I lost Ron less than a year ago and this past Saturday was diagnosed myself with Colon Cancer (moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma). I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around this. Everyone, PLEASE get your colonoscopies! I am scheduled for surgery (Right Hemicolectomy) on May 7.
We do not know the extent of the cancer at this time. I just had my CT today, but we won't truly know until after the surgery. The surgeon is hopeful that it has been caught early though.
If you are a praying person, please pray for my 3 kids, who really did not need this again, especially so soon. You have all been my friends through the last 4+ years, so I just thought I would let you know. I guess I should check out a colon cancer forum. I pray for good health for all!
Love,
Lori
Oh Lori!!!! I am so sorry to hear of your illness. You are such a sweet person, Ive missed you here. Please look after yourself. Your children are stronger than you think, they will be ok. You know to take someone with you to appointments. Best wishes with everything.
Lori,
This diagnosis must be such a shock for you. After all you and Ron went through, it's so difficult to comprehend that you would get this news. As long as we are on this earth, I don't think we will ever understand the "Whys." Please know that everyone that followed Ron's journey through your postings will think of you with prayers and kind thoughts. Please continue to update all of us on how you are doing. Geri
Lori, I just said a prayer for you....God be with you and bring you encouraging news following your surgery. Even tho your bout is not with OC, please keep us informed anyway? Thanks.
Dearest Lori
i once heard that god doesn't give us more than we can handle.When i heard it i thought "what a crock".
This proves my point!!!This is cruel and unfair and you are right,that ball sure has hit you square on.It has knocked the wind right out of you and your'e on the floor.It is so much easier to pick ourselves up dust ourselves down and come out fighting for those we love .The fear of loss is so huge that no matter what we just have to keep on going day after day.
You lost Ron.I lost Robin,and it made my hatred of the disease all consuming.Lori please please please use that hatred now.Use it to pick yourself up and come out fighting.Use the pain of your children to give you the strength and the courage to fight it again,and don't leave this forum.You need us and we will be here.Your kids need support .Let them join and use us ..your friends to help them through this dreadful time.Colon cancer is not like oral cancer sweetie,all the money and research thrown at it has made the outcome so good in such a huge percentage of cases.You can do it honey.don't ever doubt that.
love and hugs liz
Oh Lori. I second or third what everyone else said - this totally sucks, but you WILL be fine and you do not need to find a new online community. While we may not be able to be that much assistance re treatment and side effects, we ARE here for you for everything else. We have been with you in the past and continue to be here for you.
Keep your chin up. I know many people who have had colon cancer and are just fine today, many years later. You WILL be one of them!
Hugs and keep us posted.
Donna
We are all in your corner. Let's pray that this is quickly knocked out.
Lori,
I am new here myself but you and your kids will definetly be in my thoughts and prayers..
Tommy
Lori:
I just said a prayer for you and will keep you in my prayers and thoughts. Please let us know how you do - I believe once you are a member of "our" family, you are always a member. Everyone wants to hear from you. I'm fairly new, and I certainly do.
julieann
Dear friends,
I am humbled and so thankful for all of you. You have lifted my spirits and my resolve to kick this cancer in the ***. Liz, I will use my anger in a positive way--I have so much of it, as you know! And you are right that colon cancer is nothing like oral cancer. I do realize that my chances are much better than Ron's ended up being (and why does that make me feel guilty??). Thank you Christine, Geri, Lostpassword, Liz, Donna, David, Tommy and Julieann, and I will let you know how I'm doing.
Lori
That's the spirit!!! Please know that you and your children will definitely be in my prayers for strength and comfort as you go through this ordeal. Hope all goes well with the surgery and you come out with wonderful news. Please stay on the forum and let us know how you're doing. Take care. - Nancy
Lori, I hated to read this news. cancer is a horrible beast. I know that you will fight put on your boxing gloves. We are all in your corner. I will keep you in my prayers. I can not say it any better than the others have already said it. It just makes me speechless.
Lori,
I am so sorry that you have to fight cancer once again. You and your children are in my thoughts and prayers. Please come to this forum often so we can support you in your fight.
Anita
Lori- I'm sending out many prayers and positive thoughts your way. You have truly been through more than what you deserve. If it helps, A friend of mine was diagnosed with colon cancer a year ago and she did great! She had surgery and chemo and came out with flying colors.
Lori,
I just lifted you and your kids up in prayer. I'm so sorry that you have to go through this and I will continue to pray. Please keep us posted!
Lori,
It just sucks that you have to go through this again but here's hoping all will be fine. You can do this and we are here to help you through this even if it isn't oral cancer. Keep us posted as to what is happening.
Take care,
Eileen
Lori,
So sorry to hear that again you have to deal with cancer.
My very best wishes for the surgery on the 7th. Please let us know how it went as soon as you can.
Gabriele
Dear OCF friends,
Just an update on my cancer. May 7 I had a right hemicolectomy, in which the cancer was discovered to be quite a bit larger than they thought. The surgeon said that he got all the cancer, and a few days later we got the pathology from the removed lymph nodes. They were all negative, thank God! So the surgeon said that I was a Stage I. A few days later I had a PET scan. I saw Ron's Oncologist on May 17, and he told me that the PET scan showed 5 lung nodules along with some suspicious mediastinal lymph nodes. There were 3 nodules in the right lung and 2 in the left.
At that point, we didn't know if the lung nodules were metastases from the colon, or a separate lung cancer. The Oncologist sent me to a Cardio-thoracic surgeon at St. Luke's in Milwaukee. I had a Mediastinoscopy and Right Lung Wedge Resection on May 28, 3 weeks after my colon surgery. Two days later I got rid of the chest tube and was released. On June 1, I got the word that the lung nodules were negative for cancer. They were scar tissue from my many pneumonias in the past. Again, thank God! The next day I had my Port placed.
Today I went back to the Oncologist for the final chemo verdict. He said that I was on the fence between Stage II and III. He is going to try to get me into a trial. Either a trial using FOLFOX or a trial using FOLFOX plus Avastin. If neither trial will accept me, I will just start FOLFOX next week with him. The total treatments will be 12 (6 months worth), with chemo being every other week. I will go in on day 1 for an infusion of Oxalyplatin, then get hooked up to a pump with the other 2 chemos, 5-FU and leukovorin. I come back on day 4 to get unhooked, and on day 5 come in for blood work and a shot of Neulasta to keep my counts up.
So that is the plan as I know it right now. I am feeling fairly good, although I am very tired already and I haven't even started chemo yet! I am also still taking pain meds for pain where he took out part of the right lung. The kids and I survived June 6, the first anniversary of Ron's death fairly well. We had each taken some ashes and we all went out on the farm to a special place to each of us and sprinkled them. We had a nice lunch, and I invited his mother over to join us. The actual sprinkling was pretty emotional but the rest of the day went okay. Better than I thought it would be, anyway. I thank all of you for your kindness and your prayers (and your kneemails! lol). I appreciate and think of you often! I wish all of us good health!
Lori