It all started with a backache on my right side following by pain under the right side of my rib cage! Since I have IBS, its summer in MN and I don’t handle heat and humidity well, I thought it was my IBS acting up again! So, I did what I usually do when this happens – watch diet and add fiber! Finally, after four weeks and with symptoms increasing, I contacted my clinic with a question – “These are my symptoms – do I need to be seen?” Their answer was “yes”! I was unable to get into my regular provider which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the provider I did see used to be an Oncology Nurse! She was amazing and thorough! A number of tests later confirmed that I have Stage 4 Colon Cancer that has metastasized to my liver, lung and lymph nodes! We were scheduled to leave in three days for our 25 th Wedding Anniversary Alaskan Cruise on Holland America Lines with amazing, supportive friends from Barnes, WI, (Team Alaska) and were told we needed to stay home and schedule more tests so chemo could begin as soon as possible! Lesson learned – buy Travel Insurance especially when one is 70 years old even though we attempted to purchase travel insurance after the cruise was booked and were unable to do so! We are still in negotiations with Holland as we want to move the cruise to 2024 with the money already applied! If anyone has ideas on how to solve this with Holland, we welcome any suggestions! Cancelling our Sun Country flight and Seattle hotel was wonderful with each going out of their way to reduce change fees, etc. Chemo started on Monday, 8/14/2023, that included a pump that stayed with me until Wednesday, 8/16/2023, with MN Oncology! Right now, I am scheduled for eight rounds of chemo every other week with another PET scan and treatment evaluation after four weeks! We hope for surgery to remove tumors on the liver and colon! Thank you to our family, friends, and neighbors for their wonderful support and prayers as we begin this cancer journey! Also, thank you to our son-in-law, Jason, for setting up this site and teaching us how to use it! Please feel free to call, text or email if you would like to talk to us!
Hi - Third round of experimental chemo completed last Wednesday! One more round to go and then another scan to see if it's working! Side effects from this last round is being tired and an extremely dry face and neck that itches - using lots of face cream! I did get out for dinner with my girls this week and started buying spring flowers and plants - fun! Thank you for cards, texts, friend visits and yummy food we received this week ! Our support group is made up of the most amazing people - thank you so much!
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