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Feb 13, 2013 - 1:07 pm
I have been on and off this board more than I want to share. However, in that it makes me happy to see this community still holding together sharing in absolutely whatever, whenever, however it takes to get rid of this helacious disease. I have told my story more than a few times and share a few more than other personal things in my life to show life does get back to "normal" what ever "normal" is. Life has its ups and downs whethor we are healthy or lying in a bed not knowing if we are going to see tomorrow. For those who are sitting around pissing and moaning you could be out at the drs wearing those lacie panties and bra and or guy thong to blow them away instead of the old tighty whiteys and white cotton granny panties. I remember how uncomfortable it was alway poked and proded in my panties and lovely hospital gown. So I decided just get the prettiest laciest, undergarments I could find then when the unveiling came who was uncomfortable then. Not me, I felt great. I was skinny and not much to look at because I was 6 foot tall and maybe 115 pounds soaking wet because of chemo but it blew their minds. My dr was fantastic, but when I got sick he wasnt always the one I saw at the hospital so you have to fight back some how. I also loved food and I wasnt going to let food be what stopped me from getting well. The smell made me sick, chemo made me sick, but I finally figured it out, I took Ativan, before my chemo I drove thru and got whopper jr on my way to chemo which was 1.5 hrs away. When I got there I did my chemo went straight to the Mexican Food restaurant and ordered the Spiciest hottest food I could get and sometime I even had a Margarita. Doc said one wouldnt hurt. But sometimes just the sound or the word and I would turn green. Taking a bath was hard too. I could smell the minerals in the water and I would puke. So I would have my husband run a very hot bath wait for about 30 minutes for the minerals to settle and water to cool and then take a bath. Little things make huge impacts in our lives and my family thought they were stupid until they saw the impact and how i functioned. So do not knock anything until you try something. I had Stage IV Colon Cancer they removed a baseball size tumor, I had a right hemi colectomy and 16 of 32 lymphnodes were positive. I did a year and a half about of chemo and what they call cocktail and I am here to say that 15 years is good. Its not greats, its not perfect, but I sure as hell get to breathe in and out everyday, I have got to see my three boys are in college the oldest graduates in the spring from University of Oregon. My life still is not perfect my spouse had a stroke from prescription meds, while I was on chemo, he became an alcolic about 4 years after chemo and got sober about 7 years ago with lifes ups and downs inbetween. I am looking at the possibility of divorce and maybe even bankruptcy, but I have 15 years I was given to watch my kids grow. I have been struggling thinking there should be some aw ha moment, but I got that the day I finished chemo I think and they said we will just watch your blood work. but thats not so either because the stress is ridiculous, but the fact that I BREATHE IN AND OUT EVERY MOMENT OF EVERYDAY, WITHOUT C BEING THERE IT IS MIRACULOUS!!!
YOU ALL KEEP KICKING CANCERS *** AND I WILL KEEP LURKING ON HERE AS SUNDANCE ALWAYS ANOUNCES, PS I REALLY MISS (IDOLHUNTERS)
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Joined: Apr 2012
Great Story
Joined: Feb 2013
Thanks I needed that!
Thanks I needed that!
Joined: Jan 2010
Dear Lady
Thanks for posting and reminding all that there are success stories out there.
Life does give us ups and downs in all areas, but as you say we just got to keep on going.
Like you, I sure do miss our Jennie. She was a ray of sunshine even on the days she felt the worst. Hopefully, she is looking down on us and still has that wonderful smile.
Marie who loves kitties
Joined: Nov 2001
G'day Goofyladie
Congratulations on the 15 years ,I made it in Jan. Had i made an appearance in lacy nickers ,security would have shot me...Ron.
Joined: Jul 2011
Congratulations!!!
What a fantastic milestone to reach ... 15 years cancer free after a stage IV diagnosis.
This has been a particularly difficult week for me as a young friend has entered hospice after an almost 3 year battle with this cruel disease. I am heartbroken for her family - her two young daughers and her husband who will now have to find a way to continue on without his life-partner, his high-school sweetheart ... his best friend.
Your story has reignited my hope and has given me strength to forge on. Thanks for sharing.
Joined: Jan 2013
Heart felt sympathy
I am so sorry to hear about your dear friend.
We all want to be the one that survives, and we fight tooth and nail for that.
I don't know your freinds name, but I will sure remember her and her loved ones, espeially her little ones and her partner, in my prayers.
Joined: Jul 2011
Congratulations!!!
What a fantastic milestone to reach ... 15 years cancer free after a stage IV diagnosis.
This has been a particularly difficult week for me as a young friend has entered hospice after an almost 3 year battle with this cruel disease. I am heartbroken for her family - her two young daughers and her husband who will now have to find a way to continue on without his life-partner, his high-school sweetheart ... his best friend.
Your story has reignited my hope and has given me strength to forge on. Thanks for sharing.
Joined: Aug 2011
Thanks for coming around to
Thanks for coming around to let us know that there are long terms survivors. I am thrilled to hear that you are doing well and sad that cancer has taken so much from your family. I wish you many years of happiness.
GOD's blessings to you.
Brenda
Joined: Jan 2013
Congratulations and Thank You
It is wonderful for all of us here to read your 15 years success.
Life is hard on allot of levels, but we're born fighters. I pray for your continues health and happiness.
Joined: May 2009
Awesome, keep up the great
Awesome, keep up the great attitude!
Joined: Mar 2010
Thanks for stopping in
and congratulations on 15 years. Your story reminds us that life is a challenge but it's great to still be here. Good luck with your decisions about divorce/bankruptcy. Can't be easy.
Joined: Aug 2009
15 YEARS CANCER FREE
I just want to thank those who have left comments to my post. I have left all sorts of posts on this board, some when they thought the cancer had come back, Some life sucks, now what, Some holy cow, this is some good crap you all talk about, keep it comin!!! Type stuff! But I was raised by both my mom and dad, with my dad being more the open you can tell anything and he wouldnt rip your head off if you had a dumb idea, I mean a really, really dumb idea. He would just give you the other side and let you choose. He always said we learned by our mistakes, and some people make more mistakes then other. But is that making the others not as smart because their not asking questions, or are they coasting or do they really have it figured out. Who knows, but my dad said live your life like an open book, if people ask tell them, if they get feeling hurt or dont like what you said its not your fault. They asked you, you shared your experience and people dont know if you dont ask! I think relates to many things, as to judging who and why and how cancer survivors put info on this board. Who are we to judge why they are on here or there needs, we are not in there shoes, we do do not have all their circumstance in our view or hand to know to make a judgement. Its to lay it out there. Some times just getting out, seeing in in writing, is a release like non other. I put info because it makes me stand up and be me for just one more minute of one more day, I can possibly help someone who needs to hear something that happened on my healing journey to get them thru theirs.
I have been married 23 years in March. I posted a bit about my possible events in my life, because sometimes people get sick and forget that life was not perfect before they got sick, so going back to their normal is a lot harder to get to than just getting my life back in order because they have illusions that their life was perfect. I would want to agree that life without cancer is perfect, but in reality when those who are struggling to get there; they cant find that kind of perfect. It doesnt exist.
Anyway, I went out and celebrated my 15 year survivor ship with guess who, who else. My husband. He is the only one that I have gone thru the depths of hell with and who understood me,with a look that I need ice chips, help to the bathroom, or its time to go to the hospital NOW! AND I NEVER HAD TO SAY A WORD, IT WAS ALL IN A LOOK. I wasnt sure if people didnt think I was going to fight for my marriage, like I did my life, but people need to be in my shoes and ride the emotional roller coaster. Sometimes, you have take care of you and stop. BUT FRANKLY NOT YOUR BUSINESS DONT CARE WHAT YOU THINK ON THAT, I HAD TO VENT and I was an open book.
I am not about to let $$$$ or life cause things to go down the tubes after what I fought for 15 years ago. My husband was my superman hero, and I still crack up laughing, all the time the first day I was really coherent from my cancer removal/hemicolectomy surgery, my surgeon was talking to me and he just said "what" out of the blue and my husband just put his head down and turned red in the face, and I just said "nothin" The surgeon looked at my husband and said I didnt touch her female parts at all. You still have dibs on those whenever shes up to it, I fell apart, busting up laughing because guys being guys, my husband would crawl in the hospital bed and lay beside me; but he wouldnt touch me, only hold my hand until I would back up and spoon him or make him put his arm around me. He was afraid he was going to hurt me. My point is the surgeon saw from an outsiders point of view that my husband was a love sick puppy ( I know you guys call it other things) we girls still believe in our knight in shining armor. THATS THE GOOD STUFF
MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!
Goofyladie (Cass)
Joined: Jun 2012
Life With and Without Cancer
Hey Goofyladie,
Just wanted to say congratulations on 15 years cancer free and that I loved your posts.
Your thoughts really get to the heart of the matter for most people, that life's a ***** and then you die so enjoy everyday like it's you're last.
My wife and I have been married for 38 years, we got married young at 18, and we're been through more than our share of ups and downs (her health has never been great) even before my Stage IV colon cancer diagnosis. But, through it all we've been there for each other to lean on, cry together, and when necessary to pick each other up, dust each other off, and push each other back into the ring.
In words of President Theodore Roosevelt:
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
I do hope you win your battle to save your marriage and that you continue in good health.
Fair winds and following seas to you,
Rick
Joined: Oct 2010
Thanks for Sharing!
Great Story and we are So happy about your great news! Please keep sharing the positive!
Best Always, mike
Joined: Jun 2009
Hi Cass!
Congrats on 1-5!
And Jenny told me to tell you hi:)
Joined: Feb 2013
thanks you so much for
thanks you so much for posting it made me feel so ahppy knowing that this is beatable my husband has also found that Ativan has helped releive the pain in his rectum from the tumor his tumor is the size of a golf ball they said and he also has mets to his liver but at this point hes not able to get a resection of eith area because they said the tumors in the liver ar too invilved not sure what that means but thats wat they said he will start chemo soon so were hoping that will shrink the tumors he has approx. 5 tumors in the liver the largest one is 5.7x5.7x.5.5cm the others are pea sized. Im gonna run this HAI pump treatment by the oncologist because i need something to work and so far all they mentioned for treatment was chemo but from your story and others ive spoken to in the chat rooms this HAI pump is a really good option to look into.
Joined: Feb 2013
I just joined up 5 minutes
I just joined up 5 minutes ago, so you are my first post!Wonderful to hear that you hung tough and have been through so much and are happy to be here and report it!! I am on for my brother, diagnosed last month. I am new to this and find the posts so helpful and inspirational. Just wanted to say "Hi" and CONGRATS!!
Joined: Jan 2013
Hello Angela
Hope you come and post an introduction to yourself, and tell us all about your brother, so we can add him to our prayers and good thoughts.
Joined: Jul 2004
congrats
congrats on 15 years!!!!!!!!!
Joined: Mar 2013
thank you
so needed to hear this. health and happiness.
Joined: Aug 2012
I'm so happy for you!
Congrats on 15 years. That is marvelous and give us all a lot of hope. I'm just wondering, if you do not mind me asking - are you on any special supplements or did you do anything else aside from chemo during all these years? Thank you so much.
Joined: Aug 2012
I'm so happy for you!
sorry, dbl post.
Joined: Mar 2011
3 Yrs. free
I am 3yrs, free .. after rad. and first round of chemo i was 6"2 and 118 lbs. .. my daughter freaked when she saw me without my shirt on ! i an up to 142 lbs now after chemo , rad. and surergy ( almost 3 yrs. ) and so far so good :) There can be a happy ending to this ! Keep positive and help your fam. and friends be positive too . ! I hope i will be back here in 10 yrs. to see how everyone is doing :)
Joined: Feb 2009
Wonderful
What wonderful news, thank you for sharing that encouraging news with the board.
Kim
Joined: Feb 2008
Great!
It's so wonderful to hear of someone surviving so long! Praying the other problems are relieved.
*hugs*
Gail
Joined: Mar 2006
Survival
15 years of Stage IV survival is awesome! You are an inspiration to all. Congratulations!
Joy
Joined: Mar 2009
:-):-)
Always good to hear from you. And yay 15 years kicking cancers butt!! Thank you for letting us oldies and newbies know.
Joined: Aug 2005
You are my inspiration....8 years plus here!
DANCING for 15!!!!
Hugs, Kathi