Cancer Survivors Network

Hello,

I hope to offer some encouragement -- as well as ask for information.

If you follow my postings - you will see that I was "blindsided" by a dx of stomach cancer -

Since then -

I have had 60% of my stomach removed - and they found that of 11 nodes removed there was evidence of the cancer in 8. So - CHEMO is next - I vist the oncologist next week.
My question before I ramble a bit

HOW IS THE DAY TO DAY LIFE WITH CHEMO - WILL I BE REALL SICK (I FEEL GREAT RIGHT NOW)
I THINK THE PEOPLE I WORK FOR ARE CONCERNED WITH MY RETURN TO WORK AND THEN GOING ON CHEMO - LIKE IT WILL EFFECT MY WORK - ANY IDEAS OR COMMENTS PLEASE?

I am 60 years old -- and I have spent most of my work life the last 10 years on the road - I am convinced that if I had been at home I would never have had a problem - my wife is an organic gardener and cook - eating at home since my diagnosis had been wonderful - I never felt better --

Here are a few things that I would like to share with anyone going down this path with stomach cancer -

First God Bless you - you didn't ask for it any more than I did - but here we are - so let's beat this -

My Doc's first bit of advice - The bed is not your friend - use it to sleep and it will serve you well - but keep it at that -

I was out of bed the day after surgery - PAINFUL - but each day got easier - and 3 weeks later I am doing 3 miles of walking a day - and feel great -

and food - yes, I am of course lucky - even with my little 40% of a stomach I can eat well.

I think this is an area that get overlooked -- I would love to eat pitza and ice cream all day -- but that was the old me - I feel great eating oatmeal, eggs and grits -- whole wheat

all kinds of fruits and veggies - asparagus - artichokes - kale - stuff I steered clear of before -

I had to work up to full fledged meals and the ability to eat most anything - and I have enough sense to put the brakes on each meal before I feel full -- but I feel better now than before -

My encouragement - I saw people in the hospital that had less of an issue than I had - but they would not try - and fought the advice to get up and move - and in speaking to them could not wait to get back to the high sugar and fat diets of their past -

Please - if you are smart enough to find this web page - you are smart enough to research the right life style -
I offer you proof - it works - get up and move - and enjoy fresh healthy food -

I really think there should be more attention to diet and exercise not only as prevention - but after surgery and as our way of life -

Thanks All,

DJB