Checking In From Vancouver

robinvan
robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
WoW!! It has been way too long since I've said HI!

I haven't posted much in the last couple of years. I've been enjoying a relatively long stretch of good health, heavily engaged in family, work, and life, and trying to give the cancer piece a rest for a while.

A reminder...
Aug'04 Dx Stage 4 with liver mets
Aug'04 Colon Rx
Oct'04 Liver Rx (2/3)
Nov'04-Apr'05 FOLFOX
Apr'05-Oct'06 NED
Oct'06 Dx Recurrent Liver Met
Mar'07 RFA
Apr'07-Aug'07 Avastin/Xeloda/Irenotecan
Currently NED

Whew!! It's beginning to look like a "rap sheet"!

It is good to see that this is still a place of life-giving support and compassionate care (not to mention some interesting theological dialogue!). I am always impressed at how folks here are able to make such deep connections and create an authentic community of friendship and concern. You are truly the coolest collection of men and women in cyber-space!!

I'm liking the new format. I was finding the connection/response speeds on the old system too slow. Sometimes I had to wait minutes! WOW!! Whole minutes! This is a much faster platform and the pictures are cool too!

I hope to reconnect over the next few months and stay active at least through the summer.

Peace and blessings...

Rob; in Vancouver

"There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community." M. Scott Peck

Comments

  • Monicaemilia
    Monicaemilia Member Posts: 455 Member
    #2
    Rob: It is wonderful
    Rob: It is wonderful hearing stories like yours, where the road is not easy but definitely achievable. It gives hope to those of us still in treatment. I am really happy to hear from you. Monica
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #3
    Bad Boy, Bad Boy....
    Hey Rob! So good to hear from you. I've been wondering.... Yep, it IS beginning to look like a rap sheet, so of course that "Cops" theme "Bad Boys..." came to me. You are far from a Bad Boy--you are an inspiration!!!!! So good to hear you're still NED.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #4
    Sorry for double posting...
    Sorry for the double post.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #5
    hello
    Hi Rob,

    It's good to see another new face here, although I guess you're actually an "old hat" around here, from before I joined. Looking at your "rap sheet" is an inspiration to me. You've come through a lot and now have gotten to those wonderful letters "NED"! I'm still working on getting there, myself, but am doing pretty well.

    You take care and I'll look forward to more posts from you-

    Lisa
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #6
    Thanks Rob
    I love to read posts such as yours. It is so encouraging for those of us coming along behind you. Thanks for sharing.

    Vicki
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #7
    Hey Vancouver Boy!
    Are we talking Vancouver "BC" or Vancouver "WA"?? If we are talking "BC" then a big hello from one Vancouverite to another!! Don't look out the window now but I think (and I could be wrong) but that big yellow thing in the sky is the thing some people refer to as the sun :) Long time since we've seen it... oh wait, maybe it was just two days ago LOL!!

    I think congratulations are in order! It is now April 09 and although you haven't been NED for 5 years, you have survived 5 years of the battle with big chunks of NED thrown in there! CONGRATULATIONS... and I'm sooooo glad to see you return! I'm looking forward to hearing more about the battle and how you beat the monster :)

    I just love the fact a lot of you warriors from before are coming out of the lurkerdom... no matter what the reason!! :):) So a shout out to all of you.. come out, come out and don't go running back to lurkerdom!! LOL!!

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl
  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    #8
    CherylHutch said:

    Hey Vancouver Boy!
    Are we talking Vancouver "BC" or Vancouver "WA"?? If we are talking "BC" then a big hello from one Vancouverite to another!! Don't look out the window now but I think (and I could be wrong) but that big yellow thing in the sky is the thing some people refer to as the sun :) Long time since we've seen it... oh wait, maybe it was just two days ago LOL!!

    I think congratulations are in order! It is now April 09 and although you haven't been NED for 5 years, you have survived 5 years of the battle with big chunks of NED thrown in there! CONGRATULATIONS... and I'm sooooo glad to see you return! I'm looking forward to hearing more about the battle and how you beat the monster :)

    I just love the fact a lot of you warriors from before are coming out of the lurkerdom... no matter what the reason!! :):) So a shout out to all of you.. come out, come out and don't go running back to lurkerdom!! LOL!!

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl

    Definitely
    Cheryl,

    I am also happy that a lot of us "veterans" are oozing out of the woodwork! I must tell all of you folks the best part of this site....IT'S THE COLON PALOOZA PARTIES! Granted, all this typing, chatting and swapping of war stories is great, but NOTHING can compare with Eating, Drinking, Hugging and LAUGHING that we all do when we're together!!! Everyone ought to log into www.colonpalooza.com and scope out all the pictures of past Paloozas. At the last one I went to, I got to meet Jana for the first time in Nashville, TN, in 2007. She ended up losing this battle, but my memory of her as we spent the day at a wine tasting will forever be etched in my heart. She was an amazing person.

    Colon Paloozas give us all an opportunity to cut loose. Admittedly, we seldomly speak of cancer when we have these. These are not a "poor me, I have cancer" party....they are a "Hell yeah I'm surviving cancer" party!

    My sisters, Kay, Lisa Rose, scouty, sladich (Debbie), USAKat (Katie), Suzann Chili, Kathi M, JerseySue, and Nan can all tell you how fantastic these events are. (May I add that TEAM INSTIGATOR still holds the trivia title from the Ghost Hunt in Nashville!)

    So take the time to line up your attendance to this year's event in KEY WEST, BABY!!!!!!!! The only regret you will have is if you DON'T come!

    Hugs,
    Stacy
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #9
    Monicaemilia said:

    Rob: It is wonderful
    Rob: It is wonderful hearing stories like yours, where the road is not easy but definitely achievable. It gives hope to those of us still in treatment. I am really happy to hear from you. Monica

    Hello Monica
    I think you were travelling down to Argentina a few years ago while I was undergoing treatment for a recurrence.
    Good to see you posting again.

    Hope the Ontario spring is finding you.

    Rob
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #10
    kmygil said:

    Bad Boy, Bad Boy....
    Hey Rob! So good to hear from you. I've been wondering.... Yep, it IS beginning to look like a rap sheet, so of course that "Cops" theme "Bad Boys..." came to me. You are far from a Bad Boy--you are an inspiration!!!!! So good to hear you're still NED.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten

    Hi Kirsten
    So good to see you still active in this community.

    Blessings...

    Rob
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #11
    lisa42 said:

    hello
    Hi Rob,

    It's good to see another new face here, although I guess you're actually an "old hat" around here, from before I joined. Looking at your "rap sheet" is an inspiration to me. You've come through a lot and now have gotten to those wonderful letters "NED"! I'm still working on getting there, myself, but am doing pretty well.

    You take care and I'll look forward to more posts from you-

    Lisa

    Hi Lisa
    Yah.. those three little letters N... E... D... are pretty sweet. I'm not quite out of the woods yet though. Each day, with or without evidence of cancer, is a blessing.

    Have a great day!

    Rob
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #12
    CherylHutch said:

    Hey Vancouver Boy!
    Are we talking Vancouver "BC" or Vancouver "WA"?? If we are talking "BC" then a big hello from one Vancouverite to another!! Don't look out the window now but I think (and I could be wrong) but that big yellow thing in the sky is the thing some people refer to as the sun :) Long time since we've seen it... oh wait, maybe it was just two days ago LOL!!

    I think congratulations are in order! It is now April 09 and although you haven't been NED for 5 years, you have survived 5 years of the battle with big chunks of NED thrown in there! CONGRATULATIONS... and I'm sooooo glad to see you return! I'm looking forward to hearing more about the battle and how you beat the monster :)

    I just love the fact a lot of you warriors from before are coming out of the lurkerdom... no matter what the reason!! :):) So a shout out to all of you.. come out, come out and don't go running back to lurkerdom!! LOL!!

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl

    Hey Neighbour
    The sunshine is great today. I am really hoping to put my winter coat away for a few days this weekend.

    It is good to be back from lurking. It takes considerable time and committment to be present to this community in a meaningful way. Sometimes we have to be away for a while... I would drop by for a visit, get a little caught up, and then start having bouts of nausea as I recalled my own chemo journeys!! No kidding... "vicarious nausea"... go figure!

    It is great to be back though.

    See you around! Rob
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #13
    StacyGleaso said:

    Definitely
    Cheryl,

    I am also happy that a lot of us "veterans" are oozing out of the woodwork! I must tell all of you folks the best part of this site....IT'S THE COLON PALOOZA PARTIES! Granted, all this typing, chatting and swapping of war stories is great, but NOTHING can compare with Eating, Drinking, Hugging and LAUGHING that we all do when we're together!!! Everyone ought to log into www.colonpalooza.com and scope out all the pictures of past Paloozas. At the last one I went to, I got to meet Jana for the first time in Nashville, TN, in 2007. She ended up losing this battle, but my memory of her as we spent the day at a wine tasting will forever be etched in my heart. She was an amazing person.

    Colon Paloozas give us all an opportunity to cut loose. Admittedly, we seldomly speak of cancer when we have these. These are not a "poor me, I have cancer" party....they are a "Hell yeah I'm surviving cancer" party!

    My sisters, Kay, Lisa Rose, scouty, sladich (Debbie), USAKat (Katie), Suzann Chili, Kathi M, JerseySue, and Nan can all tell you how fantastic these events are. (May I add that TEAM INSTIGATOR still holds the trivia title from the Ghost Hunt in Nashville!)

    So take the time to line up your attendance to this year's event in KEY WEST, BABY!!!!!!!! The only regret you will have is if you DON'T come!

    Hugs,
    Stacy

    Colon Palooza 7
    Hi Stac(e)y

    Eating, Drinking, Hugging, and LAUGHING... WOW! These are a few of my favorite things!

    I'll keep dreaming of Key West.

    Rob
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #14
    robinvan said:

    Colon Palooza 7
    Hi Stac(e)y

    Eating, Drinking, Hugging, and LAUGHING... WOW! These are a few of my favorite things!

    I'll keep dreaming of Key West.

    Rob

    Great to hear from you Rob
    Lisa Rose and I were just talking about you the other day (all good things about what you would think of a few of the recent posts). We were laughting about the good ole days.

    It is great to hear you are NED again and I fully expect it stay that way!!!

    Again, thanks for checking in. The last few days have been like old home week, there are so many others I wish would check in too.

    Do try to join us in Key West, I would love to finally meet you.

    Lisa P.
  • usakat
    usakat Member Posts: 610 Member
    #15
    HELLO ROB!!!
    Nice to see you stopping in for a visit - you've been missed. And glad to see you are enjoying restored health - very good to read.

    Think of joining us in Key West this year. It promises to be a nice time full of fun and friendship - and of course the weather will be fantastic in October, perhaps a nice break from BC. The photo below is one of Hemingway's six toed cats...

    In any case, it's nice to see you and see such a great update on your life and your health. Pleast stay in touch....

    Katie

    image

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