Monkey says HI!

It's been a while since I've posted so you may not remember me (and that's okay seeing as I have 'chemo brain' and can't remember stuff myself sometimes).

I was diagnosed in late Dec 2005, had surgery early Jan 2006 (talk about starting off the year in an interesting manner huh?). I am a TII NO (tumor did not breech the colon wall and all lymph nodes were clear).

The Oncs originally recommended no chemo but (with my family history of various cancers), I pushed strongly for it and got them to change that recommendation. They started me on Xeloda and I'm currently on #7 of 8 total treatments.

Adjusting to life after surgery was... well... fustrating. It really bugged me to take it easy and go slow... but I forced myself to do it and now, I'm glad I did. I went back to work (part time) six weeks after I was released and am now back to working (mostly) full time. I say mostly since I do have some weeks that I get tired easily and I just go home earlier on those days. But for the most part, I'm working at least 32-36 hours a week.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with my experience so far (well... as happy as you can be knowing that you're fighting cancer). But the one thing that bugs me the most? It's the fact that my surgery scar isn't straight... it runs a bit diagonal from my belly down. Now how silly is that?

Anyhow, I keep trying to get back here and keep up with everyone... but I've just been so focused on getting my life back to some sort of normal, so I haven't (bad monkey).
I am happy to admit, at least three (3) folks have gotten their colonoscopies earlier than they were planning to after speaking to me WooHoo.

K.. Monkey has to go wake up the grumpy husband now to get started on today's adventures

Much hugs, kisses, and etc to everyone of you (survivor or caregiver).
Monkey