooze, and now I feel pretty

good, although again I really would prefer not to sit in the

barcolounger for three hours tomorrow. In hindsight, though, it was

an incredible day, perhaps the best one I've ever had.

For all of us, many are still to come. If they don't, that's

okay too. There are many, many good things that come out of

disease. For example, I am willing to be that most people in this

group have children, and many had parents, siblings, cousins, or

grandparents that had the disease. Our children and anybody we can

effect won't - our survivors know now about screening and

prevention. Any of us would make the sacrifice of having it instead

of our children - maybe, if you think about it, we will. There is

an accomplishment to be proud of, not mad at.

So remember, its okay to be mad, but just for a little while.

Best of luck and prayers

Joe

> > Hello everyone. I'm new and would like to say a few words. My

> > husband was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer 2 years

ago

> > this month. After surgery and chemotherapy/radiation, we kept

our

> > fingers crossed. Follow-up tests have been performed regularly

and

> > yesterday we found out that he has mets to the liver. His

> oncologist

> > is scheduling surgery in Houston in the next couple of weeks.

Wow.

> I

> > went to bed mad at the entire world. My mood this morning is

> > somewhat better, not much. I plan on looking through the

archives

> > this afternoon and getting familiar with some of your stories. I

> feel

> > as though I've been riding on an interstate, at a smooth 75mph

and

> > all of the sudden, I'm traveling on some pig trail, going at the

> same

> > rate of speed. Does that make sense? Here we go again... Thanks

> for

> > letting me vent my frustration.

April 20, 2004