Some bad news today for me.

[donco6]

Went in for my 50th b-day colonoscopy and they found a mass. I have a CAT scan scheduled for next week and surgery soon after.

I'm kinda still numb. I had lymphoma about 12 years ago. Damn cancer seems determined to get me.

[LaydeeBug]

1. The only thing worse than knowing you have a mass is NOT knowing you have a mass. Thank God you

found it. Keep your spirits up. You're going to be ok. :)

[donco6]

8. That's pretty much what the doctor said.

He sounded hopeful that it was caught early. We'll see after the CAT scan on Wednesday.

[live love laugh]

31. Ditto that. You are WAY ahead knowing and taking action now. That's good news. nt

[Darth_Kitten]

2. I'm sorry.

You'll beat this. :hug:

[LiberalLoner]

3. ((((HUGS)))) healing wishes sent your way. rop

I'm always here if you want to PM. I've been told I'm a good listener. I know you don't know me, or anything, but I wish I could help.
I'm hoping for the best for you.

[donco6]

5. Thank you.

Having been through this once, I think I have a better idea about what I can expect and what I might need. People offering nice words is sometimes all it takes. So I appreciate it.

[Raster]

18. Then you shall have the kindest words possible. You can and will beat this.

Please let us know how the CAT scan goes. All the best to you.
:hug:

[foxfeet]

4. Hang in there, kid, (At my age I can say that!)

Hope all goes well and that you have someone close to give you support.

[katandmoon]

6. I am so sorry. I am visualizing healing for you.

[donco6]

Thank you, I appreciate it. n/t

[Skittles]

7. keep fighting, donco6

you beat it before and you can beat it again

[peacebird]

9. healing thoughts heading your way!

[RKP5637]

10. I hope you do OK. There are a lot of people here wishing you well, always

keep that in mind!

[Hawkeye-X]

11. Good luck. PM me if you need help.

I'm nearby - and we met two years ago @ Racine's.

Hawkeye-X

[emilyg]

12. Best wishes and prayers.

[poverlay]

13. Hang in there Donco.. I'm sure that you're just so very stressed out right now. I'm really sorry

about that.
Stay hopeful and diverted.
You are cared about by people you've never met.

We're on your side.

[MindandSoul]

14. At least, now that you know, you can do something about it! Keep your spirit!

You'll beat this! I know it's a shock, but you're an old pro and you will beat this! The odds are on YOUR side because you found out about it!

[barbtries]

15. i'm so sorry to hear about your situation

hopefully it's benign.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. I'm praying for you donco6.

[cate94]

17. Good luck.

Hopefully this was caught early enough that it won't be as difficult as the lymphoma was for you. I know it is frightening and I am sorry you are going through it.

Healing thoughts to you.

[donco6]

19. Thanks everybody, it means a lot.

Just woke up from resting after the colonoscopy. I appreciate the thoughts and wishes.

[queerart]

20. Sending You Much Positive Energy.....

[ruggerson]

21. You'll beat this, donco

[cloudythescribbler]

22. yes, may fortune smile on the future of your health

[WillParkinson]

23. Sending all the positives I can muster!

Stay healthy, man. We need you. :-)

[Duppers]

24. my step-dad had a mass removed

Five months ago. He was pretreated with radiation and chemo to shrink the mass, which was bigger than his fist!

He's now doing great. Hang in there!

Best of wishes to you.

[donco6]

25. That's good news! Thanks.

Info like that is really encouraging.

[Smarmie Doofus]

26. Scarey stuff.... no question. But non-symptomatic plus....

... early detection sounds pretty hopeful.

Top-flight, state-of-the-art vibes headed your way.(That's my highest version , BTW)

Keep us posted.

[Not Me]

27. I hope all goes well for you.

And I am glad that you were proactive and sought out the exploratory colonoscopy. Many people, even with health coverage, won't go there for stupid reasons.

In the mean time, try not to worry overly.

{{{HUGS}}}

[Starry Messenger]

28. ((((vibes)))) donco

[mitchtv]

29. all best thoughts to you donco

think positive , keep fighting, build a good support network, you will prevail.

[closeupready]

30. I'm sure it's going to be okay. Over that 12 years, they've made incredible advances

in treating cancer. I'm glad they found it, and you're going to get treatment. :)

[donco6]

32. UPDATE: Met with surgeon yesterday.

I'm scheduled for a Sigmoid colectomy this coming Friday. The doc thinks he can do it laparoscopically, which is great. He thinks the CT scan shows some lymph nodes involved, but the liver looks fine, so that's good, too. He's thinking they'll recommend chemo afterwards, but it's a different kind than I had with my lymphoma, not as rough. So THAT'S good, too. Overall, he thinks my prognosis is very good. Good news!

[WillParkinson]

33. Excellent!

Glad to hear.

[mitchtv]

34. wow donco , all the best

you will prevail

[foxfeet]

35. Good news!

I wish you a successful surgery and chemo with complete, comfortable and speedy healing.

[Smarmie Doofus]

36. The gods be praised. And Science!!

Seriously.... those routine cancer checks... I'm tellin' ya.

Well, I really wasn't all that worried, donco. You're practically *immortal*!

That's great news.

[HillWilliam]

37. While the initial news is scary

one thing I'm reasonably sure of is if the doctor says you'll beat it, you'll beat it -- thanks to catching it early enough.

About 15 years ago, my mom didn't catch it early and went through some very rough surgery and a very rough recovery. You'll be going through lapyroscopy, something a lot less invasive. It's still going to hurt and won't be fun, but you will live and your buds here are grateful. We're sending you strength, love, and good energy.

If you need to PM, please do. We've got your back.

A funny story to bring a giggle in what otherwise seems scary at the moment. After mom had a couple of surgeries, chemo, and was starting on radiation, the technician didn't have the dosage set right. She received a pretty bad burn. When she was recovering from THAT, she was over at my great-aunt's house with her first cousins. Great-auntie was a fierce old steel-magnolia dragon woman, the matriarch of the family, in her early 90s at the time. None of the cousins was under the age of 65.

So one of mom's cousins pops up and asks, "So, how was the last round of radiation? Are you OK?" Mom muttered, "they burnt me a brand-new asshole!".

About 3 nanoseconds passed and great-auntie bellowed out from her deathbed in the far reaches of the house, "CHILDREN!! CHILDREN!! Who SAID THAT?!?!? I will NOT have that kind of language in my HOUSE!"

There was a moment of embarrassed silence (children?? all those grey and balding heads and they're still children??), then everyone started snickering. They all wished mom well, gave her hugs for sticking with it, and rolled their eyes at still-fierce steel-magnolia auntie.

Sending you hugs.

[donco6]

38. Hahaha! Great story!

And I really appreciate the well-wishes. I feel a lot more confident now than a week ago. Everyone's been so great.

[Toasterlad]

39. Good Luck!

[ZombieHorde]

40. ...

:hug:

[RetiredTrotskyite]

41. ((((((Hugs)))))) And Good Wishes....

sent to you.

[donco6]

42. UPDATE: Back home and so far, so good.

I'm back home. I had surgery Friday to remove 1 foot of large intestine. It was done laparoscopically, which is relatively new. I recovered so quickly, the doctors were surprised and impressed! Maybe it's all that yoga. Anyway, by Monday afternoon, I'm back home and able to finally get some real rest. Dwaine's here helping me. My sister's coming this afternoon to give him some time off. I'm able to walk around the courtyard and do all the bathroom stuff OK. I'll find out the pathology sometime this week and see what else they want me to do. I think I'm really lucky so far.

If I hadn't had health care (and I have Kaiser, and they've been super-great, I have to say), I don't know what I'd do. Die, I guess.

Thanks for all your well-wishes. I'll let you know when I learn anything else.

[HillWilliam]

48. Good to hear you're up and about

so quickly. We've been thinking about you. Keep us up to date with your progress. Big C can be a bastid to beat, recovery can be not-so-fun, but you've got folks here sending you love and energy.

[joeybee12]

43. Good vibes coming your way!

:grouphug:

[Divine Discontent]

44. prayers for you Donco, hang in there, please!

[bigwillq]

45. Sending out my best vibes.

Hope everything turns out ok. :hug:

[closeupready]

46. Get better, donco6!

:hug:

[readmoreoften]

47. :........(

That's a tear. :( :hug:

[donco6]

49. UPDATE: Good News!

My 4.5 cm cancer was rated IIA, with very minor incursion. 18 lymph nodes tested and ALL NEGATIVE! I may not even need chemo! Seeing oncologist next week.

If you haven't gotten a colonoscopy and you're nearing 50, be sure to get one. I got this JUST IN TIME.

[Rowdyboy]

50. Dynamite! Excellent news.....

What a wonderful way to start a weekend!

[donco6]

51. Yay!

Going to the mountains this weekend to relax and celebrate!

[Divine Discontent]

52. wonderful fantastic, and I say an AMEN! that is great to hear. continued good health.

[Smarmie Doofus]

54. The last time I saw the word "incursion" in a sentence.....

... Nixon was invading Cambodia.

He didn't get far either.

:thumbsup:

[HillWilliam]

56. Still sending energy and strength, buddy

This is a great turn-up, indeed! Mom was Stage IV and had a really rough recovery, but she's still going 15 years later. I'm thrilled to hear your news was much better!!

And, oh-yes-indeedy-do, I get those colonoscopies. The prep is nasty (run, run, run! and SO HUNGRY all day the day of) but it's only one day out of your life TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. It's the easiest thing you can do.

If anyone is hesitant about getting your colonoscopy or your upper GI stop being silly and DO IT -- please, for love of Pete, G'd, Donco6, me, mom, or apple pie, just PLEASE do it. It's painless (they give you good sleepymeds), you won't know a thing, and, hey guys, it's the only time we get to fart loudly in public and get away with it. You don't get many chances like that.

[donco6]

57. Ha! Yes. They make you fart before you can leave.

It's funny, because it's kinda an assembly line process (at least, here in Denver). So you've got, like, 6 beds in one room and everyone working to squeeze out a fart. Hilarious.

But the process itself is a piece of cake and well worth it.

[shrike]

63. Hello, Don. I'd seen your post on the Cancer Support group

and wondered how you were. I hope I'm not intruding; I'm not GLBT myself. I'm so glad everything worked out for you.

I didn't want to mention this to you at the time, but a relative of mine recently died, very young, a year after she was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal. So treatment during early stage -- and Stage IIA is early stage -- is very important.

BTW, my cancer, breast, was Stage IIA as well.

Don't worry, I'm not a stalker; I'm just wondering how you're doing. :)

[donheld]

53. The best to you

:hug:

[dickthegrouch]

55. All our love Donco /nt

[MarshalltheIrish]

58. You'll be in my thoughts

[tomm2thumbs]

59. this the age of being able to address these things more than ever Donco

not that you need to hear from a random DU stranger, but my mom had a mass on her lung - and they took out her lobe, without even going through her ribcage, and she was out in 2 days - even her hospital roommate had a complete lung out and she was up and out in a day -- not trying to give too much a sense of 'better outlook' but things have come a long away since 25 years ago with my dad's situation, and I know you are going to be in good hands.

My only advice is try to have someone always go with you when you can - just to 'listen' for things, dates, follow-up, schedules... stuff you tend to miss when you are caught up with it personally. Plus they can be proactive with the folks at the front desk to be your advocate.

I am sending all my best energies your direction! And best-BEST of my thoughts!


ps: you are brave to post here and hopefully folks chatting back is helpful & not overwhelming!

[donco6]

60. Kicking so people can see this good advice.

My partner comes with me to all meetings, and it's ESSENTIAL. I miss stuff, or forget to ask questions, or my head is to foggy with drugs to remember what was said. Having someone else there REALLY helps to keep track of your own care.

And for those facing anything themselves - I have to say my care at Kaiser was really very good. I call; they call back. They say they're going to call, and they do. I have questions, I call and they answer. I can contact them through email. They send test results to me on email. The doctors take time and answer my questions and give me options. I've been very confident with their treatment so far.

Overall, I'm feeling almost back to normal - little "discomfort" around the incisions, but not bad at all. My energy is still low and hard to make it through a full workday, but they're very good about letting me leave early if I have to.

[foxfeet]

61. Well, damn! I'm WAY late to the party, but very glad for the good news.

I wish you a complete, rapid and comfortable recovery!

[Mimosa]

62. Whatever happens, trust in goodness and try to enjoy your life. n/t