Anal Cancer Color Survey

Marynb said:

LaCh
I got your point. I don't think anybody identifies with their disease. By the way, how are you feeling these days? Seems the good weather is on its way! I hope each day gets a little bit better than the day before!

Thanks Marynb. You know, I'm feeling ok. My main issue right now is the fatigue but that seems a tad better. I'm having accupuncture to treat it and it seems to help. The thing is that the fatigue comes and goes and there's never a reason that I can identify for either. It seems to be independent of what I do (or don't do) but as I said, it seems a bit better.  The weather here is cold, 30 degrees when I woke up and 40 right now, overcast, grey...  But it's heading in the right direction. They're predicting rain for almost the entire week next week, but nexrt week is the official arrival of spring, and mentally, that's very  welcome. My goal is to be able to take my dog to Central Park when the cherry trees are in bloom.  The other "issue" isn't really an issue but a return to my normal state of being; I have a slow gut, slow digestion, I've had it for a long while. So it was almost a welcome change when I was "going" 4 or 5 times a day. Now I always feel full and bloated and I'm back to my normal once a day (or maybe twice).  My diet isn't normal but close to what it used to be, but I've always eaten a pretty healthy diet.  So that's not new. I'm just re-introducing foods a little at a time. Thanks for asking.  How are you doing? 

Marynb said:

LaCh
I am glad you are on the road to recovery. This is the first year that my daughter is no longer living in NY so If I see the cherry trees it will be on a leisure weekend. I am very much looking forward to Spring this year!

I am doing better also. I had a couple of bad weeks, but I am feeling more positive this week. My challenge is to keep the faith despite never ending trips to the doctors.

Life, with all its ups and downs, is good!

Yes, I really feel for you.  I avoid doctors whenever I can and get depressed if I even have to think of going to see one. It's difficult to have to go over and over and over and.... 

And yes, life, despite all its vicissitudes, or maybe because of them, is good.  I know that conventional thinking (eastern, western, practical and esoteric) is to live in the moment, but when I'm in a difficult situation I mentally leave it and go somewhere else.  It's been a long, dark winter. Think of spring that's just around the corner or whatever else carries you to happy places.

eihtak said:

Happy Place.....

After my husbands bone marrow transplant as I was also recovering from anal cancer treatment, I took a "yoga for cancer recovery" class at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. One of the first exercises was to meditate on a "happy place". I found myself going there ALL the time, think I should have bought a house!

whatever keeps one happy and grounded.  That's the rule: no rules. Stay present or fly away, whichever best serves.

eihtak said:

Minds eye....

The minds eye is a wonderful thing. I think that even if my body should ever fail me I could survive in my "minds eye". I too feel like I have my life recorded in happy photos in my mind, funny how in time many of the unpleasant photos seem to fade.

For me, the ribbon is about raising awareness and preventing people getting past stage 1 or 2 of this cancer. How many of us were previously mistakenly diagnosed with haemorroids? So I think a poster (with ribbon) on the back of toilet doors and on haemorroid treatment packs would be a good place to start. That along with HPV vaccination for males & females, should kick this cancer in the butt.