Had written up some notes a while back but all felt too premeditated. Just wanted to give you all an update (Previous: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
She ended Chemo about 2 months ago but it got pretty rough. She was in the hospital 3 times over the course of the treatment and had to have an emergency surgery at the end. We had wanted to avoid radiation due to the side effects on a younger woman (early menopause, etc), but have now gone forward with that treatment. She has really been so much better since that emergency surgery, better than she has been in the 2 years before we had the diagnosis.
Just as I was writing this, got some not great news, she was at her treatment and was told that her CEA number (a cancer indicator in blood) is back up. It is not definitive and that test was from last week, so they took another blood draw today and will be waiting for those results. If the number remains high, then will have do another CT scan ... Have felt that we were on the back-end of all this, but ...
Plan has been that the first surgery would be in Jan/Feb. A bit shaken at the moment by this CEA news so going to stop here for now.
Thank you all for being so great, have nice weekend.
Thanks for the update. Hadn’t heard from you in awhile and was thinking about your family as my wife was going through some health issues and a major surgery of her own. Not as serious as cancer but it has been a rough couple months. Hope you are hanging in ok mentally and the kiddos are doing ok.
All the best.
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312 sats \ 0 replies \ @Cje95 30 Aug
My thoughts are with you and your wife. I read through your updates and my heart goes out to you. I've written here about my health struggles as well and SN is a great community! As someone who shouldnt have made it several different times keep the faith and live in the moment the most you can for better or worse. Try to stay positive and do what you can to support both of y'all mental and physical health!
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321 sats \ 0 replies \ @Golu 31 Aug
Wish you overcome all your health issues and other problems soon!
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God is not so cruel. he will fix everything soon
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Wishing you and your family health and happiness. Hang in there and take each day as it comes.
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Thanks for sharing the updates with us. I see from the comments that I'm not the only one who's been wondering how your family's doing.
I'm really glad to hear that your wife has been feeling better lately, even if there are more clouds on the horizon.
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Your story is incredible, it truly shows that when you decide to face life you can achieve anything. I hope your wife gets better and comes out of this process unscathed.
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Thank you for the update. I’m so sorry you got more bad news.
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Really the first time I've felt unsure about it all for a while. She was last in the hospital in mid-July, which really wasn't that long ago, but has been doing so well since then, it feels like a totally different life. Thought for sure we had this beat, then today shook me a bit.
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I can’t imagine what you and your family are going through and I’m truly sorry. 🫂
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I wondered how this situation had progressed. The cone of silence lasts a long time sometime.
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241 sats \ 7 replies \ @gmd 31 Aug
Hang in there friend. Have they said why they delayed the initial plans for resection? I thought I remember in your initial post that it was to happen relatively quickly...
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Turns out it had spread more than they initially thought. It was really actually Stage 4, which is scary b/c they would not have given her treatment then. We had to start working with an out-of-town team that is going to do the surgery, and with the addition of radiation, the whole timeline has been extended quite a bit.
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21 sats \ 0 replies \ @gmd 31 Aug
Ahhh so sorry to hear that. If there's one thing I've learned from my years in medicine it's that cancer always hits the nicest of people, without fail.
I had a bad case of food poisoning the other week and it felt like hell. I can't imagine what your wife is going through with chemo etc. No one ever really understands what it's like unless they've gone through it.
Will keep praying for you and your family.
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CT scan seems like a strange choice?
Pet scan is more appropriate for detecting cancer?
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @gmd 31 Aug
PET scans are generally much harder to get. Useful for initial staging and checking if in remission etc but for most purposes CT is sufficient.
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I forgot about combo machines such PET/CT
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I might have been incorrect on that, she has had CTs and MRIs at this point
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Sorry for your pain
I have past experience with cancer: my mom and dad
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🙏🙏🙏
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I have gotten a few questions and felt I should follow-up here - the CEA numbers are under control and heading down again. The doctors are not concerned about it and said the fluctuation is not a problem.
Radiation goes through this month. Surgery in January/February.
Thank you all for your love and thoughts.
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Sending positive thoughts to you and yours. Remember to breathe.
🫂
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We need to learn what our body is communicating us with these effect (of causes). Understanding what's the cause could help a lot, most of the time is just stress... I know sound's a stupid thing... Just think about it!
A must-watch documentary https://www.dosedmovie.com/
The lady in the documentary got hit by depression first and cancer later... there's always hope!
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Hm, it's a shame that a disease like cancer has so much potential for destruction... How old are the two of you?
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Early 40s.
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210 sats \ 6 replies \ @Lux 31 Aug
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I appreciate the thought. She has used CBD & THC for pain, sleep, nausea thought the Chemo.
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Seriously dude? Trying to peddle CBD oil on someone's cancer post?
There is a special place in hell for you.
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0 sats \ 2 replies \ @Lux 31 Aug
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As a cancer survivor myself, this kind of information is dangerous.
CBD does not cure cancer. ffs, this hippy new age shit is how Steve Jobs died.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Lux 31 Aug
I never said that. I'm glad you survived. Cbd can help with pain and chemo
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