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8 years and counting!
 |
Aug 08, 2009 - 10:01 pm
Hey all you awesome Semi-colons! August 6 was my 8 years anniversary of my dx. I just wanted to come on here and share the relative longevity of life after cancer! For those who don't know my story, I was dx'ed with Stage III sigmoid colon cancer, lymph positive (2/19), zero mets, and did NOT do a lick of chemo. I opted out of the prescribed adjuvant chemo of 5-FU and leucovorin. I did not have a CEA so they would not have been able to tell if it was working or not. I opted to use Eastern Healing methods in conjunction with my Western Diagnostics (and surgery) done at the Mayo Clinic (I cannot sing their praises loud enough!!). So, instead I did a ton of other stuff with diet, JUICING!!(aka CHEMIA) (WOOHOO!!), acupuncture, massage, counseling, macrobiotic vegan detoxing diet, supplements up the yingyang etc etc etc. And here I am today still posting on these boards--which were a LIFE SAVER for me back in the dark dark scary days of post-dx. At a time when my family really had no clue what I was going through, folks on these boards understood and gave me love and support like no other. Some wanted to slap me silly ( I don't blame them! HA!). THANK YOU! Many of them don't really post much anymore but you know who you are....and I miss those old buds who are no longer with us. sigh. :-( I'm really excited because this year I will be attending my first Colonpalooza and will meet many of these ACS friends. I can't wait! And I promise I won't be a party pooper and tsk tsk you if you eat Cheetos! HA! ;-) So thank you ACS for providing this forum and thank you all you awesome survivors who come and make these boards what they are. This has been quite a cancer journey. Get Juiced! peace, emily |
Joined: May 2005
Congrats Emily!
You've come a very long way my friend. You certainly have been an inspiration for me and many others and yes, you ROCK (the boat) which is great. It needs to be rocked from time to time to wake and shake us up. Keeps us on our toes, toes that is...
While your choice of treatment was unconventional, you are unconventional and living proof that there is more than one way to beat cancer. You have inspired others to seek out methods that better suit them. There is no right or wrong way, only what each person is comfortable with. It's 90% attitude anyway.
You're the BEST Emily!!!
Love ya you hippy juice chick
-phil
Joined: Feb 2008
Congratulations!
Emily, thank you for sharing your inspiring story. I know there are some newbies here who are feeling scared, and to hear from a long timer like yourself who is so healthy and positive is great. I doubt very seriously I would have the courage to forego chemo if I had been diagnosed at your stage of cancer, but I do admire what you did. And I'm awfully glad it worked out so well for you, because it's fun to know you!
*hugs*
Gail
Joined: Jun 2009
Pleasure to know you, Emily
Hi Emily
We've never chatted but I've read your posts and just wanted you to know that I think it took real GUTS and COURAGE to fight your battle with the approach that you took - I'm truly amazed by you and inspired by your story. I've met another woman who took similar approach and as Phil said, there is no right or wrong way. I'm just amazed at your story and the victory that you have achieved.
With 8 years under your belt, you are the absolute leader in longevity and that says something right there.
I've been "actively" fighting my Cancer battle into my 6th year now, so that is a long time as well to still be in the fight - I'm still trying to "Catch the Last Train to NEDSville."
I've got stuff coming up as my temporary hold pattern looks to have stopped, but I won't bore you with those details.
It was nice to hear from you...hope your son, Ian continues to heal.
I'm just sorry I did not meet you earlier....I'm new to the board but not new to Cancer.
All the best that Life has to offer and good luck on your tri-athalons!
-Craig
Joined: Aug 2005
I'm dancing BIG time!
YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA!!!!!
NAKED HAPPY DANCE!!!!!
Congrats, Emily!!!! And it must feel grand!!!!
I, too, miss the friends that have gone on, but there are new friends to make!!!
Hugs, Kathi
Joined: Mar 2009
Congrats Emily on 8 years cancer FREE!
Congrats Emily!
Joined: Aug 2009
Great News
Congratulations. That is great news to al cc's on this board.
Joined: Feb 2009
Way to Go
Congratulations on being NED for so long.
Kim
Joined: Nov 2006
Living life to the fullest...
Emily:
Congratulations on your 8-year anniversary. I hope you put an extra carrot in your juice on August 6 to celebrate your continued good health.
I've always enjoyed your posts and your evident free spirit. You seem to "get it" that, as important as it is to have a life, it is equally important to have a life well-lived.
Hatshepsut
Joined: Mar 2003
Awesome news juice chick
Emily, I am thrilled for you, it's hard to believe it's been 8 years.
Andy and I are looking forward to meeting you at CP7 in Key West this fall.
Lot's to Celebrate
Love,
Baby Lisa
Joined: Oct 2008
Juicing works!
Congrats on 8 years! That is inspiring. I wish I was bold enough to avoid Chemo. The cancer is a non-issue for me physically. It has been the chemo and its nasty side effects that have been the issue. Great that you avoided them all.
Thanks for sharing your story. I am still planning to by a juicer and begin that process once chemo is done for me.
Enjoy your eighth year and many more.
Mike
Joined: Jun 2009
Congratulations!Continue to
Congratulations!Continue to be NED and enjoy your life.
Joined: Apr 2008
Awesome Emily
That is great news. I was a stage III 2 node positive dude and look forward to reaching that plateau as well. I am about 2.5 years NED so have a ways to go. I've goota get a juicer. My daughter had one but she has since moved out. She used to make me beet juice mixed with a cornucopia of other fruits and veggies. It tasted great.
Cheers, Lance
Joined: Dec 2001
Thanks y'all!
We need to celebrate our living every day, but days like today finding out that we've lost JerseySue and Monica recently really sobers one. My heart just breaks for their families, but ours here as well when we lose one of our Semi-colons.
Hugs to all who come here.
LIVESTRONG!
peace, emily
Joined: Jun 2004
Great news!!!
That's wonderful Emily!
Linda
Joined: Jul 2008
wonderful news!
Emily,
Thanks for sharing your wonderful "8 yrs since cancer" news!!
Lisa
Joined: May 2009
Emily
8 years, here's to a life time of many years to come! Way to go!! Very happy for you!!!!
Joined: Jun 2009
Congrats Emily!!
Hi Emily,
Congratulations on 8 years and thanks so much for sharing your story, knowledge and spirit with the rest of us. I wish you many, many, many years of health and happiness!
Hugs,
Donna
Joined: Aug 2008
Congrats Juice Chic....
on 8 yrs of NED and being bold enough to go beyond the norm for your health....Good for you and may everyday of your life be blessed.........
Joined: Jul 2004
great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
em,
congrats on the 8 year mark.
you have always been a support system for so many here.
you rock juice chick!!!!!!!!!!!
be well
never.ever give up!!
bruce
Joined: Jan 2009
WOW!
Congrats to your 8 year anniversary mark, I totally am in awe of your approach, and wouldn't even have a clue on how to even start, I'm not good at knowing what to eat to what not to eat, but you go girl!!!! you are really awesome!
Hugssss!
~Donna
Joined: Nov 2001
Hugs Em from another
Hugs Em from another who chose to ignore the use by date stamped on my butt,Lotsa love Ron.
Joined: Dec 2001
hey you!
I'm always right "behind" you in survivor years old friend! ;-)
Joined: Jan 2009
Thanks for
Emily,
Thanks for letting us celebrate with you!!! You are a true inspiration. Dick has his last folfox on Tuesday and we are going to be trying to live and eat Beating Cancer with Nutrition and juicing. I will pull up many of your posts for reference.
Quick question - I thought we were looking to get away from and Acidic PH but then I read that green leafy veggies tend toward acidic. Is that true? What do you do?
Aloha,
Kathleen
Joined: Dec 2002
Woot! You can stop counting
Woot! You can stop counting now! Done did!
Joined: Dec 2001
Hmmm
I'm out of town so I can't refer to my books on this one, but what I've learned is that greens are alkalizing. I will need to check on this when i return home. I came to my 30 yr HS reunion and am having a blast (aside from 2 trips to the ER with anaphylactic reactions). Apparently I have a new allergy to nuts that just surfaced. And being out of town I am not near my docs. Scary! Thank God my son was driving with me down here and took me to the ER and thank god that we were in a part of rural Wisconsin that had an ER right off the highway!
Sorry, I digress.....oops.
I won't be able to get back to you on this this week, but remind me again, ok? I have the book The pH Miracle by Dr. Robert Young and will look this up.
peace, emily
Joined: Jul 2008
juice
My husband has been juicing for almost 30 years now, but alas it didn't prevent colon cancer. Since his dx (stage IV) we've been juicing again. What do you juice? Would like to see if you are juicing something that we're not? Would really appreciate your input and advice on this. My Kevin is 2 1/2 years past dx, 3 surgeries, 2 rounds of chemo, 1 long month of radiation, pronounced cancer free several times, but rising CEA levels show indication of recurrent cancer . . . We're looking for more than just medical rx to fight this. Kevin is strong, you wouldn't know that he's ever been sick unless you look at his race track tummy or medical record. I would love to add him to the 8 years survivor list. Congratulations and thanks for the encouraging words. . . . debbie
Joined: Dec 2001
Juice
Hi Debbie,
My juice concoction was:
5-6 juicing carrots
1 granny smith apple
handful spinach
handful parsley
1 stalk celery
1 small piece ginger
to this I added protein powder, green powder, and flax seeds (ground)
Now I don't use apple and I have added kale to the mix. I try to make it with more greens. The green powder can be anything from your local coop/health food store. I have tried a lot out there and now just get dried wheat grass in bulk from my coop. I also put the green powder in my smoothies.
Scouty, (on here)who also juiced (but after doing chemo) had a different concoction with beets, cabbage and carrots.
She was a stage IV. Check out her web page.
Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Keep juicing!
peace, emily
Joined: Jul 2008
juicing
thanks for your concoction. I've not been adding any protein or green powder. I'll look into these. I'm especially looking for anything that will reduce Kevin's inflamation. His CEA levels keep going up but the scans show no new cancer spots? Seems a bit strange to wait until any new spots get large enough to operate, but that seems to be the plan. Again, congratulations on 8 years, and thanks for the info on your juice. I did start juicing spinach some this past week. Do you have any suggestions for making sure that the spinach is very clean? I washed and washed it until it was almost limp. Oh well, live and learn. . . We've done the cabbage and beets. I personally like carrots, beets, cucumber, celery and apple mixed together.
bye and thanks.
debbie
Joined: Dec 2001
Ginger & Flax
Hi Debbie,
The flax seeds will great for the inflammation and the ginger is wonderful for digestion. I like your concoction too.
I use a wonderful protein powder called Tru-Food Vegan by NOW. It's packed with fiber and good stuff. It's pricey though.
There are many who promote whey protein.
Find what works for you. Have you consulted with a Naturopathic doctor? Mine was wonderful in helping me figure things out in the supplements department.
hope this helps.
peace, emily
Joined: Jul 2008
writing these down, thanks
writing these down, thanks for all of your help!!! :)
Joined: Apr 2009
Love you EM
Hi,
glad to see you back on the board. Eight years!! WOW.... Love it. So happy for you. You have helped so many. Thanks Emily
Joined: Apr 2004
How did I miss this post!!!
My dear friend Em,
I am so happy for you and am hoping your young pup self is having a blast at your HS reunion.
I'm getting really excited about Key West (CP7). It's been 5 years since you first starting helping me save my life and I can't wait to hug your neck and thank you in person. How bout I buy you a tonic at the juice/smoothie bar you found near our hotel!!
Much love my friend and have a safe trip home. See you soon.
Lisa P.
Joined: Oct 2007
WooHoo!!
Congratulations! I'm so very happy for you. As a friend of mine has said before - YOU ROCK!!
And, now I want Cheetoes....;)
Kimby
Joined: Apr 2016
Congrats!
Contratulations to you and your 8 years! You are an amazing woman who deserves the best in life!
Joined: Jan 2013
Long ago
This post is 10 years old, and even though we haven't heard from 2bhealed for many years, she would now be 18 years NED.
Sadly, there are several members who replied to this thread who haven't faired so well.
Welcome to the forum.
Tru