Our Colon Cancer Journey - Mother and Daughter Fighting Together

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Our Colon Cancer Journey - Mother and Daughter Fighting Together Sharing our journey living with Colon Cancer to help others who are diagnosed with Colon Cancer. I was so heart broken for her - our whole family was. Very hard.

Also to provide updates on our journey to our family members and friends. When my mother was diagnosed in early 2019 with Stage 3c Colon Cancer I about lost my mind. Watching her go through treatment was hard. After completing chemo - she was declared NED in January 2020. Whew! I was diagnosed with Stage 3b Colon Cancer 8 months after my mom received her diagnoses. I about fainted when I listened to the surgeon read my pathology report. Our journey through surgeries, chemo, blood work, tests and scans has been quite the adventure with many twists and turns that were unexpected and mind blowing. We educate ourselves as much as possible so we can be proactive in our treatment decisions. This page is to share updates of our colon cancer journey and hopefully help others who need a boost to keep going or just need some insight.

I have unfortunately been in the hospital for two weeks now. My small intestines aren't working. I've had an NG tube fo...
25/07/2023

I have unfortunately been in the hospital for two weeks now. My small intestines aren't working. I've had an NG tube for 14 days. Without this tube I would just vomit non stop.
NO FOOD FOR 14 DAYS AND AT LEAST ANOTHER 14 DAYS.
I AM HUNGRY lol

Surgery was supposed to be this Thursday but Courtney and I talked about it and think it's best if we switch surgeons.

It's a high risk Surgery that will take several hours. Please keep me, nick, My sisters and loved ones in your prayers. We're all scared.

Love you.

22/09/2020

MOM UPDATE:

Mom had her PET Scan and the results are back.
Two spots on the scan lit up that weren't there on her last PET Scan.

Cancer is back.

She has an MRI coming up soon. Radiation and chemo will be coming soon.

I really wanted for my sister's and I to make her 70th birthday special by taking her to the beach since her Peru trip was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. Now we can't take her because of cancer.

She deserves to be celebrated. I want us to do something really special for her. I don't know what to do :(

My heart hurts. She is a fighter. I have no doubt that she can do this.
I want to celebrate HER.

Please allow her time to process. She's having dinner with friends tonight.

Both of us diagnosed stage 3 in 2019
Both of us stage 4 2020

They still don't know the genetic link between me and mom, but she was tested for the MTHRFR mutated gene yesterday.
Courtney (my sister) has this mutated gene and one of the symptoms is colon cancer. Actually, mom and I have all of the symptoms.

Anyways- please keep mom in your prayers and lift her up when you have a moment.
Her spirits are great right now but I know about those moments that can pop up in your head when you're alone.

Thank you everyone.

After surgery August 6th in recovery. Love the warm blanket!Surgery:Colostomy take downScar tissue removal (a lot)Colon...
17/09/2020

After surgery August 6th in recovery. Love the warm blanket!
Surgery:
Colostomy take down
Scar tissue removal (a lot)
Colon reconnection
Parastomal hernia repair
Removal of Colon cancer in Uterus
A surprise hysterectomy

Two major surgeries in 9 months. Throw chemo in there and unlimited blood tests, ct scans and CT DNA tests.

Stage 3B Colon cancer November 27, 2019
Stage IV August 6, 2020

Cancer doesn't give you a heads up so you can figure it out. It hits you face on and its such an unknown world in the beginning. The fear - the unknown - the whys. The physical trauma is rough but the roughest is emotional psychological trauma and add that to the bills that come in so fast you cant keep up with them. It's all overwhelming.

Never give up. Never. When it seems impossible. Dig deeper. Take time to take care of you. If you need a day in the bed - stay a day in the bed. But not two. Get up. Move. This is not the end.
You are loved. You are wanted. You are needed.

16/09/2020

I have met with my Oncologist and promised I would give an update after regarding the negative results of my CT DNA test (blood test that detects live cancer cells in the blood)

There isn't a clear cut answer why both of my tests came back negative when I was positive.

It could be because it was caught early on. It could of been because of the location of the cancer cells down in the lining went undetected.

He ended with saying, "you and your mom are unusual cases. Her CT DNA tests are coming back positive but we can't find where the cancer is. Yours came back negative and you were positive."

We are not the norm. This test is very important.

My mets to the uterus was caught early and the cancer was removed.
Other tumors in me were sent to the lab and came back negative.

My PET scan today came back NED.

Staying proactive in treatment and routine follow ups are important in catching this when it pops up.

As my primary physican said yesterday, "cancer does what it wants when it wants. Stay positive. Once your mind gives up your body will soon follow and it's over."

Stay positive every one and push for the Natera Signatera DNA test.
I do believe it's a life saver.

16/09/2020

PET scan for me today. Next week my mom has hers.

Waiting to see our Oncologist for results. Hoping for good news!

Learned something new today... insurance only covers 4 PET Scans through your whole diagnoses. So if you're diagnosed in the 80s - you only have 4 PET Scans covered by insurance.
Mind. Blown. Once again.

Thankfully this is my first PET scan.

07/09/2020

Our colon cancer journey started at the beginning of 2019. What we thought was to be over in 6 months, has continued through this year and still going.

My mother and I were diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer 8 months apart from each other in 2019. My mom has been NED since January 2020. Whew!

I was 42 years of age at diagnoses - she was 68.

This experience has been an eye opener - but we've faced these challenges together and the support from family and friends has been amazing.

The more we educate ourselves, the more we're able to be proactive in our treatment.
We're here to share our story in hopes to help others.

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