Follow-Ups and Downs

[dadmo]

Jason completed chemo 3 years ago today. Even though there is no reason to suspect anything I still get really anxious. At the party this weekend several of the guys were joking about the follow-ups but it wasn't light hearted. I asked Jason if he still got nervous and his answer was that if he thought about it he might get sick.

[Karen]

Congrats to Jason on the 3 years! I know the anxiety. I'm a wreck today and Ray isn't mentioning anything but I hear anxiety in his voice. I get anxious for everyone on followups. I wonder if the anxiety will ever go away, and I don't think it will. Hang in there Bill, Nancy and Jason......3 years out and the risk is really low for a recurrance.

[Already Bald]

Roger that Karen and Daddymo,
The followups can lead you right back to the Ativan pillbox.

Pulling for you Jason!

[Chris'Mom]

I agree, it never seems to get easier....congrats to Jason on three years out...I think his cat scan is Wednesday as is Chris' two year cat. My stomach is already turning.....Mary Ellen

[Margaret]

Boyce is always so positive, I am the one that gets anxious. They day of the scan I will tell him I am worried and he will say...'don't be, I am cured'...and he seems so at ease. Maybe he is more nervous than he lets on .

Do we count the last day of chemo, or the last day of RPLND...which day do we start at to check for recurrance??

We just had his one year since he 'Found Out' he had cancer, and I know the further out from his "ALL CLEAR" date we get the less chance for recurrance, but I have no idea which date that is??

We have been all clear from the RPLND since December...does that mean we are 8 months out?

[dadmo]

Our oncologist started the "all clear" clock the day he completed chemo. Jason started his own "all clear" the day the RPLND was completed because to him that was the day all of the bad cells were removed.

[Margaret]

That helps. Boyce's last day of chemo was Halloween, so I guess that will be our day of all clear.

Do they continue to check forever, or after a certain point are you considered cured?? When do you stop saying "I have cancer" and start saying "I used to have cancer" ?

I am sure these are really lame questions, sorry

[dadmo]

For non-seminoma you're considered cured after two successful years of remission. Remission starts the day chemo ends.

[Fed]

Good vibes are going Jason's, Ray's and Mark's way (and to everyone else that has follow-ups this week; I seem to remember there were many).

What dadmo says is sound, although for seminoma patients, the "cure" tag clocks in 5 years after the last treatment (stupid slow-growing cells...). This is not to say that follow-ups should ever be skipped. Even if you are 5, 10, or 20 years out, no surveillance labs should be overlooked. There are oddball cases of people relapsing later in life. Note that this is very rare, but we should never let our guard down.

[Already Bald]

For non-seminoma you're considered cured after two successful years of remission. Remission starts the day chemo ends.

Makes sense.
My oncologist told me that I will be enrolled in a "Living well after cancer" program at HUP, and that will start two years after my post chemo all clear scan.
He said I will still be in surveillance under his care, however my NP will change.
I will miss Barbara, but look forward to "graduation".

[MRMRSU]

Love to you all...and I hope that you can (that WE can) breathe a sigh of relief by the end of the week. Happy thoughts for Jaymo, Ray and Mark.

It's been a pretty awkward day for us too...Andy's diagnosis was six months ago today. Yeah, the 13th is a terrible number for us. And to top that off, he's got a urology follow-up later this week, and an unforseen appointment with the GI guy this Wednesday...blood in the stool. Trying to keep my cheerleading spirit up, though it's a wee bit hard but I'm allowed to have a bad day, right?

[Chris'Mom]

Chris is like Jason, he counts the day of his RPLND surgery being over with as his mark date...so this July he was 2 years out...just have to get thru cat scan Wednesday...Mary Ellen

[MRMRSU]

Mary Ellen: Happy, happy thoughts for Chris too!

[Karen]

Jason, Mark, Chris, Andy and Ray. Is Jeff this week too Mom/Dianne? Plus reaults back from last week for a few others.

If love were enough to wipe away the fear and pain and banish the beast, you would all be cured, 'cause you all have a lot of love coming your way. Hang tight guys and caregivers.....

[Mom]

Well, Jeff has the script but I don't know when he is going for the CT. He was at the oncologist on 8/3 and his markers were great. The doctor said that he needs one more CT scan and he doesn't have to back to him until next April. He feels Jeff is cured. I feel Jeff is cured. Now, I worry about the baby that is coming. It never stops....