need input from all of you

nettie4
nettie4 Member Posts: 145
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
i think the way i asked for input was a little misleading. i would like input from anyone weather your over 40 or not. the reason i was asking for people under 40 is to share with the students some facts. i thank you again for anything you can help me with. this will be my first shot at this and i want to make it a good one so it becomes a permanant part of the school year in march. my goal is prevention to save lives. you are all very great people.

nettie

Comments

  • cal79
    cal79 Member Posts: 57
    #2
    Hi Nettie,

    I was 25 when I was diagnosed with Stage 1 rectal cancer. I was very lucky as the tumour was large and ulcerated, therefore made me bleed very heavily in the 6 months before diagnosis, so I knew something was wrong. This probably goes back to around age 15.

    There are a few things that I think are really important messages that I have learned:

    1. Doctors are most definitely not always right. It took me 3 attempts for someone to investigate what was wrong (I was fobbed off with all sorts of excuses, including the suggestion that my breathing difficulties were due to panic attacks, rather than the real issue of severe anaemia...). Always trust your own body /instincts and ALWAYS get a second (or third or fourth) opinion. Be assertive and persistent when it comes to your health.

    2. Early detection is the key. Never think that it would never happen to you, because it most definitely could (I had no family history, very healthy, good diet, exercise etc). So do not put off having those symptoms checked out, it could save your life.

    3. There is life after cancer, which I think some people find hard to believe. Most people treat you no differently to before, in fact, very few people know I had cancer (and you couldn't tell, except if you look at my stomach, where all the scars suggest I had a misunderstanding with a shark). I do all the things I did before (even with my ileostomy), including frequent travelling, socialising etc, and I even enrolled to start my PhD (I've been saying for ages that I would do it, I just needed a big kick up the bum). So, if someone does get diagnosed with cancer, although it is very easy to fall into the "my life is over" trap, it is important to remember that it doesn't have to be that way.

    Anyway, I hope you find something useful in all my rambling. Congratulations for taking this on, and good luck!

    Cal :)
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #3
    Nettie,

    You are so sweet to post this again this way. Do you really want a Lisa P. long email??????? Well maybe it won't be too long. You asked so here it comes.

    If I could redo some things in my life before I got cancer, they would include:

    1. Relieve stressfull, unproductive circumstances. By this I mean that don't stress over stuff you can not control. I by myself can not control politics or any subsequent elections, game scores of any sort, most family situations, most work issues, etc. Stress is natural in our everyday lives, but just try to use it when you can control an outcome.

    2. Diet, diet, diet. I had no idea the food suppliers found ways to add unnatural crap to our foods starting in the late 70's. The first ones that come to mind are high fructose corn syrup and MSG. Neither are natural products and the human body can not properly digest them completely. The molecules that our bodies can't properly eliminate then just hang around and clog things up. By things, I mean the entire body's blood system, the lymphatic drainage system, the digestive system, the urinary system and the pulmonary system (lungs). Most of the food we now eat is injected, sprayed, and raised in much less fertile grounds or very differently then it was 40 years ago. Cows,(both beef and milk),hogs, and chickens are injected with growth hormones (steriods) and fed feed that is filled with antibiotics and other things to make it all look prettier in the package in the grocery stores with more white meat then there should be. The nutrients from the "fruits of that labor" are completely different from the foods I ate when I was younger (I am 51 years old). I do not find the increase in cancer and these facts (yes they are facts, look them up) a coincidence. Check out the nutrient value of produce from 1970 to today and you will see why the move to organic is growing.

    3. Lifestyle changes. We go too fast and too quickly now. A home cooked meal is mostly just at Thanksgiving. Pizza, fast food, restaurant, microwave and other fast and easy ways to eat are too convenient and are now a stable in all of our lives. Only we can stop that mentality. Fresh is the best way to go, period.

    Change will take years but we can all help, one day at a time. Money is the only thing that talks in the US today and the only way to attack it is with our pocketbooks. Be smart and read labels on the foods you buy. If you don't know what it means, look it up on the internet. You will be amazed at what US food makers are allowed by the FDA to put into our foods, plastic to make french fries stay straight in the ole McDonalds container, food based products with more man made products then God made, MSG everywhere.

    It's time for consumers to get smarter and tell the food makers what we want and need, instead of them telling us what they want us to eat. Remember it is all about money and only we can change the expense of things.

    Enough of my rambling. let me know if you want or need anything else.

    And again Nettie, I am so very proud of you for thinking of this and then following through.

    Lisa P.
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #4
    scouty said:

    Nettie,

    You are so sweet to post this again this way. Do you really want a Lisa P. long email??????? Well maybe it won't be too long. You asked so here it comes.

    If I could redo some things in my life before I got cancer, they would include:

    1. Relieve stressfull, unproductive circumstances. By this I mean that don't stress over stuff you can not control. I by myself can not control politics or any subsequent elections, game scores of any sort, most family situations, most work issues, etc. Stress is natural in our everyday lives, but just try to use it when you can control an outcome.

    2. Diet, diet, diet. I had no idea the food suppliers found ways to add unnatural crap to our foods starting in the late 70's. The first ones that come to mind are high fructose corn syrup and MSG. Neither are natural products and the human body can not properly digest them completely. The molecules that our bodies can't properly eliminate then just hang around and clog things up. By things, I mean the entire body's blood system, the lymphatic drainage system, the digestive system, the urinary system and the pulmonary system (lungs). Most of the food we now eat is injected, sprayed, and raised in much less fertile grounds or very differently then it was 40 years ago. Cows,(both beef and milk),hogs, and chickens are injected with growth hormones (steriods) and fed feed that is filled with antibiotics and other things to make it all look prettier in the package in the grocery stores with more white meat then there should be. The nutrients from the "fruits of that labor" are completely different from the foods I ate when I was younger (I am 51 years old). I do not find the increase in cancer and these facts (yes they are facts, look them up) a coincidence. Check out the nutrient value of produce from 1970 to today and you will see why the move to organic is growing.

    3. Lifestyle changes. We go too fast and too quickly now. A home cooked meal is mostly just at Thanksgiving. Pizza, fast food, restaurant, microwave and other fast and easy ways to eat are too convenient and are now a stable in all of our lives. Only we can stop that mentality. Fresh is the best way to go, period.

    Change will take years but we can all help, one day at a time. Money is the only thing that talks in the US today and the only way to attack it is with our pocketbooks. Be smart and read labels on the foods you buy. If you don't know what it means, look it up on the internet. You will be amazed at what US food makers are allowed by the FDA to put into our foods, plastic to make french fries stay straight in the ole McDonalds container, food based products with more man made products then God made, MSG everywhere.

    It's time for consumers to get smarter and tell the food makers what we want and need, instead of them telling us what they want us to eat. Remember it is all about money and only we can change the expense of things.

    Enough of my rambling. let me know if you want or need anything else.

    And again Nettie, I am so very proud of you for thinking of this and then following through.

    Lisa P.

    Hiya Nettie. Rather than me running outa ink here its probably better you read my profile under "kangatoo". Having said that I think the following might be of interest.
    I have done a couple of "talks" over here to various groups...mostly men. The problem with early detection and its related symptoms is that males tend to errrrr away from telling anyone of their symptoms because talking about ones "bottom end" always seems to be a taboo subject. As far as talking to students is concerned it is "imperitive" to get across to them that talking about "taboo" subjects like bowel/anal problems is a bit like talking to younger ones about sex. In this day and age talking about sex to parents, teachers, doctors is probably still a "no-go-there" subject....and it should not be. Lets face it...we here all know the consequences of cancer. I guess it is like younger females talking to their parents about things like cervical cancer...it probably would not come up in conversation...but in reality it can and does effect young females. The message needs to be conveyed that these are not "dirty" or "taboo" subjects. Only we know our own bodies but at the same time need to be able to talk about any unusual symptoms, abnormalities, problems. Young people need to be given affirmation that the normal bodily functions can go haywire and that everyone needs to be aware that subjects and discussion relating to the parts/functions of our bodies can be talked about openly to parents, doctors etc. Having said that, adults also need to be conveyed that message. Too many adults discard discussion in those areas all too easily..especially adult males. Great to hear you have the courage to openly talk on these subjects Nettie. Maybe your input will save a young life...good on yah gal!
    All the best, huggs Ross and Jen

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