Decision made

2

Comments

  • Luckygirl2
    Luckygirl2 Member Posts: 308
    thinking of you
    Will be keeping you in thoughts and prayers. Keep us posted and we might enjoy some drug induced postings, could be interesting! :) Sending hugs to you and your family.
  • omrhill
    omrhill Member Posts: 125
    Steve -
    Sometimes making the decision is the hardest part. I hope that now you can find some peace and pull strength from that to get through the next few months. Your resolve to live is inspiring. I am pulling for you!
    Fondly, Robin
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    omrhill said:

    Steve -
    Sometimes making the decision is the hardest part. I hope that now you can find some peace and pull strength from that to get through the next few months. Your resolve to live is inspiring. I am pulling for you!
    Fondly, Robin

    Hi Steve,
    l would like to have the same skills as a writer as Craig has but unfortunately I don't , because your decision deservers something more than just the few words that I can dedicate to you in my poor Spanish.
    l have been in this forum for 3 years now following day by day all the decisions, discussions ,fears and worries that all the members have and l must tell you yours it's been the most courageous and heroic decision I ever seen here. Just for that I know you are going to have a big success on it. God and all of us will be there with you pushing for that Steve!
    You are my inspiration to fight harder if possible against this stupid,pathetic and filthy bug!
    God bless you my great friend !
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    Decision made
    I hope you have a big weight off your shoulders now that you made your decision. It sure was a tough one, but it makes a lot of sense. I hope you can spend the next several weeks getting as strong as you can to prepare for surgery, and enjoying the summer with your family. You already know you'll have a tough recovery ahead - no surprises like if you ended up in that situation after a car accident. So you have the upper hand, being armed with knowledge, and determination to live and to live cancer free.
  • steveandnat
    steveandnat Member Posts: 886
    such determination
    I really am in awe of you strong determination to conquer this crazy cancer. You are really someone I look up to as I go through this journey. Stay strong and healthy myvfriend. I pray everything goes great. Jeff
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    Steve
    Steve,
    I will hold you in my prayers as you go forward. Please let your wife know we are indeed here for her as well.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member

    Steve
    Steve,
    I will hold you in my prayers as you go forward. Please let your wife know we are indeed here for her as well.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen

    Thanks to all
    Your kind messages and thoughts mean an enormous amount to me. They help greatly in quelling any doubts I have around teh decision as they come from people who can truly understand and empathise with my situation. So many friends and peopple close to me, while being fabulously supportive, struggle to understand why it was a hard decision (why I woldn't do this) and others why I would accept such huge losses when they can't guarantee success. Your words and support really do help me know this is right for and my family.

    In the meantime I am focused on enjoying what time I have in the interim- have tickets to the Olympics (including the final athletics day so hope to see Bolt break new records), will squeeze a weeks holiday in to go to Menorca off the south of Spain (and enjoy some of that sunshine that is so apparent in Pepe's photo) and just enjoy time with my family as school is out for summer next week. It is true that these challenges do focus us on what is important, here and now and to make the most of it.

    Will keep posting and participating here and update people on progress. Thank you again for all your support- you are truly wonderful.

    steve
  • Semira
    Semira Member Posts: 381 Member
    steved said:

    Thanks to all
    Your kind messages and thoughts mean an enormous amount to me. They help greatly in quelling any doubts I have around teh decision as they come from people who can truly understand and empathise with my situation. So many friends and peopple close to me, while being fabulously supportive, struggle to understand why it was a hard decision (why I woldn't do this) and others why I would accept such huge losses when they can't guarantee success. Your words and support really do help me know this is right for and my family.

    In the meantime I am focused on enjoying what time I have in the interim- have tickets to the Olympics (including the final athletics day so hope to see Bolt break new records), will squeeze a weeks holiday in to go to Menorca off the south of Spain (and enjoy some of that sunshine that is so apparent in Pepe's photo) and just enjoy time with my family as school is out for summer next week. It is true that these challenges do focus us on what is important, here and now and to make the most of it.

    Will keep posting and participating here and update people on progress. Thank you again for all your support- you are truly wonderful.

    steve

    Steve
    I wish you a wonderful stay at Menorca full of sun and special moments. And afterwards a successful surgery - may that surgeons have their best day ever.

    I'm impressed of your attitude!
    Hugs
    Petra
  • relaxoutdoors08
    relaxoutdoors08 Member Posts: 521 Member
    steved said:

    Thanks to all
    Your kind messages and thoughts mean an enormous amount to me. They help greatly in quelling any doubts I have around teh decision as they come from people who can truly understand and empathise with my situation. So many friends and peopple close to me, while being fabulously supportive, struggle to understand why it was a hard decision (why I woldn't do this) and others why I would accept such huge losses when they can't guarantee success. Your words and support really do help me know this is right for and my family.

    In the meantime I am focused on enjoying what time I have in the interim- have tickets to the Olympics (including the final athletics day so hope to see Bolt break new records), will squeeze a weeks holiday in to go to Menorca off the south of Spain (and enjoy some of that sunshine that is so apparent in Pepe's photo) and just enjoy time with my family as school is out for summer next week. It is true that these challenges do focus us on what is important, here and now and to make the most of it.

    Will keep posting and participating here and update people on progress. Thank you again for all your support- you are truly wonderful.

    steve

    With you in Spirit and Prayer
    We are here for you. As you experience the thrill of the Olympics, and the beautiful Sun of Menorca....feel the energy of all of us with you as you prepare for the opportunity to be there with your family for years to come.
    NB
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    steve i salute you
    when i think of courage i will think of you.

    you are making slow and considered decisions just what my surgeon told me when my saga started 2 years ago.

    maybe some broccoli powder, some mcp given effort on the surgical side, a few anti tumour supplements may help to keep you met free.

    I will pray for you.

    hugs,
    pete
  • lauragb
    lauragb Member Posts: 370 Member
    Steve, I have been following
    Steve, I have been following your story and have tried to reply sooner but have had internet connection problems. Anyway, I just want you to know I have been supporting you in spirit as you have been deciding what to do.
    Like others have said, it was your decision and I can't imagine having to make it myself. So here's more light to you and just know I'm another person sending thoughts your way.
    I am so pleased to hear you have your vacation planned. Here's to many more in your future.
    Laura
  • Vickilg
    Vickilg Member Posts: 281 Member
    lauragb said:

    Steve, I have been following
    Steve, I have been following your story and have tried to reply sooner but have had internet connection problems. Anyway, I just want you to know I have been supporting you in spirit as you have been deciding what to do.
    Like others have said, it was your decision and I can't imagine having to make it myself. So here's more light to you and just know I'm another person sending thoughts your way.
    I am so pleased to hear you have your vacation planned. Here's to many more in your future.
    Laura

    Steve
    Hi, Steve! I am really proud of you making this decision because I am sure it was a difficult one to make. You sound like you are in a good place and have a lot of love and support. You can do this. You are a hero already. A fighter. What an amazing man you are! Please keep us posted on sugeries, etc. so we can say a lot of prayers - they do help. Much love to you and your family, Steve!

    Vicki
  • charliesangel
    charliesangel Member Posts: 26
    Wow!
    Wow Steve, I really do wish you all the best, I have been following your posts as your condition is exactly the same as my fathers... he also has a local recurrence in the sacrum, which is a solitary met, and was discovered 11 years after his initial resection. Can I ask the exact location of your tumour? Is it S1, S2 etc...

    Unfortunately we have been searching for a surgeon to remove he tumour, and no one will touch him. I am so happy for you that you have been given this chance:)
  • joemetz
    joemetz Member Posts: 493
    amazed!
    Steve

    reading your post, i was thinking... wow, could I make that same decision if faced with it?
    not sure...

    but, the more i thought and began to pray for your, your family and for the conversation with your kids... i felt Lifted Up by you.

    then, i took some time to read the follow up posts from everyone on this board... wow!
    you have inspired us all.

    Keep your head up and stay laser focused like you are and feel the strength from your friends here at the CSN board.

    everyone here has so many great words to share... read them over and over from here to surgery day.

    you are in our prayers and we're all pulling for you.
    keep us posted as we get closer to surgery.
    we're all with you!

    Joe
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member

    Wow!
    Wow Steve, I really do wish you all the best, I have been following your posts as your condition is exactly the same as my fathers... he also has a local recurrence in the sacrum, which is a solitary met, and was discovered 11 years after his initial resection. Can I ask the exact location of your tumour? Is it S1, S2 etc...

    Unfortunately we have been searching for a surgeon to remove he tumour, and no one will touch him. I am so happy for you that you have been given this chance:)

    CharliesAngel
    Thank you for the message. My tumour recurrence is actually in the lateral pels rather than in the sacrum. IT seems to have spread through the wall of the bowel initially or through lymph nodes into the pelvic area. The main site seems to be on the side of the pelvis in one of the pelvic muslces called the obturator muscle. It is pushing on the sciatic never as it leaves the pelvis to supply sensation to the leg. It is the site of the tumour that has meant the normal operation of a pelvic exenteration (just clearing everything in the pelvis out but leaving the legs) won't work as they will have to cut teh nerve supplying the leg and probably teh arteries that run along with it.

    Sacral mets are a bit different and as I'm sure you know the level and site is very important in deciding if surgery is possible. I know little more about it or who does surgery for it. The Rob Pololock blog is the only one I have found for it- are his surgeons worth approaching? I also know that from a distance the Mayop is talked about over here as being the more radical surgical centre for these ops- they have done a few of the ops I am in line for but have never published outcomes (in fact a surgeon I saw here who worked previously at the May did say his experience was of poor outcomes and hence he doesn't recommend the op I am having- very sobering to hear!). Perhaps the Mayo is worth exploring?

    Sorry to not be of more use- our situations have lot in common but ulitmately the potential ops are different- your father needs a sacrectomy rather tham hemipelvectomy but you do need to listen to the surgeons even if what they are saying is not what you want to hear.

    I wish you the best of luck and if you want more info do feel free to PM me.

    steve
  • janie1
    janie1 Member Posts: 753 Member
    joemetz said:

    amazed!
    Steve

    reading your post, i was thinking... wow, could I make that same decision if faced with it?
    not sure...

    but, the more i thought and began to pray for your, your family and for the conversation with your kids... i felt Lifted Up by you.

    then, i took some time to read the follow up posts from everyone on this board... wow!
    you have inspired us all.

    Keep your head up and stay laser focused like you are and feel the strength from your friends here at the CSN board.

    everyone here has so many great words to share... read them over and over from here to surgery day.

    you are in our prayers and we're all pulling for you.
    keep us posted as we get closer to surgery.
    we're all with you!

    Joe

    Steve
    I am at a loss for words. I am so glad you share and care on this forum.
    We are here for support but it seems like so little in the scope of things.
    One thing i know, is that you are something special and so is your family.
    Wishing you all the best.
  • druidshadow
    druidshadow Member Posts: 85
    prayers
    blessings and prayers with you
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    Steve
    I'm glad your decision has been made, I cannot fathom being faced with the same choices, the difficult part is now behind you.
    I'm so happy that you have the surgery available to you to give you the opportunity to continue on in this ever so challenging yet rewarding life.
    I trust that your surgeons are capable, steady of hand, and will do you well!!!
    You will be in our thoughts.
    And Steve, get that IPad, it will help wile away waiting times, and as I told myself when I purchased mine, "what the heck,you deserve it!"
    Sitting here in the peanut gallery, rooting you on,
    Winter Marie
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    steved said:

    Thanks to all
    Your kind messages and thoughts mean an enormous amount to me. They help greatly in quelling any doubts I have around teh decision as they come from people who can truly understand and empathise with my situation. So many friends and peopple close to me, while being fabulously supportive, struggle to understand why it was a hard decision (why I woldn't do this) and others why I would accept such huge losses when they can't guarantee success. Your words and support really do help me know this is right for and my family.

    In the meantime I am focused on enjoying what time I have in the interim- have tickets to the Olympics (including the final athletics day so hope to see Bolt break new records), will squeeze a weeks holiday in to go to Menorca off the south of Spain (and enjoy some of that sunshine that is so apparent in Pepe's photo) and just enjoy time with my family as school is out for summer next week. It is true that these challenges do focus us on what is important, here and now and to make the most of it.

    Will keep posting and participating here and update people on progress. Thank you again for all your support- you are truly wonderful.

    steve

    Hehehe! Steve , the photo has been taken in Asturias
    North Atlantic coast of Spain ,haha just few hundred miles from you in the gulf of Biscay ,the wheather there is as awful as in GB! Hahaha was just a lucky day, if you realize landscape is very similar, Hugs my friend. By the way they even play bagpipe every where there!
  • tommycat
    tommycat Member Posts: 790 Member
    Your decision is huge
    Steve, thanks for sharing the direction you are taking with your life....
    Big hugs across the pond******
    Tommycat