dannerca's Journey:
- 1 Oh No Icon Oh No
- 2 Drug or Chemo Therapy Icon Drug or Chemo Therapy
- 3 Radiation Icon Radiation
- 4 Procedure or Surgery Icon Procedure or Surgery
- 5 Procedure or Surgery Icon Procedure or Surgery
- 6 Side Effects Icon Side Effects
- 7 Side Effects Icon Side Effects
- 8 Side Effects Icon Side Effects
- 9 Side Effects Icon Side Effects
- 10 Oh No Icon Oh No
- 11 Other Care Icon Other Care
- 12 Oh No Icon Oh No
Survivor: Colorectal (Colon) Cancer
Patient Info: Finished active treatment more than 5 years ago, Diagnosed: over 11 years ago, Female, Age: 63
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Experience Icon Descriptions
Procedure: Drag this icon to show a procedure.
Radiation: Drag this icon to show a specific radiation therapy experience.
Drug Therapy: Drag this icon to show a specific drug therapy experience.
Clinical Trial: Drag this icon to show a clinical trial experience.
Side Effect: Drag this icon to show experience with a specific side effect.
Oh No: Drag this icon to show when something bad happened (e.g., cancer’s back, lost job).
Celebration: Drag this icon to show when something good happened (e.g., last treatment, hair is back).
Loss: Drag this icon to show a time of loss (e.g., lost hair, lost loved one).
Decision Point: Drag this icon to show a time when you had to make a tough decision.
Other Care: Draft this icon to show a time when you needed other care (e.g., hospice, psychotherapy).
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Other
Oh No
Rectal Tumor 6 inches in diameter, had to have chemo and radiation to reduce size for surgery, Diagnosed with stage 3 cancer
Chemotherapy
Drug or Chemo Therapy
I was on Xeloda, its a chemo pill. Had to take 6 a day, M-F. You have the same side effects as IV chemo. I was nauseated all the time. I never got sick from it but couldn't eat because I always felt sick. Lost alot of weight from it
External radiation
Radiation
Radiation in that area was awful after about the 5th week. I was very sore, very tired and my spirit to beat this was starting to dwindle away. My family kept me going. Radiation did do its job in reducing the tumor to 4 inches so I could have surgery
Removal of rectal tumor
Procedure or Surgery
I went in for tumor removal June 2nd, 2011. All went well, surgery lasted 8 hrs. Makes for a long day for family. I also had an ileostomy which was reversable. I had nerve blocks in my back for the surgery, they do help alot for the pain. I hardly ever used the pain pump after surgery. I was up walking the next day. Having the ileostomy was a hard thing for me to adjust to, mentally as well as physically. I had alot of issues with the bag, even when visiting nurses put them on they would leak. My skin around the stoma was very irriatated. The leakage caused a whole in my skin about the size of your pinky finger around and as deep as your fingernail. This was the most painful part of the whole surgery. I had the ileostmy for 4 months. after tumor and 20 lymph nodes removed was down graded to stage 2C , my lymph nodes were cancer free, just a few were abnormal.
Ileostomy
Procedure or Surgery
Oct 20th 2011 I had the ileostomy reversal done. The surgery was only 3 hrs, the hospital stay was 4 days. The reversal has alot of effects on you mentally. You don't realize how much damage was done by radiation, till you actually try using your plumbing system again. At first alot of diarreha,of course from being disconnected so long you have to try make it to bathroom but rarely ever do. This gets a little better in time.
Incontinence (cannot control urine)
Side Effects
My incontinence isnt my bladder, it's my bowel movements. If its diarreha or soft stool I can't hold it to make it to the bathroom, even if the bathrooms close. If it's solid I can hold it for a few minutes to make it. I refuse to wear depends, I have the mindset if I have to wear them then cancer beat me, I refuse to let that happen. I do wear a pad at most all times just in case. I'm still trying to work even with these issues. I do warehouse work, so I do alot of lifting. I'm not sure if I should be doing this or not, but it keeps me feeling somewhat normal.
Stool leakage
Side Effects
This is the most awful side effect. You have no control over this, mostly happens at night when you sleep, but occasionally happens during the day. I think the most upsetting thing is none of my Doctors told me any of this could happen.
Fatigue (tiredness)
Side Effects
Even though its been over a year since my last surgery, I still feel tired alot of the time.
Sexual side effects
Side Effects
I feel bad for my husband, the sexual drive is about gone. It actually hurts to have sex at first then gets a little better. Going from an active sex life to "I dont want to do this" is very stressful on me. My husband has been a trooper and he understands, but it still bothers me that I could careless about this aspect of our marriage.
incisional hernia
Oh No
now, after 1 year 9 months since original surgery, I was just told I have an incisional hernia. Will need surgery again
Other Care
This person has yet to add any details about this experience.
Cancer is back/Recurred
Oh No
After 6 years a tumor has returned this time in bladder. Removed 6/26/17 tested positive for cancer.