So sorry to hear about your diagnosis, mine was quite a shock as well, when wouldn't it be. I had a foot of my colon removed in March, the surgery was not really that bad at all. Just make sure to, walk, walk, walk to relieve the gas inyour abdomen and gradually build up,your eating. I was in the hospital for five days, , but they said it could have been up to 7. I have a great husband and kids, but they are so used to me taking care of them that I really have done almost everything throughout this nightmare. I do all the cleaning , cooking, laundry, shopping. I truly believe keeping so active has kept me stromger. I have been gettimg chemo since late April and only have 2 more trratments left. I have never really beem bedridden or anything, somedays I didnt feel as well as others, but for the most part, I do things everyday. It is scary and ifmyou can getpast the mental torture it's half the battle, and I haven't gotten through that even yet. I am staged at. 2a, my tumor was 3cm, and I didn't have any blockage. From my PET scan it had not spread anywhere else, Imhave repeat scans in November to see how things have went. There was a 50/50 chance that the surgery alone cured me, but they cannot be sure, so I had 6months of chemp to kill off any stray cells that may have been lurking and nondetectable. Take care, never thought I would get thru thus, but you will one day at a time, hope for the best. Take Care

Thank you so much for your reply. I don't know my stage yet since I haven't seen the surgeon. I don't have a blockage, I didn't really even have any symptoms since I've always had mild digestive issues. It was found because routine blood work showed severe anemia. My doctor felt I was bleeding someplace and insisted on an immediate colonoscopy where it was found. Everything I've read says that a cancer of that size almost always has spread.
I've been beating myself up because 2 years ago my doctor said I should have a routing colonoscopy and I never got around to it.
I understand what you're saying about mental torture, but right now I can't get past it. I want to thank you again for replying to me. It's a relief to have somebody to talk to.

If you have a choice, have a colon/rectal surgeon do your surgery. They do this all of the time. Also if you have a choice I would suggest you go to a hospital that treats a lot of this type of cancer. I had a met that appeared in my liver a year and a half later, had surgery and am going for my 6 year CT scan today anticipating that all will be clear.

My tumor was over 9mm and I was only stage 2,. I also had a totally blockage and it broke through my colon wall, so they did call it 2c and I had chemo. The surgery wasn't bad at all, they did take out about 10 inches if my colon and resectioned it back together with no problems at all, I go better than I ever did in my life. Even though I didn't like chemo, it wasn't horrible, I continued to work three days a week and rested a lot on weekends. I just finished three weeks ago and I'm walking a mile a day and feel quite normal already. I'm 54, so you are definitely young enough to fight this and bounce back. The initial shock will wear off and you will start to see your recovery as a task or job, and you will get it done like you do taking care of others. Another amazing thing is how much your elderly parents will be able to do for themselves when you aren't able. I know because I had the same situation.
Keep posting and reading, it will help.

Thank you Smeburg. I will know more Monday after I see the surgeon. I'm just in a very bad place in my head right now. I've always been terrified of doctors, hospitals and anything connected with them.
How painful was the surgery?
I'm very grateful to have found this support group and I will return and continue to read. I so appreciate all the replies.

I was 64 when I had surgery, resection of 12" of my colon. I found the surgery to be much less awful then I had anticipated. I was out of the hospital in 5 days and needed no pain meds beyond the first three days. I was really quite surprised that I felt more discomfort than pain. After the surgery....walk, walk, walk..... that really is important. Having had abdominal surgery before, I knew that the key to recovery is to keep moving. I was up and walking every day, as many times as I could, I knew every inch of the surgery wing of the hospital.. When I got home I continued the routine, walking around the house and the neighborhood. My cancer was a IIIb, and I had 6 months of Chemo with Xeloda, and 2 sessions of Oxilaplatin, My 3 month CT scan was all clear, in Nov I'll get a followup Colonoscopy and PET scan......just hoping for good news, like everyone here.

I think the best advice any of us can give you just starting on the "journey" is to pick your doctors well.....if you don't like the first doctor you talk to, you don't relate well, then find another doctor you do like. Especially if you need chemo.....I had to change doctors after the first 2 months as my doc and I just never seemed to be on the same page.......I switched to a different oncologist in the same practice and had a much better experience. I think every patient has the right to place their life into the hands of a doctor they trust.


Please let us know how you are doing along the way......this is a great place to vent, or whine, or just talk.

Now that said, Rhoni, you're not alone here. I'm 3 years into remission now having had colon resection followed up with 8 months chemo for Stage 3. I can remember the period between being told and seeing the Onc was a scary one, and then again from surgery to getting the path reports back with the staging and lymph node counts.

When I was first diagnosed, I also found this support group and met some fantastic people who gave me hope and shined a light on my path. Rhoni f you want to have a chat, send a message, or just get on here and vent, a friends never too far away. I'll keep you in my prayers and please let us know how Monday goes. CM x

Reply #4. Recommending any medicines or herbs, especially anti-inflams to someone who's medical history you don't know isn't wise. Herbal medicines can have interactions with other drugs and treatments. Please anyone discuss any deviations with your GPs/Oncologists.

I don't remember surgery being very painful at all. The first couple days they had me on a morphine pump that I could push the button when I felt pain. The times I used it was at night to help sleep in a noisy hospital and when I wold roll over or get out of bed, which I did the next day. It was more like stiffness than pain, when I got home the first night I took one vicodin, then an occasional tylenol. My surgery was done laposcopically, with just a few little incisions. It's amazing that they could remove some and reattached my colon through such small opening. Surgery sounds scary but you are asleep and when you wake up it's over.

There's not much more I can add except I have been through the same as you and many here. I too was discovered when I was severly anemic and too had refused colonoscopies at age 50 and too was diagnosed at 55.

Surgery wasn't bad at all. I was back to part time teaching 2 weeks later. Had 18" of ascending colon taken out. Diagnosed with Stage 3C (3 of 18 nodes infected) and followed with 6 months chemo. I am over a year done with chemo and have a great prognosis.

My best advice: stay away from computer statistics (they can be scarey and depressing and not specific to you). Keep coming to this sight instead. And don't get ahead of yourself! You have just joined the one-day-at-a-time club!

Rhoni...First of all, try to keep calm. It's important. I, too, had a large tumor. After years of abnormal everything (from constipation to cramps to fatigue) I was told I was "too young for old person symptoms". Then things got real bad and I had rectal bleeding, weight loss, nausea... I finally found a GI doctor who did some testing and I was told Stage 4 Rectal Cancer. The first thing I did was cry and panic. Who wouldn't? I found that talking-- and NOT reading "Statistics" online helped tremendously. Talking to REAL people with actual symptoms and problems is the way to go.
I just finished my second round of chemo. I had the tumor removed in April, along with most of my rectum. I now have a temporary ileostomy. I won't lie, chemo was rough. But if you have the right doctors and nurses they will make sure you are as comfortable as you can be. Speak up!! I didn't at first but learned if you don't then it just goes untreated, unexplained.
As far as your specific treatment goes all depends on what your doctor thinks you need. For me I had chemo then radiation then surgery, followed by more chemo.
You need to keep a positive attitude. I know it's hard, almost impossible to be cheery through this crap but you can't let it get the better of you. Find support anywhere you can get it. It's the best medicine!