Hi everyone, my name is Tia and I have been in this group for a
while but have always been silent, until now. There are a few
questions that I have. First, let me say that I have had my
colostomy now for 4 years and was cancer free, until a few months
ago. My back was hurting very badly, went into hospital just to have
them say i am plugged up. Well, after all the tests they finally
realized something was wrong. The Cancer came back and had spread.
So now, I am on the 48 hr chemo, which I hate with a passion.

I was also told that the chemo is what is keeping me alive. they
said with the chemo I have about 9 months to a year. Besides going
to chemo I am taking Ellagic Acid pills and my white blood cell
count has gone up and I am not tired or sick. I am still afraid of
the time they gave me cause I am raising 3 daughters on my own.

Here is something now that really gets me mad. Before I was told
about the return of the cancer, my legs would start to hurt when I
was walking. Thinking that I may have PAD (peripheral artery disease
(sp?)). Well, now my entire left leg is swollen and red, dry and
itchy, at least three times it's normal size, I can't walk more than
a block without it hurting, I am pretty much bed ridden cause it
hurts like hell. I also have open sores on my legs because of the
massive amounts of water in my leg. so my leg will leak from those
sores. When I take a deep breath in, a sharp pain runs from my ankle
all the way to my knee caps. Has anyone had or have this same
problem?

I am doing everything I can to stay alive, taking every little thing
that I think will help. The leg is what bothers me the most. My Dr.
said there is nothing that they can do like they cannot drain the
leg because it will just come back. They said that it may be
poswsible that it will stay like that the rest of my life. I can't
accept that. They are hoping that the chemo is working and that in
time my leg will go back to normal but they don't think that wil
happen.

So there is my story and a few questions, I hope that someone can
help me with these, also, for those who have a colostomy, the side
of the stomach that it is on, is it bigger than the other side? I
hate not being able to wear certain clothes because my left side is
bigger than the right side of the stomach.

Sorry this was so lengthy. I hope someone can answer me back. Take
Care, and TCB.

Tia