Unsolicited Advice

JDuke
JDuke Member Posts: 438
edited March 2014 in Anal Cancer #1
Thank you to all who have joined us here. I want to seize this opportunity to share my thoughts on allowing ourselves to slip back into the old "norm" post treatment. When I was first dx'd I immediately assessed how unhealthy my lifestyle was. Overweight, lack of exercise, too much stress, not enough rest, etc. I am sure many can relate. Just living life right? I realized that I needed to work on all of those areas and throughout treatment did my best to make better choices and concentrate more on my WHOLE health, not always easy due to the treatment side effects but I tried. When I finished my treatment in Oct. 08, 'scopes and scans gave me the ALL CLEAR. Such wonderful news and I was so very grateful. I remained conscious of the gift I had been given and concentrated on maintaining a mindset of taking care of my WHOLE self. Like many I realized I had been given another chance and reprioritized things, it was my wake-up call! That lasted for a few months and as I slipped back into my pre-cancer routine so did my habits. I started making poorer food choices, less exercise, absorbing the toxicity of stressful situations in my life and not putting myself first. All things that compromise your immune system, not a good thing when cancer has decided to become a part of your life. As as I face the uncertainty of my future once again with the dx of a liver metastases, I regret not maintaining my more pro-active resolve to take care of myself. Could I have prevented this if I had not allowed my old ways to return, I will never know. I am striving to be as healthy as possible, physically and mentally, to maintain the strength to go into battle again.

The reason I am posting this is to encourage all of you that have walked this path to stay on track, do everything you can to keep the cancer from ever being able to claim you as a victim again. I am not suggesting that you live in fear of recurrence, it is a rarity with this cancer, just do your best to respect your body while living your fullest life!

Blessing to all,
Joanne

Comments

  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #2
    Great Advice
    Joanne,

    Thank you for getting this discussion board set up, I will certainly hop back an forth. I really like what you wrote. The idea that we have come through the cancer and we have been given another chance. I know I should take better care of myself, and I keep telling myself that. After reading your post I am going to start taking better care of myself. You are so right, about not slipping back into bad habits. I know you will fight your liver spot and win. I have read about a member on the other site who had anal cancer and liver mets. 18 spots on the liver and is now ned in liver. She had a colostomy for the anal cancer. I am sure you have done your research, and will get the best treatment possible. I see where you are being treated at Moffitt in Tampa. My correctal surgeon is Dr. Marcet at the USF teaching hospital right by Moffitt in Tampa. Its amazing what can be cured now a days. Is that a yorkie your holding how adorable. I wish you well and will post at you later. Lori
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #3
    Wonderful advice!
    Joanne--

    Thank you for this post. My experience with cancer has made me realize that the post-tx phase is the most difficult! There are so many physical changes, not to mention the emotional burdens we all carry. It is desirable to have our old lives back, but when many of us realize that we weren't taking proper care of ourselves, we must start anew. I am much more conscious of everything I eat and drink, exercise every day, get plenty of sleep and try to eliminate as much stress from my life as possible.

    I sincerely wish you success in beating your liver mets. There are so many success stories out there that are from people in your similar situation. Keep fighting and you will beat this! May God bless.
  • aaaaa
    aaaaa Member Posts: 2
    #4
    My thoughts.
    Joanne,
    I'm so sorry that you've had a relapse of your cancer. While it's great to do all of those things you've mentioned, please don't blame yourself. Cancer is a fickle disease. My husband Gordon--who I lost in May of 2006--always wondered what he had done wrong, too. The sad truth is, he hadn't done anything. Cancer invades whoever it wants. I have seen many perfectly healthy and perfectly fit people diagnosed with cancer.

    Please move your "if only" energy over to fight your cancer. And it is great to do all of the healthy things. I have a dear friend with breast cancer that went to her bones, then her kidney and liver. She was overdosed with chemotherapy and they swore she would die. She's still alive today, but she has this wonderful positive attitude.

    Take care, Joni
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #5
    same boat
    Hi!
    I have also just experienced the unnerving news of a relapse. An anal cancer that I went through chemo and rad in 08, and received the all clear has now mets to my liver. I am having a liver resection next week. Not sure that I will choose to do chemo after.
    This time I have started seeing a naturopath and a dietician. HUGE eye opener. Like you I changed SOME things the first time.....but probably not enough. It is hard to say why this devil comes back around again, but there are so many books on people who have completely chnaged their diet and are still around with terminal cancers years later! Maybe we can help encourage each other to stick to it. I tell ya eating fruits and vegetables all day gets old....but at this point, I will do anything to be around to see one of my daughters at least get married, and become a grandma, before I leave this earth!!!
    Are you a candidate for a liver resection????
    Oh I also had a 1/5 of my lung removed last year for a completely different cancer. AARGGH!!!
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #6
    SueRelays said:

    same boat
    Hi!
    I have also just experienced the unnerving news of a relapse. An anal cancer that I went through chemo and rad in 08, and received the all clear has now mets to my liver. I am having a liver resection next week. Not sure that I will choose to do chemo after.
    This time I have started seeing a naturopath and a dietician. HUGE eye opener. Like you I changed SOME things the first time.....but probably not enough. It is hard to say why this devil comes back around again, but there are so many books on people who have completely chnaged their diet and are still around with terminal cancers years later! Maybe we can help encourage each other to stick to it. I tell ya eating fruits and vegetables all day gets old....but at this point, I will do anything to be around to see one of my daughters at least get married, and become a grandma, before I leave this earth!!!
    Are you a candidate for a liver resection????
    Oh I also had a 1/5 of my lung removed last year for a completely different cancer. AARGGH!!!

    Thinking of you Sue
    Hi Sue--

    I just read your response on this thread and am sorry to hear of your liver mets. I just wanted to wish you the very best with your liver resection next week. I will definitely be saying a prayer for you.
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #7
    mp327 said:

    Thinking of you Sue
    Hi Sue--

    I just read your response on this thread and am sorry to hear of your liver mets. I just wanted to wish you the very best with your liver resection next week. I will definitely be saying a prayer for you.

    Thank you! It's amazing how
    Thank you! It's amazing how much it means to hear everyones thoughts and concerns...when you haven't even met the person. I LOVE this site!!!
    I strongly believe that the power of prayers have led me to the treatment I am receiving....so I can NEVER have too many people praying for me. THANK YOU!!!!
  • dasspears
    dasspears Member Posts: 227
    #8
    SueRelays said:

    same boat
    Hi!
    I have also just experienced the unnerving news of a relapse. An anal cancer that I went through chemo and rad in 08, and received the all clear has now mets to my liver. I am having a liver resection next week. Not sure that I will choose to do chemo after.
    This time I have started seeing a naturopath and a dietician. HUGE eye opener. Like you I changed SOME things the first time.....but probably not enough. It is hard to say why this devil comes back around again, but there are so many books on people who have completely chnaged their diet and are still around with terminal cancers years later! Maybe we can help encourage each other to stick to it. I tell ya eating fruits and vegetables all day gets old....but at this point, I will do anything to be around to see one of my daughters at least get married, and become a grandma, before I leave this earth!!!
    Are you a candidate for a liver resection????
    Oh I also had a 1/5 of my lung removed last year for a completely different cancer. AARGGH!!!

    Juicing....
    If you wander over to the colorectal board, there is some good info on juicing and on nutrition. I actually started juicing after reading the posts and I really enjoy it. I can get my fruits and veggies for the day by drinking them rather than trying to eat the amount required per day.

    Nothing is better than fresh grape/blueberry juice in the morning!
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #9
    dasspears said:

    Juicing....
    If you wander over to the colorectal board, there is some good info on juicing and on nutrition. I actually started juicing after reading the posts and I really enjoy it. I can get my fruits and veggies for the day by drinking them rather than trying to eat the amount required per day.

    Nothing is better than fresh grape/blueberry juice in the morning!

    Thank you. Someone else
    Thank you. Someone else mentioned that and I looked. Great stuff. Now I'm looking for a juicer!!!!! Thinking of the Big Mouth Omega juicer. Any thoughts?

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