Stage 4 survivor since 12/2004

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etl
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:35 pm

Stage 4 survivor since 12/2004

Postby etl » Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:22 pm

Happy Holidays all. I have not posted in a long time but I do read up and every now and then give a little advice to those fighting this bloody disease! Anyhow just thought it was important to post a note to let you all know that I have been winning this battle. I was dx 12/2004 with a lemon size tumor in my colon (I was misdiagnoised for 2 years) after some tests it was discoved I had 5 tumors in my liver. Well I had the colon surgery 4 out of 24 notes affected. Went on chemo for 4 months to shrink the liver tumors folfox and aviastan. Then a liver resection which they took out 75% of my liver and put in a hepatic artery pump. I had several complications coma, infections, blood clots, several blood transfusions you name it! I stayed in the hospital which seemed like forever! I then went on 6 months of clean up chemo cpt 11 and fulfurry and chemo to the pump. Lost all my hair had to do the nuprigen shots to keep my counts up etc.. My last round of chemo was March of this year. since then I had my big 40th birthday watch my little boy go to his first day of Kindergarden and just had a kick ass Christmas bash! My hair has grown in thick and curly looks good and I work out on the treadmill as much as I can. Physically I feel good and life is slowly going back to normal. I still struggle with a few emotional issues because during my treatments surgery etc I did not think of anything except what I had to do to get to through it all. I kept a little book and wrote down all my appointments dates how I felt, asked my nurse for my bloodwork reports and tracked everything. Believe me there were times I was so low that I did not think I would make it. But I never invited Cancer into my home it was not allowed- I refused to give into it. It is not easy but people survive-Dying is easy, living is hard but believing in yourself makes the possiblities endless. Bring on 2007 2008 2009 and so on HAPPY NEW YEAR to all you positive people on this site and God Bless you Molly for creating this place for people to come and Holly for your neverending positive spin. Be well all and DON"T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF>>>>> Eileen NJ

Holly
Posts: 537
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:06 pm

Wow

Postby Holly » Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:31 pm

Eileen,

Thank you for your kind words! As a fellow stage IV club member, you inspire me to be a better Holly! Keep kickin' a little cancer a#$~ and a Happy New Year back at you!

You Rock!

Holly

missjv
Posts: 1416
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:38 am
Location: FLORIDA

Postby missjv » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:39 pm

hi eileen,
im so glad your happy and doing great. stage 4 is not an automatic death sentence and can be cured for some people, you look like your on the road to being cured your 1 year will turn into 5 before you know it. this time next year will be my 1 year cancer free and im looking forward to it although im still very scared and nervous about it coming back i just need to train my brain to think of other things.

missjv

Guest

Postby Guest » Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:02 pm

Missy J you my dear are doing great. You had the right attitude from the beginning with all the challenges you had to make sure you got the right treatment I admire you! You will fly through the next 6 months it will be tough at times but just remember this too shall pass. Stay focused on beating this beast and you will! Happy 2007,2008,2009 and so on. God Bless -you are in our prayers everynight.. Eileen

missjv
Posts: 1416
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:38 am
Location: FLORIDA

Postby missjv » Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:20 pm

hi eileen,
well im back from 4 week post surgery cat scan and check and all is great cat scan showed a beautiful cancer free and regenerating liver, all my path reports are great doc got good large cancer free margins on liver resection and i started my 1st chemo to pump and systemic last night now im back in florida until next trip to nyc. i feel much better after getting all my great news they told me great news at hospital dischrge but i was so over whelmed at that time but im calming down now.



missjv

Lifes2short
Posts: 549
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:54 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Postby Lifes2short » Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:16 am

Eileen,
Congratulations and thanks for the inspiriational post. I, too, have five liver lesions. My surgery count was 19/26 positive lymph nodes. In April I was told there was no hope. In September I found my surgeon by accident and suddenly I have hope. The surgery is scary and my oncologist is only mildly optimistic about the thought of operating on anyone with more than three lesions. It is wonderful to hear from someone who has been in a similar situation and has survived. Though I have to admit, it sounds like y you went through the ringer - that part is scary.

Thanks for the hope!

missjv
Posts: 1416
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:38 am
Location: FLORIDA

Postby missjv » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:18 am

hi,
there is always hope my first onco told me no hope just palliative chemo and maybe 2 years. screw her i left florida and went to sloan in new york and underwent curative surgery for 3 small liver lesions i had a 4th thing on liver but not cancer and all nodes were clear and now im on cleanup chemo in case of microscopic crap floating around. nowdays surgery is not by how many liver lesions you have but by how much healthy liver can be spared so they do alot of surgery on people with lots of mets with good results. i also have hepatic artery pump that feeds chemo staraight to liver ask surgeon about that when you go. good luck.


missjv

Guest

Postby Guest » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:34 pm

Go Missy J...... beat that beast..... Let me know next time you will be up in New York City.. My next scan is the 10th results on the 15th keep me in your prayers... be well. Eileen

Guest

Postby Guest » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:35 pm

Life to Short I sent you a reply e-mail.... :-) Eileen

missjv
Posts: 1416
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:38 am
Location: FLORIDA

Postby missjv » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:55 pm

hi eileen,
i will be in nyc on the 31st for chemo to pump and bloodwork. my systemic chemo will be done at moffitt cancer center in tampa and they will also do the saline fills to pump i just go to nyc for the chemo so once a month to nyc is managable i wasn't sure how i was going to do it everyother week for the next 5 months financially and physically. well i feel alot better since liver resection still some gas issues and some tugging pain around incisions but other then that im ok getting back to eating my favorite foods and trying to go about my life as i used to before this crap got a hold of me. i have missed alot of activities and my daughters school this year but i told her next year when she starts 3rd grade mommy will be back to her old self and no chemo bag hanging off of me. i did go over one day with my chemo bag and pretty much answered questions about cancer all day and i was uncomfortable so i never did that again good thing this is only attached to me for 2 days everyother week. my pump did set off alarm at jfk and had to be searched it was funny i figured it would happen. well i will surely be thinking and praying for you on your upcoming scan let me know how it all goes im sure you are still clean as a whistle and will continue to be, maybe one of these times we will be in the city the same time and can do lunch or dinner. we are mommies of young kids and we will be here to raise them i know that in my heart we will be ok. take care.


missjv


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