Krista Koleas

Welcome to my CaringBridge website.  I am  using this as a way to keep family and friends updated all in one place.  I appreciate your support, love, words of hope and encouragement and laughter. 

On Thursday June 18, 2020 I developed low back pain that slowly progressed over 4 days into severe right upper abdominal pain.  By the evening of Monday June 22,  I thought for sure I would be having my gallbladder removed based on the severity and location of the pain I was having.  I went to my primary care's office first thing Tuesday morning and was sent for an ultrasound which revealed my gallbladder was fine but they were seeing spots scattered over my liver.  At that point they sent me for a CAT scan of my pelvic and abdomen which revealed a tumor on the rectosigmoid junction of my colon. By 10am Tuesday June 23, I was informed I had cancer but they were not certain what type.  The rest of that week, I had a colonoscopy and a biopsy of my rectum, a CAT scan of my chest and a PET scan of my chest, pelvic and abdomen.  All tests confirmed stage IV rectosigmoid colon cancer that has spread to both lobes of my liver.  They believe the cancer has been present for about 2 years, but I have had no apparent symptoms.  
I had three consultations with wonderful world renowned physicians and have chosen to proceed with Dr. Cathy Eng at Vanderbilt for my treatment.  Dr. Eng has spent the last 17 years at MD Anderson and recently arrived at Vanderbilt in October.  She is passionate about young people (ages 20-45) with colorectal cancer.  Dr. Eng's belief is that we need to be aggressive.  I begin chemotherapy Tuesday July 14th.  I will go into the clinic every 2 weeks for an in house infusion that lasts 4-6 hours.  Then, I go home with chemotherapy that continues to infuse over a 48 hour period.  This will continue for 6 months. 

Other than the pain I have experienced the past 2 weeks, I am healthy and optimistic!  I am carefully working on my diet, exercise program and other therapies that will supplement the chemotherapy and provide optimal health throughout treatment.  I am ready and excited to get started on this journey.  
I appreciate your prayers, love, texts, calls, letters, visits or any form of support from all of you. We will add regular posts to this site so you can keep up with my progress.   
I am deeply moved by the outpouring of support and care and how God has given me the greatest tribe I could ever imagine to stand with me. I love you all.