pete43lost_at_sea Welcome to the Board

Annabelle41415

Saw your post on an earlier topic and just wanted to welcome you to the board. If you would like to give us a brief introduction of yourself that would be awesome but not necessary. We are a great group of people and are here to help you with whatever situation or question arises. Remember we are on the colorectal board, so nothing embarrasses us anymore Once again, welcome.

Kim

Lori-S

Yes Pete
By all means formally introduce yourself. I watched the news story on you. it was great. Welcome to our semicolon family!

Kerry S

Kim darlin

You guys have turned my face red a few times, but I loved it. Kind of fun to get an old guys BP up.

Kerry

pete43lost_at_sea

Tall , good looking and now thin
I have one wife, many friends, two wonderful kids 5 and 9 and was and still am a stay at home dad.
Got DX 3jun10 rectal cancer T4N1M0
Did 6 weeks chemoradiation june and july which was agonising.
Been overweight all my life. Lost 33kg from 132kg to 112kg by diet exercise and then 99kg postop.
Went 15 days nil by mouth after surgery which was pretty frustrating but at least had no other surgical complications.
Had cancer removed 7 oct10 by 2 surgeons.
Been trying lots of supportive therapies like healthy diet, juicing, counselling, vitamins, flakseed oil,chinese herbal medicine, and now also hypnosis. I am staying positive but haunted by the prospect of not being around for the wife and kids.
My passion is photography and scuba diving to remote unexplored places.
I have enjoyed getting the PREVENTION and DETECTION message out as my way of attacking the cancer thats attacked me and I suppose most of us. Maybe a little revenge is good for the soul.

My favourite aussie TV story and cancer real life story profile
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/11/05/3058839.htm?site=northcoast
http://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/bca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=344:the-real-ordeal&catid=38:rokstories-frontpage&Itemid=443

Its been good to helping bowel cancer australia and trying to get kids to be healthy and trying to get the warning message out in our mixed up societies. I have setup a local bowel cancer support group and trying to setup the vegetable garden in my kids school.

Annabelle41415

Thanks
What an amazing story that was. You are a true survivor and you can beat this battle. Thank you for help in getting awareness out for something that can so easily be treated. You are an inspiration. Keep on posting. You have a beautiful family.

Kim

tootsie1

pete43lost_at_sea said:

Tall , good looking and now thin
I have one wife, many friends, two wonderful kids 5 and 9 and was and still am a stay at home dad.
Got DX 3jun10 rectal cancer T4N1M0
Did 6 weeks chemoradiation june and july which was agonising.
Been overweight all my life. Lost 33kg from 132kg to 112kg by diet exercise and then 99kg postop.
Went 15 days nil by mouth after surgery which was pretty frustrating but at least had no other surgical complications.
Had cancer removed 7 oct10 by 2 surgeons.
Been trying lots of supportive therapies like healthy diet, juicing, counselling, vitamins, flakseed oil,chinese herbal medicine, and now also hypnosis. I am staying positive but haunted by the prospect of not being around for the wife and kids.
My passion is photography and scuba diving to remote unexplored places.
I have enjoyed getting the PREVENTION and DETECTION message out as my way of attacking the cancer thats attacked me and I suppose most of us. Maybe a little revenge is good for the soul.

My favourite aussie TV story and cancer real life story profile
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/11/05/3058839.htm?site=northcoast
http://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/bca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=344:the-real-ordeal&catid=38:rokstories-frontpage&Itemid=443

Its been good to helping bowel cancer australia and trying to get kids to be healthy and trying to get the warning message out in our mixed up societies. I have setup a local bowel cancer support group and trying to setup the vegetable garden in my kids school.

Hey
Hey, Pete.

It's very nice to have you as a member of the board. You are doing great work by getting the word out!

*hugs*
Gail

pepebcn

Annabelle41415 said:

Thanks
What an amazing story that was. You are a true survivor and you can beat this battle. Thank you for help in getting awareness out for something that can so easily be treated. You are an inspiration. Keep on posting. You have a beautiful family.

Kim

Hi Pete welcome from your antipodes !
( Barcelona ) Hugs!.
Well not exactly your antipodes but very close! Our antipodes are NZ!

pete43lost_at_sea

pepebcn said:

Hi Pete welcome from your antipodes !
( Barcelona ) Hugs!.
Well not exactly your antipodes but very close! Our antipodes are NZ!

its frustrating being aussie as we have the dummest politicians
Thanks for the welcome.

I wished someone would have warned me about health and testing in a way the would have registered or been effective. I was out at my wife's 30 year University reunion dinner last night with maybe 200 people who were at least 40 closer to 50 plus in age. I really wanted to give them a little Christmas Cancer warning speech but chickened out, it was not the right occaision. I will never see that group again. They did have a great night and lots of fun. I'll ask the organiser to send out a warning by email.

The medical challenges are hard enough.
The financial challenges and the treatment options and compromises are also frustrating.
In Australia our politicians have cancelled our free over 50 screening tests and looking
at reducing rebates for colonoscopies because we had double the number of government funded colonoscopies just last year. Proof the message is getting listended too.

I thought this was fantastic that we are getting the GET TESTED MESSAGE out and listened to. And now our government plans to reduce funding for such a vital test.

Its tragic we have so many Bowel Cancer advocates downunder, lots of us are surviving and complaining and looking for ways to make a difference. Ironically the longer our government does nothing the more campaigners we collect.

Does anyone know of a national US Bowel Cancer Charity , like in Canada, New Zealand Uk and Australia? I did not know they are co-operating until I got enquiries from the media in all these countries. I thought it was fantastic they were sharing and working together.

I wanted to promote a US based charity on the Today show but did not know of one. I guess its also important that the charity is frugile and effective. Ie the CEOs don't get BMWs from peoples donations.

Better goto sleep. The Chemo fatigue has spared me this weekend, even had mango icecream at the movies. Had some minor pins and needles.

Tomorrow will be sad as my Aunty Val died last week from lung cancer. She was 65 and the service is tomorrow. Her death showed me the whole ugly side of cancer. At the end my Val had the same eyes and voice and confidence but her body was defeated. I loved her like a mum. She was my mum's best friend. My mum died 20 years ago. Mercifully she die suddenly and unexpectedly. She was the kindest loving soul who had been tested beyond her strength with her 7 weeks in hospital. Ironically we were both fighting cancer in different hospitals at the same time.

plh4gail

Positive
Welcome Pete...it's so good to see you are so positive in this fight. You will find a lot of support and information here. This is a great group of people.

Gail

Lori-S

pete43lost_at_sea said:

its frustrating being aussie as we have the dummest politicians
Thanks for the welcome.

I wished someone would have warned me about health and testing in a way the would have registered or been effective. I was out at my wife's 30 year University reunion dinner last night with maybe 200 people who were at least 40 closer to 50 plus in age. I really wanted to give them a little Christmas Cancer warning speech but chickened out, it was not the right occaision. I will never see that group again. They did have a great night and lots of fun. I'll ask the organiser to send out a warning by email.

The medical challenges are hard enough.
The financial challenges and the treatment options and compromises are also frustrating.
In Australia our politicians have cancelled our free over 50 screening tests and looking
at reducing rebates for colonoscopies because we had double the number of government funded colonoscopies just last year. Proof the message is getting listended too.

I thought this was fantastic that we are getting the GET TESTED MESSAGE out and listened to. And now our government plans to reduce funding for such a vital test.

Its tragic we have so many Bowel Cancer advocates downunder, lots of us are surviving and complaining and looking for ways to make a difference. Ironically the longer our government does nothing the more campaigners we collect.

Does anyone know of a national US Bowel Cancer Charity , like in Canada, New Zealand Uk and Australia? I did not know they are co-operating until I got enquiries from the media in all these countries. I thought it was fantastic they were sharing and working together.

I wanted to promote a US based charity on the Today show but did not know of one. I guess its also important that the charity is frugile and effective. Ie the CEOs don't get BMWs from peoples donations.

Better goto sleep. The Chemo fatigue has spared me this weekend, even had mango icecream at the movies. Had some minor pins and needles.

Tomorrow will be sad as my Aunty Val died last week from lung cancer. She was 65 and the service is tomorrow. Her death showed me the whole ugly side of cancer. At the end my Val had the same eyes and voice and confidence but her body was defeated. I loved her like a mum. She was my mum's best friend. My mum died 20 years ago. Mercifully she die suddenly and unexpectedly. She was the kindest loving soul who had been tested beyond her strength with her 7 weeks in hospital. Ironically we were both fighting cancer in different hospitals at the same time.

Pete
I'm sorry to hear of Aunty Val. HUGS

I'm also sorry to hear of the changes that AU has made regarding the testing. I know that they used to send out free fecal occult blood testing to NZ but, I wasn't sure about AU. cutting down on testing is not a good thing.

Here in the US as far as charities, the American Cancer Society is our main charity but, breast cancer has had some great marketing so they seem to be way ahead of us when it comes to allocating funds for research and treatment. However, there is a charity that is totally focused on colorectal cancer and research known as C3. The full name is Colorectal Cancer Coalition. All of their monies are focused on research, political/legislative advocacy, education and access to care.

Also, right here on this board we have Ms. Winter Marie (Herdizziness) who has spearheaded for all of us a way to donate to the American Cancer Society funds that are strictly to be alloted to research for a cure of OUR cancer. We have put together some photos and she is getting a calendar together whose proceeds will go for research. We also are recruiting online businesses that will work with us by giving a percentage of their sales towards the project which will go with the calendar sale monies to American Caner Society for colorectal cancer research. Love ya Winter Marie!

Here is the facebook page for us:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ColonRectal-Cancer-Research/163812886975804

msccolon

pete43lost_at_sea said:

its frustrating being aussie as we have the dummest politicians
Thanks for the welcome.

I wished someone would have warned me about health and testing in a way the would have registered or been effective. I was out at my wife's 30 year University reunion dinner last night with maybe 200 people who were at least 40 closer to 50 plus in age. I really wanted to give them a little Christmas Cancer warning speech but chickened out, it was not the right occaision. I will never see that group again. They did have a great night and lots of fun. I'll ask the organiser to send out a warning by email.

The medical challenges are hard enough.
The financial challenges and the treatment options and compromises are also frustrating.
In Australia our politicians have cancelled our free over 50 screening tests and looking
at reducing rebates for colonoscopies because we had double the number of government funded colonoscopies just last year. Proof the message is getting listended too.

I thought this was fantastic that we are getting the GET TESTED MESSAGE out and listened to. And now our government plans to reduce funding for such a vital test.

Its tragic we have so many Bowel Cancer advocates downunder, lots of us are surviving and complaining and looking for ways to make a difference. Ironically the longer our government does nothing the more campaigners we collect.

Does anyone know of a national US Bowel Cancer Charity , like in Canada, New Zealand Uk and Australia? I did not know they are co-operating until I got enquiries from the media in all these countries. I thought it was fantastic they were sharing and working together.

I wanted to promote a US based charity on the Today show but did not know of one. I guess its also important that the charity is frugile and effective. Ie the CEOs don't get BMWs from peoples donations.

Better goto sleep. The Chemo fatigue has spared me this weekend, even had mango icecream at the movies. Had some minor pins and needles.

Tomorrow will be sad as my Aunty Val died last week from lung cancer. She was 65 and the service is tomorrow. Her death showed me the whole ugly side of cancer. At the end my Val had the same eyes and voice and confidence but her body was defeated. I loved her like a mum. She was my mum's best friend. My mum died 20 years ago. Mercifully she die suddenly and unexpectedly. She was the kindest loving soul who had been tested beyond her strength with her 7 weeks in hospital. Ironically we were both fighting cancer in different hospitals at the same time.

what an awesome testimony!
It sure would be awesome if we had agencies in all those countries cooperating for the good of getting the word out on prevention and detection of bowel cancers; we really need the help here in the US it seems. Sounds like you are doing a good job in Australia of getting the word out. I am very sorry for your loss of your Aunt Val, she sounds like a very strong soul. Cancer just totally sucks! I pray your chemo fatigue stays away and you are able to enjoy some more time before next treatment.
mary

lisa42

Hello Pete
Hello Pete,

Let me also be among the people welcoming you to this board! Sorry you have reason to be here, though. I am impressed with all you are doing and trying to do!
My thoughts and prayers are with you today as you attend your Aunty Val's memorial service- I know that must be very tough.

Well, keep getting word out, stay strong and keep fighting!
I'll look forward to reading more posts from you and replies on others' posts in the future.

Take care!
Lisa

AnneCan

pete43lost_at_sea said:

its frustrating being aussie as we have the dummest politicians
Thanks for the welcome.

I wished someone would have warned me about health and testing in a way the would have registered or been effective. I was out at my wife's 30 year University reunion dinner last night with maybe 200 people who were at least 40 closer to 50 plus in age. I really wanted to give them a little Christmas Cancer warning speech but chickened out, it was not the right occaision. I will never see that group again. They did have a great night and lots of fun. I'll ask the organiser to send out a warning by email.

The medical challenges are hard enough.
The financial challenges and the treatment options and compromises are also frustrating.
In Australia our politicians have cancelled our free over 50 screening tests and looking
at reducing rebates for colonoscopies because we had double the number of government funded colonoscopies just last year. Proof the message is getting listended too.

I thought this was fantastic that we are getting the GET TESTED MESSAGE out and listened to. And now our government plans to reduce funding for such a vital test.

Its tragic we have so many Bowel Cancer advocates downunder, lots of us are surviving and complaining and looking for ways to make a difference. Ironically the longer our government does nothing the more campaigners we collect.

Does anyone know of a national US Bowel Cancer Charity , like in Canada, New Zealand Uk and Australia? I did not know they are co-operating until I got enquiries from the media in all these countries. I thought it was fantastic they were sharing and working together.

I wanted to promote a US based charity on the Today show but did not know of one. I guess its also important that the charity is frugile and effective. Ie the CEOs don't get BMWs from peoples donations.

Better goto sleep. The Chemo fatigue has spared me this weekend, even had mango icecream at the movies. Had some minor pins and needles.

Tomorrow will be sad as my Aunty Val died last week from lung cancer. She was 65 and the service is tomorrow. Her death showed me the whole ugly side of cancer. At the end my Val had the same eyes and voice and confidence but her body was defeated. I loved her like a mum. She was my mum's best friend. My mum died 20 years ago. Mercifully she die suddenly and unexpectedly. She was the kindest loving soul who had been tested beyond her strength with her 7 weeks in hospital. Ironically we were both fighting cancer in different hospitals at the same time.

Pete
So sorry about your Auntie Val.