Hope
I haven't posted much, but I read most of the posts and feel a closeness to each and everyone of you. I want to share some great news and hopefully give hope to some of you Stage 4's. Here's my story in a nutshell:
September 2004: Tumor discovered in my sigmoid colon, surgery, no node involvement. Staged at Stage 2. However, did a chest xray and found a tumor in my left lung. Not sure at this point if it was lung cancer or colon cancer.
November 2004: Surgery to remove the bottom left lobe of my lung. Pathology report came back as definitely colon cancer. No node involvement. Jumped to Stage 4.
December 2004-May 2005: Chemo - Folfox 4. It was 6 months of hell.
October 2005: Scans showed tumor in my liver.
November 2005: Surgery, liver resection. I also had a HAI pump inserted in my belly so that chemo could be dispensed directly to my liver on alternate weeks.
December 2005-May 2006: Systemic chemo (camptosar) + HAI pump on alternate weeks.
May 2006: Pump became infected and was removed. No chemo because of infection. It took 6 months to heal.
September 2006: Scans showed tumor in my liver.
December 2006: Chemoembolization on one side of liver + liver RFA performed two weeks later.
January 2007: Chemoembolization performed on other side of liver.
October 2007: Tumor found in my upper left lung.
December 2007: Lung RFA performed.
In between all the dates above, there were scans, sickness, anxiety, etc. etc. BUT in
January 2009: CT/PET showed no evidence of cancer.
I made it past a year wihout a recurrence. This is a huge milestone for me. Life is good and I feel great. I guess my message here is to never give up the fight. I could have given up and died but I fought the beast and for right now I'm winning.
I wish the best to each and everyone of you.
Debbie
Comments
-
encouraging
Hi Debbie,
Thanks so much for writing. You are obviously a very strong woman. My husband is at the beginning of this fight, surgery to remove 75% of his colon was yesterday.
Congrats!!!!
Aloha,
Kathleen0 -
WOW!!
That's an amazing story and you truly are a warrior! You literally fought for 5 long years and have come out on the other side! A HUGE congratulations to you!
Hugs!
Jorie0 -
Wow!kimby said:WooHoo!
You should be VERY proud of yourself! You have accomplished so much. Congrats and thank you for sharing your story.
Kimby
Wow! Debbie......you are an inspiration to me......I was Stage 2, no lymph
node involvement in 2004 and in 2008 they found a large mass on my liver and
I had liver resection in July 08 and Folfox treatments. I am now awaiting the
results of the blood work and CT scan, the first since the end of my treatment
in Dec.....and man, am I sweating it, hoping the old immune system is kicking in.
This was a huge blow because I was told in 2004 that I did not need treatment
and chances were good that it would not return since there was no lymph node
involvement; I was the first patient my oncologist had seen that it did return.
She now has a second patient who has had the same thing happen. Not that I
want to go through any more recurrences but your story gives me courage to
face another if it has to be. Thanks so much. I am going to print your
email out and keep it visible somewhere to remind me.
Barbara0 -
Beautiful!dixchi said:Wow!
Wow! Debbie......you are an inspiration to me......I was Stage 2, no lymph
node involvement in 2004 and in 2008 they found a large mass on my liver and
I had liver resection in July 08 and Folfox treatments. I am now awaiting the
results of the blood work and CT scan, the first since the end of my treatment
in Dec.....and man, am I sweating it, hoping the old immune system is kicking in.
This was a huge blow because I was told in 2004 that I did not need treatment
and chances were good that it would not return since there was no lymph node
involvement; I was the first patient my oncologist had seen that it did return.
She now has a second patient who has had the same thing happen. Not that I
want to go through any more recurrences but your story gives me courage to
face another if it has to be. Thanks so much. I am going to print your
email out and keep it visible somewhere to remind me.
Barbara
Thanks so much for this post, I was feeling alot of anxiety last night, since I haven't even started chemo yet, if it takes all that time to be sick to recover, I will never lose hope! I wish you good luck in staying NED, and hope it never comes back, I am just starting and all of your stories have been an inspiration for me to get well also!0 -
Dancing with Kathi!
That is awesome news, Debbie! Thank you so much for sharing your hope with the rest of us! You have definitely been through the ringer and have shown the beast EACH TIME that it is NOT going to WIN! God has truly blessed you. I know it has been hard for you over the years, but I also know that when you get those good results you laugh inside and thank God for the many blessings you have! Throw off your clothes and embarrass the neighbors!
mary0 -
Fantastic News
Thanks so much for your story. It is so uplifting and encouraging. It gives us Hope to fight on. My husband had colon cancer that mets. to liver. He had colostomy in 9/06 and two years of chemo. Nothing stopped the liver cancer from growing ..now has a tumor in his lung which they think is cancer. Has lung surgery on 2/10/09 and if it goes good after healing he will have the chemoembolism and then liver surgery. I really needed your HOPE today. Thanks again for sharing. You will be in our prayers that you stay NED forever and ever.
Anna0 -
You Go Girl
Wow. You have walked through hell and made it out the other side without the devil knowing you were there, as the song goes. I'd join in the naked happy dance, but it's about 20 degrees outside right now. What great news to start out the year. I can't imagine what you've been through, but you sure have my admiration for hanging in there and fighting. All the pain (physical and mental) has paid off for you.
Joy0 -
Perfect day to read this!taraHK said:Yea!!!!!
Yea! Congratulations! Fantastic news and thanks so much for sharing with us. I love it when folk share the celebrations. You are a hero!
Tara
Thanks so much for your story of courage, determination and hope; I just finished my 10th round of my clinical trial, found another tumor and doc thinks I have bone mets. I'm getting CT and bone scans in the next 2 weeks and am already full of mets.
Your story gives me hope and inspiration to continue; Thank you and God bless you!!
Much love,
Hollyberry0 -
Hugs!hollyberry said:Perfect day to read this!
Thanks so much for your story of courage, determination and hope; I just finished my 10th round of my clinical trial, found another tumor and doc thinks I have bone mets. I'm getting CT and bone scans in the next 2 weeks and am already full of mets.
Your story gives me hope and inspiration to continue; Thank you and God bless you!!
Much love,
Hollyberry
Holly,
I'm so sorry to hear your news. I have a similar story as I appear to be resistant to every chemo I've tried....it just keeps advancing. My prayers are with you. Don't give up yet! There is an answer for you somewhere and you will find it. You are not alone.
Kimby0 -
Thanks!!kimby said:Hugs!
Holly,
I'm so sorry to hear your news. I have a similar story as I appear to be resistant to every chemo I've tried....it just keeps advancing. My prayers are with you. Don't give up yet! There is an answer for you somewhere and you will find it. You are not alone.
Kimby
Kimby,
I'm glad to hear that persistence is not just foolish thinking; I get that from some people- how about you? I am doing the best I can and am trying to maintain a good attitude.After 4 surgeries and 2 chemos and a clinical trial, I'm happy to hear that you are trying , too! Hang in there and I'll be right there with you.
hugs,
Holly0 -
Hopehollyberry said:Thanks!!
Kimby,
I'm glad to hear that persistence is not just foolish thinking; I get that from some people- how about you? I am doing the best I can and am trying to maintain a good attitude.After 4 surgeries and 2 chemos and a clinical trial, I'm happy to hear that you are trying , too! Hang in there and I'll be right there with you.
hugs,
Holly
Yes, I also get that from people. Somehow, if you don't just decide to give up you are living in denial. Maybe I am. My philosophy on that is, if you don't like the reality you're in create a new one! LOL It helps my attitude and makes my days happier. I will keep searching out options endlessly, it is just my nature I guess. Be strong and have FUN!
Kimby0 -
Hope!kimby said:Hope
Yes, I also get that from people. Somehow, if you don't just decide to give up you are living in denial. Maybe I am. My philosophy on that is, if you don't like the reality you're in create a new one! LOL It helps my attitude and makes my days happier. I will keep searching out options endlessly, it is just my nature I guess. Be strong and have FUN!
Kimby
Oh you, two... have you ever struck a chord here!! I get that too... where, it's a look, or a look between two people when I say, "Ya, so I'm stage IV... big deal! I have no doubt that it may take a fight, but I'm going to beat this sucker!" It's as if you can hear them saying, "Ok, let's humour her... as long as she believes that we'll go along with it because it's probably better that she doesn't really know the reality of her situation."
Ha!! When I see that look (it is sooooo transparent), I just laugh and tell them, "I know, I know... you both (or you, depending if I'm talking to one or more people) think I'm in denial and at the same time there's this feeling of relief that you are counting your lucky stars it's ME going through this and not you... and that's ok! If I was in your shoes, having not had to go through this battle myself but only hearing about it... I would probably be thinking the exact same thing. But take a good look at me. You both knew me long BEFORE I was ever diagnosed with cancer... and in all seriousness, do I look any different or any sicker than I did back then??" When they say no, that's when I tell them... the reason I don't look sick or don't look like I'm in great pain is because I'm NOT... and the reason I'm NOT is because I know there's so much hope out there because of the kinds of treatments that we now have at our disposal. Not only that, I AM a firm believer that how you think and what your attitude is, plays a huge role in the outcome of what you are going to go through while battling this disease. So if that is denial... then guess what? Denial is one of the best forms of medicine a person can have in beating this disease!
But hey, I do understand when people hear that you've had a recurrence or see that you are having a real rough patch... and then they question the whole "hope" thing. They can afford to question it because they have no idea what it's like when we say we are in the battle of a lifetime and we are winning!
Hugggggs,
Cheryl0 -
You go girl!
Debbie, reading your post is such an inspiration, particularly for all the folks who post looking for stage 4 survivors. What a fight you have been in; BIG hug of congratulations coming at you; good for you for beating back this beast and continued dancing with NED!
All the best, Judy1
Discussion Boards
- All Discussion Boards
- 6 CSN Information
- 6 Welcome to CSN
- 121.6K Cancer specific
- 2.8K Anal Cancer
- 446 Bladder Cancer
- 308 Bone Cancers
- 1.6K Brain Cancer
- 28.5K Breast Cancer
- 395 Childhood Cancers
- 27.9K Colorectal Cancer
- 4.6K Esophageal Cancer
- 1.2K Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine)
- 13K Head and Neck Cancer
- 6.3K Kidney Cancer
- 671 Leukemia
- 791 Liver Cancer
- 4.1K Lung Cancer
- 5.1K Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
- 235 Multiple Myeloma
- 7.1K Ovarian Cancer
- 56 Pancreatic Cancer
- 487 Peritoneal Cancer
- 5.4K Prostate Cancer
- 1.2K Rare and Other Cancers
- 534 Sarcoma
- 719 Skin Cancer
- 647 Stomach Cancer
- 190 Testicular Cancer
- 1.5K Thyroid Cancer
- 5.9K Uterine/Endometrial Cancer
- 6.3K Lifestyle Discussion Boards