Seven year anniversary stage IV survivor

madu
madu Member Posts: 53
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey all,

Just wanted to share that today is my seven year anniversary. It's hard to believe so much time has passed - it almost feels like a dream anymore! Seven years ago I was on vacation visiting my parents and scheduled an appt. with a gastroenterologist to check on some blood I'd been passing. Next thing I know I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy (never say I don't have fun on my vacations), they find a lemon sized tumor and I'm checked into the hospital THAT day with the surgery the next! It felt so surreal! They resected my colon (rectal sigmoid mass) and my liver (one spot) and my life as a stage IV began. 8 months of 5 FU and leucovorin and 28 days of radiation later, I emerged dazed, cancer free and went back to work fully expecting a revisit from the "cancer fairy" and my imminent demise. 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 house purchase, 2 jobs and the love of my life later I'm still alive and kicking, still NED and still amazed. I actually start my "dream" job next week as a guidance counselor for the local vo-tech.

Just wanted to reaffirm for those stage IV's out there that there is hope and possibilities. I didn't even use the new drugs that are out there. I can't even say I did anything special - I just really believed that if 1 in 4 or 5 could survive then there was no reason at all that I couldn't be that 1. Keep the faith.

Heidi
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Comments

  • pia123run
    pia123run Member Posts: 33
    #2
    GREAT NEWS!!!! I am so happy for you! I wish you and everyone out there with ANY type of cancer the best of health!! keep on fighting!!!!! Luv you all
  • Kanort
    Kanort Member Posts: 1,272 Member
    #3
    Dear Heidi,

    You are an inspiration to us all. Thank you for sharing your story and congratulations on your survivorship!

    Enjoy your dream job!

    Hugs,

    Kay
  • rthornton
    rthornton Member Posts: 346 Member
    #4
    Thank you for sharing your story Heidi,and congratulations on your NED anniversary. I'm a stage four who is in the throes of treatment, and I look forward to the day I can write a message as inspiring as yours.

    COngratulations again and best of luck with everything!

    Rodney
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    #5
    That is so awesome! Thank you very much for sharing your story w/ us. It is great to hear of someone w/ such great success!
    Take care,
    Susan.
  • liverpoolgirl
    liverpoolgirl Member Posts: 44
    #6
    congratulations on your 7 year anniversay, my husband is smack in the middle of treatments for stage IV crc, mets to lungs.... inoperable. I just pray that he also is the 1 in 4 or 5 that gets through this beast of a disease. Reading your post gives me hope
    thanks
    Debbie
    aka "The English Chick"
  • alihamilton
    alihamilton Member Posts: 347 Member
    #7
    Thank you so much for posting! We need to hear stories like this to keep us all going...whether we are the cancer survivor or the caregiver. You have done so well and will give hope to many here on the board.

    All the very best, Ali
  • littlejulie
    littlejulie Member Posts: 311
    #8
    alihamilton said:

    Thank you so much for posting! We need to hear stories like this to keep us all going...whether we are the cancer survivor or the caregiver. You have done so well and will give hope to many here on the board.

    All the very best, Ali

    WOW!! HAPPY 7TH YEAR BIRTHDAY!!!! Great News and thanks for sharing. The positive stories help patients and caregivers.
  • mikew42
    mikew42 Member Posts: 114 Member
    #9
    Heidi, Congrats on 7 years! I am almost 1 year NED (Stage 4 with mets to liver)and your story gives hope that I will stay that way. Mike
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #10
    Heidi,

    I am blown away by your story. Thank you for sharing it again this year. I remember reading it last year when chemo was getting the best of me. Your inspiration is wonderful and thank you for continuing to share it. Us stage IV types need to stick together.

    Thank you more then you will ever know!!!!!!!

    Southern hugs and kisses,

    Lisa P.
  • cheer3
    cheer3 Member Posts: 105 Member
    #11
    CONGRATULATIONS! You are a real inspiration to all of us. I am class IV, mets to liver. I am wating for results to my scans at this time. It will be two years for me. I love to read post from others who are NED.

    Blessings to you,
    Jean
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #12
    Thank you, Heidi. I'm Stage IV. Last night I had one of those insomnia nights, wrestling with fear. So this message was EXACTLY what I needed today! An inspiration. You angel-on-earth.
    Tara
  • Doreen65
    Doreen65 Member Posts: 52
    #13
    Heidi, I too needed to hear this....This is wonderful news I'm so happy for you. Stage IV age 39 rectal with mets to liver. I start having anxiety attacks a few days before any of my check-ups and I have a check up this Friday. This is just what I needed to hear too. Doreen ~
  • HowardJ
    HowardJ Member Posts: 474
    #14
    Heidi,
    Very inspirational. Congratulations and thank you for sharing.
    Howard
  • livin
    livin Member Posts: 318 Member
    #15
    Thank you for your story, this gives me inspiration. I am a 3 time cancer survivor. 2 kinds of cancer breast then colon un related then 1 metast colon to the liver. There are days when I think I will live to be 70 and beat the odds, after reading this I still think I can make it.
  • nettie4
    nettie4 Member Posts: 145
    #16
    heidi. glad things remain so well for you. i am stage 4 but not ned, but maybe someday. what a celebration you should have.

    nettie
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #17
    nettie4 said:

    heidi. glad things remain so well for you. i am stage 4 but not ned, but maybe someday. what a celebration you should have.

    nettie

    Hiya Heidi. LOOK AT THE REPLIES!!!! WOW sweetie! Sorry for yellin guys n gals but it is a very special occassion here and the faith and hope is just droolin' all over my pc.
    Thank you Heidi for taking the time to tell everyone of your great achievement. As you can see...the miracles do happen....throw in a bit of love, support and hope and it is amazing how much better it can make the guys n gals feel here. Luv, huggs and congratulations Heidi. Kanga n Jen
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #18
    G'day Heidi,
    I was diagnosed as stage three but as it was highly aggressive and into six lymph glands ,I was advised that when it metastacised I would probably have secondaries from the soles of my feet to the roots of my hair. My story is similar to yours ,48 sessions of chem ,old stuff 5fu and levamisol,then the wait. Well I got tired of waiting too and started living again . Trouble is that now I rarely get time to smell the roses because I'm working so hard. I'm coming up to eight years in january and I too did nothing special other than truly believing that I would survive. I don't take my survival for granted and when I consciously think about my situation it feels so incredibly awesome to just be here and able to ordinary every day things. I admire you and your attitude greatly. You have survived st 4 ca and you have faith in your survival. You have jumped back into the saddle and achieved some of your dreams (congrats on the job),and you have taken time out to come back to give hope and inspiration to those that need it. Good on you Heidi I wish you a long and healthy life(((((())))) Ron.
  • HisJoy
    HisJoy Member Posts: 113
    #19
    THRILLED that you are NED after 7 years!!! Sometimes, we see the stats for this disease and can grow discouraged. SO nice of you to post and share your success with us. It gives ALL of us hope!
  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    #20
    Hi Heidi,
    Thanks so much for posting your story, and big congratulations on 7 years!
    You are so right about how surreal this whole experience is; I am only 1 year out from stage 3. I am getting ready to go on our annual family vacation to Maine, and I am so grateful when I think back on last year at this time. My life, too, seems to have taken a turn for the better...daughter settling down and growing up, son leaving for college, great new job, hubby and I looking forward to some "empty nest" time.
    Each day can be a gift; I guess we are fortunate to have had that made clear to us!
    Enjoy the new job; those kids are lucky to have you, Judy
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #21
    jsabol said:

    Hi Heidi,
    Thanks so much for posting your story, and big congratulations on 7 years!
    You are so right about how surreal this whole experience is; I am only 1 year out from stage 3. I am getting ready to go on our annual family vacation to Maine, and I am so grateful when I think back on last year at this time. My life, too, seems to have taken a turn for the better...daughter settling down and growing up, son leaving for college, great new job, hubby and I looking forward to some "empty nest" time.
    Each day can be a gift; I guess we are fortunate to have had that made clear to us!
    Enjoy the new job; those kids are lucky to have you, Judy

    Hey Ron.....we oughta give you a medal mate! Doing the tough stuff and keeping well is great. Coming back here to support everyone is a credit to you buddy. Hats off to you SURVIVOR!!!
    huggs, Ross n Jen
    .....more so from Jen than me...lol!

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