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(VANITY) Cancer specter still looming - personal
11/18/13 | me

Posted on 11/18/2013 2:29:56 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel

The continuing saga of the gigantic tumor.

I went to the oncologist today for the 1st time about the giant lump off my appendix.

While the surgery does much for me, she is still up in the air about what to do next.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: cancer; cancerping; medical; prayerping; prayers
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As the onc doc said, this is very rare, so little is really known about how it behaves or how it reacts. She will consult with a PA doctor who "specializes" in this kind of cancer problem if only because he gets to see more of them than most doctors.

She wants to set up several tests.

Basically this tumor could go 2 ways - common metastasis (for which she wants to verify my lungs are OK, though lymphs and colon were fine) or a kind of uncontrollable abdomen cancer. She is concerned because it was so huge.

So, there is still the issue of do I have any cancer, or is it a big risk that I should go on chemo to stave it off?

Let's just say I did not feel all reassured.

Prayers are appreciated!

1 posted on 11/18/2013 2:29:57 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel
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To: Tired of Taxes

(could use a ping again!)


2 posted on 11/18/2013 2:31:54 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Prayers up, of course. BTT


3 posted on 11/18/2013 2:34:20 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Prayers for you.

What about a 2nd opinion? Since you don’t need that appendix, would surgery followed by chemo, or radiation, be an option?

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on TV.


4 posted on 11/18/2013 2:38:40 PM PST by afraidfortherepublic
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Offering prayers for wisdom for your doctors and for your own personal peace of mind.


5 posted on 11/18/2013 2:39:14 PM PST by Colonel_Flagg (Some people meet their heroes. I raised mine. Go Army.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

My Dad had abdominal cancer - at first they thought it was sarcoma [very bad news], but then was determined to be lymphoma.

He had surgery, chemo, and radiation. It worked.

I have non-hodgkin’s lymphoma [supposedly an incurable form, mantle cell lymphoma] - went thru the MD Anderson protocol of Hyper-CVAD plus rituxin [for about a year]. Seems to have worked.

Hang in there, explore ALL possibilities. They are doing amazing things these days ...


6 posted on 11/18/2013 2:43:16 PM PST by Lmo56 (If ya wanna run with the big dawgs - ya gotta learn to piss in the tall grass ...)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Good luck and prayers.

I’ve had surgery and radiation, and great medical treatments.

You hear a lot of complaining about the med system these days but I’ve experienced none of that.

Find the best doctors you can (I’m lucky in that I know doctors and dentists as acquaintances).


7 posted on 11/18/2013 2:43:36 PM PST by nascarnation (Wish everyone you see a "Gay Kwanzaa")
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To: the OlLine Rebel; All

Please get a second opinion.

Try Cancer Treatment Centers of America. I don’t know if there is one near you .. but you should check them out anyway. Maybe they can recommend another treatment center closer to you.

For any doctor to say they don’t know how to proceed after surgery .. I’d be running for the door.

Prayers don’t even require asking! Please let me know what you find out.


8 posted on 11/18/2013 2:43:55 PM PST by CyberAnt (MY AMERICA: "... I'm terrified it's slipping away.")
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Do they have the results of the biopsies at all yet?

The docs thought my father had appendiceal cancer several years ago due to a large tumor-like appearance on his appendix, and it turns out what he did have was chronic and acute appendicitis which had inflamed his appendix to such an extent the doctors all thought it was cancer, even after the appendix and tumor were removed. He never had any symptoms of appendicitis, either.

I will keep you in my prayers.


9 posted on 11/18/2013 2:45:46 PM PST by alphadoggie
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Prayers up.

I had my cancer surgery last year, and they could only say my reoccurance risk was x% with chemo and y% without chemo, tell us what you want to do.

Get the cancer out and go to somebody that treats your kind of cancer to get the best information you can find so you can at least make in informed decision.

Don’t give up, a year and a half ago, I didn’t think I’d still be around now.


10 posted on 11/18/2013 2:49:42 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: dangerdoc; Tired of Taxes

Cancer ping.


11 posted on 11/18/2013 2:53:01 PM PST by Mears
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Praying for you!


12 posted on 11/18/2013 2:56:02 PM PST by pax_et_bonum (Never Forget the Seals of Extortion 17 - and God Bless America)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Prayers up for you and your family.


13 posted on 11/18/2013 3:00:26 PM PST by machogirl (First they came for my tagline)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

May God keep his healing hand upon you and bring His Peace to you and your family.


14 posted on 11/18/2013 3:09:42 PM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Prayers for you


15 posted on 11/18/2013 3:24:02 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (I grew up in America. I now live in the United States..)
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To: the OlLine Rebel; Armen Hareyan; B4Ranch; BykrBayb; cajungirl; cookcounty; dadfly; duckbutt; ...
CANCER WARRIORS PING

This is a ping list for cancer survivors and caregivers to share information. If you would like your name added to or removed from this ping list, please tell us in the comments section at this link (click here).

(For the most updated list of names, click on the same link and scroll to the end of the comments.)

16 posted on 11/18/2013 4:50:25 PM PST by Tired of Taxes
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To: the OlLine Rebel

There seem to be two schools of thought on chemo:

One line of thinking is to hit the cancer hard with everything the oncologist has to give you, as in a fierce battle against enemy invaders (cancer cells).

The other line of thinking is that chemo eventually lowers the body’s ability to fight off the cancer. So, it’s important to be sure chemo is necessary.

Personally, I went with the all-out battle, but I didn’t really have a choice. My oncologist specialized in my type of cancer, so she knew exactly what to do.

I’m glad to hear your oncologist is being very careful and checking with an oncologist who specializes in the type you have.

I’m so sorry you are facing this ordeal. Sending prayers your way!


17 posted on 11/18/2013 5:05:39 PM PST by Tired of Taxes
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To: Tired of Taxes

She definitely gave that impression. Her concern is there is so little evidence about this rarity, including how chemo affects it. So chemo might not be done if the thought is it won’t really help given my circumstances. That’s what the tests are for, to further ascertain my risk factors.

Thanks for continued prayers!


18 posted on 11/18/2013 6:36:11 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Prayers for your health and healing (and always get as many opinions on treatment options from physicians as possible !).


19 posted on 11/18/2013 6:42:12 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: dangerdoc

I think my thread post has caused much misunderstanding - sorry!

To all the posts above who haven’t seen my earlier threads....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3078792/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3091507/posts

I’ve had major surgery for this, 3 weeks today. That part is “over” - now I’m meeting an oncologist who needs more tests regarding SPREAD in different ways and from there how to handle this, which is apparently a very rare type of cancer that triggers other cancers, not just the usual “metastasis”.

Thanks to all who offer support and prayers - most needed of all!


20 posted on 11/18/2013 6:42:55 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
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