10th cancer birthday today

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helen098
Posts: 2009
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 2:07 pm
Location: Forest Hills New York

10th cancer birthday today

Postby helen098 » Mon Jun 06, 2016 2:40 pm

Well it’s 10 years ago since my surgery
The past 10 years went by so fast.
Looking back I was had no idea what I was getting in to. I think it was for the best.
Because if I knew even one 10th of what I know now they would have had to sedate me in the waiting room. :shock:
I couldn’t even image the constant pain from the neuropathy, under control with methadone but without it for 7 to 10 days the pain level is back to thinking about doing something stupid.
Pooping my pants every once in a while, this is because of the shortened colon and where the tumor was along with the 5 surgeries for the Anal fistula that weakened the muscles. When I have to go I have to go.
Scanxiety and more crap than I can count.

I like to think the journey has made me a better person.

I want to thank everyone online and in real life, many times it feels like you are alone but you do need help from others.
I think the hardest thing for me is to ask for help, most times I don’t get it but I tend to keep things to myself and to try and solve them myself.

On 6/6/6 I never thought I would say this but it has been fun, scary, painful and very strange.
I am so glad I found the club and if you will have me I plan to be here for a long time.

Do something fun for yourself today because you never know what will happen tomorrow.

As Mr. Spock would say Live long and prosper
stage 3A surgery 6/6/6 finished chemo jan 07
11 5FU/12 Levcouorin/10oxaliplatim
port removed jun 07
anal fistula surgery oct 05 may 07 feb 08 sep 08 jun 09

stu
Posts: 1614
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:46 pm

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby stu » Mon Jun 06, 2016 3:09 pm

Excellent news. I wish you many healthy years to come.
Kind regards
Stu
supporter to my mum who lives a great life despite a difficult diagnosis
stage4 2009 significant spread to liver
2010 colon /liver resection
chemo following recurrence
73% of liver removed
enjoying life treatment free
2016 lung resection
Oct 2017 nice clear scan . Two lung nodules disappeared
Oct 2018. Another clear scan .

Noon32316
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun May 08, 2016 11:33 am

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby Noon32316 » Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:12 pm

helen098 wrote:
I want to thank everyone online and in real life, many times it feels like you are alone but you do need help from others.
I think the hardest thing for me is to ask for help, most times I don’t get it but I tend to keep things to myself and to try and solve them myself.

Do something fun for yourself today because you never know what will happen tomorrow.

As Mr. Spock would say Live long and prosper


Happy Cancer birthday! Thanks for the advice. Best wishes to you.
3/16: Dx colon cancer (sigmoid). Age: 36
4/16: PET/CT, Sigmoidectomy, Port installed
5/23/16 to 11/30/16: Folfox - 12 tx, no oxaliplatin for #11 & #12
11/5/16: PET/CT - NED
3/21/17: Colonoscopy = clear
9/27/17: CT scan = pathologically enlarged retroperitoneal lymph nodes - nodal metastases
10/5/17: CT guided needle biopsy
10/13/17: Confirmed - Recurrence

CEA '16 & '17: < 0.5
Original Dx: Stage 3C, T4a, N2b, Grade 3, 16/16 lymph nodes, infiltrating signet-ring cell carcinoma
Lynch negative

Nik Colon

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby Nik Colon » Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:47 pm

Congrats on 10 yrs!

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CRguy
Posts: 10474
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby CRguy » Mon Jun 06, 2016 11:46 pm

helen098 wrote:.... I plan to be here for a long time.

WORD !

MegaCheers and Harmony sista'
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far

AussieAssCancer
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 10:16 am

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby AussieAssCancer » Tue Jun 07, 2016 5:32 am

Such a great post! Congrats :)
Dx Oct '15 w/ Stage 3c RC/ CEA 8
Nov '15 - Jan '16: 3x FOLFOX and 5wks Chemoradiation w/ Xeloda
March '16: ULAR w/ temp ileostomy
Complete pathological response incl 0/12 nodes
May - Aug '16: 9x FOLFOX (dropped Oxaliplatin for final Rd due to neuropathy)
Clear CT scans in April ‘16 (NED), Dec ‘16, Aug ‘17, Feb ‘18, March ‘19, Feb ‘20
Feb '17: Ileostomy reversed
CEA Post Surgery: ALWAYS 2

Blog: kickingrectalcancerintheassblog
https://kickingrectalcancerintheassblog.wordpress.com/

Buckeye
Posts: 109
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2016 7:02 pm

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby Buckeye » Tue Jun 07, 2016 5:33 am

CONGRATULATIONS!!! :D
Dx 10/20/15 stage 1 T1N0M0 1.3cmx1.1cmx1cm low grade ( well to moderately differentiated) Rectal cancer age 47
Loving Husband and father of two girls age 19 & 15 Sole income provider
CEA <0.5
CT, MRI and PET show no metastatic spread
LAR Laparoscopic TME 11/30/15 with Illo
Pathology clean no lymph node or vascular involvement. Confirmed Stage1
No chemo/rad cancer free now and forever.
Illo reversal 01/26/16

User avatar
barbara jayne
Posts: 759
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:08 am
Facebook Username: Barbara Allenhttps://www.facebook.com/barbara.alle
Location: Wales, UK

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby barbara jayne » Wed Jun 08, 2016 1:28 pm

Hi Helen,
Big congratulations on your 10 anniversary, good to see the long standing members checking in now and again, enjoy life, wishing you many more anniversaries :) much love ....
Barbara x
DX. Colon Cancer (Cecum) stage 3
Right hemicolectomy Jan '08
2/22 L.nodes positive
Oxi and Xeloda
Xeloda discontinued
due to DPD enzyme deficiency
Lynch Syndrome
13 years NED
Facebook user name,
Barbara Allen https://www.facebook.com/barbara.allen.927

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3817
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:31 pm

Congratulations on 10 years! Heres to many many more!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

helen098
Posts: 2009
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 2:07 pm
Location: Forest Hills New York

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby helen098 » Sun Jun 12, 2016 6:49 pm

Thanks for the good thoughts
I still check in here one or two times a week but since my cancer was so long ago
I don't think anyone wants to hear about my experience
10 years ago unless it's about something universal like neuropathy or popping

Hope everyone has a great week
stage 3A surgery 6/6/6 finished chemo jan 07
11 5FU/12 Levcouorin/10oxaliplatim
port removed jun 07
anal fistula surgery oct 05 may 07 feb 08 sep 08 jun 09

AussieAssCancer
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 10:16 am

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby AussieAssCancer » Mon Jun 13, 2016 3:05 am

Huge congrats! Here's to another 10, and then another 10 after that and so on :D
Dx Oct '15 w/ Stage 3c RC/ CEA 8
Nov '15 - Jan '16: 3x FOLFOX and 5wks Chemoradiation w/ Xeloda
March '16: ULAR w/ temp ileostomy
Complete pathological response incl 0/12 nodes
May - Aug '16: 9x FOLFOX (dropped Oxaliplatin for final Rd due to neuropathy)
Clear CT scans in April ‘16 (NED), Dec ‘16, Aug ‘17, Feb ‘18, March ‘19, Feb ‘20
Feb '17: Ileostomy reversed
CEA Post Surgery: ALWAYS 2

Blog: kickingrectalcancerintheassblog
https://kickingrectalcancerintheassblog.wordpress.com/

Ron50
Posts: 699
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:04 pm

Re: 10th cancer birthday today

Postby Ron50 » Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:11 am

Hugs Mate , usually when someone says they know what you are talking about, they don't. I was dxed with stage 3 c into six nodes back in Jan 1998. I had surgery and 48 sessions of chemo over a year. The drugs I had were not supposed to cause neuropathy but they did as well as nephrotic syndrome of the kidneys and several other auto immune problems. I have had just about every drug possible to stop the neuropathy pain from anti seizure meds ,to trycyclic anti-deppressants, a couple of years of 80 mg oxycodone ,morphine patches and now back to nothing. At worst my kidneys leak over seven grams of protein a day. They are keeping me alive with cyclosporine twice a day. I rattle when I walk but I have survived cancer free (except for the skin cancers they have to remove regularly) for over 18 years. I thought it was over last month. My liver functions doubled twice in four weeks and my legs and lungs filled with fluid. I had ultrasounds of my heart , liver ,panceas and kidneys. No nasties were found. I have trouble breathing and getting rid of fluid. My blood pressure is sky high. I hate taking prednisone , so they put me back on pred. Last time I was on it I developed type two diabetes. I am on a lower dose this time. My blood pressure has dropped as have my fluid levels and my blood sugars are almost normal. My nephrologist believes I have been suffering auto immune inflammatory disease possibly in my lungs and blood vessels. I don't want to take pred but let's face it we face diminishing options.
I haven't found much help from any quarter, My wife got sick of me being sick and asked me to leave. Apart from my nephrologist most doctors don't want to know me or treat me. The neurologist who dxed my neuropathy via nerve conductivity tests did not know what caused it and refused to offer me any treatment. I live on my own and have for over a decade. I'm 66 , still work and look after myself. The one thing that I am not and that is scared of cancer. It has thrown the book at me and I'm still here. Congratulations on the ten years. I know and understand what a big deal that really is. Sometimes I feel like I have fallen thru a crack in life. Why me?why have people like you and I survived whilst many haven't? Don't know and can't be bothered worrying about it. We are alive , lots of bits don't work and others have been cut off and life seems to be a series of constant little accidents. All the best with your pain relief , like so many things I have given up on that and just accept it. Just another reminder that I am still alive, Hugs again , see you in another TEN Ron.
dx 1/98
st 3 c 6 nodes
48 sessions 5Fu/levamisole
no recurrence cea <.5
numerous l/t side effects of chemo


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