Good news to report!

shmurciakova
shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi Everyone,
I know there are a lot of newbies on the forums who don't know me, but I just wanted to report my good news! Four years post treatment I am STILL NED! Yay!
I hope this gives hope to some of you starting out on this "journey". I was diagnosed at the age of 31 and at the time they thought I was Stage III. I had 6 months of 5-FU/Leukovorin which was the standard treatment WAY back in 2002! We've come a long way since then for sure! At my first followup post chemo they found out I had a walnut sized nodule on my liver. I guess it had been there all along and had just been too small to see. I did FOLFIRI that whole summer following my liver resection. I was NED for only 4 months before they found two lung nodlues on my right lung. After 8 months of "it's cancer", "it's not cancer", etc. They lit up on a PET scan and were resected in October of 2004! I have been NED since then by the grace of God, luck, and I believe by changing my diet and my attitude that I would be healed from this disease. So, if you are starting out or struggling, please know that there are some of us out there who have beaten Stage IV and continue to thrive! My husband and I just got back from an amazing trip to Tibet and Nepal where I got to trek around the East Face of Mt. Everest. It had been something I had been wanting to do for a long time but feared I would not be able to because of my situation with colon cancer.
My advice is BELIEVE you can be healed and LIVE like there is no tomorrow!
Thanks for the support you all have given me over the years. As I told Limey, this site is like a refuge from the storm.
Cheers,
Susan H.

Comments

  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    Great news
    So happy for you Susan,go out and celebrate your NEDNESS!!
  • menright
    menright Member Posts: 256 Member
    Helpful news
    Dear Susan:

    I have just recently been diagnosed with colon cancer. Tomorrow, I go in for a liver biopsy to once and I hope for all determine if it has spread. The plan to date is 10 weeks of chemo/radiation followed by surgery. If the biopsy prove cancerous the plans will change. I hope and pray this will not be the case.

    Your message of hope was helpful.

    Thanks for sharing and good luck. I have long wanted to climb Mt. Ranier. Maybe I will put it higher on the list.

    Mike
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    Thanks Susan!
    I am one of the newbies...just starting this process. Your words are very encouraging. Congratulations!

    Vicki
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    awesome post!
    It is always good to hear when one of us is able to beat the beast back and enjoy life! We all feel, at times, like we will never see the end of the tunnel; then we arrive at the end of chemo and get to feel normal again! Sounds like your trip was a lot of fun!
    mary
  • Moesimo
    Moesimo Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    WOOOHOOOO!!!!
    Congrats!!!

    What good news. Go out and celebrate Susan

    Maureen
  • kimby
    kimby Member Posts: 797
    WooHoo!
    Thank you for sharing your story! I dream of 4 yrs out NED! You give us all hope for a cure and belief that it is possible to live on, even after a stage IV diagnosis. I'm so glad you got to realize a dream that felt so out of reach just a few short years ago.

    congratulations!

    Kimby
  • Mike49
    Mike49 Member Posts: 261
    Great news
    I am so happy to hear your news, gives me hope and makes me want to do something I did as a teenager with my boys, hike in and out of the Grand Canyon. I am going to start planning based on your message.

    Mike B.
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    Yea!!
    Dear Susan,

    YEA!!!!! Your story is such an inspiration to us all! Fantastic news. Hearty congratulations on your continuing NED status.

    I'm so glad you did the trip to Tibet and Nepal! Mountain treks are high on my list of "visions/dreams" for the future -- and you did it!!

    Love,
    Tara
  • hopefulone
    hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    Awesome
    Congratulations Susan. Am thrilled for you. keep the faith.
    God Bless,
    Diane
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Wonderful
    Thanks for sharing that story, Susan. We need encouraging news like that every day!

    It's so heartening to hear about how you've gone on with life in such a big way.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • chynabear
    chynabear Member Posts: 481 Member
    That is such awesome
    That is such awesome news!!!!! Time to celebrate!

    Tricia
  • impactzone
    impactzone Member Posts: 551 Member
    Just awesome news
    Congrats and many blessings! I do not know at what point you become a veteran not a newbie but I always read your posts from 9/06 on and ma encouraged by them. Like others, I am a Stage 4 and doing fine right now with 8 months on NED under my belt... It is so heartening to hear success stories.
    AWESOME!!!

    Chip
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    I've been waiting to hear from you
    You're my NED twin so we have to remain together on this. I am thrilled to read your news and thanks so much for sharing.

    Here's to many many more for both of us!!!!

    Your NED twin,
    Lisa P.