I met with my oncologist today. He informed me that he spoke with the surgeon that I want to do my surgery and they both agreed that the best course of action was removing the entire colon. They figure that there is something in me that caused the dual primary tumors and that leaving any of the colon is essentially playing with fire.
This is a little contradictory to what the surgeon originally told me, as she seemed to originally recommend only partial removal of the colon with annual colonoscopies. Not the story seems to have changed.
My options basically are:
1) an ilestomy bag
2) a continent ileostomy
3) partial removal of the colon
Option #3 is dangerous because it increases the recurrence of more caner. Option #1 sounds just awful ad Option #2 doesn't sound much better than #1.
I think the decision is up to me. All the options suck and I don't know what to do.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Round #5
After my awesome week off, I went back for treatment yesterday. Since I had the extra week between treatments most of my side-effects had faded and so far this chemo hasn't been too bad.
I have the 5FU pump with me 'til tomorrow morning. Normally I will sleep as much as possible when I have the pump, but I think that's partially to be blamed for the anti-nausea medicine. So far I haven't taken any today even though I had a hardy lunch.
Still no word on the date of my surgery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that since I'm responding so well to chemo that maybe, just maybe, I won't even need surgery. It's a long shot and probably wishful thinking, but you never know.
I have the 5FU pump with me 'til tomorrow morning. Normally I will sleep as much as possible when I have the pump, but I think that's partially to be blamed for the anti-nausea medicine. So far I haven't taken any today even though I had a hardy lunch.
Still no word on the date of my surgery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that since I'm responding so well to chemo that maybe, just maybe, I won't even need surgery. It's a long shot and probably wishful thinking, but you never know.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Week Off
I went to the cancer center yesterday, the same one I always go to for treatment and was prepared to spend the next three days sleeping.
They accessed my port, as always and ran a CBC. Turns out that my neutrophil count was so low (~.5) that they decided to delay my treatment for a week. After all the begging I did of my oncologist, I ended up getting the week off treatment anyway!
I'm quite happy about this, though it's unfortunate that my counts are so low. I just need to be careful to stay away from germy people and things. But I feel great and I'm glad I have a few extra days to get the still remaining toxicity out of my system.
It'll be a good week, I hope.
They accessed my port, as always and ran a CBC. Turns out that my neutrophil count was so low (~.5) that they decided to delay my treatment for a week. After all the begging I did of my oncologist, I ended up getting the week off treatment anyway!
I'm quite happy about this, though it's unfortunate that my counts are so low. I just need to be careful to stay away from germy people and things. But I feel great and I'm glad I have a few extra days to get the still remaining toxicity out of my system.
It'll be a good week, I hope.
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