https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/i-need-some-answers/m-p/7457#M1240 Hi there I have just finished a year of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a major bowel operation to remove a tumour & lymph nodes, had a stoma for nine months, went through another six months of chemo then an operation to reverse the stoma. I am yet to have my first checkup which will be a CT Scan & colonoscopy. What i would like to know is does this ever get any easier i am feeling very anxious about the first lot of scans, how will i cope if they do find something, even though i am usually very positive and i have a fairly good feeling there is nothing there, is it more scary for the first lot of tests or each time you go through this. Also i feel like i dont know alot about my diagnosis, is this normal. Im not sure if i am not asking enough questions, it all happened very quickly, im from the country and went to have a colonoscopy on a thursday was told they found a tumour that day, saw the colorectal surgeon the next day and it all went from there, six weeks later i was starting chemotherapy. I have had a few people ask me what type of tumour it was, whats my CEA level etc? These sort of things i have no idea about, do other oncologists tell their patients or do you have to ask? Also when are you in remission? I get that asked alot and i dont know if i am currently in remission or do i have to wait the five years? Just wouild like to hear your thoughts and would also like to hear from other people who have been through the same thing. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:08:48 GMT Stace 2011-09-12T13:08:48Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/i-need-some-answers/m-p/7457#M1240 Hi there I have just finished a year of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a major bowel operation to remove a tumour & lymph nodes, had a stoma for nine months, went through another six months of chemo then an operation to reverse the stoma. I am yet to have my first checkup which will be a CT Scan & colonoscopy. What i would like to know is does this ever get any easier i am feeling very anxious about the first lot of scans, how will i cope if they do find something, even though i am usually very positive and i have a fairly good feeling there is nothing there, is it more scary for the first lot of tests or each time you go through this. Also i feel like i dont know alot about my diagnosis, is this normal. Im not sure if i am not asking enough questions, it all happened very quickly, im from the country and went to have a colonoscopy on a thursday was told they found a tumour that day, saw the colorectal surgeon the next day and it all went from there, six weeks later i was starting chemotherapy. I have had a few people ask me what type of tumour it was, whats my CEA level etc? These sort of things i have no idea about, do other oncologists tell their patients or do you have to ask? Also when are you in remission? I get that asked alot and i dont know if i am currently in remission or do i have to wait the five years? Just wouild like to hear your thoughts and would also like to hear from other people who have been through the same thing. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:08:48 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/i-need-some-answers/m-p/7457#M1240 Stace 2011-09-12T13:08:48Z