Hi all,
I've just been browsing this board and it seems like a very kind and knowledgeable bunch of people.

I'm a 42 year old mother of two children, ages 4 and 3. I was diagnosed with rectal cancer last December. At the time it was considered stage III with some local lymph node involvement. I went through five weeks of 5fu concurrent with eight weeks of radiation. I had surgery in March. They found 19 of 26 lymph nodes cancerous. A CT scan in late April revealed that the cancer had metastasized to my liver - both lobes.

I initially chose to forego any more treatment and just enjoy my remaining time with the kids. A CT in late July showed more liver lesions and fast growth with the existing ones. So I decided to try chemo - FOLFOX and Avastin. By my request, my oncologist has been "sitting" on me as long as possible so that I could have a good summer and fall with my kids before having to start chemo.

I am currently scheduled to begin chemo on the 9th of October. Meanwhile, I will meet with a doctor this Friday to determine whether I'm a candidate for Y-90 treatments - radioactive glass beads implanted in the liver - the local hospital has just begun doing this with promising results.

That's my story so far. I have so many questions, so many fears. It is comforting yet sad to know there are others out there like me.

I am sorry that you are going through this! But I am glad you have found this board. As Bossan says, there are lots of people here who wondered how long they had and they are still around, some years later! It is very scary for you, especially having small children. The thought too of more chemotherapy is daunting but you can make it...look at it as a few months dedicated to getting rid of the disease and then life as you knew it can be resumed. There may be some changes but basically you will be back to normal.

Good luck with your further chemo treatments...do let us know how it is going and post back any time you want to share, vent...whatever you are feeling! We are here to help in any way we can.

Love and prayers,

Just want to say hello and welcome. You will find a lot of support here. I am a rectal cancer survivor and have children that are now 5 and 2...I am 33. Hearing you have cancer is so scary, but please know that the statistics you read are old...there are a lot of new treatments out there to give you hope.

Please call on us for support and advice -- we will help you in any way we can. There are many Stage 4 survivors here to lean on.

Sending prayers and hugs your way,
Cats

Thanks for the nice welcome. And yes, like others here, I've been told I have only a short time to live. They tell me I'll be lucky if I get two years. I don't believe it. My oncologist told me I'd have "two, maybe three good months" before I became very ill. That was almost six months ago and I still feel really good - only reason for the chemo is that one of the lesions on my liver has become quite large.

I live in the Wasatch mountains. Last week I skinned (similar to hiking, but on skis) 2 1/2 hours to 10,000 feet and skied down in the freakish early season powder.

I have a new neighbor who just happens to be a cancer surgeon who moved here from M.D. Anderson. He told me my liver cancer SHOULD be resectable and that I should be looking at a good chance of five year survival. The Y-90 treatments look very promising as well. When I mention these things to my oncologist, she just brushes them off and says "I'm sorry you got your hopes up". It appears I'm dead in her book. I'm currently shopping for a new oncologist.

Thanks for sharing my hope!

I am SO glad you are looking for a new oncologist! This is not the right one for you! Is she God?? No-one has a right to say how long you have to live...they do not know. Yes, I believe they can give statistics if asked but they should always qualify any stats with the fact that we are all individual and unique and that there is really no way of knowing how long any of us have on this earth. I am so glad you are feeling well and able to do things you really enjoy...that helps alot in giving you a feeling of "normalcy" Keep doing what you can! I am glad too that you have a new neighbour who obviously is much more proactive and can encourage you on your road to recovery.

Love and prayers,

Life2short,

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE FIND A NEW ONCOLOGIST !!!! MD Anderson has helped alot of people with advanced colon cancer. I would have more faith in this doctor's opinion then in your oncologist. PLease don't give up the fight, inner strength can/will overcome many obstacles. Find an oncologist who is willing to work with you in beating your cancer.

GOOD LUCK and GOD BLESS

Lee