Anal Camcer Survivor of 7 months
Comments
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Cancer Survivors Network Search
Hello,
We encourage you to do a search of the CSN site for contributions made on Anal cancer. To do this, type in key words such as "anal," "proctitis," and "enteritis" in the search bar at the top of this page. You can then browse the results and contact other members if you choose.
We wish you the best with your side effects.
Kind regards,
Your CSN Staff0 -
Anal Cancer
Wow, this cancer really kicked my . . . .
I'm here, cancer free for a little over a year. It was the most undignified diagnosis I could imagine. Although my health care team was wonderful, there is really not much dignity when the doctor says, "Drop your pants, and spread your cheeks so I can see how burned you are. Oh, my. Nurse Judy, come here, plese and take a look at this." I've been through the radiation and chemo, I had the world's worst hemmorhoids ever (at least to me they were).
In additon to all that my personal and financial world crashed all around me in the course of about six months. I was hit with so many different crisis all at once, that I seemed to freeze up and couldn't do anything. Got through it by the grace of God and the angels he sent to watch over me, my family and friends, sometimes complete strangers who heard of me and a need I had, my medical team who were all outstanding, and even the young guy in the parking lot at the grocery store who lifted the 25 pound bag of dog food into the trunk of my car for me because I was too weak to lift it.
Rihgt now I'm content with my life for the most part. I've figured out what is important to me and what is unimportant, what is a priority and what is not. I'm scared, though, that this wretched cancer will come back, or maybe it will come back in some other location of my body. I'm afraid that I wouldn't be able to fight back again.
MrsMurphy0 -
anal cancer
I had chemo and radiation july-07 23 radiation and 2 weeks in-pt chemo. they told me 95% very slim chance it would come back,,, here it is Oct. 08 and i am having my whole rectum removed and i will be wearing a colostomy bag... permanantly. supposedly it has come back more aggressive and is already 3cmm I am supposed to see the surgeon on tue. 11-4 to find out surgery date.. I was really convinced i had won the battle since all test results and exams and PET scans came back normal. until this last physical exam perked my dr. ears, he ordered a biopsy and bam ...... back again... so needless to say i was mad at the world and swore i would not do this surgery, there has to be another option... ???/ through a lot of research and prayer and second and third opinions we have no other option. I DO WANT to LIVE... so anyone else who has had this surgery , feel free to let me know how it was and is... thanks..0 -
Anal Cancerkaylynn16 said:anal cancer
I had chemo and radiation july-07 23 radiation and 2 weeks in-pt chemo. they told me 95% very slim chance it would come back,,, here it is Oct. 08 and i am having my whole rectum removed and i will be wearing a colostomy bag... permanantly. supposedly it has come back more aggressive and is already 3cmm I am supposed to see the surgeon on tue. 11-4 to find out surgery date.. I was really convinced i had won the battle since all test results and exams and PET scans came back normal. until this last physical exam perked my dr. ears, he ordered a biopsy and bam ...... back again... so needless to say i was mad at the world and swore i would not do this surgery, there has to be another option... ???/ through a lot of research and prayer and second and third opinions we have no other option. I DO WANT to LIVE... so anyone else who has had this surgery , feel free to let me know how it was and is... thanks..
Kaylynn,
You poor thing. My heart aches for you. There are no other options? You've had second and third opinions too? That sucks. It's not fair. I'm sooo sorry. Hang in there, one day at a time, and know you are covered in prayer, it's the only thing I can think of to help you, and I know it works.
MrsMurphy0 -
Anal cancer diagnosisYour CSN Support Team said:Cancer Survivors Network Search
Hello,
We encourage you to do a search of the CSN site for contributions made on Anal cancer. To do this, type in key words such as "anal," "proctitis," and "enteritis" in the search bar at the top of this page. You can then browse the results and contact other members if you choose.
We wish you the best with your side effects.
Kind regards,
Your CSN Staff
I just underwent a second biopsy for my anal cancer as well. Finished treatment for chemo & radiation. Then I contracted H. Pylori so was back in the hospital another 10 days. I may be facing radical surgery as well with a colostomy.
Thanx for the info Mrs. Murphy & Kaylynn. Glad to have other women to talk to about this type of cancer. It's hard to discuss w/others.0 -
Hello Ms. Ramirez, my fellow
Hello Ms. Ramirez, my fellow survivor,
Forgive my ignorance, but what is H Pylori? And, yes, I find this cancer difficult to talk about also, perhaps it is because of its location, I find it embarassing. The treatment has left me with some side effects, like, early menopause, hot flashes, etc. How about you?0 -
H. Pylori is a stomachMrsMurphy said:Hello Ms. Ramirez, my fellow
Hello Ms. Ramirez, my fellow survivor,
Forgive my ignorance, but what is H Pylori? And, yes, I find this cancer difficult to talk about also, perhaps it is because of its location, I find it embarassing. The treatment has left me with some side effects, like, early menopause, hot flashes, etc. How about you?
H. Pylori is a stomach bacteria. I couldn't believe how sick it made me. After taking (3) antibiotics to get rid of it, the meds also got rid of all my "good" bacteria in my system. So... I waited another (2) weeks for good bacteria to grow (vaginally). It was a miserable period.
I haven't noticed early menopause which was surprising to me b/c I'm 54. My regular dr. put me on some estrogen creme for a short period of time to help set up the good flora to grow.
Hopefully, by tomorrow I will have some news of my recent biopsy. If it's positive, probably more chemo. Obviously, rectal surgery doesn't sound too enlightening. And missing more work after a (3) month period of recovery doesn't sound too great either.
Glad to have found a couple other folks to talk to about this type of cancer.
S. Ramirez0 -
I missed quite a few months
I missed quite a few months of work during my diagnosis/treatment/recovery. I type for a living and, obviously because of where the cancer was, I couldn't sit very much. My employer was extremely understanding and held my position for me. What type of work do you do -- or did you do? Is your employer working with you and keeping your position available to you?0 -
My biopsy results!MrsMurphy said:I missed quite a few months
I missed quite a few months of work during my diagnosis/treatment/recovery. I type for a living and, obviously because of where the cancer was, I couldn't sit very much. My employer was extremely understanding and held my position for me. What type of work do you do -- or did you do? Is your employer working with you and keeping your position available to you?
I work in the academic area. My job position actually changed right before I had treatment. I'm now in a more relaxed setting in our central office. However, so far the work load almost seems too boring - I'm used to being active all day long at work.
My biopsy report came back this week - all clear! The biopsy revealed scar tissue only so I'm in the clear for another few months. It was news I wasn't expecting - it really took me by surprise. I'm relieved to say the least. No more dr. appts. for 3 months. But obviously the worry never goes away.
I also work a part-time job at a local small retail store, so that means standing on my feet. I'm just subbing right now for other staff that want time off, which is fine. My legs still get pretty tired standing for very long. I've found that is one of the problems still plauging me is my legs being weak. If I bend down I have a hard time getting up. I walk the dogs every night to strengthen my muscles, but still find my legs achy and weak.
Thanx for your responses - it's good to know there are other ladies out there to talk to abouat our type of cancer.
S. Ramirez0 -
How are you doing?MrsMurphy said:What wonderful news!!!
What wonderful news!!! Savor it. Enjoy it. Celebrate it. I'm so happy for you. "All clear," what a blessing those two words are!
How are you doing? I'm still doing OK. Back at both my jobs and working 7 days/week. Guess everyone must think I'm better! Dont' have another dr. visit till Febr. '09.
Kaylyn: How are you doing as well?
S. Ramirez0 -
I'm still here
Well, it's so nice to hear from you, Ms. Ramirez. I'm glad to hear that you are doing well. Isn't the old saying so true, "If you have your health you have everything"?
I went to the dr. yesterday for a consultation and scheduled my colonoscopy, for X-mas eve -- How lovely. I'm feeling kind of bloated, gassy, my stomach hurts a bit and I'm just not feeling quite right. Those nasty hemmomroids are back and they are awful. I haven't told anyone in my family that. I just told them it's just part of follow-up care, don't want to worry anyone until I know there's something to worry about. But just the same I'm scared. What if it's back? What if it's worse than before? I don't have insurance. If I have to have that horrid treatment again how am I going to pay my rent or buy groceries? Will I even survive a second round of cancer treatment? What will happen to my daughter if I don't survive. Why am I torturing myself with these questions? Oh, cancer sucks. It never really goes away.
Okay. I'm done venting my anxiety on all you lovely ladies. Now I'll get back to being positive and upbeat. I will hold tight to my faith, giving up to God that which I have no control over, keep busy, smile often, help others, and remain ever thankful for all that I do have. What else can we do?0 -
New hereMrsMurphy said:I'm still here
Well, it's so nice to hear from you, Ms. Ramirez. I'm glad to hear that you are doing well. Isn't the old saying so true, "If you have your health you have everything"?
I went to the dr. yesterday for a consultation and scheduled my colonoscopy, for X-mas eve -- How lovely. I'm feeling kind of bloated, gassy, my stomach hurts a bit and I'm just not feeling quite right. Those nasty hemmomroids are back and they are awful. I haven't told anyone in my family that. I just told them it's just part of follow-up care, don't want to worry anyone until I know there's something to worry about. But just the same I'm scared. What if it's back? What if it's worse than before? I don't have insurance. If I have to have that horrid treatment again how am I going to pay my rent or buy groceries? Will I even survive a second round of cancer treatment? What will happen to my daughter if I don't survive. Why am I torturing myself with these questions? Oh, cancer sucks. It never really goes away.
Okay. I'm done venting my anxiety on all you lovely ladies. Now I'll get back to being positive and upbeat. I will hold tight to my faith, giving up to God that which I have no control over, keep busy, smile often, help others, and remain ever thankful for all that I do have. What else can we do?
Hi all, this is my first posting here. i was diagnosed with anal cancer last June, went thru radio/chemo in August/September at Mem Sloan Kettering in NYC. What a wonderful place, all the staff so skilled and supportive. I just had my 3 month post treatmetn exam and the surgeon found only scar tissue so I seem to be in good shape. I am hoping for a cure and to avoid the surgery. I go back for my next exam in March and it hasn't all quite sunk in yet that I might have beaten this thing. Is there anything I can do to help avoid a relapse? Treatment was pretty brutal but if it saved my life it is more than worth it. Wishing you all a very blessed holiday and a healthy new year.0 -
Colostomy is a scary word!zjrosenthal said:New here
Hi all, this is my first posting here. i was diagnosed with anal cancer last June, went thru radio/chemo in August/September at Mem Sloan Kettering in NYC. What a wonderful place, all the staff so skilled and supportive. I just had my 3 month post treatmetn exam and the surgeon found only scar tissue so I seem to be in good shape. I am hoping for a cure and to avoid the surgery. I go back for my next exam in March and it hasn't all quite sunk in yet that I might have beaten this thing. Is there anything I can do to help avoid a relapse? Treatment was pretty brutal but if it saved my life it is more than worth it. Wishing you all a very blessed holiday and a healthy new year.
Hello, all,
I was diagnosed with mucousal melanoma in the anal-rectal region last November; 4 surgeries later, they finally had to do the dreaded colostomy. It was a terrible psychological blow and we tried so hard to avoid it. My surgeon told me during recovery that I could " train" my colon- THE dumbest organ in the body, great. When I healed up, I went to www.uoaa.org, the ostomy association's offical website. The people there are great and there is a discussion board on irrigation that taught me how to actually train my colon. I now where what looks like a band-aid over my stoma and lead a very normal' albeit still cancerous, life. If the worst case scenario ever becomes reality, try not to panic; If you learn to irrigate, which takes anywhere from 1/2 to 1 hour a day, you can live bag-free and still wear all of your normal clothes. I hope this helps; I had to find this on my own and was very depressed for the first 6 weeks. If I'd had the information first, it would have been a comfort to know that there are even options in the face of colostomy.
Best to you,
Hollyberry0 -
Intimate issue!hollyberry said:Colostomy is a scary word!
Hello, all,
I was diagnosed with mucousal melanoma in the anal-rectal region last November; 4 surgeries later, they finally had to do the dreaded colostomy. It was a terrible psychological blow and we tried so hard to avoid it. My surgeon told me during recovery that I could " train" my colon- THE dumbest organ in the body, great. When I healed up, I went to www.uoaa.org, the ostomy association's offical website. The people there are great and there is a discussion board on irrigation that taught me how to actually train my colon. I now where what looks like a band-aid over my stoma and lead a very normal' albeit still cancerous, life. If the worst case scenario ever becomes reality, try not to panic; If you learn to irrigate, which takes anywhere from 1/2 to 1 hour a day, you can live bag-free and still wear all of your normal clothes. I hope this helps; I had to find this on my own and was very depressed for the first 6 weeks. If I'd had the information first, it would have been a comfort to know that there are even options in the face of colostomy.
Best to you,
Hollyberry
I am 3 months post treatment and hubby has been pretty patient during treatment and forced celibacy but I have been trying to resume and get a lot of burning afterward. Am I rushing things? I thought I would be more healed by now. Any advice or some of your own experience with this would be appreciated0 -
An intimate issue
Well, Ms. Rosenthal, I personally wasn't ready for relations after three month. As a matter of fact, I've just passed the two-year anniversary of finding out I had cancer (Thanksgiving '06/ended treatment in March of '07). And maybe it's because of the menopause, or perhaps because of some medication I am taking, but I haven't had any interest in that area at all. My husband wasn't very patient and left me a few months after my treatment ended, and I say good riddence to him. But I don't even interest myself, if you know what I mean. Strange, because I was always very active in that area. But, now, without a partner and with many other things on my plate, I'm kind of glad not to have that pressure on. If you are not ready to be intimate in that way, perhaps oral or manual pleasuring might satisfy your spouse for now.0 -
Intimacy
Thanks for the personal story Ms. Murphy. there is so litle opportunity to speak of these delicate matters. I am sure I have been rushing things a bit because we both miss the physical intimacy. Personally I prefer the traditional way though hubby would probably be happy with your suggestions. I am hoping that I will heal more and not get so irritated and frustrated. Again thanks for your willingness to share. It has helped and I am so sorry that your spouse chose not to stay with such a lovely person. So sad for him.0 -
Intimacy
Thanks for the comments. It is good to know that I am "normal" in my recovery and not just being a baby. I tend to be a bit hard on myself.0
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