Never Give Up...From Hospice to Cancer Free

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carrieh
carrieh Member Posts: 146 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I just wanted to offer some hope to others. I've been fightinig cancer for about two years now. Seven surgeries, months and months of hospitializations, at one point unable to walk, 5'11 and weighed 90 pounds, feeding tubes, iv nutrition,...the list goes on. In January I was put on hospice and told I had a couple of days to live. Well, it's October of 2013 and I'm still here...on top of that looking cancer free for the time being. Going Friday the eighteenth to try and talk my surgeon into one more surgery (possible reconnect)...not sure if its possible but heres hopingSealed 

Best wishes to all,

Carrie

Comments

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #2
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    That is a truly amazing

    That is a truly amazing story. How did you get from hospice to cancer free. Did you go back on chemo/surgeries once you were strong enough to leave hospice?

  • steveandnat
    steveandnat Member Posts: 886
    #3
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    Excellent

    Such encouraging news, what was the magic?  I pray you are cancer free forever.  Jeff

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    #4
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    great!
    That is amazing...thanks for sharing! I too would like more details if you would like to share.
  • carrieh
    carrieh Member Posts: 146 Member
    #5
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    jen2012 said:

    great!
    That is amazing...thanks for sharing! I too would like more details if you would like to share.

    Fighting Spirit, Luck, Love

    Hi Guys

    Its a long story but in a nutshell....

     

    People ask me how I did it and I beleive it was a combination of different actions and people. I definately didn't walk it alone. I will never know the true why or how of it. I started with positivity. I made the promise to myself to never say die...literally. I would say I'm sick and I'm going to get better. I guess some people think I'm the "annoying" positive girl but I feel that our minds tell our body what to do. I definately made it a point to keep fighting. I also....and I guess this is kind of bad....so no one do this please....but I wasn't allowed to eat or drink for around 6 months..NPO. I would throw up any and everything I ate but it would take a good half hour or so to come back up. I cheated BIG TIME. I had everyone sneak me fruit, cheeseburgers, slushies...whatever sounded good. I knew I would throw it up but it made me happy to taste food, to wet my mouth...and I woundered if maybe I would get some of the nutrition...honestly, I probaly lost more by throwing up...? But that happiness was a big deal for me. I actually aspirated during a surgery because of doing this though...spent 22 days on a ventilator with my hands tied down in ICU..so dont recommemd it. I also wasnt allowed to leave the floor of the hospital because of the amoumt of pain medicine I was on...again...I cheated. I would have to sit down every 10-20 steps and rest in hallway chairs...but down the elevator I would go and all the way across the hospital...outside into the sunshine and read everyday. The nurses and doctors would see me and eventually looked the other way. When I couldnt walk anymore, I had my family help me escape the hospital at least once a day. When surgery failed, doctors couldnt even get a feeding tube in, I was supposed to die of sepsis very quickly. I was sent home and told I had a couple of days. I remember the doctors telling me I wouldnt make it and thinking to myself watch me. I guess plain old stubborness played a big part. I had promised my daughter summer that I would come home to her NO MATTER what and I meant it. After 5 days at home...couldnt even  lift my own head anymore, clean myself, feel my legs...I had someone take me back to the hospital. If I had listened to the doctors and stayed home...I would have died from dehydration, infection...etc... but since I had outlasted their prediction I thought what the heck? Lets try again. They were shocked to see me. Did another surgery which was sucessful (radiation had melted my intestines)...and basically my body scarred in a way inside that blocked the infection from spreading. Was it positivity, sheer luck, friends and family praying, me being stubborn, an awesome surgeon...? Im not sure honestly. I think it was all of those things. It was my promise to my daugher. It was the hardest but most rewarding experience of my life. Doctors can be wrong and no matter what anyone says, I beleive its ok to hope against all odds. I hear people say not to have false hope and things like that...I understand why people say that...but gosh...what else is hope for? Ive had a couple of surgeries since hospice and have another one coming up because I still throw up everyday and have some other issues. I am currently cancer free, can drive, walk through a whole grocery store ALONE, and do 2 minutes on an exercise bike. Not bad for a "doomed" girl huh? Sealed My cancer is HNPCC and has an 85 percent recurrance rate. Heres hoping and beleiving that it will never come back.

    Lots of love, luck, and hope to everyone,

    Carrie

  • hippiechicks
    hippiechicks Member Posts: 509 Member
    #6
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    carrieh said:

    Fighting Spirit, Luck, Love

    Hi Guys

    Its a long story but in a nutshell....

     

    People ask me how I did it and I beleive it was a combination of different actions and people. I definately didn't walk it alone. I will never know the true why or how of it. I started with positivity. I made the promise to myself to never say die...literally. I would say I'm sick and I'm going to get better. I guess some people think I'm the "annoying" positive girl but I feel that our minds tell our body what to do. I definately made it a point to keep fighting. I also....and I guess this is kind of bad....so no one do this please....but I wasn't allowed to eat or drink for around 6 months..NPO. I would throw up any and everything I ate but it would take a good half hour or so to come back up. I cheated BIG TIME. I had everyone sneak me fruit, cheeseburgers, slushies...whatever sounded good. I knew I would throw it up but it made me happy to taste food, to wet my mouth...and I woundered if maybe I would get some of the nutrition...honestly, I probaly lost more by throwing up...? But that happiness was a big deal for me. I actually aspirated during a surgery because of doing this though...spent 22 days on a ventilator with my hands tied down in ICU..so dont recommemd it. I also wasnt allowed to leave the floor of the hospital because of the amoumt of pain medicine I was on...again...I cheated. I would have to sit down every 10-20 steps and rest in hallway chairs...but down the elevator I would go and all the way across the hospital...outside into the sunshine and read everyday. The nurses and doctors would see me and eventually looked the other way. When I couldnt walk anymore, I had my family help me escape the hospital at least once a day. When surgery failed, doctors couldnt even get a feeding tube in, I was supposed to die of sepsis very quickly. I was sent home and told I had a couple of days. I remember the doctors telling me I wouldnt make it and thinking to myself watch me. I guess plain old stubborness played a big part. I had promised my daughter summer that I would come home to her NO MATTER what and I meant it. After 5 days at home...couldnt even  lift my own head anymore, clean myself, feel my legs...I had someone take me back to the hospital. If I had listened to the doctors and stayed home...I would have died from dehydration, infection...etc... but since I had outlasted their prediction I thought what the heck? Lets try again. They were shocked to see me. Did another surgery which was sucessful (radiation had melted my intestines)...and basically my body scarred in a way inside that blocked the infection from spreading. Was it positivity, sheer luck, friends and family praying, me being stubborn, an awesome surgeon...? Im not sure honestly. I think it was all of those things. It was my promise to my daugher. It was the hardest but most rewarding experience of my life. Doctors can be wrong and no matter what anyone says, I beleive its ok to hope against all odds. I hear people say not to have false hope and things like that...I understand why people say that...but gosh...what else is hope for? Ive had a couple of surgeries since hospice and have another one coming up because I still throw up everyday and have some other issues. I am currently cancer free, can drive, walk through a whole grocery store ALONE, and do 2 minutes on an exercise bike. Not bad for a "doomed" girl huh? Sealed My cancer is HNPCC and has an 85 percent recurrance rate. Heres hoping and beleiving that it will never come back.

    Lots of love, luck, and hope to everyone,

    Carrie

    You are remarkable!  Good for

    You are remarkable!  Good for you!  Glad to hear from you.  It is awesome to hear such stories.  What we can accomplish from deep within is something no one can stop!

    Keep going girl! Cool

     

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #7
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    hippiechicks said:

    You are remarkable!  Good for

    You are remarkable!  Good for you!  Glad to hear from you.  It is awesome to hear such stories.  What we can accomplish from deep within is something no one can stop!

    Keep going girl! Cool

     

    I'm really happy for you,

    but I have to say I simply don't believe that "positivity" is enough to beat cancer.  It's kind of hard for those of who have lost loved ones to cancer to hear this, quite frankly.  But congratulations on your successful surgeries, and I hope you continue to be cancer free.

    AA

  • Sonia32
    Sonia32 Member Posts: 1,071 Member
    #8
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    Yay

    Thank you so much for sharing, you truly amazing. May cancer stay the heck away from you always.

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