Question:
I have lurked for awhile now while trying to keep up with some of the discussions here. I have the good fortune to have had a 4cm lipoma in my colon spur testing (CT, Liver blood-pool) that discovered an "unusual" primary in my liver (fibrolamellar carcinoma). I will be having surgery to resect the left lobe next week, for which my Surgical Onc is "confident". Blood work and MRI show nothing else remarkable and no apparent mets. At 48 and having had no major surgery in my life, I am obviously nervous about all this, but the 3 surgeons I have seen/discussed this with are optimistic. I am working hard at keeping a positive attitude (some denial???) and family and friends are very supportive… still somewhat fearful though. Checking in here with you folks is my way of being "realistic"… sheesh… not sure if I am making sense… this has been the deepest DREAD/FEAR I have ever experienced… sorry if I come across as naive. anxious in anticipation, steve
Response:
sheesh… not sure if I am making sense… this has been the deepest DREAD/FEAR I have ever experienced… sorry if I come across as naive.
There’s nothing taboo here…no stoopid questions or statements. Sometimes dumb answers from the spammers, but if you’ve been lurking, you’ve seen them. Most of us understand completely where you’re coming from. I remember clearly what happened when I got my cancer diagnosis. I went numb. For about a year. I was in my early 40s and kind of sleepwalked though the biopsies and surgeries. Eventually I woke up and had to deal with the blow to my mortality. I think that was the hardest part, actually facing the fact that I was going to die. Not today, not tomorrow, but someday. It had always seemed so far away and this expeience had brought it much closer. As time goes by, things return to some semblance of normality. Still, even at five years out, if I get a little pain or ache, I worry about mets. The experience has provided some positive things, though. I’m much closer to my family and friends. I appreciate small things to the hilt (especially a spoon or two of Ben and Jerry’s Wavy Gravy or a freshly steamed lobster). It sounds like you have a very positive prognosis. Please keep posting so that we know how things go. If you have any questions, there’s a whole crew of us happy to share, listen, and do whatever we can to ease your way down this path. Wishing you the best. Take care. …lisa
Response:
Steve, If they are confident, then you should breathe a bit easier. I wish my wife had a doctor who was confident…. Well, actually, they are, but confident about stuff I wish they weren’t. Anyway, keep in touch as you will not easily find another group like this one. It is the only thing that helps me keep my head above water some days. Robert
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have lurked for awhile now while trying to keep up with some of the discussions here. I have the good fortune to have had a 4cm lipoma in my colon spur testing (CT, Liver blood-pool) that discovered an "unusual" primary in my liver (fibrolamellar carcinoma). I will be having surgery to resect the left lobe next week, for which my Surgical Onc is "confident". Blood work and MRI show nothing else remarkable and no apparent mets. At 48 and having had no major surgery in my life, I am obviously nervous about all this, but the 3 surgeons I have seen/discussed this with are optimistic. I am working hard at keeping a positive attitude (some denial???) and family and friends are very supportive… still somewhat fearful though. Checking in here with you folks is my way of being "realistic"… sheesh… not sure if I am making sense… this has been the deepest DREAD/FEAR I have ever experienced… sorry if I come across as naive. anxious in anticipation, steve
Response:
Steve, Keeping a strong positive attitude is what will take you through this one of lifes many challenges, trust and follow your doctors advise, let your family give you the support you will need , because you will not want to go through this alone, I too have been lurking for two years , thats right two years , that is how long I’ve been cancer free , I’ve seen the good and the bad in this support group but I always come back every day because this helps me get through the day, Steve I am a forty-six year old father of four good children who have been there for me since I was diagnosed with nasal cancer , they were there when I had surgery to remove my nose and they were there when I had a new nose reconstructed from parts of my own body , but I lost that support from my wife six months ago ,I did not realize that I was bitter at times and I must have built a wall between myself and my wife which has pushed into the arms of another man , I now take care of myself and my children knowing that they will still need me for a long time yet , positive attitude is the strenth that will keep you going. good luck Steve .
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have lurked for awhile now while trying to keep up with some of the discussions here. I have the good fortune to have had a 4cm lipoma in my colon spur testing (CT, Liver blood-pool) that discovered an "unusual" primary in my liver (fibrolamellar carcinoma). I will be having surgery to resect the left lobe next week, for which my Surgical Onc is "confident". Blood work and MRI show nothing else remarkable and no apparent mets. At 48 and having had no major surgery in my life, I am obviously nervous about all this, but the 3 surgeons I have seen/discussed this with are optimistic. I am working hard at keeping a positive attitude (some denial???) and family and friends are very supportive… still somewhat fearful though. Checking in here with you folks is my way of being "realistic"… sheesh… not sure if I am making sense… this has been the deepest DREAD/FEAR I have ever experienced… sorry if I come across as naive. anxious in anticipation, steve
Response:
Lisa, I could not have said it better. The whole time I was going for treatment for Hodgkin’s disease, the umbrella of "treatment" gave me a sort of security net. I was also caring for a terminally ill parent throughout my illness. Somehow, I was able to separate having cancer from the world I was living in. Now my mom has passed on, I’m in remission (for which I am very grateful), but there are days where that diagnosis seems so fresh to me. The coughs, colds, aches and pains are no longer *just that*. I sometimes feel as though I have post traumatic stress disorder or something. As you said, the fresh cut grass, sun on my face, and laughter all has new significance also….and for a moment or two, all is just the greatest! Best of luck to you Lisa and Steve! Nance T.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – sheesh… not sure if I am making sense… this has been the deepest DREAD/FEAR I have ever experienced… sorry if I come across as naive. There’s nothing taboo here…no stoopid questions or statements. Sometimes dumb answers from the spammers, but if you’ve been lurking, you’ve seen them. Most of us understand completely where you’re coming from. I remember clearly what happened when I got my cancer diagnosis. I went numb. For about a year. I was in my early 40s and kind of sleepwalked though the biopsies and surgeries. Eventually I woke up and had to deal with the blow to my mortality. I think that was the hardest part, actually facing the fact that I was going to die. Not today, not tomorrow, but someday. It had always seemed so far away and this expeience had brought it much closer. As time goes by, things return to some semblance of normality. Still, even at five years out, if I get a little pain or ache, I worry about mets. The experience has provided some positive things, though. I’m much closer to my family and friends. I appreciate small things to the hilt (especially a spoon or two of Ben and Jerry’s Wavy Gravy or a freshly steamed lobster). It sounds like you have a very positive prognosis. Please keep posting so that we know how things go. If you have any questions, there’s a whole crew of us happy to share, listen, and do whatever we can to ease your way down this path. Wishing you the best. Take care. …lisa
Response:
Steve, I’m a newbie here also…diagnosed 12-22-01 with lung cancer. I do not feel I am knowledgable enough yet to offer anything other than a personal opinion. I do know that if there is anything that will put you on an emotional roller coaster ride that defies description faster than a cancer diagnosis…I’m not willingly buying tickets for that ride!!! The best thing you can do is find out all you can about your disease. Put yourself in the hands of medical personnel that YOU have confidence in. Don’t be afraid to keep asking questions till you have an answer you understand. While the doctor is in your room, he’s on your nickel…get our moneys worth!! Have faith in yourself that you can (and will) face and over come everything that comes your way. For every action there is an equal opposite reaction…it’s the same emotionally after a diagnoses like yours. It’s not only normal to look at all the options…it’s a sign of intelligence. Do your best to maintain positive thoughts. Remember there is not one kind of cancer that hasn’t been cured. Then again, there is only so much we can do by ourselves..do all you can for yourself, and turn the rest over to a higher power. The simplest things in life are by far the sweetest, enjoy them… Best of luck to you, Joe
Only those that have thepatience to do simple things perfectly, will acquire the skill to dodifficult things easily”The ArnoBridge
Response:
Hi You may want to check out this website with the BEST info on colon cancer. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/suthercon No spammers please. Going on 19 months for me without any treatment for liver mets. Thank you God !!! My treatment is # 16 at that site. Take care and God bless. Cliff " All things are possible. Pass it on. "
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