5th year,the golden ring?

Patteee
Patteee Member Posts: 945
in Colorectal Cancer #1

May 20, 2008 I was dx'd with cc, I was 50 years old.

June 7, 2008 I had an emergency resection at Mayo in Rochester, MN

Stage 3b dx, 6 months of rough times chemo

Take down of colostomy in Feb 2009

 

I have a new granddaughter!  Born Oct 24, 2012 to my son and his wife.  Charlotte Luana

I continue forward, rather rising to the call of making today the best I can make it.  I am still somewhat haunted by the memories of cancer, but grateful they are just memories now.  I feel the loss to the tips of my toes, and have shed so many tears, and cried to the heavens so many times over the lives gone, the families torn apart, the pain of this horrible disease.  I come here and am reminded of the cycle, the beginnings, the middle, the end.  

In the meantime- this summer I will more than likely go through 2 surgeries, one to fix my right thumb- arthritis has eaten away at the joint.  And more than likely will have a spinal fusion, fusing together L1-L5.  

Looking forward to the days of spring.  We still have quite a bit of snow on the ground, expecting more this coming week.  The end of the school year and the lazy days of summer ahead.  

 

Love to all

Patty in Minnesota

Comments

  • devotion10
    devotion10 Member Posts: 623 Member
    #2
    Patty not only has your experience had a positive outcome,

    but the fact that you continue to come to the board and encourage others is a testament to your compassion.  You have a great deal of courage ... I wish you the very best as you go forward. -- Cynthia

    PS Good luck with that Spring thing ... we awoke to a dusting of snow here in Michigan yesterday morning. Wink

  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
    #3
    devotion10 said:

    Patty not only has your experience had a positive outcome,

    but the fact that you continue to come to the board and encourage others is a testament to your compassion.  You have a great deal of courage ... I wish you the very best as you go forward. -- Cynthia

    PS Good luck with that Spring thing ... we awoke to a dusting of snow here in Michigan yesterday morning. Wink

    I can't stay away.  It is as

    I can't stay away.  It is as though old, current and new friends of this board are an iintricate part of me and who I am.  I will always be a cancer survivor- it is what it is :)   

     

    I work now with a new group of teachers- this administration and this group do not know what I went through, many do not know I have had cancer.  Two teacher friends that I see irregularly DO KNOW, and it is strange to go back in time with them.  Sometimes it is a look they give me, or the softness of their faces, the hug or even the squeezing of my arm.  I am reminded then  of who also went through this with me and how precious that relationship is.  I still am not at the point where I can say I am glad I got cancer and went through the experience, think I would be just fine without that time in my life!  

     

    I wish ours was only a dusting of snow.  :(

  • Deena11
    Deena11 Member Posts: 199 Member
    #4
    Patteee said:

    I can't stay away.  It is as

    I can't stay away.  It is as though old, current and new friends of this board are an iintricate part of me and who I am.  I will always be a cancer survivor- it is what it is :)   

     

    I work now with a new group of teachers- this administration and this group do not know what I went through, many do not know I have had cancer.  Two teacher friends that I see irregularly DO KNOW, and it is strange to go back in time with them.  Sometimes it is a look they give me, or the softness of their faces, the hug or even the squeezing of my arm.  I am reminded then  of who also went through this with me and how precious that relationship is.  I still am not at the point where I can say I am glad I got cancer and went through the experience, think I would be just fine without that time in my life!  

     

    I wish ours was only a dusting of snow.  :(

    Thanks

    Thank you for sharing your story.  Please keep coming back and telling us how well you are doing.  It really helps us to hear positive stories.

  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #5
    Patteee said:

    I can't stay away.  It is as

    I can't stay away.  It is as though old, current and new friends of this board are an iintricate part of me and who I am.  I will always be a cancer survivor- it is what it is :)   

     

    I work now with a new group of teachers- this administration and this group do not know what I went through, many do not know I have had cancer.  Two teacher friends that I see irregularly DO KNOW, and it is strange to go back in time with them.  Sometimes it is a look they give me, or the softness of their faces, the hug or even the squeezing of my arm.  I am reminded then  of who also went through this with me and how precious that relationship is.  I still am not at the point where I can say I am glad I got cancer and went through the experience, think I would be just fine without that time in my life!  

     

    I wish ours was only a dusting of snow.  :(

    Hugs Mate
    I am sorry that getting thru cancer doesn't mean that good health is assured. I guess there is a price for everything and some of us have paid a high price for life . All the best and I hope things start to improve for you...Ron.
  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #6
    Thank you so very much

    Your story is an uplifting of my spirits. 

    I'm in 'the middle' of my treatment, and look so forward to the and of July beginning of August, when the treatments are all over, and I can work on getting healthy and back to my normal self. 

    Keep up the good fight, and good luck with the two surgeries this summer. 

    Blessings!

  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
    #7
    We are glad you are doing

    We are glad you are doing well Patty!   Keep up the good fight!  Congrats on the Granddaughter.

     

    Best Always,  mike

  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #8
    bone formulas

    Have you checked your blood levels of vitamin D?  Being low is sooo common in colorectal patients.

    Both my wife and I disappeared our arthritis along with her bone pains and osteoporosis when we started taking big vitamin D3 (hers, 12-17,000 iu per day, me less than half), vitamin K2 (the osteoporosis type menaquinone-4 bone formula) and vitamin C.  

    I used to fight my peg leg off with the lubricant, sulfur and eicosanoids type formula that worked well - glucosamine-chrondroitin-MSM-fish oil-primrose oil. I felt fine and flexible with that but since the knee was physically damaged 40 yrs before, that K2-D3-C approach seemed more fundamentally sound, and was convenient for me. Vitamin C  contributes to cartilaginous and synovial type material formation for bone and synovium. 

     

    High 5 on the big 5-0 day ! 

        

  • thingy45
    thingy45 Member Posts: 632 Member
    #9
    tanstaafl said:

    bone formulas

    Have you checked your blood levels of vitamin D?  Being low is sooo common in colorectal patients.

    Both my wife and I disappeared our arthritis along with her bone pains and osteoporosis when we started taking big vitamin D3 (hers, 12-17,000 iu per day, me less than half), vitamin K2 (the osteoporosis type menaquinone-4 bone formula) and vitamin C.  

    I used to fight my peg leg off with the lubricant, sulfur and eicosanoids type formula that worked well - glucosamine-chrondroitin-MSM-fish oil-primrose oil. I felt fine and flexible with that but since the knee was physically damaged 40 yrs before, that K2-D3-C approach seemed more fundamentally sound, and was convenient for me. Vitamin C  contributes to cartilaginous and synovial type material formation for bone and synovium. 

     

    High 5 on the big 5-0 day ! 

        

    Smiling

    Hi Pattee,

    I am smiling to see your post, I thought about you so often.

    Arthritus, I have the same problem and I am also looking into the fusion of the same L1-7

    Standing, walking etc painfull often. Cpngrats on the 5 year mark, I hope to follow in your footsteps.

    I just started my 3rd year and so far NED. Also congrats on the new granddaughter. Mine are older but such a blessing.

    Keep on smiling friend, so good to hear from you,

    hugs, Marjan

  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
    #10
    tanstaafl said:

    bone formulas

    Have you checked your blood levels of vitamin D?  Being low is sooo common in colorectal patients.

    Both my wife and I disappeared our arthritis along with her bone pains and osteoporosis when we started taking big vitamin D3 (hers, 12-17,000 iu per day, me less than half), vitamin K2 (the osteoporosis type menaquinone-4 bone formula) and vitamin C.  

    I used to fight my peg leg off with the lubricant, sulfur and eicosanoids type formula that worked well - glucosamine-chrondroitin-MSM-fish oil-primrose oil. I felt fine and flexible with that but since the knee was physically damaged 40 yrs before, that K2-D3-C approach seemed more fundamentally sound, and was convenient for me. Vitamin C  contributes to cartilaginous and synovial type material formation for bone and synovium. 

     

    High 5 on the big 5-0 day ! 

        

    actually just had yet another

    actually just had yet another full blood work up last weekend.  My vit D was 44, in the normal range.  It was 15 in Jan, so was on 50,000 pill 1x week.  I guess to get it up you have to drench your system.

     

    My 50 day was over 5 years ago, I will be 56 in Octoober!

  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
    #11
    thingy45 said:

    Smiling

    Hi Pattee,

    I am smiling to see your post, I thought about you so often.

    Arthritus, I have the same problem and I am also looking into the fusion of the same L1-7

    Standing, walking etc painfull often. Cpngrats on the 5 year mark, I hope to follow in your footsteps.

    I just started my 3rd year and so far NED. Also congrats on the new granddaughter. Mine are older but such a blessing.

    Keep on smiling friend, so good to hear from you,

    hugs, Marjan

    Hey Marjam
    I have bulging

    Hey Marjam

    I have bulging disks and the L1 has slipped so far it almost covers the S1.  Been dealing with this for a number of years- hadn't realized it had gotten that bad until my new internist ordered an MRI.  I have more numbness down my leg than pain.  But have to be careful, because I do get flare ups that are very painful.  He referred me to a neurosurgeon- the radiologist resport was bad, bad, bad.  Then insurance company stepped in and said no, this is how you do it.  So in the past month I have had a shot of cortisone in my back (out of order forr the insurance company) saw a medical occupational doctor and start PT on May 13th.  Now both doctors remain PEeoed.   Within a couple of weeks I will have nerve conduct study on leg- doctor thinks the nerve compression is severe and may have already done permanent damage.  She said you will jump through the insurance hoops and months down the line you will still need surgery.  *sigh*  generally this is a great insurance, it is through the union, we always end up with a good deal- obviously it is not perfect!

     

    The thumb is arthritus and almost totally non existance cart between bones.  It hurts like crazy.

     

    Hugs to you too, here's to more years of NED for both of us.

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #12
    Patteee said:

    actually just had yet another

    actually just had yet another full blood work up last weekend.  My vit D was 44, in the normal range.  It was 15 in Jan, so was on 50,000 pill 1x week.  I guess to get it up you have to drench your system.

     

    My 50 day was over 5 years ago, I will be 56 in Octoober!

    Patteee

    I think you are still a kid! Next month I will be 81.  It was three years ago that I had the resection/ with all its complication.My colonoscopy in 2011 was NED, and I have been so ever since.

  • YoVita
    YoVita Member Posts: 590 Member
    #13
    Great to see you again

    and congratulations on five years and your new granddaughter.  Please continue to check in occasionally to let us know how you're doing.

Discussion Boards