Hello Friends

VickiCO
VickiCO Member Posts: 917
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I haven't been on the boards in a while, been busy rebuilding my business after the past couple of years. To recap - Stage 3 rectal cancer DXd 10/22/2008, radiation, chemo, surgery, more chemo, more surgery, finally had a permanent colostomy 11/11/2009. Best decision ever. I got my life back. I had my latest scans early Sept,2010 and was given an all clear. I just had my one-year-after-ostomy colonoscopy (much easier prep with the ostomy! Not so sore as before...LOL!) Doc says I can now wait 3 years for another colonoscopy, but I probably will go in every year anyway for comfort levels.

I have been traveling - first to Australia for two weeks and then to Houston for 10 days. Let me tell you, I will not fly again until they get this TSA stuff figured out. Both times I was strip searched because my bag showed up on the Xrays. In Denver, they were clueless, rude and condescending. In Houston, at least the Sr TSA Supervisor had the grace to be embarrassed and apologized to me. BUT - I won't go through that again! I will drive everywhere now.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. And Beth - Thanks for sending me the updated Christmas Card list.

Many Hugs....Vicki

Comments

  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #2
    Hello vicki
    Vicki how wonderful to see you. I have been thinking about you lots lately. I am so sorry to hear about your flying experience. Have started to hear more and more similar stories from cancer patients lately.

    Just glad you are well Vicki....thanks for stopping by.

    Still chuggin along here. With many hugs......

    maggie
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #3
    Nice to hear good news
    Hi Vicki,

    Am so glad that things seem to be going well in your world.

    Thanks for sharing info about flying. I have been wondering about the new scans/searches, and I read an article recently regarding a urostomy person who had disterous results with the 'pat down' even after trying to explain the medical condition.

    Maybe the docs need to issue us cards like they do for persona with metal plates, etc. I am not sure I would be a quiet passenger if subjected to such treatment, even for safety sake.

    I much prefer the 'joke' going around. Instead of the booth doing a full body scan, it will blow up any explosive device found!

    Have a great day of thanks giving.

    Marie
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #4
    Vicki:
    Happy Thanksgiving. How wonderful that things are going so well. The TSA incident are awful. George has a leg brace and every time we fly it is swabbed for explosives. George also uses a cane for balance when doing a lot of walking and they won't let him through the scanner with the cane and since he needs it for balance he sets off the alarm. The ony airport we find that is 5 Star is Las Vegas, they are 100% considerate each and every time we were there. On the Colon Club there is a gal that made ABC news for exactly the things you said regarding her ostomy. She posted a link to the news report. No excuse of this stuff. I'm sorry.

    Take care and keep up the good work - Tina
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #5
    Lovekitties said:

    Nice to hear good news
    Hi Vicki,

    Am so glad that things seem to be going well in your world.

    Thanks for sharing info about flying. I have been wondering about the new scans/searches, and I read an article recently regarding a urostomy person who had disterous results with the 'pat down' even after trying to explain the medical condition.

    Maybe the docs need to issue us cards like they do for persona with metal plates, etc. I am not sure I would be a quiet passenger if subjected to such treatment, even for safety sake.

    I much prefer the 'joke' going around. Instead of the booth doing a full body scan, it will blow up any explosive device found!

    Have a great day of thanks giving.

    Marie

    Denver again
    Marie, that guy with the urostomy was in Denver...I felt so bad for him. I live here (Denver area) so I always have to start at DIA. Not anymore...

    Funny aside though. Th gal in Houston made a comment that I misunderstood. So I asked "Are you REALLY going to look in the bag??" Her reply was quick and to the point. She said "They day they make us do that is the day we all walk off this job!" She did go on to say that as hard as it was for her to conduct these searches, she couldn't imagine what it would be like to be the patient.

    Another story in Australia. I carry emergency ostomy supplies, and that includes a 2" pair of curved scissors to cut the wafers. In the US you can have scissors in your carry-on as long as it's under 4". In Australia, zero tolerance on scissors. So the lady had to confiscate them. When I got home a few days later, she had MAILED them to me! That wouldn't have happened with our TSA - they just throw everything away.

    Vicki
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #6
    maglets said:

    Hello vicki
    Vicki how wonderful to see you. I have been thinking about you lots lately. I am so sorry to hear about your flying experience. Have started to hear more and more similar stories from cancer patients lately.

    Just glad you are well Vicki....thanks for stopping by.

    Still chuggin along here. With many hugs......

    maggie

    Hey Maggie!
    Good to 'see' you darlin'! I am so glad you are still chugging along. I was sad to read that Donna, Eric and John have passed. This damn disease takes so much away from us.

    Have a GREAT week!

    Vicki
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #7
    Howdy
    Glad to see you back on board and glad that your ostomy is working so much better for you in life. Sorry about the airport problem. Can totally agree with you about TSA and their new rules. Hope you have a wonder Thanksgiving.

    Hugs! Kim
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #8
    HELLO stranger!!!!!
    Glad to hear you have gotten on with life!!! YEA!!!

    But still glad to hear from you, thanks for checking in.....

    Yeah, the TSA has a long way to go....but considerind the terrorists have a jump on them, having been perfecting ideas about UN-safe airline travel...lol...for years, they have some catching up to do...

    As usual, the Americans are fast on the draw, guns blazing, when a bit of thought is necessary....I pity all of the front line workers...and us, too!

    Hugs, Kathi

    (We switch countries soon...WHAT a joy THAT will be...TSA, here I come!)
  • steve g
    steve g Member Posts: 58 Member
    #9
    We missed you
    Hi Vicki; It's nice to see you post again, was wondering how the colostomy affected you and glad to hear everything is going well. Both Buzzard and I use the Hollister disposable bag system and like it, I use the pre-cut wafer which eliminates the need for sissors and no more rough cut edges. Had to wait for the stoma to stablize before ordering the proper size.
    I had wondered about air travel security with the bag and now I know, thanks for the update and will continue to travel by motor home. Just donated my almost 200 thousand AA airlines miles to help wounded soldiers, will not need them with all the hassel involved.
    I just had my 2 year ct/pet scan and all clear for another year, had a colonostomy after the first year and this time Dr. said it was not necessary since CEA levels are good.
    A Happy Thanksgiving to you and wish you the best Steve
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    #10
    steve g said:

    We missed you
    Hi Vicki; It's nice to see you post again, was wondering how the colostomy affected you and glad to hear everything is going well. Both Buzzard and I use the Hollister disposable bag system and like it, I use the pre-cut wafer which eliminates the need for sissors and no more rough cut edges. Had to wait for the stoma to stablize before ordering the proper size.
    I had wondered about air travel security with the bag and now I know, thanks for the update and will continue to travel by motor home. Just donated my almost 200 thousand AA airlines miles to help wounded soldiers, will not need them with all the hassel involved.
    I just had my 2 year ct/pet scan and all clear for another year, had a colonostomy after the first year and this time Dr. said it was not necessary since CEA levels are good.
    A Happy Thanksgiving to you and wish you the best Steve

    Me Too
    good to hear from u

    michelle
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #11
    steve g said:

    We missed you
    Hi Vicki; It's nice to see you post again, was wondering how the colostomy affected you and glad to hear everything is going well. Both Buzzard and I use the Hollister disposable bag system and like it, I use the pre-cut wafer which eliminates the need for sissors and no more rough cut edges. Had to wait for the stoma to stablize before ordering the proper size.
    I had wondered about air travel security with the bag and now I know, thanks for the update and will continue to travel by motor home. Just donated my almost 200 thousand AA airlines miles to help wounded soldiers, will not need them with all the hassel involved.
    I just had my 2 year ct/pet scan and all clear for another year, had a colonostomy after the first year and this time Dr. said it was not necessary since CEA levels are good.
    A Happy Thanksgiving to you and wish you the best Steve

    Hi Steve
    Glad to hear you are doing well! Yep, we love our motor home as well.

    The ostomy is really easy-peasy. Just had to wrap my head around the fact that it's permanent. Mine is an 'innie', meaning the stoma is flush with the skin, instead of standing up. I use Coloplast disposable products and their convex wafers. I was having lots of blowouts and leaks, etc, until a nurse (who has an ostomy herself) suggested I try the convex. WOW what a difference! I should try the precut wafers...just never thought about it. I don't have rough edges, so it's not a problem for me. Fortunately Ethel (I named my stoma - my tumor was Fred, so Ethel seemed to fit.) rarely makes rude noises or acts up in public. It probably helps that I work from home.

    I did miss everyone - I just needed a cancer break for a while.

    Hugs, Vicki
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #12
    Good to hear from you!
    I was glad to see you on the Christmas list, as I have been wondering how you have been getting on! You disappeared from the boards while I was recovering from my HIPEC, where I was gone off the boards for 3 months or so, and I have just been wondering ever since! I really miss you and am glad to hear you are doing so well! That TSA stuff is why I don't like to fly, even though I don't have a bag; there's just no excuse for such incompetence. I can't imagine the embarrassment involved in submitting to their ignorance. I like the suggestion of having a medical card issued that covers the appliance. They should definitely be required to open the bag and inspect it if they are requiring you to be strip searched! Of course, I suppose that would leave you with having to do a cleanup, so maybe not. Anyhow, great to see you, hope you have an awesome Thanksgiving!
    mary
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #13
    Hey!
    So good to hear from you, and especially to hear that you're doing so well. Wonderful!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #14
    Vicki!
    Vicki,
    It is sooo good to hear from you. Thanks for checking in. :) It is great to hear that your health is well. I am so glad!

    Aloha,
    Kathleen

    ps After 32 rounds of chemo and 2 surgeries **** had a NED scan in October!
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #15
    Kathleen808 said:

    Vicki!
    Vicki,
    It is sooo good to hear from you. Thanks for checking in. :) It is great to hear that your health is well. I am so glad!

    Aloha,
    Kathleen

    ps After 32 rounds of chemo and 2 surgeries **** had a NED scan in October!

    Thanks..
    Kathleen, that's great news about ****! I know I was so glad to hear those words...and now with the latest scans, etc, my doctor said the word 'cured'. He said "In my opinion, if it comes back now, it's a new cancer." Of course, being a 3 time winner (cervical, uterine and now rectal cancers) it wouldn't surprise me to get a 'new' one... But it might piss me off! LOL!

    Happy Thanksgiving. Vicki

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