Hope at Duke

By Carolyn Haines
Colon Cancer Patient

When I was in age 26, doctors told me I wouldn’t be able to have children due to endometriosis. But now at age 38, I have two beautiful, healthy daughters: Olivia and Isabell, ages six and four.

In August 2008, I was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer that had metastasized to my liver. The five-year survival rate at this stage is less than 8 percent. There are, however, survivors, and there is no reason I can’t prove medicine wrong again.

The month before I was diagnosed, I had extreme cramping in my abdomen. I went to my general practitioner two times. After many tests, my physician still couldn’t tell me the cause.

I decided to go to a gastroenterologist. After getting a CT scan, the doctor called me to tell me the news. I was completely speechless. I knew I had some medical problem, but I didn’t think I would have stage IV cancer!

My first reaction was to think about my children. Would I be able to raise them? I have an incredible husband, Stephen, and friends and family who can help raise my girls, but I want to be there too.

I asked my gastroenterologist to refer me to Duke because of its national reputation for cancer research and treatment. I am now treated by Dr. Hope Uronis. Her name is appropriate—she certainly has given me hope.

Dr. Uronis started me on a standard chemotherapy regimen in September 2008. I drive nearly an hour every other Monday from my home in Holly Springs, North Carolina, to receive chemo. Several other days a week, I go to Duke Integrative Medicine which is just down the road from the clinics, for among other things, accupuncture, yoga, and nutritional counseling. I really believe that traditional, Western medicine needs to be combined with complementary medicine to fully heal the mind, body, and spirit.

Before getting treatment, there were several tumors on my liver that were around first hand eight centimeters, and my liver was twice its normal size. Now, the largest tumor is one centimeter, and my liver is back to the normal size. In the beginning, my carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)—a tumor marker—was 8,100. My CEA is now down to seven, just above the normal range. It’s so inspiring to see the scans and how much the tumors have been reduced.

I am very hopeful. I’m doing so well with the first-line treatment, and even if this stops working, I know there are other types of chemo and targeted treatments that may help.

Dr. Uronis is amazing. She is so easy to communicate with. And she has gone out of her way to help me. I have an incredibly supportive family too. Family members come from out of own to help out with the children and the house during the week that I’m on chemo. I’m fortunate to have them, especially since they have to leave their own families to help out. And Stephen, who works from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., always has the energy to get the children ready for bed and then do whatever housework is needed.

During the chemo weeks, I can be very tired and am not hungry. That’s why I’m so grateful for all the help I get. We have been candid with our children about the disease as they can clearly see that their lives are different. But, as they are young, they obviously do not understand a lot of what’s going on.

An important piece of advice for any cancer patient is to learn as much as you can about the disease. I’ve spent a lot of time understanding colon cancer and see that there’s a lot of great research going on at Duke and elsewhere. The research has made me very optimistic. My hope is that the next generation will not worry much about cancer because of vaccines that may prevent the disease and treatments that will keep them at bay.

Before being diagnosed, I had a small private psychology practice. I’ve had to go on disability since I am not able to give my patients the care they deserve right now. However, I’m still reading the psychology journals and want to go back to work.

While I have lost weight, I have not lost my hair. I do not look sick and people are surprised to learn about my disease. I also do not have pain anymore. On non-chemo weeks, I feel almost normal. We plan to go on vacation this summer to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with our extended families, something I did not think I would be able to do even a few months ago.

I have a great family and a great life. I’m still madly in love with Stephen, whom I have been with for 17 years. Despite this diagnosis, I still feel incredibly fortunate.

Carolyn passed away from the disease in February 2010.