3 years

AZANNIE
AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
edited March 2014 in Anal Cancer #1

Three years ago this month I received the dreaded diagnois of cancer. In fact, I was told right before I was to undergo a colonoscopy. The biopsy had been a couple of days before that. Fortunately the colonoscopy was clear. I had the usual chemo and radiation. I wondered if I ever would feel good again. I'm happy to say that so far tests have shown NED (no evidence of disease). I'm doing fine. I still have issues - the new normal. So for those of you going through treatment or completing treatment, it does get better - you probably won't think so at the time with your fried nether regions, but healing doesn't take long. I wore boxer shorts for  awhile after treatment. I still use baby wipes - buy them by the case at Sam's Club; Colace is my friend and I still use my sitz bath.  So hang in there!

Ann

 

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    Congratulations!

    Hi Ann!

    Congratulations on hitting the 3-year mark!  I am so happy for you and very glad to hear you are doing well.  I think your advice to anyone currently in treatment is spot-on.  During treatment, it's easy to think that life will never be normal again, but we know that after things heal up, life can be very good!

    I wish you continued NED and good health in all regards and hope you'll check in with us now and then for an update.  Take good care! 

  • jcruz
    jcruz Member Posts: 379 Member
    Congratulations!

    I really appreciate hearing your good news.  I'm very happy for you.

    I also wore boxer shorts during and for a while after treatment.  I knew my skin was healing when I was able to wear my regular cotton panties again.  My friends had a hard time understanding why that was such a thrill for me but we all here understand.

  • tbuchi
    tbuchi Member Posts: 11
    Thank you for your advice.  I

    Thank you for your advice.  I probably need to hear that because I am suppose be,on my last week and now machine down and I will not be done until.next Thursday. I am stage 3b and had faith but this week I have been down on my self due to know having a to have foley cath and still.have urge to pee and all I do is pee blood not in the cath and doctor dont know why.  I also have temp cholestomy bag. I was doing good until 6 wk now I have swelling swelling in pelvic area causing me to get cath. So it was good to hear some in couragement. Thank you

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    mp327 said:

    Congratulations!

    Hi Ann!

    Congratulations on hitting the 3-year mark!  I am so happy for you and very glad to hear you are doing well.  I think your advice to anyone currently in treatment is spot-on.  During treatment, it's easy to think that life will never be normal again, but we know that after things heal up, life can be very good!

    I wish you continued NED and good health in all regards and hope you'll check in with us now and then for an update.  Take good care! 

    Thanks Martha!

    Thanks for your good wishes! My last check up (drs, lab, PET scan) was in November and all was well.  I have an appt with colorectal dr in May and with oncologist in June. Used to be the same month for both appts. My 3 year post treatment mark will be June 1, which also happened to be my first official day of early retirement. The end of treatment and the beginning of a new chapter - Lol!

    The P.E.T. scan place I went to has closed. It was an independent facility. My oncologist referred me to them and the staff was so nice. Their referrals were down due to doctors having their own scan equipment now - big business. So I'll find out in June if I have to be scanned again. It does offer peace of mind.

    Ann

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    jcruz said:

    Congratulations!

    I really appreciate hearing your good news.  I'm very happy for you.

    I also wore boxer shorts during and for a while after treatment.  I knew my skin was healing when I was able to wear my regular cotton panties again.  My friends had a hard time understanding why that was such a thrill for me but we all here understand.

    jcruz

    Thanks!  I also wore boxer shorts during treatment, too - probably about the 3rd or 4th week. Didn't want anything rubbing on my leg creases. Then I graduated to big girl panties.

    Best wishes to you!

     

    Ann

     

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    tbuchi said:

    Thank you for your advice.  I

    Thank you for your advice.  I probably need to hear that because I am suppose be,on my last week and now machine down and I will not be done until.next Thursday. I am stage 3b and had faith but this week I have been down on my self due to know having a to have foley cath and still.have urge to pee and all I do is pee blood not in the cath and doctor dont know why.  I also have temp cholestomy bag. I was doing good until 6 wk now I have swelling swelling in pelvic area causing me to get cath. So it was good to hear some in couragement. Thank you

    tbuchi

    So sorry that you're going through a difficult time! Hopefully, things will get better soon and the doctor will find the cause of the bleeding. Ups and downs are normal.  I can relate to machine being down. However, it happened while I was being radiated. Had to lay on the hard surface for about 10 minutes until the machine rebooted. This happened twice.
    While the machine is down, take the break to rest and relax - easier said than done.
    Hope you feel better soon! Take care!

    Ann

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    AZANNIE said:

    Thanks Martha!

    Thanks for your good wishes! My last check up (drs, lab, PET scan) was in November and all was well.  I have an appt with colorectal dr in May and with oncologist in June. Used to be the same month for both appts. My 3 year post treatment mark will be June 1, which also happened to be my first official day of early retirement. The end of treatment and the beginning of a new chapter - Lol!

    The P.E.T. scan place I went to has closed. It was an independent facility. My oncologist referred me to them and the staff was so nice. Their referrals were down due to doctors having their own scan equipment now - big business. So I'll find out in June if I have to be scanned again. It does offer peace of mind.

    Ann

    Ann

    You mentioned having to go to a different facility for future scans.  I hope you were able to obtain all of your films from the old facility before it closed or still can.  Having the written reports is not really enough for comparison between past and possible future scans.  Radiologists rely on the films, not narrative reports. 

    Congratulations on all of your good news and your retirement!  I hope life is very good for you!

    Hugs-

    Martha 

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    mp327 said:

    Ann

    You mentioned having to go to a different facility for future scans.  I hope you were able to obtain all of your films from the old facility before it closed or still can.  Having the written reports is not really enough for comparison between past and possible future scans.  Radiologists rely on the films, not narrative reports. 

    Congratulations on all of your good news and your retirement!  I hope life is very good for you!

    Hugs-

    Martha 

    Martha

    I have the PET scan CDs. I was given a CD after each scan.

    Ann

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    AZANNIE said:

    Martha

    I have the PET scan CDs. I was given a CD after each scan.

    Ann

    Ann

    Good job!

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    mp327 said:

    Ann

    Good job!

    Thanks, Martha!

    I have an expensive CD collection. Lol! Also have copies of written reports I requested from my oncologist along with lab results that I keep in a binder. Binder is getting kind of full.

    Ann

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    AZANNIE said:

    Thanks, Martha!

    I have an expensive CD collection. Lol! Also have copies of written reports I requested from my oncologist along with lab results that I keep in a binder. Binder is getting kind of full.

    Ann

    Azannie....

    Congratulations on the 3yr mark, (I am at a similar point as you). Until now it never dawned on me to get CD's. I too have a binder with hard copies of my scans and a few other "memorable" reports. Its funny, it sits on a shelf with my school portfolio......both proof of experience!

    May you (we all) continue to move forward in health.

    Katheryn

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    eihtak said:

    Azannie....

    Congratulations on the 3yr mark, (I am at a similar point as you). Until now it never dawned on me to get CD's. I too have a binder with hard copies of my scans and a few other "memorable" reports. Its funny, it sits on a shelf with my school portfolio......both proof of experience!

    May you (we all) continue to move forward in health.

    Katheryn

    Thanks Katheryn

    Thanks! After my scan, I'd sit in the waiting room until the CD was made. It didn't take very long. I never looked at the CD on my computer. Wouldn't know what I was looking at anyway and it probably required special software. I just put them in my binder. My oncologist would tell me the results and then I'd request a  copy of the results before I left his office.

    Ann

  • TraceyUSA
    TraceyUSA Member Posts: 316
    AZANNIE said:

    Thanks Katheryn

    Thanks! After my scan, I'd sit in the waiting room until the CD was made. It didn't take very long. I never looked at the CD on my computer. Wouldn't know what I was looking at anyway and it probably required special software. I just put them in my binder. My oncologist would tell me the results and then I'd request a  copy of the results before I left his office.

    Ann

    3 Years - Congratulations

    It's always encouraging to hear this kind of good news!

     

    I never knew you could get CDs of your scans.  I always got the reports, now I'll have to request the CDs.  There's always something to learn from the people on this board.  Smile

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    AZANNIE said:

    Thanks Martha!

    Thanks for your good wishes! My last check up (drs, lab, PET scan) was in November and all was well.  I have an appt with colorectal dr in May and with oncologist in June. Used to be the same month for both appts. My 3 year post treatment mark will be June 1, which also happened to be my first official day of early retirement. The end of treatment and the beginning of a new chapter - Lol!

    The P.E.T. scan place I went to has closed. It was an independent facility. My oncologist referred me to them and the staff was so nice. Their referrals were down due to doctors having their own scan equipment now - big business. So I'll find out in June if I have to be scanned again. It does offer peace of mind.

    Ann

    Ann

    I just realized how "old school" I sounded when I told you you should request your "films."  Geez!  I'm old, what can I say!

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    mp327 said:

    Ann

    I just realized how "old school" I sounded when I told you you should request your "films."  Geez!  I'm old, what can I say!

    Martha

    I'm "old school" too because I knew what you were talking about. Lol!

    Ann

  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    TraceyUSA said:

    3 Years - Congratulations

    It's always encouraging to hear this kind of good news!

     

    I never knew you could get CDs of your scans.  I always got the reports, now I'll have to request the CDs.  There's always something to learn from the people on this board.  Smile

    TraceyUSA

    I just assumed that everyone received a CD of their PET scan. I didn't even have to ask. They just gave me the CD. Maybe it depends on the facility. 

     

    Ann

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    AZANNIE said:

    Martha

    I'm "old school" too because I knew what you were talking about. Lol!

    Ann

    Ann

    Laughing