Need Creative Minds to title Rectal Cancer Benefit.

give a crap for cancer

I particularly like this.

Putting Cancer Behind Me

Oooh! And this...

Bucks for Butts.

OMG! Buck’s for Becky’s Butt! *LMAO*

Putting Cancer Behind Me

Excellent suggestion. As much as one might want to go with something funnier or cruder, it could turn off potential donors. Best to keep it clever, but classy, to attract the widest audience possible.

This is true

I like Brett's! And I'd like to donate, so please PM me details of where to send a check.

Really Patti? That's super sweet!! Once I get the online donation thingy and everything set up, I will send you the details!! Thank you so much, honey!

If anyone actually wants to read her whole story... here it is.

Ok, so I got pregnant July 2011 and was due 4/11/12. About half way through my pregnancy I realized that I was having issues..I was checked out about every month from the OB doc and was always told that it could be prenatal pills, pregnancy, etc…So I just listened to my doctors and continued on. I had a baby 4/12 and continued to have issues for months after. Finally I went to my annual appointment in 8/12 and was still concerned. I was not on prenatal pills anymore so why was I still having issues. They referred me to a GI Doc. I saw him in September after getting all of the proper referrals for insurance. He immediately scheduled a Colonoscopy and Ultrasound. I thought the colonoscopy was a little much for my age but went along with it. I had the Colonoscopy sometime in mid-October and found out immediately after that I had a rectal tumor. The doctor was very surprised because normally this is found in patients 50 yrs old and older. He said from my symptoms I described he was in shock as well-didn't think it was a tumor. They told me it was blocking 1/3 of my rectum and I would need major surgery within 30 days to remove it. They took a biopsy and I would know later that week if it was cancerous or not. The colonoscopy was on a Monday-and on Wednesday I got the call that it was showing signs of cancer. On Friday I confirmed for sure via phone that it was indeed a cancerous tumor but was a less aggressive type. I was shocked-I now had cancer at age 34 and had a little 5 month baby at home. He wanted to refer me to a place called The Cleveland Clinic in Weston, FL-he said if anyone was going to remove it with the most minimally invasive surgery out there it would be them.


Next step was to get a CT Scan and blood work and then go to meet with the surgeon in Weston to find out the results and stage of cancer I had. I had blood work done and then tried to schedule an appointment with the surgeon. I could either get in on Halloween which was in 2 days or wait 30 days! There was no way I was going to wait 30 days!!

I had the CT scan done the same day that I was able to get into the appointment to meet with the surgeon. The CT scan tells how far the tumor and cancer has spread throughout the body. The day was 10/31/12-Halloween! What a day! I had to drink barium (3 total cans of it) to do the scan. And no food or drink for many hours.. right after I rushed home--and we drove the hour down to Weston. The Cleveland Clinic was a big hospital/research center. I met with the surgeon and a doc he was training. I had to get a rectal exam and an anal ultrasound. This was definitely not a comfortable experience. Especially in a room of 3 men! The ultrasound would tell them the depth of the tumor. After a couple of hours of everything we were taken back in the room to discuss results. He then went through the various stages and what they meant. He kept counting up so I knew it was bad. Finally he explains stage 3 and tells me that is what I have. So my diagnosis was Stage 3 Rectal Cancer. I was stage 3 because it has spread to 2 lymphnodes. The good news was it was not spread to any other organs in the body. He said very treatable--75% survival rate. Although it was an older person's cancer--he said I am not the only one he has seen younger with rectal cancer right after childbirth. He thinks it may have started as a polyp and then with all of the estrogen in my body--it could have super grown into a tumor while I was pregnant. The plan was to now have 6 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation with 4 weeks of rest. Than they do a new scan to see how much the tumor has shrunk. And then surgery. I would need to have a colostomy bag for a while after the surgery and then hopefully after I am all healed, they could do another surgery to reverse it. Needless to say I will never forget Halloween 2012!

Next step was to meet with the Radiation Oncologist and Chemotherapy Oncologist. I had the appointments scheduled back to back the same day. I met with the Radiation Oncologist did an exam, and set me up on the table to get the plan ready to start radiation. They had to take some scans, do measurements, and more nasty barium to drink! YUCK. I was told due to the area being radiated--the whole pelvic region--I will no longer be able to have kids. My eggs would be no good and I would be rendered infertile. I could carry-just not with my own eggs anymore. Great..we were planning on having a second baby. We had to check into egg freezing right away.


On that same day we met with the Chemo doctor. She said I could either do the chemo pump which is attached to you 24/7 or a pill. The pill would be a lot more convenient with working so I went with that. Said I may have some side effects but shouldn't lose my hair because of the low dosage. I am to take the pills Monday-Friday morning and night when I have radiation. I have off on the weekends. Sounded good to me.

Went to meet with IVF of South Florida for egg freezing-Paid a bunch of money out of pocket to get started (650.00)-got some tests done, etc. Before we could proceed though we had to get the OK from our radiation doctor because it was going to take 4 weeks. Found out the next day it was a no go. I could get a blockage in the meantime and would need emergency surgery. So basically we are not going to be able to have anymore kids with my eggs. Well there are other ways to have a baby. We decided the main focus was to get me healthy first.

Started Radiation and Chemo on 11/28/12. This consisted of going to the radiation office M-F same time everyday to get zapped for about 10 minutes on the table. I meet with the doctor once a week to check my vitals and see how I am doing. I also take the chemo pill M-F. I have continued to work everyday to keep some type of normalcy. Of course we decided to switch insurance from my company's plan to my husband's on 12/1/12. I was very scared to switch but his was the better plan by far. Everything was running smoothly until I gave the radiation doctor's office my new id card. Of course I told them about the changeover before hand and it was no big deal per the receptionist. Just bring my id card once I have it. Well I went through about 10 treatments and finally had it in hand. Gave them a copy. The next day I got an upsetting call at work telling me not to come in for treatment today. I switched insurance and my new insurance needed pre authorization for my treatment which could take a couple of days. I couldn't believe it-I had to stop treatment right in the middle because of pre authorization? Like my chemo and radiation are optional! This is life threatening! I had to take a day off--it was mid December and it was a Wednesday. I was freaking out. We were on the phone with my husband's HR dept, the insurance company, the radiation office-all day for that whole week. Finally they said to come in Thursday-I went in and got one more treatment on Thursday. On Friday I was called at work and told that the new insurance company had denied my treatment for radiation? I was shocked-than the nurse came back and said that my doctor was on the phone with the insurance company 's doctors and not taking no for an answer. Right away she came back to the phone and said ok-you were approved-but for a different type of radition. Instead of the IMRT I was getting (more precise type of radiation) I was now approved for 3D radiation. So of course I will take whatever I can get. They assurred me it is no less of a dose--just a different way to treat me. They needed some time to redo my plan so I was to take Friday off, and Monday..and come back that following Tuesday.

Meanwhile, we were now being told by the billing office at the radiation doctor that since the insurance did not approve the IMRT radiation I was going to be responsible for the billing from 12/1-12/12 which meant 10 days of radiation at 600.00 a piece. So far we have not received the billing but we will see. Now since I had so much trouble with the radiation we were assuming I would have trouble with the refill of the chemotherapy pill too. I called and ordered it...my doc made another call and gave my new insurance. They said I would need to order through a different prescription mail order company. Well as I expected I received my refill of my chemo pill but the billing looks wrong. I received my bill for my share of the copay and it appears the insurance payment is still outstanding. Looks like they billed my old insurance, not the new one. I have a feeling the new one is not going to approve it as easily, or if they do it will be for the chemo pump-not the pill. The cost of a 30 day dose of the chemo pill Xeloda is 4,000. So you can see how the bills are starting to add up.

As of today-I have been through 24 treatments and have 4 more to go. I found out I only need 28 days of radiation, not 30 like I thought. Almost done with not too many side effects. I have some good days and some bad days. They told me that the area being radiated (my whole pelvis) but specifically the rectum-would feel like a bad sunburn. It does and more. I also have side effects of dry skin, tired, some nausea, dizziness, and loose stools/diarrhea which are constant. Makes life difficult because I always need to be close to a bathroom! I am thankful these seem to be my only side effects. The chemo pill lists a whole bunch more. I guess the chemo and radiation will continue to work for the 4 week rest period I have coming up. Next step is finish radiation and chemo, get new body scan-and than probably schedule the surgery.

Putting Cancer Behind Me

subtle humor and still gets the point across. I would go with this one

Agreed

I like it...