Please need some inspiration today

Patti
Hi, Patti

Kimby has so many of the same feelings that I have and I like what she is saying. Cancer has been both a curse and a blessing. The irony of the disease is that what has tried to kill me has actually made me stronger and a better person as a result. I like myself more and I try to help people more and I try to find "moments" of happiness that Kimby spoke about. With or without cancer, I think that is true. The older we get the more responsibility we have and so the "slices" of fun are out there but not like we were when we were young and carefree. Once you find them, you just have to enjoy. Cancer has opened our "awareness" of those things and we now react much quicker with much more appreciation.

Patti, I'm looking at your picture and it seems to me that you have a chihuahua dog. I just watched "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" last week and it was a very funny movie and it was a little bit of tear jerker in spots...I love dogs and am a sentimental sap these days, but I found it most enjoyable. Please rent it and watch it if you have not already.

Patti, I'm a Stage IV myself, had a huge tumor on the liver that we wiped out with RFA and CyberKnife. I've recently been diagnosed with 2 spots on the pleura of my lung, and I've waited awhile for the results and then I found this board, quite by accident actually, and I've turned my voice outwards to speak to people like yourself and others who I may can provide some information that could be of some help. That's been a big help to me while I'm waiting for my situation.

I like what you said, that you are so far "asking" for things on the site, instead of contributing. I've been trying to contribute, but may find myself shortly "asking" for support or something. But that must be the beauty of this board and all the wonderful people that I've spoken too and have yet to speak to. I just joined on June 9th a few weeks ago and it's been a blessing seeing that others have a situation different or similiar to what I have.

Kimby, I've not had the opportunity to meet you yet, but I read your posts and I must say that today is the best one you've posted. I identified with that one. You have a positive attitude and a sweet spirit and I believe that you are sincere in your words. It was nice to meet you today.

Ok, Patti, I'm like Kimby, don't know about being an inspiration, but I hope I was able to lighten your load a little bit this afternoon.

Go rent Beverly Hills Chihuahua......I've got pictures of my dog, Sundance, out on My Expressions of my webpage.

Take care
-Craig

Hi
Hi Patty,

I'm a caregiver. My husband has colon cancer with over 11 mets to liver. Not sure if I can offer you any inspiration, but I am thinking of you and sending good thoughts and prayers your way today. Try to have faith Patty.

Take care,
Donna

Hi Patti
Hi Patti,

I feel like I need to contribute to your post. My husband has stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to both his liver and lungs. After a year of treatment and one surgery to remove tumor in his colon, he is now NED. It can be done, you have to be positive all the time and you need a good support system. You have to find a oncologist that you like and trust and do what they tell you to do. My husband, has done everything they told him to do - he also just recently confided in me that he pretended like there was nothing wrong with him and continued on with his daily life. Positive thinking goes a long way - you need to fight, because it's worth the fight. As I said to my husband way back at the beginning of this journey - you need to Fight the good Fight.

If you have any questions or just need to vent please do not hesitate to come on here or you can send me a private message.

Good Luck to you
Sandi
(Caregiver)

Not 4, but sending hugs...
I was only stage III....I'm NED....but I can't really inspire you...my fight was easy compared to yours...

Hugs, Kathi

lisa42 said:

NEAD and NED
Hi Patti,

I'm not Kimby, but I can answer your question of what NEAD is. NED, as you probably know, is No Evidence of Disease. NEAD is No Evidence of Active Disease. This is what I currently am (I think), at least going by my last set of CT and PET scans in April. My CT showed several subcentimeter nodules, which haven't ever totally gone away. Nothing else showed up anywhere. My PET scan, however, showed absolutely nothing. What this meant at the time of my scans was that although I do have something in my lungs, it was not showing up on the PET as metabolically active disease. My oncologist doesn't know if that means what's in my lungs is just scar tissue or if it's just the cancer in its dormant state which may grow back again if left to its own (I'm on maintenane chemo to keep it from growing back). So, NEAD means nothing is showing up on the PET, but something may still have shown up on a CT or MRI.

Kimby definitely had a great post and I always appreciate what Craig writes as well. I guess I would just echo what they've said- there's a lot of living still to do. I've found laughing at stupid little things that I might have not even found that funny before, can make me giggle or even sometimes laugh hysterically. Find a funny book. Even the joke sections in Reader's Digest make me smile and laugh. Laughing is good for the soul!!
I'm pretty sure you could even find joke websites that could have you in stiches before long!

Everyone is allowed to have some down days- our sad and depressed emotions are certainly are certainly understandable with all we go through with this lousy disease, but you've got to take care of your spirit and keep that chin up! Find ways to forget the illness for a while- go out and have fun, watch stupidly funny movies (anything with Chevy Chase in it does it for me everytime).
God bless-

Lisa

new on here
I have just been diagnosed with colon cancer at the Mayo Clinic and will be having surgery for the cancer as well as a temporary colostomy in a week. I am very concerned about life changes with the colostomy and wonder how those of you who have had one have coped.