It was twenty years ago today
That I was on the operating table and had an aggressive stage 3 c tumour removed from my transverse and descending colon. It was only moderate in size but it had invaded 6 nodes. My surgeon described it as frightfully aggresive and was very blunt with his prognosis. Three years at the most. I had 48 sessions of chemo , an old regime of 5fu infusions and a drug called levamisole(banned in 2001 for often fatal side effects). I have now been cancer free for twenty years. I still have regular scopes but no cea or scans.Last aprils scope produced four tubular adenomas , the biggest 11mm. All had mild displaysia but no cancer. I have some serious long term side effects. Nephrotic syndrome of the kidneys requiring cyclosporine twice a day, early tretment with high dose prednisone has put me into type two diabetes. I have moderate auto immune hepatitis. I have auto immune seronegative polyarthritis, believed to be psoriatic arthritis. For several years i have had over 11000 premature ventricular and atrial ectopic heart beats a day. I spent the second day of the year in hospital after a severe vertigo attack. I was treated for dehydration. They did two ecgs on the day and I have now been dxed with atrial fibrillation and I am now taking warfarin every day. I am still working four days a week.. It has been a long hard road. Ron.
Comments
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Wow.....you are a big time
Wow.....you are a big time survivor Ron! Sorry for all the other things but congratulations for surviving them. I hope I can be as strong as you have been.
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Wow you are truly AWESOME
Thanks so much Ron for coming on here all the time and giving your story. You are someone that we can look to for much information and support and you are always there to give support to those that need it. WOW 20 years. You deserve much praise for going through all the things that you have because of a bad drug they gave you and all that it caused it. Much praise and congratulations to you dear Sir. You deserve much and wishing you the best moving forward. Sorry about your recent diagnosis, but wishing you the best with that and hoping that the Warfrin helps.
Kim
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Ron, when I get whiney about
Ron, when I get whiney about my side effects I think of you and all you've been through. I didn't realize you were at the 20 year mark, though, wow. You're amazing!! I didn't know you're still working! And your kidneys finally started improving after all these years recently, didn't they? My goodness, you are TOUGH! Thank you for sharing this. And many more years!
Hugs,
Jan
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Life is a tightrope
I had what I thought was the vertigo attack the night before new years eve . I was actually on the loo when it hit me. Needless to say I finished up on the bathroom floor covered in vomit , sweat and stuff I'd rather not mention . I was on the floor for around four hours. every time I would raise my head i would vomit. I was sweating so much the pool nearly reached the living room carpet. I eventually got to the doctor on the 2nd. He called me all thhe idiots under the sun and sent me straight to er. They are not convinced it was vertigo and believe it may have been a slight heart attack. I was dreadfully dehydrated , my urine was full of keytones from not eating for four days and my liver and kidney functions were both out of kilter. They pumped me full of saline. I have not been dxed with atrial fib before so they were more inclined to suspect heart attack. I am having trouble getting the warfrin dose right. theythink that a flare in my auto immune hepatitis is interfering. They do a finger prick test called inr (international normalised ratio) which is just a long way of saying clotting factor. IT SHOULD BE 2.3 TO PREVENT CLOTS FORMING BUT MINE HAS BEEN UP TO 5.2 WHICH HAS PUT ME AT SERIOUS DANGER OF BLOOD LEAKS. I have the inr test most days , the last reading was 3. Sorry about the capitals , iwas not shouting , just hit caps lock and too tired to retype. I am really having problems getting everything back in order. Plus I have a very heavy workload at this time of the year. All of the schools in the area send their home ecconomics sewing mavhines over the christmas holidays . i only just managed to get them done in time for return to school. Thanks you all for your kind words . Better health to all this year. Ron.
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Ron, you are such an inspiration
I wish I could also make it to 20 years times two. It sure was not an easy journey but you're alive. That's what matters. I hope your other non-cancer health issues will be resolved soon. Here's to 20 more years and another 20!
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20 years is something!
It's a shame that surviving this stuff brought such a litany of other problems, but your being here still inspires. May 2018 treat you better.....................................Dave
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You are an inspiration to so
You are an inspiration to so many. All my best, always!
Chip
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You really ARE an inspiration
You really ARE an inspiration to everyone here. Congratulations Ron!!!!!
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Such great inspiration
Congratulations on the 20 year mark! You provide so much inspiration and hope for those of us much newer in the journey. You are amazingly strong and are also an inspiration to be surviving the after effects of this horrible disease. I'm hoping I will join your 20 year club someday!
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Your strength is amazing!
It's hard to imagine going through all that you have and still being able to work! It sounds like you repair sewing machines?
I'm very sorry to hear of all your health problems, especially the recent episode that caused you to be on the floor for days. Is there any remedy to help prevent such an experience in the future?
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Bummerron50 said:Life is a tightrope
I had what I thought was the vertigo attack the night before new years eve . I was actually on the loo when it hit me. Needless to say I finished up on the bathroom floor covered in vomit , sweat and stuff I'd rather not mention . I was on the floor for around four hours. every time I would raise my head i would vomit. I was sweating so much the pool nearly reached the living room carpet. I eventually got to the doctor on the 2nd. He called me all thhe idiots under the sun and sent me straight to er. They are not convinced it was vertigo and believe it may have been a slight heart attack. I was dreadfully dehydrated , my urine was full of keytones from not eating for four days and my liver and kidney functions were both out of kilter. They pumped me full of saline. I have not been dxed with atrial fib before so they were more inclined to suspect heart attack. I am having trouble getting the warfrin dose right. theythink that a flare in my auto immune hepatitis is interfering. They do a finger prick test called inr (international normalised ratio) which is just a long way of saying clotting factor. IT SHOULD BE 2.3 TO PREVENT CLOTS FORMING BUT MINE HAS BEEN UP TO 5.2 WHICH HAS PUT ME AT SERIOUS DANGER OF BLOOD LEAKS. I have the inr test most days , the last reading was 3. Sorry about the capitals , iwas not shouting , just hit caps lock and too tired to retype. I am really having problems getting everything back in order. Plus I have a very heavy workload at this time of the year. All of the schools in the area send their home ecconomics sewing mavhines over the christmas holidays . i only just managed to get them done in time for return to school. Thanks you all for your kind words . Better health to all this year. Ron.
So sorry that you have been going through all this. Hoping that it wasn't a heart attack and they can figure out what really happened. Hoping you feel better soon as you've been through so much you don't need to go through any more.
Hugs! Kim
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with joy. 
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