anal cancer

kittpugh

Dear Jan: I totally agree!! I'm so sad and maybe a little mad (if Trump has cut the funding here) to know that after May, we won't be able to post to each other or help others who might benefit from our experience! I haven't responded to your longer post of this weekend, but intend to get on it by tonight! So sorry. You have your pump going on today and for the next 4 days, so that will occupy your mind, no doubt. Anyway, I can't write now as I would like to, but soon. Take care. God is with you!

kittpugh

Dear Jan: I was going to ask you how you were doing with a diet of some sort. I see the Low Residue Diet now. Thank you for sending! According to this, I'm doing everything wrong except "ripe banana" Lol. I've never heard of L-Glutamine. It sounds healthy. I guess you buy it in powder form and then mix it up with some water to swish in your mouth. Like you, my weight was at its top end! I could easily loose ten pounds and be healthier for it. I used to be 5 foot, but with age and poor posture I've shrunk now to 4'10" But I had reached an all time weight of 167 and slowly tried to bring it down to the 140's - for a whole year I managed to avoid bread. Then Radiation Treatment happened and my weight dropped quickly and easily until I saw 130 on the scale and happy, happy! The radiation makes you feel full and so why eat? Best diet plan out there, but not one I would recommend, Lol. Who knew?? It also makes for softer stool, even diarrhea, so you are constantly flushing yourself out. Again, not a diet plan I would recommend. But, yes, I was deliriously happy to see those numbers which hadn't been seen since I was in my 20's! You are a whole lot more knowledgeable than I about your cancer. I never heard boo about Non-Hpv Squamous Cell Cancer. But judging on what I've just read online, I would have to conclude that mine was also Non-Hpv because that anal fissure would not heal, no amount of doctor prescribed medication worked! And that is one of the signs of a Non-Hpv SCC. Radiation absolutely cured the fissure and the hemorrhoid and I'm not going to be doubleminded thinking that it won't ultimately cure all the cancer and tumor. The doctors didn't catch it as early as yours, but I hadn't reached a stage 4 by any means. I told you that I take Essiac in a liquid form - 2 oz. at bedtime while I wait for scopes and scans, etc. Two weeks before the last Sigmoidoscopy my stool was as black as could be and some globs of blood too. (I'm told it was internal bleeding that can make the stool black and have a tar-like consistency) that state vanished and just the odd tiny blob of a brighter colour blood seen, which I'm told is fresher and closer to the sphincter. I'll give Essiac the credit because I have nothing else to pin it on. Tomorrow I'll have the results of the biopsy from the doctor. And I'll post again to let you know. I can see why our Treatment is a combination of Chemo and Radiation, where Radiation targets a specific tumor and Chemo can travel through the body and lymph nodes to places the Radiation won't reach. We have to believe in a positive outcome. Last note is to tell you not to worry that you've lost a desire to paint right now, it will all come back. Sleep is the best thing you can do for yourself. We have no idea the extent of the assult to our bodies being done through Radiatin and Chemotherapy. My butt still feels the effect, even though I can sit upright as normal, the effect from Radiation is still felt, though marginally, and it will be my one year anniversary on April 30th! Jan, you are going to live to paint many, many new and wonderful scenes, and travel oversees. I can be in touch from time to time through your website, so there's that to look forward to - and what a shame we are losing the ACS!! It has helped me to connect to other survivors and I will truly miss it!! God be with us, Jan!!

kittpugh

Dear Jan: I'm sorry this is a really quick, short post, but I wanted you to know that my biopsy came back "NORMAL" - in other words, no ABNORMAL CELL GROWTH. And the inflammation cells, Dr. said that could be from the remains of the radiation. My stool was looking jagged (also another sign of inflammation) but they have been smooth for a few weeks now. I would conclude that I'm Good To Go! Yayyyyyyyy.

kittpugh

janf

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1726808#Comment_1726808

I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! When did your radiation end? I am on my 2nd round of chemo 3rd day, so far no side effects other than being tired. 6 more radiation treatments to go. For me. I am so glad the treatment worked for you. Now who keeps up with follow ups? Oncologist, Radiologist? gastro person? that is my next question for my people. The oncologist said there would be many follow ups for years but I forgot to ask him who keeps up with them.

kittpugh

Dear Jan: THANKS!! I think that is pretty awesome that your round of chemo has been tolerated as well as it has!! So good to hear that!! Jan you are SO CLOSE to the end!! BRAVO!! Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead! As for the follow-ups that I've had, all 3 Doctors (Radiation and Chemo Oncologists, and General Surgeon for colonoscopies and sigmoidoscopies) have scheduled follow ups. See further down. Before I set them out, let's include the two weeks that follow the date when Treatment has ended because they are fairly significant in that the accumulated Radiation has a very decided effect on your body. Every one is different, but that is the time where my Radiation Oncologist prescribe a fairly heavy pain killer and the Flamazine cream. The prescription for Hydromorphone, the first choice, was intolerable for me. It made me feel nauseous and brain foggy and if it was supposed to make me feel better, it definitely didn't do that. I never felt worse! In the whole of the 28 day Treatment, nothing made me feel that bad! Lol. I asked to be switched to something I knew had no side effects on me and though the doctor was reluctant because of its addictiveness, I knew it would be the better choice and I wouldn't be irresponsible and take more than I needed. I've never needed more than a half tab per 4 to 6 hours. That choice was Oxycodone 5 mg with 325 mg Acetaminophen, typical name is Percocet. My last day of Treatment was June 10th, 2025. First follow up was July 18th (MRI) August 5th (Chemo Dr. in-person) August 15th (General Surgeon in-person). Sept. 4, PET Scan (Radiation Onc) Sept 5, MRI (Chemo Dr.) Sept. 12, Chemo Dr. phone consultation on MRI results, Sept. 23, Radiation Onc. in-person. Oct. 3, General Surgeon phone consultation. Dec. 22, Blood Work for Chemo Dr. Jan. 5th, 2026 MRI (Chemo Dr.) Jan. 19, General Surgeon digital exam. Jan 23. Chemo Dr. phone consultation, MRI results. Feb. 5, General Surgeon phone consultation. March 16, General Surgeon Sigmoidoscopy. Apr. 6, Blood Work for Chemo Dr. Apr. 14 General Surgeon phone consultation. Apr. 27, MRI (Chemo Dr.). AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU ASKED? NOT!! LOL! Now the appointments will be spaced out much more, for instance, I won't be seen until September for a Sigmoidoscopy for the General Surgeon. Last thing I want to say is that I'm so glad that we will have this ACS site until you've gone through and finished your Treatment and the two terrible weeks (May 6) and beyond until May 28th (their date). God is with us Jan!!

janf

Dear Kittpugh, Wow that was a lot of follow up, and not too much information because I was trying to figure out if i could reschedule my trip to France for the fall. I’ll have to ask everyone because it sounds like threading a needle if I can. It is good though that they were all right on top of it. The radiologist too said this last part will be the worse. Ugh, not looking forward to it. But no nausea from the chemo so far. Radiologist talked about blisters and peeling. So from your experience it sounds like she is right. Ugh again! Lets keep in touch after this chat room ends, you know my email address from my website, so when you write me I will have yours. I don’t think I mentioned my experience with magnesium. My blood test 2 weeks ago was all over the place lots of abnormal but the one they focused on was magnesium. They said it was really low and gave me a transfusion. So this week they were getting to hook up the chemo up popped my blood test on my chart. I looked at it and pointed out that my magnesium was exactly the same as it had been 2 weeks before when they gave me a transfusion. The nurse said OH, went and called the dr and they gave me another transfusion. What if i had not pointed it out? I did not know how important magnesium is until I started researching it.

kittpugh

Jan, once your are all through with your Radiation Treatments, you can use creams that are light (water based) or heavy (Polysporin with Lidocaine) and Base Numb - in my view the best Lidocaine, medium light, pain relieving cream (Amazon) that is out there. I still cream-up with almost every trip to the Loo, but I don't necessarily need a Lidocaine cream or ointment - just something to feel lubricated and I still have to use a variety of sanitary pads "just in case". You've got this girl! You have done brilliantly. I'm glad that you referenced your trip to France this fall - hmmmmm - that may be a bit premature in terms of feeling tired and coping with all the follow-ups. They say Paris is beautiful in the Spring - or is that the name of a tune? LOL.

janf

You have convinced me to reschedule France for spring after seeing your follow up schedule. Of course assuming my outcome will be positive! As in no more cancer! Dr said this week and next would be the worse she was right and I’m only at the start of it! Blisters front and back. I can deal with the pain more than the itching. 4 more days of radiation then treatment is finished. Just hope it works.  Because mine has not spread beyond the tumor in the anal canal i’m having 28 radiation treatments, if it had spread it would have been 35. Wow that would have been REALLY miserable. So just need to get through the week eating and drinking enough. Attitude is good just want it to be over!  I was reluctant to have my nieces come but glad they have. Good distraction!

kittpugh

Dear Jan: I'll be counting down the days with you!! I know what you are going through right now. It's not pleasant!! I can't help but feel that Radiation has to be the most brutal form of medical help that exists. Thank you Madam Curie whose discovery of Radium in 1898 helped to push treatments for various cancers in the early 1900's, along with many other international physicians from France, Switzerland, Germany, and Chicago, using X-Rays. But we only have to ask the Japanese survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki about the awefulness of Radiation from the A-bombs to be eternally frightened for our lives! If Radiation and Chemo can't fix us Jan, I don't know what can. We have to believe that we are fix-able! The doctors have studied this thing long and hard. It is not in our best interest to doubt their work. They've mapped our bodies thoroughly. They have measured the doses of beam and drug exactly. Everybody wants our success, from the reception gal at the clinic to the neices and family members to the hairdresser and local Postie who knows of our trials. Last March, my clinic at the Windsor Regional Hospital acquired a Radiation machine so powerful and so big that it had to have it's own sized bunker built and the cost was in the neighbourhood of 33 Million Dollars. It was to treat brain cancers and it had to be state-of-the-art Accurate. Is there anything too great or too hard for our God? No. While I was counting down my own days of Treatment, I would see in the toilet bowl evidence of the Radiation at work because these "denures, as they are called" floated easily in the toilet bowl. And the more denures I saw, the happier I was because it meant that the beam was cutting away the tumour of the anus. My tumor was approximately 5/8ths of an inch (I don't know its thickness though), and not caught as early as yours. And I could also identify them by the clean cut of these little squares of skin tissue. I didn't take Essiac through the Treatment days because I wanted to give the doctor's 100% of my compliance. I took it leading up to the start and I take it now (for how long, I don't know). After I read the little book of it's history and testimony by the private physician to John F Kennedy, who took it continually to rid himself of bowl cancer, I said, why not? Once Nurse Cassie was given the formula, she guarded it with her life and for the duration of her life. It's really a fascinating and remarkable read and I find it a comfort that I can do "something" while waiting the weeks and weeks between follow-up scopes, scans, and phone consultations (too long in my estimation). Odd that you mentioned the infernal "Itching" because I never had any itching at all. But in an uneducated guess, itching indicates skin that is healing, does it not? I'm so very glad that you are not alone and I hope your nieces can stay with you a little longer - just to see you through this week and the next two weeks after that. You are almost Home, Jan. The bases are loaded, and you are coming around the bend. God be with you.

kittpugh

Dear Jan: Hooorayyyy! This is a song that came to mind this morning. I hope you don't mind I've taken the liberty to change a few words on the Kenny Loggins 'This Is It!' : 'This is it! / Make no mistake where you are. This is it!/ Your back {was} to the corner. This is it! / Don't be {afraid} any more. This is it! / The waiting is over! : So, so happy to join you in celebrating your last day of Treatment. Fantastic!!