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2Much2Lose · 10-10-2007, 03:18 AM

Hello, everyone.

I cannot thank you enough for all the lovely wishes expressed here. It is truly overwhelming. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You see, it's still not enough!

For those interested, here's the summary of my condition:

As most of you know, I had surgery this winter and spring for colon cancer. Hopefully, they got it all, but in case they didn't, I'm undertaking a chemotherapy treatment called FOLFOX. To facilitate the chemo, I had a minor surgery to install a "port-o-catheter" in my chest just below the left collarbone. I received a treatment at the clinic every other week, followed by 48 hours with a portable chemo pump attached through the port.

Unfortunately, I am prone to blood clots, and the chemo tends to cause them. The port caused clots to form in my superior vena cava (SVC), the upper part of the largest vein in the body. All the blood coming from the head and arms -- the upper body -- returns to the heart and lungs through the SVC, and mine was mostly blocked. This prevented used blood from leaving my head and arms, causing my head to swell (insert joke here), my eyes to tear, and obstruction to my breathing. Apparently, according to Mom and Scott, I looked really ill. I also gained almost 15 pounds, practically overnight.

At the hospital, the CAT scan revealed an almost complete blockage of the SVC. For treatment I received clot-busting drugs which opened the SVC about 50% (hopefully, the rest of the blockage will be absorbed into the blood, but at this point, there still is a clot blocking about half the SVC). Then I had surgery to remove the port, so as to prevent re-clotting.

With the port removed, my chemo will need to be administered intravenously, but I have no idea how the portable pump portion of the chemo will be given.

I was released yesterday from the hospital, but I'm still extremely tired. I've already dropped that additional weight that I gained during the blockage. Too bad the next 15 pounds won't be so easy.

Anyway, that's the update. A reminder to all to have a regular colonoscopy when you turn 50. I was only 53 when I was diagnosed, and the cancer might have been caught sooner if I'd had them regularly the past few years. I'm confident we got it all out of me, but a lot of surgery and chemo could have been prevented if the cancer had been removed at the pre-cancerous polyp stage.

Thank you again for all your prayers and well-wishes.

David

10-10-2007, 03:18 AM	#25
2Much2Lose Senior Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sherwood Forest, MD Posts: 387	Re: 2m2l Hello, everyone. I cannot thank you enough for all the lovely wishes expressed here. It is truly overwhelming. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You see, it's still not enough! For those interested, here's the summary of my condition: As most of you know, I had surgery this winter and spring for colon cancer. Hopefully, they got it all, but in case they didn't, I'm undertaking a chemotherapy treatment called FOLFOX. To facilitate the chemo, I had a minor surgery to install a "port-o-catheter" in my chest just below the left collarbone. I received a treatment at the clinic every other week, followed by 48 hours with a portable chemo pump attached through the port. Unfortunately, I am prone to blood clots, and the chemo tends to cause them. The port caused clots to form in my superior vena cava (SVC), the upper part of the largest vein in the body. All the blood coming from the head and arms -- the upper body -- returns to the heart and lungs through the SVC, and mine was mostly blocked. This prevented used blood from leaving my head and arms, causing my head to swell (insert joke here), my eyes to tear, and obstruction to my breathing. Apparently, according to Mom and Scott, I looked really ill. I also gained almost 15 pounds, practically overnight. At the hospital, the CAT scan revealed an almost complete blockage of the SVC. For treatment I received clot-busting drugs which opened the SVC about 50% (hopefully, the rest of the blockage will be absorbed into the blood, but at this point, there still is a clot blocking about half the SVC). Then I had surgery to remove the port, so as to prevent re-clotting. With the port removed, my chemo will need to be administered intravenously, but I have no idea how the portable pump portion of the chemo will be given. I was released yesterday from the hospital, but I'm still extremely tired. I've already dropped that additional weight that I gained during the blockage. Too bad the next 15 pounds won't be so easy. Anyway, that's the update. A reminder to all to have a regular colonoscopy when you turn 50. I was only 53 when I was diagnosed, and the cancer might have been caught sooner if I'd had them regularly the past few years. I'm confident we got it all out of me, but a lot of surgery and chemo could have been prevented if the cancer had been removed at the pre-cancerous polyp stage. Thank you again for all your prayers and well-wishes. David __________________ \"And the laughter came too easy for life to pass me by.\"