where are they now?

2bhealed

Hi semi-colons,

I was reviewing the posts from the begining (wanting to know the date I first posted...12/12/01!!!) and I saw som many names that no longer post here. I am so curious what has happened to them.

Do you think they slowly lost interest and their lives go on and cancer fades into the background? Or are they even alive?

Just wondering.

So glad for all of you who come here and keep us all going!

peace, emily the curious one

pjenks57

Thank you for your concern in those of us who don't post very often. It is the first thing I do when I arrive at work to check the message board and see what is going on. I am caregiver to hubby with stage 4 colon cancer dx in sept 2003. He is doing xeloda only at this point with no side effects. I don't post because we have settled into the life of cancer and the SLOW one-day-at-a-time style. It takes forever to get anything out of our dr! He had CEA test (an others) done 1 1/2 weeks ago and can't get the results. Either machine was broke, lost his sample or the dr. isn't in and noone else will give him the results! Frustration and anger fills our life from time to time and I don't express it here like I did. This is the best place ever for positive attitudes so I don't post cuz it is hard for me to be positive. I pray that God will keep hubby here so he can see his 8 year old daughter graduate from high school, college and to walk her down the aisle but.... I dream and reality steps in and....
See I don't mean to be negative but frustration has a tendency of doing it to me. I thank you and all those wonderful folks who post for their positive attitude and stories. I pray for them daily and know that there is ALWAYS a chance and feel that we will be in the success stories too but only with time...It's already been 7+ months and seems like yesterday that we got the news!
Enough... I have rambled enough and vented enough. Thank you for your concern and
GOD bless you and all those semi-colons. I love you all and am so glad I found you.

jsabol

Hi Em, Good to hear from you. I was just wondering the same thing, but specifically about a woman I had been e-mailing with on a regular basis; I'm a little worried that things might not have gone well with her surgery.
As far as people dropping out, I have some experience from my other "non-cancer" life that might explain a bit. I have done support group for caregivers of Alzheimer's patients for the last 7 years. In that time, over a hundred people have come through the group. Some come at the time of initial diagnosis, with the same feelings of being overwhelmed because life as they know it has been changed forever. Some of these folks just need a lot of quick info, then carry on with other supports. Some people find it "too overwhelming" to live in and talk about their current world. Others have settled in for the long haul after a period of adjustment, and finally, for some folks the illnes carries off their loved one, and their needs have changed.
There are some members who continue for a long time to "give back to others". I am always impressed that folks like you, Stacey, Sponge Bob, Kerri and now Kanga (sorry if I've left out others!) continue to offer support, info and encouragement to those of us who are just diagnosed or in active treatment. Thank you for that, and continued hope for us all.

For pjenks, I hope you can feel that you can use this board for all range of emotions. We all know of that dark place of discouragement and worry; we will be there for you!
Regards, Judy, (who is sorry for going on and on.)

Unknown

Hi Em. I know that I haven't been a member of this board too long (July 2003) but I am also a member on another colon cancer board as well as a lung cancer board and have found, just like Judith, that over time, people either settle in or are lost to us.

For myself, I know that I have been posting much less on all boards than I did in the beginning. Part of it is due to the fact that I have gained knowledge that I never thought I would and don't need to post for every little, which wasn't little at the time, thing anymore. Secondly, working full time and pretty much taking care of everything around the house and running back and forth with both Bert and mom keeps me very busy and I just don't have the time like I would like to have the time. Believe it or believe it not, last night I actually fell asleep at my computer while waiting for a file to come up on the cancer drug Iressa ) But it is my sincere intent to stay in touch, even if only on occassion, to lend ongoing support to those that need it....to vent, when I need it....and most importantly, to also receive compassion and support for myself from all board members as well as knowledge. Doctors don't know it all...this group seems more informed than most medical professionals I know.

By the way, it was good to read your post as well. I haven't seen any from you in quite a while and I was starting to get worried.

Hugs,
Monika, in L.A. who has started to fall asleep sitting at her computer z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z- not a pretty sight )

2bhealed

pjenks57 said:

Thank you for your concern in those of us who don't post very often. It is the first thing I do when I arrive at work to check the message board and see what is going on. I am caregiver to hubby with stage 4 colon cancer dx in sept 2003. He is doing xeloda only at this point with no side effects. I don't post because we have settled into the life of cancer and the SLOW one-day-at-a-time style. It takes forever to get anything out of our dr! He had CEA test (an others) done 1 1/2 weeks ago and can't get the results. Either machine was broke, lost his sample or the dr. isn't in and noone else will give him the results! Frustration and anger fills our life from time to time and I don't express it here like I did. This is the best place ever for positive attitudes so I don't post cuz it is hard for me to be positive. I pray that God will keep hubby here so he can see his 8 year old daughter graduate from high school, college and to walk her down the aisle but.... I dream and reality steps in and....
See I don't mean to be negative but frustration has a tendency of doing it to me. I thank you and all those wonderful folks who post for their positive attitude and stories. I pray for them daily and know that there is ALWAYS a chance and feel that we will be in the success stories too but only with time...It's already been 7+ months and seems like yesterday that we got the news!
Enough... I have rambled enough and vented enough. Thank you for your concern and
GOD bless you and all those semi-colons. I love you all and am so glad I found you.

hey pj!

PLEASE do not ever feel like you can't post if you are feeling "negative" that day (or week or month....haha). We ALL need a place where we feel the freedom to come and cry or whine or be silly whatever....

It reminds me of going to church and acting like none of us ever sin for crying out loud. We are all going to have those days (well maybe not Stacy! heehee) and if this is the place to dump then dump!

Hang in there. You caretakers have big jobs. We are here to give you hugs!

peace, emily

2bhealed

unknown said:

Hi Em. I know that I haven't been a member of this board too long (July 2003) but I am also a member on another colon cancer board as well as a lung cancer board and have found, just like Judith, that over time, people either settle in or are lost to us.

For myself, I know that I have been posting much less on all boards than I did in the beginning. Part of it is due to the fact that I have gained knowledge that I never thought I would and don't need to post for every little, which wasn't little at the time, thing anymore. Secondly, working full time and pretty much taking care of everything around the house and running back and forth with both Bert and mom keeps me very busy and I just don't have the time like I would like to have the time. Believe it or believe it not, last night I actually fell asleep at my computer while waiting for a file to come up on the cancer drug Iressa ) But it is my sincere intent to stay in touch, even if only on occassion, to lend ongoing support to those that need it....to vent, when I need it....and most importantly, to also receive compassion and support for myself from all board members as well as knowledge. Doctors don't know it all...this group seems more informed than most medical professionals I know.

By the way, it was good to read your post as well. I haven't seen any from you in quite a while and I was starting to get worried.

Hugs,
Monika, in L.A. who has started to fall asleep sitting at her computer z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z- not a pretty sight )

hey monika!

Hey thanks for thinking about me! I am so incredibly busy these days....my oldest is graduating from high school, we are moving so I am packing and tossing and organizing, meanwhile planning our 4th Steiger Missionary Training School that we hold on our Farm every June. About 30 young "missionaries" from all over come and camp for two weeks and we host a school. I feed them three meals/day 7 days a week. We are also hosting a wedding during that time on our Farm. So I have not had as much time to post but I do get on here every day and try to read some posts. There are so many new ones to try to keep up is a full time job!

I am committed to hanging in here for the long haul. It gets lonely at times being that I am the only one I know who has done it my way and there is so much I cannot relate to and the struggles that many have, but I need to get a cancer reality check every so often with those who know what I have gone through post dx.

Do you go to Colon cancer alliance board? Not sure of any other ones.

peace, emily who will be a fixture here like the old guy at the end of the bar....

Unknown

2bhealed said:

hey monika!

Hey thanks for thinking about me! I am so incredibly busy these days....my oldest is graduating from high school, we are moving so I am packing and tossing and organizing, meanwhile planning our 4th Steiger Missionary Training School that we hold on our Farm every June. About 30 young "missionaries" from all over come and camp for two weeks and we host a school. I feed them three meals/day 7 days a week. We are also hosting a wedding during that time on our Farm. So I have not had as much time to post but I do get on here every day and try to read some posts. There are so many new ones to try to keep up is a full time job!

I am committed to hanging in here for the long haul. It gets lonely at times being that I am the only one I know who has done it my way and there is so much I cannot relate to and the struggles that many have, but I need to get a cancer reality check every so often with those who know what I have gone through post dx.

Do you go to Colon cancer alliance board? Not sure of any other ones.

peace, emily who will be a fixture here like the old guy at the end of the bar....

Hi Emily:o) ) ) I'm so happy to hear that all is well and your abscence from this board has been attributed to being very busy, just like me, and nothing else.

Hugs,
Monika )

grandma713

Hi emily, I am the one who sent you my email address at your cancer survivor email. I was diagnosed 6 months ago with Stage 1 or Stage 2 colon cancer, no chemo. They never could make up their mind. Anyway, I have only been posting for a little while and am trying to learn all I can about nutrition etc. I try to check this board every other day, if not every day just to listen and glean all I can. But you are probably right that as people get further into their lives again, they probably drop out of looking at sites like this because it is such a reminder of how their lives have changed. You have been an inspiration to me though. I like the way you think! Thanks for your encouragement.
Fran

2bhealed

grandma713 said:

Hi emily, I am the one who sent you my email address at your cancer survivor email. I was diagnosed 6 months ago with Stage 1 or Stage 2 colon cancer, no chemo. They never could make up their mind. Anyway, I have only been posting for a little while and am trying to learn all I can about nutrition etc. I try to check this board every other day, if not every day just to listen and glean all I can. But you are probably right that as people get further into their lives again, they probably drop out of looking at sites like this because it is such a reminder of how their lives have changed. You have been an inspiration to me though. I like the way you think! Thanks for your encouragement.
Fran

HEY FRAN!

I tried to email you back but my server wouldn't let me for some odd reason. It pops up everytime I go on my email. Sorry. I tried to send you my protocol. oh well. :-(

glad I can inspire! :-)

peace, emily

nanuk

2bhealed said:

HEY FRAN!

I tried to email you back but my server wouldn't let me for some odd reason. It pops up everytime I go on my email. Sorry. I tried to send you my protocol. oh well. :-(

glad I can inspire! :-)

peace, emily

Hi Em: you definitely inspire..I feel fortunate to have met you, be it only in a virtural (sp?) sense.
I think we all wonder where they are, and probably most don't want to post the negative aspects or the hopelessness that this disease sometimes brings, but I believe there is truly a need to know once we have connected with someone, even if
only on this forum. I'm sure that more people have
been lost in the war on cancer than in all our wars to date, and maybe some kind of a memorial to those who did not survive is as important as the success stories.
The reality of it all just might have the same effect that the Vietnam Memorial has had upon all
those who have seen it.. to remember and possibly through that remembering help change the course of the future. Bud

KrisS

2bhealed said:

hey monika!

Hey thanks for thinking about me! I am so incredibly busy these days....my oldest is graduating from high school, we are moving so I am packing and tossing and organizing, meanwhile planning our 4th Steiger Missionary Training School that we hold on our Farm every June. About 30 young "missionaries" from all over come and camp for two weeks and we host a school. I feed them three meals/day 7 days a week. We are also hosting a wedding during that time on our Farm. So I have not had as much time to post but I do get on here every day and try to read some posts. There are so many new ones to try to keep up is a full time job!

I am committed to hanging in here for the long haul. It gets lonely at times being that I am the only one I know who has done it my way and there is so much I cannot relate to and the struggles that many have, but I need to get a cancer reality check every so often with those who know what I have gone through post dx.

Do you go to Colon cancer alliance board? Not sure of any other ones.

peace, emily who will be a fixture here like the old guy at the end of the bar....

Hi Emily- Good to hear that you are busy with fun things.

Don't feel lonely... I am always so pleased to hear how well you are doing. Although I am for the most part on conventional treatment, I know that good nutrition support has got to help. I am far from being as good as you are about diet, but every time I read one of your posts it reminds me to try a bit harder.

Best wishes,

Kris

StacyGleaso

2bhealed said:

hey pj!

PLEASE do not ever feel like you can't post if you are feeling "negative" that day (or week or month....haha). We ALL need a place where we feel the freedom to come and cry or whine or be silly whatever....

It reminds me of going to church and acting like none of us ever sin for crying out loud. We are all going to have those days (well maybe not Stacy! heehee) and if this is the place to dump then dump!

Hang in there. You caretakers have big jobs. We are here to give you hugs!

peace, emily

I know Emily...I was "cursed" with a terribly strong positive attitude! (tee hee) It was like when I was diagnosed, it wasn't really me they were talking about, but instead some young mom who needed to take care of herself and everyone around her and move on with life. Health-wise, I have come a long way, and am all clear. But I am still a junkie to this site who feels the need to come here to play cheerleader for whoever may need it. I feel it is the LEAST I could do...

Stacy

chuckneddi

Hi Em
Funny how we seem to come back. I had taken some time off from treatment to have a PET scan done. The time off did not go all that well. My right lung started to hurt when I tried to breathe. We found out that there is a nodule on my right lung causing heck and filled the outer sack with fluid. My colon cancer had already metzed to my liver, now it is in my lung. Have just had my 4th treatment of erbitux. Comes with a very nast rash. Hard to treat. Tried antibiotic creams, they said no to cortesone creams. But the antibiotic cream burned my skin. Talked to the onc nurse and we dedided to try plain old aloe. Works like a charm. I am also getting CPT11 with the erbitux. ButI am having trouble tolerating it this course. Didn't seem to bother me with the 5/FU. Sorry I haven't kept in closer touch, sometimes you just want to hang on to the bad news and eat worms.

I'm back in touch.
Michelle

surgytec

2bhealed said:

hey pj!

PLEASE do not ever feel like you can't post if you are feeling "negative" that day (or week or month....haha). We ALL need a place where we feel the freedom to come and cry or whine or be silly whatever....

It reminds me of going to church and acting like none of us ever sin for crying out loud. We are all going to have those days (well maybe not Stacy! heehee) and if this is the place to dump then dump!

Hang in there. You caretakers have big jobs. We are here to give you hugs!

peace, emily

Hello, I'm not sure what to do here. Just seemed like a good place to start. My mother in law is about to be diagnosed with colon cancer, metz to liver- after a 20 yr strech of being cancer free or so she thought. I want to help her, she is so scared. I want to help my husband, her son, he is also so scared. As they should be. I am a surgical technologist, Yes, I assist the surgeon during surgery. I'm sure you can imagine the questions they are asking me, but I don't have any answers. Not any good onholding their hands enough? Surgery is probably not the answer, what about alternative medicine? Ancient cultures must know some things that technology doesn't, right? Any comments for the outsider, with nothing to give but my heart?