Hi Sarah, It's all a bit of a shock, isn't it? One minute you might be realtively healthy, and the next your world has been turned up side down. I had a week or two notice after the tumour was found during a colonscopy, before I had a total colectomy. I was in a bit of shock and the waiting tends to play havoc with your emotions and whether you've made the right decision.  Having lived without a large bowel for 6 months, I have no hesitation in saying that the decision to have a colectomy was the right decision for me. I found something as simple as walking as much as I was able to, was key to me recovering physically as fast as I did.   Let me know if you have any questions!   -s ... View more

Hi, I underwent 6 months of FOLFOX about 6 months ago. I didn't have much neuropathy until the last few cycles. The important thing here (and it sounds like you have this covered already) is to communicate with your oncologist/doctor and discuss with them any symptoms you are having and how you are feeling. There are options they have that they can take to respond to the symptoms. FOLFOX treatment is made up 3 drugs. Oxaliplatin which is the one which can cause neuropathy. Oxaliplatin was removed from my last cycle due to neuropathy, and the rest of the drugs were administered.   I had various other symptoms, but they can be managed by staying in close contact with your oncologist. Let me know if you have any other questions. -sch ... View more

That's amazing news @Stacie!!   Am I right in assuming you are your Dad's carer? 🙂 ... View more

Hi fungry_04,   It can be hard to take in and take some time to adjust to the new reality that you and your husband have just been told about. For me, the reality of the situation really started to sink in after the surgery had been booked in and waiting for the surgery date. That can be a little difficult. Are you going to discuss with your girls? The whole thing is hard and it sucks.  I've always done my best to remind myself that the numbers and statistics are just that. -s ... View more

I got a clot ... View more

Hi SpunOut   Staying positive would be a real challenge for you. Drawing from my experience, I am finding it difficult. I have stage 3 bowel cancer. Just met with the Oncologist and I'm starting chemo next week. I feel like a bit of a tool. Reading your story and many of the other hard cases on this site, it makes my cancer seem like a walk in the park by comparison. Yet, being positive is still a challenge for me. I've been fighting off depression the last few days. The whole chemo thing is very confronting.    When I've not been feeling positive, I've mostly been angry or depressed. I kind of think they are the same thing but anger has energy, where depression has none. Anger seemed to work for me, but not advocating that it was particularly good for me. Someone else on this forum advised me to channel the anger against the cancer. That helped, but I was kind of doing that already.   Anyhow, I don't know if I'm offering much in the way of support. I wish I could tell you everything will be alright. I am not the kind of person to patronise others with unrealistic sentiments. You have a tough battle ahead and it's a real shitty situation. Hang in there and keep fighting. I think everyone on this forum will tell you that cancer has altered their lives significantly. Things will never be the same. You will need to reinvent yourself as you move forward. I hope you emerge from this experience as a stronger person with a grounded view on the important things in life.   Stay strong. Don't give up.   Phil   ... View more

So sorry to hear this, hope all goes well for you. Cancer is such an unpredictable disease, it seems as if you were doing all the right things by exercising. Best wishes!   ... View more

Hello I had the lobectomy in June.  They removed the right hand side, lower lobe. I had a 7 day stay in hospital, and continued on strong pain killers for about 2 weeks afterwards. I found I spent most days at home for the first few weeks living my in pj's and watching tv, or sleeping (side effect of the pain killers).   After a few weeks I started feeling normal again.  It felt like I had popcorn in my chest, it was the lung trying to expand, it was a weird sensation.   i start my chemo (for precaution) tomorrow. I am having 4 cycles of it. My lung cancer was stage 2, nodule in the lung, and an infected lymph node. Hopefully it will never return, but the fear is still there.   Hope everything goes well for you.               ... View more

Hello Phil and sch,   Thanks for your replies. It was a very anxious time but it is all over now. I have no more bleeding. I went to my GP and also called the cancer Council helpline. I found out that traces of blood was normal but if significant bleeding occurs, with pain, I must visit emergency. I was also able to ask the surgeon through the nurses- a bit later in the week. Same reply. I increased the painkillers which helped in opening and emptying the bowel and hence less frequent toilet visits. Less toilet visits meant less straining and abrasion on the wound and hence reduced bleeding. Gradually it disappeared in about a week.   I thought my experience might be beneficial to others. ... View more

Thanks for your reply,  I think it maybe the best choice. I was told it is lot easier when it comes to washing or having a shower.  At the moment I have to wrap a plastic bag around my arm to keep the pic line dry.  The pic line dosen't hurt, but I also have to careful with my arm not to bump it or lift anything a bit heavy as it may cause bruising.   Thanks ... View more