THANKS FOR THE WELCOME

littlejulie said:

My mother and I were so nervous about her surgery but now it's just a part of her past. We expected much worse. She's 55 and recovered remarkably fast from the surgery. We'll be thinking of you and spongebob will have to keep us posted on your recovery. I know that when my mother was first diagnosed coming to this website was really helpful. There are many great stories and people on this site.

julie

a canadian girl on the american website

Don't sweat the surgery mate--before long it will be over and you will be back here telling us about all the great lookin nurses that tended you. You probably won't remember the first few hours after you come out of the ICU and pain management these days will keep you comfortable. Be safe buddy--kanga n Jen have luv n prayers coming your way--oh--and a rainbow too.(Sponger will tell you bout tha rainbow!")

Hi!

I'm happy you have joined us (awkward pause)... Well, not really, I wish none of us had ever heard of the word cancer, but you know what I mean. It's great to meet a friend of SB's! I'm going to try and tell you to stay calm, even though it's perhaps the most useless piece of advice. If you were calm I would be very concerned! Who wants to hang from an operating ceiling as people peer in at your insides. Sorry, very graphic for a newcomer. But seriously, I wish you all the best. Hang in there and remember when times get tough that it will END (the pain, the convalescence, ect.). Before you know it after the operation, you will be walking around, laughing, joking, drinking... I am 10 days post-op from a thoracotomy (considered major lung surgery) and I'm wearing a skimpy dress, absurd boots and I'm ready to go out for dinner and to a club (although, I'll probably be in bed by midnight if my mother has anything to do about it). Whenever you need to laugh, cry, vent, come to the board. We will be here!

Lots of love and good wishes,
Andrea

p.s. the prep is the hardest part

Hey SD,
Welcome. This is a great place to be when you need it. The advice about surgery is right....someday it will be a distant memory, but before hand it's a little nervewracking. I've been lucky with all my surgeons, cancer related and not; plenty of talent out there, and plenty of good folks in the medical profession. (As a nurse, I say this with certaintly!).
One piece of advice. Talk seriously with the anesthesiologist about pre-op anxiety control and post op pain control. My drug of choice pre-op remains to be Versad, an analgesic med that promotes a feeling of well being. Post op, I had an epidural for 3 days, which worked like a charm. Whatever regimen you have, there is no need these days to suffer from extreme anxiety or discomfort. Be honest with the nurses post op, no matter how much you want to impress them! Best of luck to you, keep us posted. Judy

Ahoy, SD -

What'd I tell ya - the Semi-Colons ROCK! By the way, shipmate, we're not an "august" group anymore... It's September. I know you got a lot on your mind, just trying to keep you straight on the month.

You holding on for Ivan? We're getting the swell right now; 6 footers with 10 second period. FAC otherwise. Feels like we're off the left coast somewhere.

UW as B4

- SpongeBob

Hey SD,

I, too, will be praying for you now that you have joined our semi-colon club open to anyone regardless of length of existing colon post-op, bag or not, sphincter in tact or out of commission, or whether you do 5FU, FOLFOX, or carrot juice for tx.

After your surgery we like all the details....your staging, your lymph involvement if any and if you have mets or not. It's like Name, Rank, and Serial Number around here! haha.

As for me.....Stage 3 lymph pos zero mets adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon. Successful resection--no bag needed. Dx'ed at 39. Sister died of this adenocarcinoma of small intestine 9 years before my dx at age 33. I watched her decline, in agony, while she tried to mother her newborn baby girl. (Baby was 5 months old when her mother died).

When I got my dx I decided that I was going to take a different route other than the chemo. So as I am sure SB has warned you (sound the alarm) I am the resident nag about staying off sugar (cancer feeds on it) eat your organic veggies and fruit--the more colorful the better--better yet-JUICE THEM!--and take plenty of cancer fighting supplements. (refer to BEATING CANCER WITH NUTRITION by Patrick Quillin). And drink LOTS of water.

I got my colonoscopy on a monday, (saw the tumor first hand). Met with the surgeon on tuesday. He wanted to do surgery on wed. I told him I needed to go home and get my kids squared away (I have 5 and one was only 20 months old) and so we scheduled surgery for that friday. I didn't have much time to be nervous. I was still in shock.

And our sweet baby girl andreae is right--the clean out is the worst of it. See if the pills are available rather than having to drink the icky stuff. Of course you would know all about it being that I am sure you had a colonoscopy.

So cheers to you and we'll be waiting to hear all about it, ok?

peace, emily who will no doubt be encouraging "sea" to drink his Green Tea and do yoga....haha

Hi sea Detail: from your handle, you must be on the boat with Speedobob..try to make a website so we can look at you and your bio. Sending energy/prayers for thursday. Bud