Almost 6 years

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rtcasper
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2018 12:12 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby rtcasper » Wed Nov 07, 2018 4:54 pm

Awesome Kiwi, best of future luck to you as well!
By the glory, by the grace, by the strength of God, I will be made whole.

43-M
Aug 3, 18-colonoscopy, 5cm mass 12cm from AV rectal cancer
Aug 16-MRI
Aug 17-CT,chest and pelvis
CEA-.99-likely not a good marker
Clinical DX-T2/T3n1 -3cm mass, 13.5 from AV-might be colon? - let surgeon make determination
Sept 10-14 radiation
Sept 25-CR lap surgery, temp loop ileostomy
Oct 2-path stage pT1N0M0-no chemo recommended
Jan 8-stoma takedown
Jan-April- C diff
May-Fecal matter transplant
Sept-Clean scan NED

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juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby juliej » Wed Nov 07, 2018 6:47 pm

Talk about coming full circle, Kiwi! That is an amazing way to claim back your BC (before cancer) life! :D

A new home is a place for memories to be made and dreams to come true, and your biggest dream has already come true! Wishing you all the very best and a long and healthy life!

xo,
Julie
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

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horizon
Posts: 1668
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:10 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby horizon » Wed Nov 07, 2018 9:39 pm

I love it. Congrats buddy!
I'm just a dude who still can't believe he had a resection and went through chemo (currently 12 years NED). Is this real life?

kiwiinoz
Posts: 1170
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:44 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby kiwiinoz » Wed Nov 07, 2018 11:09 pm

Hi All
The last 6 years have been hard, I have made a lot of friends on the board, and I have seen a lot of them pass when, for some unknown reason, I am now thriving.
Mentally, I found it hard to let go of the fact I was a "cancer patient" and have only this year started to embrace a new way of looking at things to accept that I'll never be the same but Steve Austin (6 million dollar man if anyone is of that vintage) I have started to consider I am a new, "improved" version of myself.
I run my own business with my wife, and as bosses, we have a wide range of employees who have their own wide range of issues. Having cancer has made me a more accepting, understanding and accommodating person which I consider a great thing.
The move went well, although we are in the middle of our busy season at work so I only finished packing at 4:00AM and got up again at 6:00AM and am now at work cleaning up a few issues.
The place is a mess, but just as Juliej said, the new place is a new start to making new memories.
Unfortunately I have just remembered I have left our cat locked up in the toilet at the old place so I'll need to go back and let him out :D
Thanks to you all for sharing this with me. I appreciate all of your comments.
I'd happily post some photos, but the place is a mess.
Kiwi
Stage IV Rectal Cancer (39 Year old male at dx)
pT3N0M1 (wish that was M0)
Diagnosed 05 Dec 2012
LAR 05 Jan 2013
VATS 27 Feb 2013
FOLOFX April 2013 - Sep 2013
Clear Scan 03 Dec 2013 - August 2020
Port Out 26 March 2015

benben
Posts: 324
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:18 pm
Location: Washington State

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby benben » Thu Nov 08, 2018 6:31 pm

kiwiinoz wrote:Hi All
6 years ago I purchased a new house. As part of that purchase my wife insisted I get the persistent bleeding that the doctors kept telling me was due to a myriad of reasons that had me doing tests for 6 months. I was able to get a colonoscopy, woke up to find out I had cancer, did a ct scan, found out it was stage IV, and then cancelled the purchase of that house.
A few months ago it came onto the market again, so more than 5 years after diagnosis my wife and I purchased it, and are moving in tomorrow.
I was certainly not thinking about moving for a long time as my mind was on beating the 2 year prognosis I was given, but as time has moved on, I find myself almost forgetting I was a cancer patient and resuming a normal life.
Thankful to currently be in this position.
Kiwi


Awesome Story! Makes that house really feel like home I bet!
----------------------
3/29/17 diagnosed CRC - 44 y/o Male
4/17/17 ULAR - Straight anastomosis - no ostomy.
Path: low grade T3n1m0 - moderate diff.
KRAS - NO, MLH1/PMS2/MSH6/MSH2 - Normal.
5/3 med port install
5/22 folfox - first treatment.
3rd treat, delayed - low ANC - reduced to 90% OXI
zarxio all treats
Treat 7 - 75% OXI
Treats 8-12 - NO OXI, Luke & 5FU
10/20/17 CT- NED
3/18 Scope - Clean
11/8 PORT OUT!
7/22 CT - NED (5 years!)

thubler
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:22 am

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby thubler » Thu Nov 08, 2018 7:15 pm

Wow! Congrats this is awesome news, very inspiring! Enjoy your new home! God works in mysterious ways sometimes.....take care.
III b CC @ 35 yoa.
two primary tumors on ascending/transverse stage 1 and stage 3.
Lynch Positive
Resection 05/16
2/41 nodes +
FOLFOX 6/16-11/20/16
Clear Endoscopy and Colonoscopy 12/6/16, 02/13/18,01/24/19,02/27/20,02/18/21,05/24/22
CT 02/07/17 enlarged mesenteric node.
Clear PET 02/15/17
Stable CT 06/05/17,10/16/17,04/02/18, 01/08/19, 01/14/20, 01/05/21,03/07/22
Deported 11/03/17

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sun Nov 11, 2018 11:01 am

Congratulations on being NED and on your new home! :D
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! :)

stevieb
Posts: 410
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 12:26 am

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby stevieb » Sun Nov 11, 2018 12:20 pm

It will be six years for me in December. I am on my way to MDA today for scans to see if I am still NED! Congrats to you!!!!
Dx age 33
12/19/12 Stage IV liver/lung
1/14-2/28/13 Folfox
3/27/13 rectal/lung rst; temp ileo
7/11/13 liver res/ileo rev
9/30/13 - Folfox
11/13,2/21 NED
3/14 lung recur;6/16-VATS
7/14 5 bi lung mets
10&11/15 laser lung surg
2015 Colondar Model
12/15 5 lung met-folfiri
5/15 NED
11/15 2 lung mets; cryoablation
1/4/17 2 lung mets; cryoablation
NED as of 1/23/17

Spazzyjanet
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:28 pm
Facebook Username: Heather Stoker

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby Spazzyjanet » Mon Nov 12, 2018 6:13 am

Congratulations!
40 yr old, 3 kids. Dx 9/2018, Stage IV
KRAS G12V (resistant to Cetuximab)
CEA levels normal at diagnosis
4.2 cm Tumor, PT3, PN2B
11 of 18 with adenocarcinoma
+ removal of one cancerous node in Peritoneum.
9/2018, Colon resection and Ostomy-- Margins Negative
10/2018, PET shows 6 liver mets
10/2108, begin FOLFOX (Oxi+5 FU)
11/2018, MRI updates potential liver metastasis to 11 mets, both lobes.

margiej
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:46 am

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby margiej » Mon Nov 12, 2018 7:43 am

Congrats on your new home, continued health and this next chapter! It's all good!
Margie
Dx CC 12/2015, age 57 at Dx
Stage IIIb: T3N1b
Adenocarcinoma, sigmoid colon, 2.5 cm - low grade, moderately differentiated
3/6 positive lymph nodes
laparoscopic colectomy 1/20/2016
Capox started 3/4/16 - Six rounds
CT-suspicious lymph 2/22/16
PET scan 2/24/16 clear
CT 6/8/16 clear
Clear Colonoscopy 3/2017 and 1/2020
CT 10/3/17 clear
CT 10/17/18 clear
CT 10/17/19 clear
CEA 12/17 1.7
5/16 3.8
7/16 1.9
3/17 1.3
10/17 1.2
4/18 1.6
11/18 1.2

JNN
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:39 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby JNN » Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:44 pm

I needed to hear this. I am just months out from being declared cancer-free, but I’m still scared every single day. Congrats, and thank you for sharing.

kiwiinoz
Posts: 1170
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:44 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby kiwiinoz » Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:12 pm

Hi All

Thanks for your responses, and I hope that it was a bit of a good news story. I always found that I enjoyed reading the positive, and sometimes trivial, posts on the board as it provides a good balance to the tough, heart breaking and challenging posts. I am always much better at the trivial ones too :D

When I was undergoing cancer treatment, and facing fears of a recurrence, my wife (Mrs Kiwi) was a great support and a strength to me. For a few reasons, she has had a tough few years, and I think that the move was a chance for her to break out of that. I am now in the position of seeing her being happy for the 1st time in a long time, and that is because I have been able to support her and feel privileged to be able to return the favour to her.

She woke me up at 4:00 AM this morning after our cat decided to lick her face with his sandpaper tongue. We moved from a small unit (apartment or condo in the US I guess?) of about 1,000 square feet to a really old terrace built in 1890 which is probably about 2,500 - 3,000 square feet and we got rid of all our modern furniture prior to moving. She was out measuring, comparing swatches, discarding ideas and getting new ones and I feel like this move has made us closer together. We have moved from cancer life to a new life and I really enjoy seeing her gaining her vitality back. Our relationship is now back to being much more balanced so I feel we are in a much better place.

We honestly have no furniture and she goes away for her Sister's 50th from this weekend so I think we'll spend Christmas in a fairly empty, echoing place until we get some furniture.

Sorry, I guess this is a bit of a off track post, but simply wanted to share that as time passes the fear of cancer, and the pall that it can cast on a relationship fades.

Kiwi
Stage IV Rectal Cancer (39 Year old male at dx)
pT3N0M1 (wish that was M0)
Diagnosed 05 Dec 2012
LAR 05 Jan 2013
VATS 27 Feb 2013
FOLOFX April 2013 - Sep 2013
Clear Scan 03 Dec 2013 - August 2020
Port Out 26 March 2015

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juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby juliej » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:32 pm

kiwiinoz wrote:She woke me up at 4:00 AM this morning after our cat decided to lick her face with his sandpaper tongue.

I'm just glad to hear you rescued him from the toilet in the old place! :D

kiwiinoz wrote:We moved from a small unit (apartment or condo in the US I guess?) of about 1,000 square feet to a really old terrace built in 1890 which is probably about 2,500 - 3,000 square feet and we got rid of all our modern furniture prior to moving. She was out measuring, comparing swatches, discarding ideas and getting new ones and I feel like this move has made us closer together. We have moved from cancer life to a new life and I really enjoy seeing her gaining her vitality back. Our relationship is now back to being much more balanced so I feel we are in a much better place.

Wow! That's a big change to your living space! I love old buildings! I bet your wife will have a blast decorating it. (And personally, I think kitty deserves a new scratching post or a plush bed!).

You and your wife both have a new lease on life now. I have a feeling that lots of good things are going to be coming your way. You've been through hell and back. You are both survivors. Take pride in that and let it strengthen your bond and your appreciation of life.

Post photos of the new place when you have time. We enjoy distractions here!

Juliej
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

kiwiinoz
Posts: 1170
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:44 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby kiwiinoz » Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:13 pm

Hi Julie

The cat is now 13 years old :D so I need to look after him. He has a scratching post that is on steroids as it is probably about 7' in height with 3 levels. I'll take a photo and post it so you can see.
I have no decorating ability but Mrs Kiwi seriously is good at it so she is having fun, and that makes me happy.

Did I mention that this place has a wine cellar? I'm looking forward to filling that up, which may be a challenge, as it takes about 12 dozen to do so.

I'll get some real photos done but I still don't get the internet connected for another 2 weeks, and Mrs Kiwi is away next week so I'll be a tad busy.

It is also the first time in 20 years that I have lived in a house so I have had to buy a broom, a brush & shovel, and I'm cleaning up Jacaranda flowers (May flowers I think you call them) twice a day. We have lorikeets (colourful parrot like birds) sitting on our garage roof playing with the flowers so it is pretty cool.

Kiwi
Last edited by kiwiinoz on Thu Nov 15, 2018 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stage IV Rectal Cancer (39 Year old male at dx)
pT3N0M1 (wish that was M0)
Diagnosed 05 Dec 2012
LAR 05 Jan 2013
VATS 27 Feb 2013
FOLOFX April 2013 - Sep 2013
Clear Scan 03 Dec 2013 - August 2020
Port Out 26 March 2015

stu
Posts: 1613
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:46 pm

Re: Almost 6 years

Postby stu » Thu Nov 15, 2018 2:30 am

It’s beautiful . Stunning .
The light is serene and it looks as though a lot of quality living will take place there .
I always think you should live in a place to get the feel of it first before selecting furnishings.

My sister has just extended her home and is enjoying doing it up . But I have seen a creativity and spark that I have not seen in a while . She seems energised by the space . She has had it rough so I am delighted for her .

Mrs Kiwi has been a rock and getting to balance out after cancer is a blessing . It has amazed us how much cancer has taken a back seat in our lives . People really do need to hear about the happy events in life that can happen despite cancer . It steals enough already .

It is so good to hear about the good events in your life . You are a strong couple and both deserve it .
Take care,
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 .


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