This weekend I lived cancer free

Helen321
Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
I just sort of let it go for a few days, turned off my phone, refused to participate in society, skipped the barbeques, stopped people in their tracks who came by and insisted on talking about it (there are some people who are obsessing with helping me even when I tell them my mind is finally resting and I need a break) and lived the weekend. It was nice, it was sunny, it was a great 3 days of being cancer free! Now I can relax and deal with tomorrow's PET scan and get ready for the surgery.

Comments

  • son of hal
    son of hal Member Posts: 117
    #2
    Wow Helen, that is
    Wow Helen, that is terriffic. To think, only a couple weeks ago you were at your wits-end and saw no light in the tunnel. You have made quite a turn-around. Maybe turn-around is the the wrong word. I think you saw that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you made it through the dark portion. I'll tell you, it's been two and a half years for me and the only time I really think about me having cancer is when I'm on this website. I put it into a different context that doesn't upset me so when I think about cancer it isn't some crazy evil disease trying to kill me, now it's like a mystery thinking about the how, when, and why. And I love a good mystery. When I was younger I wanted to be a detective and this is the perfect case. I now see cancer as nothing more than a challenge. This distracts my mind from focusing on the bad parts and allows me to participate in my treatment plan and gain some control back in my life.
    Enjoy the feeling of cancer free and try to extend it next time to a week. You are doing great so far and I think in no time you will be on here giving others great advise as well.
    Take care, CJ
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #3
    Sounds like you had a good
    Sounds like you had a good weekend...best of luck on the scans.
  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #4
    son of hal said:

    Wow Helen, that is
    Wow Helen, that is terriffic. To think, only a couple weeks ago you were at your wits-end and saw no light in the tunnel. You have made quite a turn-around. Maybe turn-around is the the wrong word. I think you saw that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you made it through the dark portion. I'll tell you, it's been two and a half years for me and the only time I really think about me having cancer is when I'm on this website. I put it into a different context that doesn't upset me so when I think about cancer it isn't some crazy evil disease trying to kill me, now it's like a mystery thinking about the how, when, and why. And I love a good mystery. When I was younger I wanted to be a detective and this is the perfect case. I now see cancer as nothing more than a challenge. This distracts my mind from focusing on the bad parts and allows me to participate in my treatment plan and gain some control back in my life.
    Enjoy the feeling of cancer free and try to extend it next time to a week. You are doing great so far and I think in no time you will be on here giving others great advise as well.
    Take care, CJ

    Thanks CJ, the truth is
    Thanks CJ, the truth is Lepraxo is a wonderful thing, I did cheat a little and I'm so glad I did. A few weeks ago, I felt like I was going to die. I just needed to take the edge off. Plus so many of you said this is not a death sentence and it really isn't, it's a life sentence of taking care and being on top of your health. I can do this! (Although secretly I am a little worried about my first PET scan so I reserve the right to take this all back tomorrow!) I really just enjoyed my weekend. I think I had about 15 minutes of thinking about cancer the whole weekend. Now I'm working on trying to get everyone else to back off and talk about something else in my brain's "down time".
  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #5
    smokeyjoe said:

    Sounds like you had a good
    Sounds like you had a good weekend...best of luck on the scans.

    Thanks Smokeyjoe, it was
    Thanks Smokeyjoe, it was great! I think this weekend I'll get into a good book!
  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member
    #6
    Helen321 said:

    Thanks Smokeyjoe, it was
    Thanks Smokeyjoe, it was great! I think this weekend I'll get into a good book!

    Good for you Helen!
    I still haven't been able to do that yet. I have a CT scan tomorrow morning to see about the liver mets, smaller? Stayed the same? More? Hopefully smaller. Then I have an appt Friday with surgeon to see when rectal tumor surgeon is.
    Good luck with Pet Scan !
    Sandy
  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #7
    Momof2plusteentwins said:

    Good for you Helen!
    I still haven't been able to do that yet. I have a CT scan tomorrow morning to see about the liver mets, smaller? Stayed the same? More? Hopefully smaller. Then I have an appt Friday with surgeon to see when rectal tumor surgeon is.
    Good luck with Pet Scan !
    Sandy

    Short of necessity, I think
    Short of necessity, I think I'm going to keep giving myself the weekend off. I'm dealing with this in my mind all day at work. Weekends off is the only way I can see keeping my sanity. I got into some movies this weekend, commercial free so I got lost in the story. This weekend I'll try the same with a book. Good luck on your CT scan, I'll think of you while I'm having my PET scan=)
  • tommycat
    tommycat Member Posts: 790 Member
    #8
    Helen321 said:

    Short of necessity, I think
    Short of necessity, I think I'm going to keep giving myself the weekend off. I'm dealing with this in my mind all day at work. Weekends off is the only way I can see keeping my sanity. I got into some movies this weekend, commercial free so I got lost in the story. This weekend I'll try the same with a book. Good luck on your CT scan, I'll think of you while I'm having my PET scan=)

    Good luck with the PET
    Good luck with the PET tomorrow Helen!!!
    You may want to bring some music with ear buds as you have to stay very still while the solution is absorbed.
    Take good care~
    tommyCat
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #9
    Helen321 said:

    Short of necessity, I think
    Short of necessity, I think I'm going to keep giving myself the weekend off. I'm dealing with this in my mind all day at work. Weekends off is the only way I can see keeping my sanity. I got into some movies this weekend, commercial free so I got lost in the story. This weekend I'll try the same with a book. Good luck on your CT scan, I'll think of you while I'm having my PET scan=)

    Well, I had a colonoscopy
    Well, I had a colonoscopy supposed to be sched. for middle of June, I already started to worry and overthink this one....now they called this a.m. said had an oppening for this Thurs....I have no time to overthink and worry now, tomorrow I start the prep. and following day the scope. Last one was a disaster, completely blocked colon, the prep. wouldn't even pass through and all I did was throw it up.... so hoping the results from this one are good.
  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #10
    Congratulations...
    on setting aside thoughts of cancer for a bit. Not always easy to do, but very good for our mental state if we can pull it off once in a while. Sending strength your way, and hopes that tomorrow's scan goes well. Ann
  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #11
    smokeyjoe said:

    Well, I had a colonoscopy
    Well, I had a colonoscopy supposed to be sched. for middle of June, I already started to worry and overthink this one....now they called this a.m. said had an oppening for this Thurs....I have no time to overthink and worry now, tomorrow I start the prep. and following day the scope. Last one was a disaster, completely blocked colon, the prep. wouldn't even pass through and all I did was throw it up.... so hoping the results from this one are good.

    smokeyjoe
    Try mixing the golitely with lime gatorade. It goes down fairly easily. Good luck on the results. I'l pray for you.
  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #12
    danker said:

    smokeyjoe
    Try mixing the golitely with lime gatorade. It goes down fairly easily. Good luck on the results. I'l pray for you.

    Will do all of the above!
    Will do all of the above! Last colonoscopy I drank the lemon stuff with lemon. That was a downer. I switched to water for round two. I'll pick up some lime gatorade tonight and charge up my ipod.
  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #13
    Helen321 said:

    Will do all of the above!
    Will do all of the above! Last colonoscopy I drank the lemon stuff with lemon. That was a downer. I switched to water for round two. I'll pick up some lime gatorade tonight and charge up my ipod.

    oh wait, that was for smokey
    oh wait, that was for smokey joe=) good luck with your test smokey! i've got a whole prayer chain in my head for this week=) i'll do it while i'm sitting still tomorrow.
  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    #14
    annalexandria said:

    Congratulations...
    on setting aside thoughts of cancer for a bit. Not always easy to do, but very good for our mental state if we can pull it off once in a while. Sending strength your way, and hopes that tomorrow's scan goes well. Ann

    Positive thoughts
    Wishing all of you the best w/scans!
    Always good when we can rid our minds of our disease.
    Movies and books are great distracters.
  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    #15
    Good for you!!!
    I get so fustrated when my friend start treating me like I am dieing..
    I like to do for myself.. and I tell them when I need them I will let them know.. I know this fustrates them .. but I am one sick not them and I want them to respect my wishes and feelings. I don't want to give in to any of this,,
    Stay strong as long as you can.. it is good mental health.. and I don't care what others say about it .. this is how I keep myself sane..

    Bravo Girl..
    Prayers and Hugs for successfull surgerie and speedy recovery.

    Donna
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #16
    dmj101 said:

    Good for you!!!
    I get so fustrated when my friend start treating me like I am dieing..
    I like to do for myself.. and I tell them when I need them I will let them know.. I know this fustrates them .. but I am one sick not them and I want them to respect my wishes and feelings. I don't want to give in to any of this,,
    Stay strong as long as you can.. it is good mental health.. and I don't care what others say about it .. this is how I keep myself sane..

    Bravo Girl..
    Prayers and Hugs for successfull surgerie and speedy recovery.

    Donna

    sending vibes and prayers from here!
    hugs!
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #17
    Good For You
    Sometimes that is exactly what you need. I'd watch others going on with their daily lives and just sit back and worry about the next blood test or think about everything that is coming up and it can be overwhelming. Glad you got to give your mind "a mini vacation" from it all. Others only do want to make sure you are ok and that is why they ask. But when you are wanting a break - their concern is not what you want. It's like a video that was about a girl that had turrets syndrome (sp?) and she said all I've ever wanted when going out into the public, even with her symptoms, was to be treated normal. Sometimes we want that "normal" life back. So glad for your weekend. Hope all goes well with your scan. You are in my prayers. Keep us informed.

    Kim
  • lauragb
    lauragb Member Posts: 370 Member
    #18
    Hooray for you Helen! And
    Hooray for you Helen! And yes we can all reserve the right to emote, declare and say what we feel and take it back when we want.
    Goodluck tomorrow and may you have many more cancer free weekends.
  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #19
    That is great Helen. I did
    That is great Helen. I did the same. I felt like my wife and i needed a break after 7 months of nonstop scans surgeries blood test and chemo.

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