Hi from UK
just a hello really - I've been 'lurking' for a few months now, hesitant to contribute because this is a US group - but judging by the supportive tone of all the contributions here I don't expect to be spurned (but please don't correct my spellings!).
I've had a right hemicolectomy, Dukes C1 (one node), and now I'm on weekly 5-FU/Leucoverin - done 13 out of 30 injections.
I'm also waiting for DNA test results, as they suspect HNPCC.
I'll have plenty of questions to ask, but for now I just wanted to say hello, as I think it's unfair to be given such insights into your lives without sharing mine.
It's been encouraging for me to see that I'm getting the same treatment as in the US - we have a tendency here to obediently do whatever the doctors tell us, because it's 'free'.
My heart goes out to you if you're having to fund chemo yourself or arguing with an insurance company - it brings home just how lucky we are in the UK to not have to worry about such things.
Hope you don't mind me joining in!
Sheepy, Age 39,
England
Comments
-
Ahoy, Sheepy!
Welcome to the semi-colons. I'm 40; diagnosed at 37, right hemicolectemy. I'm DNA positive for HNPCC.
Just so you know, we have a bit of an international constituency here - vccavanaugh (Vincent) is in Ireland. He's been on a hiatus of sorts for a few weeks but you'll see him back soon enough. And we can't forget about Andrea up in Canada (along with all the Canadian ex-pats here in the states that are semi-colons)... Of course everyone knows that Canada is really just a very big state in the northern part of the US... right?
Glad to have ya!
- SpongeBob0 -
Welcome sheepy,
Well now you can stop lurking, we in the semi colons don't care where you are from we welcome everybody. I was dx in june 2002 had surgery then chemo then in 2003 hads rads with 5FU/lev am now doing oxiplan with 5FU/lev as thwy found spots on my lung and cervix. Again welcome.
Pattie0 -
Thanks for the welcome!spongebob said:Ahoy, Sheepy!
Welcome to the semi-colons. I'm 40; diagnosed at 37, right hemicolectemy. I'm DNA positive for HNPCC.
Just so you know, we have a bit of an international constituency here - vccavanaugh (Vincent) is in Ireland. He's been on a hiatus of sorts for a few weeks but you'll see him back soon enough. And we can't forget about Andrea up in Canada (along with all the Canadian ex-pats here in the states that are semi-colons)... Of course everyone knows that Canada is really just a very big state in the northern part of the US... right?
Glad to have ya!
- SpongeBob
Watching this forum has told me many things - like it's OK not to be scared by cancer.
I saw my mother battle with one cancer after another for twenty years - and she just kept on going. I didn't see the look in her face that said enough was enough until after 9/11 - when she decided the world had gone mad - and died four weeks later.
One question I'd like to ask is, do people here connect their cancer with any kind of trigger such as stress? I feel sure that this thing got a hold when I was going through a divorce and therefore pretty low.
It seems relevant to me, because my life is now so good that I feel I have the strength to cope with anything (I got remarried a month before the diagnosis, in May 2003).
Don't be surprised to see me adding my two pennor'th (as my mother used to say) here and there - I find the whole business strangely fascinating.
My stepson annoys his sister by calling her SpongeBob as often as possible - I don't know why, though.0 -
Hi Sheepy,
Welcome to our club, a singularly stellar group!
Similar situation for me, hemicolectomy in 12/03, with 1 positive node, now on to chemo with 5FU and Leuco. Just finished treatment #5, and unfortunately am having some major fatigue and a few episodes of diarrhea. Hoping to manage the side effects; may need a bit of time off work for some rest and relaxation! Just curious, what's the pen name refer to? Judy0 -
Hiya Sheepy!
Glad to meet you. I was diagnosed with Dukes with ovary, lymphnode and omentun invovlement. Surgery removed it all except cells in the blood. Am doing fine, gettting ready to finish chemo in a few weeks. Wow, what a ride. I also have some srugery coming in May. Then i expect to be back to normal, whatever that might be. LOL
BTW. where in UK? My sister lives in Windsor.
Take care and know you'll get good feedback here.
Rita0 -
Hi Sheepy,
I too was hesitant, but glad I finally joined. I only did it yesterday for the first time, and have already learned that there are a lot of people just like me going through the same thing.
I live in NJ, also 39, was diagnosed in 6/03 with Stage IV after having surgery, I had a hysterectomy and partial bowel resection. I'm nearing the end of my treatment of Oxoli, 5FU/LEV. I only have one treatment left! There will definitely be a big celebration!!!!! I'll have a PET and CT scan to see if it all worked. My scans were clear beforehand, so I'm hoping for the best.
Look forward to hearing from you again,
Carolyn0 -
Thanks all for the kind welcome.cmcl said:Hi Sheepy,
I too was hesitant, but glad I finally joined. I only did it yesterday for the first time, and have already learned that there are a lot of people just like me going through the same thing.
I live in NJ, also 39, was diagnosed in 6/03 with Stage IV after having surgery, I had a hysterectomy and partial bowel resection. I'm nearing the end of my treatment of Oxoli, 5FU/LEV. I only have one treatment left! There will definitely be a big celebration!!!!! I'll have a PET and CT scan to see if it all worked. My scans were clear beforehand, so I'm hoping for the best.
Look forward to hearing from you again,
Carolyn
For those that ask, I live in Blackpool - and the name Sheepy is a nickname some of my colleagues gave me when I lived in Wales (for those who don't know, it is a commonly held belief that Welsh men have close relationships with sheep - I can neither confirm nor deny, and I'm not Welsh!!!)
Going for my 14th chemo this morning. Absolutely hate it - makes me feel sick as a dog, even with anti-emetics. Fortunately so far I've been fine by the next morning apart from slight diaorrhea and sore/flaky fingers - working four days most weeks.
HNPCC - have a look through some of SpongeBob's posts - it's an inherited form of cancer which mainly affects the colon but can crop up in other abdominal organs - my mother had gall bladder, kidney and bladder cancer. HNPCC is often associated with right-sided colon cancer.0 -
Or as Bert puts it when he wants to get my dander up....parking lot, SB, parking lot. Oh, that man!spongebob said:Ahoy, Sheepy!
Welcome to the semi-colons. I'm 40; diagnosed at 37, right hemicolectemy. I'm DNA positive for HNPCC.
Just so you know, we have a bit of an international constituency here - vccavanaugh (Vincent) is in Ireland. He's been on a hiatus of sorts for a few weeks but you'll see him back soon enough. And we can't forget about Andrea up in Canada (along with all the Canadian ex-pats here in the states that are semi-colons)... Of course everyone knows that Canada is really just a very big state in the northern part of the US... right?
Glad to have ya!
- SpongeBob
Monika0 -
Hello Sheepy!
Actually, I think we are all somewhat of a mixed lot here coming from anywhere and everywhere on planet earth, that is...although, sometimes I wonder (just kidding). My husband Bert is a semi-colon and partakes through me (can't type worth beans) and he's from Germany. I'm a Canadian and there are many others here, some dropping by occassionally, some more often, so I would say we are quite an internationally, intellectual, sophisticated, culturally well built group!!!(HAHAHAHA) As you can see, I'm so happy to be involved with all of these just good old down to earth folks who have given me hope and lifted my spirits during some of my most darkest hours. Welcome and glad you came.
Monika0 -
Hey cmcl I'm from jersey too.cmcl said:Hi Sheepy,
I too was hesitant, but glad I finally joined. I only did it yesterday for the first time, and have already learned that there are a lot of people just like me going through the same thing.
I live in NJ, also 39, was diagnosed in 6/03 with Stage IV after having surgery, I had a hysterectomy and partial bowel resection. I'm nearing the end of my treatment of Oxoli, 5FU/LEV. I only have one treatment left! There will definitely be a big celebration!!!!! I'll have a PET and CT scan to see if it all worked. My scans were clear beforehand, so I'm hoping for the best.
Look forward to hearing from you again,
Carolyn
Again welcome Sheepy I think you will find we are all a little bit nuts but that is good because it keeps us going.
Hugs
Pattie0 -
(psssst monika....where in Germany? I met my guy in Garmisch while he was living there but he's yank via canadian parents)unknown said:Hello Sheepy!
Actually, I think we are all somewhat of a mixed lot here coming from anywhere and everywhere on planet earth, that is...although, sometimes I wonder (just kidding). My husband Bert is a semi-colon and partakes through me (can't type worth beans) and he's from Germany. I'm a Canadian and there are many others here, some dropping by occassionally, some more often, so I would say we are quite an internationally, intellectual, sophisticated, culturally well built group!!!(HAHAHAHA) As you can see, I'm so happy to be involved with all of these just good old down to earth folks who have given me hope and lifted my spirits during some of my most darkest hours. Welcome and glad you came.
Monika
peace, em0 -
Ok Emily...I'll ask...2bhealed said:(psssst monika....where in Germany? I met my guy in Garmisch while he was living there but he's yank via canadian parents)
peace, em
"WHERE HAVEN'T YOU MET A GUY??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(Just kidding of course, but I couldn't resist!)
Stacy0 -
Hello Sheepy...
I am a female who was 33 when I was diagnosed in 2001. During my surgery, they also found it travelled to my liver. Lost 40% of my liver, two nodes, and today all clear. I was stage 4. You have definitely come to the right place for support, entertainment (2bhealed's weekend video will soon be released on DVD), and education. We're a bunch of straight shooters (except for those who still "shoot from the hip" as I did prior to my ileostomy being reversed!), who will help in anyway possible.
There is strength in numbers!
Stacy0 -
StacyStacyGleaso said:Ok Emily...I'll ask...
"WHERE HAVEN'T YOU MET A GUY??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(Just kidding of course, but I couldn't resist!)
Stacy
I think Em is just one of those well traveled people you can't take her anywhere and she knows someone. lol
cmcl I live in Audubon
Pattie0 -
Well funny you should ask b/c one time when I was in a museum in Munich with my hubby and a friend (male) from school walked in.StacyGleaso said:Ok Emily...I'll ask...
"WHERE HAVEN'T YOU MET A GUY??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(Just kidding of course, but I couldn't resist!)
Stacy
small world. So then I was in London at the Browns Hotel with my folks waiting for an elevator and when the doors opened a girl from my English class at Madison was standing there!
Maybe SB has a girl in every port...you know him being a sailor and everything.....
peace, emily0 -
psssst back....he was born in Magdeburg. Got out before the wall went up and raised in Essen, by Duesseldorf. I myself was actually born in Heidelberg...no German parents...but came to Canada when I was five years old and then later to USA.2bhealed said:(psssst monika....where in Germany? I met my guy in Garmisch while he was living there but he's yank via canadian parents)
peace, em
Hugs,
Monika0
Discussion Boards
- All Discussion Boards
- 6 CSN Information
- 6 Welcome to CSN
- 121.9K Cancer specific
- 2.8K Anal Cancer
- 446 Bladder Cancer
- 309 Bone Cancers
- 1.6K Brain Cancer
- 28.5K Breast Cancer
- 398 Childhood Cancers
- 27.9K Colorectal Cancer
- 4.6K Esophageal Cancer
- 1.2K Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine)
- 13K Head and Neck Cancer
- 6.4K Kidney Cancer
- 671 Leukemia
- 793 Liver Cancer
- 4.1K Lung Cancer
- 5.1K Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
- 237 Multiple Myeloma
- 7.1K Ovarian Cancer
- 63 Pancreatic Cancer
- 487 Peritoneal Cancer
- 5.5K Prostate Cancer
- 1.2K Rare and Other Cancers
- 540 Sarcoma
- 732 Skin Cancer
- 653 Stomach Cancer
- 191 Testicular Cancer
- 1.5K Thyroid Cancer
- 5.8K Uterine/Endometrial Cancer
- 6.3K Lifestyle Discussion Boards