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Marylin
Marylin Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi, Everyone...

I just found this forum tonight. I thought that perhaps I could be of help to someone who may be going through what I went through 18 years ago after I was diagnosed with cancer of the mesentary at age 37. The mesentary is the blood supply to the small intestine. The cancer was wrapped around the majority of my small intestine so they had to surgically remove about 80% of the intestine. I went through intensive chemo and lost every hair on my body. I was so weak I could not even turn the light switch on a lamp. I was not able to get out of bed for 3 months, except to use the bathroom. My husband had to lift me in and out of the bath tub, and I had to line the tub with numerous towels before I got in because the slightest bump to my legs or arms was very painful. I'm 5'9" tall, and my weight plummated to 98 lbs.

Fortunately, this is all in the past now. Today my health is excellent, and I'm able to do just about anything I want to do. I'm telling you this because with most forums I've been involved with, no one comes back to say everything turned out well. No one comes back to offer help to those who are still trying to deal with what they're going through.

If there is any way I can be of help to those of you who have recently been diagnosed with cancer and are scared to death of what to expect, please feel free to ask me questions. I hope I can be of some help to you.

Marilyn

Comments

  • alihamilton
    alihamilton Member Posts: 347 Member
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    Thank you for posting your inspiring story. It will certainly give hope to many on this forum who are going through difficult times. Sadly, not everyone is able to conquer this terrible disease and we cry often for those who are suffering. When we hear news of the passing of a loved one, our hearts go out to the family. We have built up an online relationship so we really feel their pain.

    Luckily, we do have some who have become long term survivors and remain faithful to the forum and post to give hope and encouragement....it creates a balance to the bad news we sometimes receive.

    I wish you continued good health.

    Ali
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
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    Thank you for posting your story. It is very helpful to read posts from folks like yourself who have been cured. I know many of us on here are struggling and others are just living from one test to the next hoping that they are NED....I am so glad to hear that you survived and are thriving. Your story is especially inspiring to those of us who are around the age you were when you were going through such a rough time.
    Take care and welcome!
    Susan.
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #4
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    Thank you for sharing your story. I read it just after completing 6 out of 12 chemo cycles. I was feeling very sorry for myself -- and your story did give me hope and perspective. Best wishes to you..
  • HisJoy
    HisJoy Member Posts: 113
    #5
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    Marilyn,
    Your story came at a very good time for me. I just completed treatment #12 - my final one - and I have been miserably sick for 3 weeks. Good to see that someone got through this and that there IS light at the end of the tunnel.

    Thanks for sharing,
    BB
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #6
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    HisJoy said:

    Marilyn,
    Your story came at a very good time for me. I just completed treatment #12 - my final one - and I have been miserably sick for 3 weeks. Good to see that someone got through this and that there IS light at the end of the tunnel.

    Thanks for sharing,
    BB

    Welcome to our family Marilyn and thank you for sharing your story. Many of us here continue to fight and many of us are NED. I consider myself one of the more fortunate being NED for 18 months but no matter how time passes I still live in fear of my future.Posts like yours give hope to everyone here and are very welcome.
    Thank you, kanga n Jen
  • ernie53
    ernie53 Member Posts: 68
    #7
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    Just thought that I would add a bit of myself to this discussion. In June 2003 I was told that I had 3 months to live. Abdominal Sarcoma. I was going to go through Rads. then surgery to remove my Prostate and Bladder. After 16 hours in surgery I awoke to find out that I had lost my Prostate, Bladder, Colon, and Rectum... along with a few nonessential pieces. Do I qualify for your discussion forum? I have made it for 2 1/2 years now with no major problems, if you ladies don't count the fact that I can't find shoes to match my bags. I haven't really found a discussion place that I specifically fit into... but I always have been a bit different. If I were to wear a rainbow braclet, I might be mistaken for another coalition that has nothing to do with our fellow cancerians.

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