Living with colorectal cancer - Meet others & come say hi

Dear @Ikissinger, I am so sorry to hear about your father. I keep on praying for your father and please keep positive and follow up with necessary arrangement with hospice. I would also suggest to discuss with the doctors that how they can make this lemon sized tumors to be shrunken if they are inoperable. Please find out ways. There is always a way if there is a will. I will keep you and your father in my prayers. Soul

@mouselife.

So sorry to hear that you are having pain however believe that it will subside as you heal. I have not gone that far in my search for the rectal canc. that is in my body, they wanted me to get the bag and i said no, and was also told by two dr's i would not be able to survive that so i am trying to get in Mayo Climic.

i had radiation treatment two yrs. ago on the rect tumor two yrs. ago and received a third degree burn, which finally healed and left a scar inside. I guess our body can take a lot and hopefully will bring us through, i know that prayer is so essential in all of this and anything else we come across. i will pray for you and know that it will be heard.

May you find peace and healing in your body and mind.

Starrlight

Hi im james. I had colon cancer 10 yrs br4 i would do anything about it cause i did not want a bag on me. Worst mistake could have made. I was loosing so much blood and food was going straight through me was weigh less than 100 lbs my red blood cell count went so low i couldnt stay awake and would sleep 18 hrs a day. My dad came by and took me to hospital. With in one yr with no insurance or anything had all my intestines taking out. Im 48 yr old did heating ac refrigeration work over 30 yrs all i know how to do.after all the testing and taking blood mris and all other test ever 2 days all over la. They told me would be a 6 hr surgery. Would only have bag on me a few months. Was over 12 hrs long. Didnt wake up tell day later. Said i would be walking in two days. Was 2 wks. Was in hospital almost 2 month and left with stitches and staples in my rear.felt like barb wire. Needless to say im stuck with for life. I now have all my small intestine full of polyps and have to have some cut out ever yr. I applied for disabily 2 yrs ago. Just got aproved.i had to sell everything and more just to survive.been long road for me. Just want a break. Im just getting used to myself
Moved to la. From Texas cause texas would not help or do anything about tell i was dying. And would not give me medicaid. I was buying my ostamy supplies out of pocket i got medicaid finialy and got liberator to start sending me supplies. Has been very long road. I get my ssd settlement money this month. Suppost to have another surgery on 28. I really just thinking on taking a break or vacation ..

Hi im james. I had colon cancer 10 yrs br4 i would do anything about it cause i did not want a bag on me. Worst mistake could have made. I was loosing so much blood and food was going straight through me was weigh less than 100 lbs my red blood cell count went so low i couldnt stay awake and would sleep 18 hrs a day. My dad came by and took me to hospital. With in one yr with no insurance or anything had all my intestines taking out. Im 48 yr old did heating ac refrigeration work over 30 yrs all i know how to do.after all the testing and taking blood mris and all other test ever 2 days all over la. They told me would be a 6 hr surgery. Would only have bag on me a few months. Was over 12 hrs long. Didnt wake up tell day later. Said i would be walking in two days. Was 2 wks. Was in hospital almost 2 month and left with stitches and staples in my rear.felt like barb wire. Needless to say im stuck with for life. I now have all my small intestine full of polyps and have to have some cut out ever yr. I applied for disabily 2 yrs ago. Just got aproved.i had to sell everything and more just to survive.been long road for me. Just want a break. Im just getting used to myself
Moved to la. From Texas cause texas would not help or do anything about tell i was dying. And would not give me medicaid. I was buying my ostamy supplies out of pocket i got medicaid finialy and got liberator to start sending me supplies. Has been very long road. I get my ssd settlement money this month. Suppost to have another surgery on 28. I really just thinking on taking a break or vacation ..

Welcome to Connect, @sockwelljames. I'm grateful that you posted your story to tell others about the importance of getting checked. Colon cancer can be effectively screened, but many are afraid to do it because they fear bad news.

What surgery are you supposed to have on the 28th? Have you discussed taking a break with your surgeon?

No i have not. Now dont have any large intestines. And now have polyps in small intestines. 1000s to be extact. Exery yr have to have some cut out for rest of life they told me. Last one was 2 inches at the y .were pankrus and gallbladder drains to small intestine. Cut it out put stint in pankrus .got pankritus 2 wks later back in hosiptal. But no have not discussed it. .my doctor first came to me crying saying it was too big for her to handle and got me set up with who she said is the best in new orleans. I still love the lady and respect her honesty so much.

Hello everyone I am Travelgirl. I am a Rare & Unusual Cecum Colon Cancer survivor. Cecum cancer accounts for less than 15 to 20% of all colon cancers. So it is pretty rare to get this type of cancer at age 53. I was 53 yrs old getting my first colonoscopy. Don't wait till your 53 to get your first colonoscopy.

My Cecum cancer showed NO Symptoms Zero.

While traveling somewhere in a third world country I had contacted H-Pylori. The H-Pylori actually saved my life. I was sicker than a dog with Severe Acid reflex. The Acid reflex was so bad, I actually thought I had gotten poisoned. I had a severe burning sensation which started at the back of my throat and burnt all the way down to my stomach. Plus I was having stabbing chest pains. I had my husband take me to the ER. They ran a slew of tests in the ER. Chest and Stomach X-rays, Blood work, Urine test, and an Ultra sound. All the tests came back negative for anything odd. My blood work was perfect. So they determined I had GERD. The ER Dr. said I needed to see a GI specialist ASAP.

Saw a GI Dr 2 days later. Got the 2 for 1 special an Endoscope of my Throat and Stomach and a full Colonoscopy. The Endoscope confirmed the H-Pylori and the Colonoscopy found an Ulcer in my Cecum, with a flat polyp underneath. Plus 3 more noncancerous polyps. The biopsy of the Ulcer came back Pre-Cancerous.

3 weeks later I saw another GI DR, who was going to try and remove the Ulcer with a EMR procedure. Well he couldn't remove the flat polyp, it wouldn't lift. My colon was twisted, and I had some Diverticulosis going on, plus he found 3 more polyps. A second biopsy of the cecum ulcer, came back pre-cancerous a second time. This GI Dr. referred me to a surgeon to have a resection.

I decided to contact a 3rd GI DR at the Mayo clinic, to see if the polyp could be removed without surgery. 3 weeks later I get my 3rd Colonoscopy. Well the polyp could not be removed by EMR. He also found 3 more noncancerous polyps. A 3rd Biopsy of the Ulcer came back cancerous. I was referred to a Surgeon.

My Colon-Rectal surgeon ordered a CT scan of my chest, stomach, and Pelvis. The Ct scan found swollen lymph nodes near my Aorta. Which freaked out the Colon Rectal surgeon. He then ordered a Pet Scan and a CT- Guided Biopsy of the Aortic Lymph node. They needed to rule out Metastasis cancer. Well back to the rare and unusual, I got the 2 for 1 Cancer Diagnosis. The swollen Lymph nodes are the result of a Non-Hodgkin's Lymphatic Cancer Follicular Lymphoma.

My colon surgery was done 2 weeks later. The Dr. removed 1 foot of colon and 20 lymph nodes. It is confirmed I have a stage 1 Adenocarcinoma Cecum Cancer. The surgery was a success. The lymph nodes were clear of colon cancer. However, a few tested for Lymphatic cancer. I was in the hospital for 6 days. It took a little time getting adjusted to the new plumbing in my body. Now it is almost 13 months since my surgery. I feel great, and my body doesn't miss that section of colon.

The Dr. put me on a Watch and Wait Treatment approach. Every 3 months for blood work Ct scans. Which is now been moved too, every 6 months for blood, and Ct Scans. I need a colonoscopy every 12 months. It has been determined I have turned into a Polyp farmer. So yearly they need to check for polyps.

Colon cancer is far more common than people think and extremely curable. DO NOT delay getting your colonoscopy. You may not be as lucky as me.

( My Lymph nodes have shrunk in size with every CT scan. Which is a excellent sign. I may not need treatments for many years if ever. 1 out of every 3 people with this type of cancer end up getting treatments. I plan on being one of the two who never gets a treatment 🙂 )