13 years ago today!

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weisssoccermom
Posts: 5988
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pacific NW

13 years ago today!

Postby weisssoccermom » Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:10 pm

This week has been a really difficult one for me....lots of drama at work.

It reminded me a lot of the fear, horror, etc. that I felt on 6/22/2006 when I heard those three words...YOU HAVE CANCER.

I am still around, 13 years later, to tell people to always have hope. My journey was certainly not easy and frustration would be an understatement. Disagreeing with the doctors on the treatment I wanted to pursue was right at the top of my frustration level, causing me months of tears and anxiety. Even when the doctors tell you something is 'impossible'.....don't necessarily fall into a funk believing everything you are told. I'm NOT saying to disregard your doctor's advice.....just to use YOUR own judgment and to trust YOUR gut reactions. Get that second opinion, ask questions.....do what YOU need to do to make it all 'ok' in your mind.

I had so many doctors telling me that I just COULDN'T do the surgical procedure that I wanted. As a matter of fact, on 11/7/2006, I was told, flat out by the surgeon, that I only had TWO years to live. What a way to wake up from surgery! Here I am...still going strong all these years later.

The drama at work is over (hopefully) and like many other days, this one will pass. There is one difference though. Even all these years later, I still have a respect for this date.....a sense of accomplishment that I proved the doctors wrong. Some day, I will walk into that surgeon's office (I doubt he will even remember me) and remind him that so many years ago, he told me that I should have died from this disease. Clearly, he was 100% WRONG!
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
Perform random acts of kindness

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CRguy
Posts: 10473
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby CRguy » Sat Jun 22, 2019 10:31 pm

Thanks for sharing that Jaynee
AND... HERE'S to another 13 and another and another

right behind you on the time scale with
Mega Cheers and Harmony
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

Punky44
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:29 pm

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby Punky44 » Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:16 am

Congratulations!!
Caregiver to my amazing mom (68 at dx)
10/1/18 DX with rectal cancer; CEA 17
T3N2M0
Total neoadjuvant therapy:
8 rounds Folfox 11/5/18 - 2/11/19
Short course radiation 3/14/19 - 3/20/19
Robotically assisted laparoscopic LAR 3/21/19
Pathology report says yT2N0M0 with 0/38 nodes
6/28/19 Reversal and port out
CEA 2.1; 1.9; 2.6; 2.8; 2.3; 2.4; 3.0; 3.4; 3.1; 3.4; 3.0; 3.1; 2.6
Latest update: 8/21/23 Clear CT with CEA 2.6!

Me: 34, first colonoscopy 11/16/18—normal! Come back in 5 years.

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Kick'nAssCancer'sAss
Posts: 248
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 4:38 pm

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby Kick'nAssCancer'sAss » Sun Jun 23, 2019 7:49 am

Congrats on 13 years Jaynee,
When I joined this forum GreenMonkey was my first reply to my first post. You were second. I have always found you to be one of the most informative, knowledgeable members here and read most of your post.
Thank you
Mike
53M Dx RC Halloween 2013
CT & BONE scan
MRI/T3N0M0 1 suspicious LN
5 wks chemo/rad
LAR open TME Feb 26/14
temp bag
0/24 nodes pCR/pathological
Folfox (8) Mar 28-Jul 4 /14
Aug/14 clear CT scan
Aug 27/14 reversal
Feb/15 clear scope
July/15 Feb/16 Feb/17 Feb/18 clear CT scans
Feb/18 clear scope
Sept 19 clear CT scan & DISCHARGED :P
Mar/23 clear scope
CEA 1.6 @ dx
1.6,1.4,1.7,2.4,2.9, 2.7 2.3 2.5 2.2 2.1 2.5 2.6 2.7
2.7 Sept 19
0-4 normal
https://kickingasscancersass.blogspot.com/

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

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sun Jun 23, 2019 9:09 am

Congratulations, that's wonderful! :)
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! :)

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

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby Ron50 » Sun Jun 23, 2019 7:00 pm

Wishing you many many more years to come. Hugs and best wishes for a cancer free future. Ron. Ps My surgeon told me my cancer would definitely kill me within three years. Not a bad effort between us to turn the prospect of a combined survival time from five to thirty four years plus.. Congrats again Ron.
dx 1/98
st 3 c 6 nodes
48 sessions 5Fu/levamisole
no recurrence cea <.5
numerous l/t side effects of chemo

tater
Posts: 133
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:53 pm

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby tater » Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:14 am

Thank you posting. These post of long term cancer beaters is just what is needed to be heard from time to time.
DH to 38 wife w/kids
Stage 3C DX 3/3/17 CEA 29
5-fu and radiation ended May 17, 2017
Stage 4 External iliac node July 17, 2017
FOLFOX + Avistan July 18 2017 CEA 2.3
Nov 9, 2017 Coloanal Anastomosis, Hysterectomy & External Nodes Removed W/ileostomy
Clear Margins NED
CEA 1.5 12/17, 2.1 2/18, 2.3 6/18, 1.1 9/18, 1.3 12/18, 1.8 3/19, 2.5 6/19
Clear CT and MRI on 2/5/2018, 9/18 Clear Scans
Reversal Surgery 6/26/18
Small Spot on right ureter surgery 10/30/19 adhered to artery
Dec. 2 start 12 rounds FOLFIRI

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Atoq
Posts: 412
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:31 am

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby Atoq » Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:10 pm

Congratulations! It is really nice to hear these good stories! Wish you many more years as NED.

Claudia
1972, 2 kids
Dx rectal cancer 10.2017
T3N2aMX (met left lung 8 mm)
Lynch neg
CEA 1.8
Neoadjuvant chemoradio Xeloda + 25x2 Gy
05.12.17 laparotomic surg. for blockage, colostomy
25.01.18 laparotomic lar, hysterectomy, ileostomy
05.03.18 core needle lung biopsy
07.05.18 CAT scan, lung met 11 mm
04.06.18 ileo reversal
26.06.18 wedge VATS
24.08.18, 31.02.19 CAT scan
12.09.18, 06.02.19 scope, CEA 1.6
19.11.18 scope
20.08.19 CAT, eco
13.09.19 scope, CEA 1.2
18.03.20 CAT, eco, scope, NED
29.11.20 CAT, NED
2023 NED

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

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby juliej » Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:15 pm

Thanks for sharing, Jaynee! You are living proof that a pro-active approach makes all the difference.

Congratulations on 13 years! :D :D :D I'll raise a glass to you tonight to wish you a lifetime of good health!

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

jmn
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:20 pm
Location: New York/Philadelphia

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby jmn » Sat Jul 20, 2019 11:29 pm

Came across your post as I was perusing the board tonight. Congratulations! What an inspiration you are!
DX: CC, 7-9-18 @ age 61, male
Severe anemia (4.5 g/dl), 5-11-18; colonoscopy, 6-29-18
Lap-assisted right hemicolectomy, 7-16-18
G2, cecal adenocarcinoma, 4.2 x 3.7 x 0.7 cm
Stage IIB, pT4aN0 (first pathology DX: pT3N0)
0/24 lymph nodes, LVI present, PNI present, surgical margins clear, MSS
CEA: 3.0 (pre-op, 7-10-18); 0.7 (post-op, 8-8-18)
TX: Xeloda (capecitabine), 10-16-18 to 4-21-19
5 years of clear scans and colonoscopies :D
Released from MSK surveillance, 7-20-23 - NED :D

prs
Posts: 201
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:09 pm
Location: Central California

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby prs » Sun Jul 21, 2019 4:39 pm

Congratulations Jaynee, your words are so true!!!

Hey, drama at work should be a piece of cake compared to the cancer journey you went thru. :)
Peter, age 65 at dx
DX 4 cm x 4 cm very low rectal adenocarcinoma into the sphincters 01/15
Stage III T3 N1 M0 with two suspicious lymph nodes
26 sessions IMRT radiation with 1,000 mg Xeloda twice per day 03/15 to 04/15
Complete clincal response to the chemoradiation...the tumor shrank completely away 06/15 :D
No surgery...Habr-Gama watch and wait protocol instead
Xelox chemotherapy 07/15-12/15
MRI and rectal exam every three months starting 07/15
MRI and rectal exam every six months starting 07/17
NED

Eleda
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:28 am
Facebook Username: adele Morgan
Location: Ireland

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby Eleda » Sun Jul 21, 2019 5:19 pm

Congrats Jaynee
I'm hoping to join your club eventually. :)

ADELE X
SWF, 47
Mom to 3 sons 6/8/12
Dec4th 2017 colonoscopy for minor intermittent rectal bleeding during Summer
CEA 4.4
DX T3 L3C M0 2.5/3 cm above AV.
JAN 3RD started 1650mg Zelda 2xday, with 28 radiation
Did tagamet 800mg daily and 75mg IV VIT C WEEKLY UNTIL SURGERY and
Tumor reduce by 80% 1 LN still remaining
TATME May10th, temp illeostomy
10/07/2018 CEA 3
MMR INTACT
Began FOLFOX July 10th
24/08/2018 Allergic reaction so next infusion lucovorin and 5fu
CEA 4
Second attempt with oxi aug 12th

k0chr
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2019 5:08 pm

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby k0chr » Sun Jul 21, 2019 5:49 pm

I'm chiming in a bit late to say that I'm glad you're still around to tell your story, weisssoccermom. You give those of us who are just beginning this journey hope and distant light to focus on.
DX: 54
05/24/19 DX: CC rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma
06/07/19: laparascopic
5.8cm tumor, clear margins
G2 IIIA T2N1AM0
1/10 positive
07/08/19: starting FOLFOX, 12 cycles
08/14/19: gallbladder removed
08/19/19: DVT left internal jugular vein, subclavian, & axillary veins, daily Lovenox injections

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SilverWedding
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat May 18, 2019 5:54 am
Facebook Username: Cynthia Harding Marshall

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby SilverWedding » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:59 am

Thank you - it gives me hope. I’m thankful you took the time to share this. CONGRATULATIONS
DH, 56, Sigmoid & rectum
Adenocarcinoma 2cm
 G2: Moderately differentiated
T3N2aM0
Stage IIIb
LN 6/22
5/19 Baseline CEA value - 18.9
Lymphovascular invasion (LVI): present
Perineural invasion (PNI): not identified
Surgical margins: proximal -negative; distal - negative 1.5cm; circumferential - negative 1mm)
MSI status: Waiting‬
Lynch status: ?
KRAS/BRAF: ?
Open Restorative Proctectomy, J-Pouch Coloanal Anastomosis, Loop Ileo w/Appendectomy
Neo-adjuvant Xeloda/radiation
Adjuvant Chemo: to begin 11/19

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cptmac
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:15 pm
Facebook Username: Dorothy McGrath

Re: 13 years ago today!

Postby cptmac » Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:56 pm

Congratulations!!! And it's so wonderful to see us longtime clubbers on here. I look forward to seeing your name when I come on!!!

Yippee!!!
cptmac
As long as you're alive, there is hope.
dx 7/04 stage IV
colon resection 8/04
liver resection 9/04 with HAI pump installed
Stage II trial w irinotecan as systemic and FUDR for direct chemo to liver via HAI pump
Cured since 9/04


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