6 years ago, this week.....

KathiM
KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
The day after Thanksgiving, to be exact....

I was told those 3 words, and told I had about 6 months to live. "Get your affairs in order", "Say goodbye to your loved ones"...all of that....

Not only did I survive that first cancer (rectal) but, at 6 months, started treatment for the second (breast) that they had found to which they "Wouldn't start treating until after I survived treatment for the rectal".

Needless to say, I missed the e-mail...or the significance...or whatever, and I am clean from both cancers!!! I thank all of my family here, as well as some wonderfully supportive friends who helped me thru my journey. (2 weeks after hearing the news, my beau's dad died in The Netherlands, and he needed to leave me to help his berift mother).

I know it seems impossible sometimes, I remember it well! I lost 65 pounds (have since gained it back..lol), my hair, the entire lower part of my plumbing, all of my 'female parts', part of my left breast, the ability to 'use' my 'special' arm, my bone density (still osteoporotic).

BUT I gave it my best shot, got mad at the beast, listened to my treatment team, and treated my body as a warm, sick old friend...and here I am!!!

So don't give up, even tho the going is hard. Love the people kind enough to be your cheer squad during the fight. Never refuse help, it actually makes you stronger, not weaker. Realize there IS 'life after cancer', even tho it may not be the same life as before cancer...basically, "Fight like a girl!"

BIG hugs! Kathi

Comments

  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #2
    You are a survivor!
    You are doing amazing and continue to be inspiration + a hero to me!
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #3
    I hear you
    Thank you soo much Kathi! This is exactly what I needed to hear today.

    Gail
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #4
    plh4gail said:

    I hear you
    Thank you soo much Kathi! This is exactly what I needed to hear today.

    Gail

    Dear we love you!
    You are a good inspiration for all of us, congratulations my dear!
    Enjoy it!
  • Brenda3.16
    Brenda3.16 Member Posts: 209
    #5
    pepebcn said:

    Dear we love you!
    You are a good inspiration for all of us, congratulations my dear!
    Enjoy it!

    Thanks for sharing that. I
    Thanks for sharing that. I needed to hear that today. Brenda
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #6
    thanks for this!
    You are such an inspiration! I know it hasn't been easy for you, but you give so much of yourself to help others; you are a truly amazing angel here on earth to so many. Dance and we'll dance with ya!
    mary
  • Friendinpenn
    Friendinpenn Member Posts: 70
    #7
    Thank You!!!
    I need to hear these kinds of things from a survivor...

    I wish you continued health!

    FriendinPenn
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #8
    WooHooo
    What an inspiration. So glad that you shared that with us. And you can do it every year and let us know again and again. That is awesome news.

    Kim
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #9
    W2G!
    All of us hope to follow in your steps, if we're very fortunate. You beat the odds and you've made the "clinical marker" recognized by the medical community, which is 5 years or over NED.

    It's a wonderful accomplishment, very hard to do, but that's what makes it so worthwhile and special, as you are.

    -Cowboy Craig
  • bruins1971
    bruins1971 Member Posts: 227
    #10
    God Bless
    Happy Anniversary and that's an anniversary we all hope to enjoy. I am sure you went through some tough times along the way but to be where you are today it was all worth it for the option is a pine box 6 feet under ground. So jump for joy and have a margarita to celebrate your victory over cancer.

    Bobby
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #11
    Happy 6th Anniversary!
    Your story is one of those which brings light to all and lets them know that anything is possible.

    Thank you for sharing it.

    Hugs,

    Marie
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #12
    Thank you all for the kind words!!!
    We (my beau and I) decided that we need to celebrate...

    So, Saturday, we are headed to San Diego for the weekend, to a fav hotel right on the beach. It will be cold, but that's ok for us...we just wear jackets when we walk at the water line...lol! We used to go between my treatments, to cheer me up...now, well, we still love it, and it's a special place!!!

    Thank you, again, sweet souls, for your dancing with me...it really took some doing those years ago!!! I bless each and every one of you with the same future!!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #13
    KathiM said:

    Thank you all for the kind words!!!
    We (my beau and I) decided that we need to celebrate...

    So, Saturday, we are headed to San Diego for the weekend, to a fav hotel right on the beach. It will be cold, but that's ok for us...we just wear jackets when we walk at the water line...lol! We used to go between my treatments, to cheer me up...now, well, we still love it, and it's a special place!!!

    Thank you, again, sweet souls, for your dancing with me...it really took some doing those years ago!!! I bless each and every one of you with the same future!!!!

    Hugs, Kathi

    Hugs Mate
    I may have to learn to "fight like a girl" too,Love Ron.
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #14
    HUGS to you Kathi
    What a great post and inspiration. Keep up the good work. Have fun in SD.

    PS: Waaaaaaaaaah. I miss San Diego. Out of everywhere in this country, it is and will always be my favorite place to live. I love the north county area. Used to have an office in Del Mar and lived in Rancho Santa Fe. Best of both worlds ... ocean view at the office and nice country and woods at home. I really want to make it back, at least to so cal after I finish my chemo and reversal. I'm in Vegas now and I am not a desert girl at all. Give me the green and blues and moderate temps of so cal anyday!
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #15
    Lori-S said:

    HUGS to you Kathi
    What a great post and inspiration. Keep up the good work. Have fun in SD.

    PS: Waaaaaaaaaah. I miss San Diego. Out of everywhere in this country, it is and will always be my favorite place to live. I love the north county area. Used to have an office in Del Mar and lived in Rancho Santa Fe. Best of both worlds ... ocean view at the office and nice country and woods at home. I really want to make it back, at least to so cal after I finish my chemo and reversal. I'm in Vegas now and I am not a desert girl at all. Give me the green and blues and moderate temps of so cal anyday!

    Love it
    Kathy, you are my kind of gal! Lori, I think I know you from a past life! My dream home is ocean and woods!! I need to win the lottery!

    Kathy, where is this place you are staying at? Hubby and I may want to head that way one day!! My daughter and grand Kids are in SanDiego now.

    Btw: I had my first surgery two days before Thanksgiving, this holiday has meaning for me too!

    Hugs!
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #16
    Nana b said:

    Love it
    Kathy, you are my kind of gal! Lori, I think I know you from a past life! My dream home is ocean and woods!! I need to win the lottery!

    Kathy, where is this place you are staying at? Hubby and I may want to head that way one day!! My daughter and grand Kids are in SanDiego now.

    Btw: I had my first surgery two days before Thanksgiving, this holiday has meaning for me too!

    Hugs!

    Nothing fancy....
    Ocean Park Inn. Pacific Beach, north of city center...by Sea World. 2 1/2 or 3 star, I think...

    BUT it's RIGHT on the beach...and they were offering a special...$50 gift card to a local restaurant!!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Eltina21
    Eltina21 Member Posts: 173 Member
    #17
    6 years ago
    Amen
  • Kerry S
    Kerry S Member Posts: 606 Member
    #18
    Hell yes
    Yep, you got to look the grim reaper straight in the eyes and tell him to get screwed. Then get on to the fight. They said the same to my sister when she was in her 40s. She is now 73. My family fights nasty. No holds barred.

    Love ya Darlin
    Kerry

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