8 years and counting!

2bhealed
2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey all you awesome Semi-colons!

August 6 was my 8 years anniversary of my dx. I just wanted to come on here and share the relative longevity of life after cancer!

For those who don't know my story, I was dx'ed with Stage III sigmoid colon cancer, lymph positive (2/19), zero mets, and did NOT do a lick of chemo. I opted out of the prescribed adjuvant chemo of 5-FU and leucovorin. I did not have a CEA so they would not have been able to tell if it was working or not. I opted to use Eastern Healing methods in conjunction with my Western Diagnostics (and surgery) done at the Mayo Clinic (I cannot sing their praises loud enough!!).

So, instead I did a ton of other stuff with diet, JUICING!!(aka CHEMIA) (WOOHOO!!), acupuncture, massage, counseling, macrobiotic vegan detoxing diet, supplements up the yingyang etc etc etc.

And here I am today still posting on these boards--which were a LIFE SAVER for me back in the dark dark scary days of post-dx. At a time when my family really had no clue what I was going through, folks on these boards understood and gave me love and support like no other. Some wanted to slap me silly ( I don't blame them! HA!).

THANK YOU! Many of them don't really post much anymore but you know who you are....and I miss those old buds who are no longer with us. sigh. :-(

I'm really excited because this year I will be attending my first Colonpalooza and will meet many of these ACS friends. I can't wait! And I promise I won't be a party pooper and tsk tsk you if you eat Cheetos! HA! ;-)

So thank you ACS for providing this forum and thank you all you awesome survivors who come and make these boards what they are. This has been quite a cancer journey.

Get Juiced!

peace, emily
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Comments

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #2
    Congrats Emily!
    You've come a very long way my friend. You certainly have been an inspiration for me and many others and yes, you ROCK (the boat) which is great. It needs to be rocked from time to time to wake and shake us up. Keeps us on our toes, toes that is...
    While your choice of treatment was unconventional, you are unconventional and living proof that there is more than one way to beat cancer. You have inspired others to seek out methods that better suit them. There is no right or wrong way, only what each person is comfortable with. It's 90% attitude anyway.
    You're the BEST Emily!!!
    Love ya you hippy juice chick
    -phil
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #3
    Congratulations!
    Emily, thank you for sharing your inspiring story. I know there are some newbies here who are feeling scared, and to hear from a long timer like yourself who is so healthy and positive is great. I doubt very seriously I would have the courage to forego chemo if I had been diagnosed at your stage of cancer, but I do admire what you did. And I'm awfully glad it worked out so well for you, because it's fun to know you!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #4
    Pleasure to know you, Emily
    Hi Emily

    We've never chatted but I've read your posts and just wanted you to know that I think it took real GUTS and COURAGE to fight your battle with the approach that you took - I'm truly amazed by you and inspired by your story. I've met another woman who took similar approach and as Phil said, there is no right or wrong way. I'm just amazed at your story and the victory that you have achieved.

    With 8 years under your belt, you are the absolute leader in longevity and that says something right there.

    I've been "actively" fighting my Cancer battle into my 6th year now, so that is a long time as well to still be in the fight - I'm still trying to "Catch the Last Train to NEDSville."

    I've got stuff coming up as my temporary hold pattern looks to have stopped, but I won't bore you with those details.

    It was nice to hear from you...hope your son, Ian continues to heal.

    I'm just sorry I did not meet you earlier....I'm new to the board but not new to Cancer.

    All the best that Life has to offer and good luck on your tri-athalons!

    -Craig
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #5
    I'm dancing BIG time!
    YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA!!!!!

    NAKED HAPPY DANCE!!!!!

    Congrats, Emily!!!! And it must feel grand!!!!

    I, too, miss the friends that have gone on, but there are new friends to make!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #6
    Congrats Emily on 8 years cancer FREE!
    Congrats Emily!
  • sfmarie
    sfmarie Member Posts: 602
    #7
    dianetavegia said:

    Congrats Emily on 8 years cancer FREE!
    Congrats Emily!

    Great News
    Congratulations. That is great news to al cc's on this board.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #8
    Way to Go
    Congratulations on being NED for so long.

    Kim
  • Hatshepsut
    Hatshepsut Member Posts: 336 Member
    #9
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Way to Go
    Congratulations on being NED for so long.

    Kim

    Living life to the fullest...
    Emily:

    Congratulations on your 8-year anniversary. I hope you put an extra carrot in your juice on August 6 to celebrate your continued good health.

    I've always enjoyed your posts and your evident free spirit. You seem to "get it" that, as important as it is to have a life, it is equally important to have a life well-lived.

    Hatshepsut
  • Lisa Rose
    Lisa Rose Member Posts: 598 Member
    #10
    Hatshepsut said:

    Living life to the fullest...
    Emily:

    Congratulations on your 8-year anniversary. I hope you put an extra carrot in your juice on August 6 to celebrate your continued good health.

    I've always enjoyed your posts and your evident free spirit. You seem to "get it" that, as important as it is to have a life, it is equally important to have a life well-lived.

    Hatshepsut

    Awesome news juice chick
    Emily, I am thrilled for you, it's hard to believe it's been 8 years.
    Andy and I are looking forward to meeting you at CP7 in Key West this fall.

    Lot's to Celebrate

    Love,
    Baby Lisa
  • menright
    menright Member Posts: 256 Member
    #11
    Juicing works!
    Congrats on 8 years! That is inspiring. I wish I was bold enough to avoid Chemo. The cancer is a non-issue for me physically. It has been the chemo and its nasty side effects that have been the issue. Great that you avoided them all.

    Thanks for sharing your story. I am still planning to by a juicer and begin that process once chemo is done for me.

    Enjoy your eighth year and many more.

    Mike
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #12
    Congratulations!Continue to
    Congratulations!Continue to be NED and enjoy your life.
  • ldot123
    ldot123 Member Posts: 272
    #13
    Fight for my love said:

    Congratulations!Continue to
    Congratulations!Continue to be NED and enjoy your life.

    Awesome Emily
    That is great news. I was a stage III 2 node positive dude and look forward to reaching that plateau as well. I am about 2.5 years NED so have a ways to go. I've goota get a juicer. My daughter had one but she has since moved out. She used to make me beet juice mixed with a cornucopia of other fruits and veggies. It tasted great.

    Cheers, Lance
  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    #14
    Thanks y'all!
    We need to celebrate our living every day, but days like today finding out that we've lost JerseySue and Monica recently really sobers one. My heart just breaks for their families, but ours here as well when we lose one of our Semi-colons.

    Hugs to all who come here.

    LIVESTRONG!

    peace, emily
  • Btrcup
    Btrcup Member Posts: 286
    #15
    Great news!!!
    That's wonderful Emily!

    Linda
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #16
    wonderful news!
    Emily,

    Thanks for sharing your wonderful "8 yrs since cancer" news!!

    Lisa
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #17
    Emily
    8 years, here's to a life time of many years to come! Way to go!! Very happy for you!!!!
  • donnare
    donnare Member Posts: 266
    #18
    Congrats Emily!!
    Hi Emily,

    Congratulations on 8 years and thanks so much for sharing your story, knowledge and spirit with the rest of us. I wish you many, many, many years of health and happiness!

    Hugs,
    Donna
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #19
    donnare said:

    Congrats Emily!!
    Hi Emily,

    Congratulations on 8 years and thanks so much for sharing your story, knowledge and spirit with the rest of us. I wish you many, many, many years of health and happiness!

    Hugs,
    Donna

    Congrats Juice Chic....
    on 8 yrs of NED and being bold enough to go beyond the norm for your health....Good for you and may everyday of your life be blessed.........
  • fedester
    fedester Member Posts: 753 Member
    #20
    great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    em,
    congrats on the 8 year mark.
    you have always been a support system for so many here.
    you rock juice chick!!!!!!!!!!!
    be well
    never.ever give up!!
    bruce
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #21
    fedester said:

    great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    em,
    congrats on the 8 year mark.
    you have always been a support system for so many here.
    you rock juice chick!!!!!!!!!!!
    be well
    never.ever give up!!
    bruce

    WOW!
    Congrats to your 8 year anniversary mark, I totally am in awe of your approach, and wouldn't even have a clue on how to even start, I'm not good at knowing what to eat to what not to eat, but you go girl!!!! you are really awesome!

    Hugssss!
    ~Donna

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