This board has passed on!
It looks like this forum has lost it's interest. I am not sure anyone is out there at all. I am 2 yrs post-op and if I hadn't had WLS no one would of ever found out I had cancer. I had colon resection by my WL surgeon and haven't had to have any other treatment so far. I hope there are others out there that have good news, I wonder about the others that have posted and there are no answers out there. If no one is posting or reading this forum maybe it needs to just be dismanteled.
Marylin
Marylin, I am new to the OH site so I just happen to stumble upon the cancer section. I would hate to see this part of the forum dismantle as I am a two time cancer survivor and in the process of WLS. In June, 2003 I was diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer and had to have my entire colon and rectum removed (yes, I have a "pouch".. and ileostomy to be precise). One year later, July, 2004, I was diagnosed with squameous cell carcenoma of 4 lymph nodes, a tumor in my pelvic area and vaginal cancer. Because the cancer had spread so much another surgery was out of the question and so I went through a heavy duty treatment of chemo and radiation. I follow my oncologist guidelines and am in for my followup test every three months. With all my doctors blessings I am now starting the WLS process. Because I am prone to urinary tract infections (due to the ostomy) the lapband was not an option for me... all my drs and surgeons recommend the gastric sleeve. I know that the gastric by-pass is tried and true but I'm already living without my large intestines, so I don't want my small intestines messed with.
I'm so glad that you opted for WLS and they found the cancer before it got to the point of no return! I honestly believe that having cancer has made me a better and stronger person. I no longer take a single moment for granted. I refused to let cancer take my life and now I have that determination concerning my weight. Why would I fight the battle of my life twice only to fail because of all this excess weight I am carrying around!
I pray this finds you doing well and please stay in touch.
Katherine
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there. Unknown Author
Failure is only a fact when you give up. Everyone gets knocked down, the question is: Will you get back up?
I'm glad to see you post. I am doing really well I go back to the Dr's in Aug. I am going to have to have the hernia repaired that's a given. I am hoping that I am still cancer free. I have a very rare form of cancer and if I do ever need some kind of treatments it won't be chemo or radiation. They said it would be hormone therapy. I had stage 3, and was so lucky to have had wls. I know that if I hadn't had wls they would never of found it. I am so proud of you, you have done so well I am not so sure that I would be as good as you are with it all. I feel I am not humble enough that I need to feel a differant way because I was so lucky, or that I didn't deserve to be well. Geeze I don't know why I feel that way but I have since I had my last surgery. I don't feel I am a better person or anything like that, which I should my kids think I am kinda a butttt whole any more. I don't go any where with anyone or want to be around people at all. I would rather stay at home alone and just be by myself. Maybe I will feel different after this next surgery. I sure hope so. I am about tired of it. I hope you get the surgery that you need, I am a DS'er and I know I am glad I had that instead of the RNY. I know you have to find what's best for you. I wish you all the best with that and I know you will feel much better after all is said and done. Keep me posted with your WLS journey and may the Good Lord smile upon you.
Marylin
314/180/150
Marilyn, please don't be so hard on yourself. Before I had cancer the first time I was first very, very sick with ulcerative colitis and c-diff. I had no more energy than a wet rag and didn't look much better than a wet rag! I was in a marriage that was not the best but because we had been married so long I stuck it out. By the time I was diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer (stage III) I was just down right mad. I was mad at myself for letting myself get so sick, I was mad at myself for not being happy and I was mad that something that starts out as small as a cell was possibly going to take away my dreams, my desires and my life. So, I sucked it up, put on my big girl panties and directed that anger to the disease and fought it with everything I had! The dr's did not want to do surgery on me, they said I was going to die, why put me through it. I refused, demanded surgery and said if I don't give it a shot then my life was a waste. I made it through surgery (touch and go a few times) and then a long road to recovery. One year and one week later I was diagnosed the second time... The cancer was in some lymph nodes, my pelvic are and now I had vaginal cancer (pushes things to stage IV). You can imagine, I was down right pissed now! I was finally getting some health back and, BAM, my knees are knocked out from under me.
Plan B, get REALLY anger AND get REALLY positive! My son was about to marry a beautiful young woman and I was determined to a) be around for the wedding, and b) have my hair! haha! All the chemo drugs I had were guarenteed baldness drugs! I would wake up in the night three and four times, pulling my hair, making sure it did not fall out! I did NOT want to wear a wig at my son's wedding! Well, my hair thinned a bit (I have really thick hair naturally) and I made it through the chemo and radiation. I won't kid you, vaginal cancer is a b*tch! The radiation burns the area inside and out and I became completely incontenent for a time. But I was alive! I kept my anger focused towards the cancer, not anything else. And I kept myself positive as much as possible. Something that helped me was that my neice works in a chldrens hospital and she would share little stories with me about children in the hospital. It would break your heart. I realized that there are those far worse off than me... and why would something so tragic happen to a child? I looked at cancer as an uninvited guest into my life. And once the visit was over, it was time to bid that guest farwell.
I also changed a few things in my life.... I divorce my husband (long overdue), moved 200 miles from my "safe zone" and basically started my life over. I was blessed in that I had a pension (retired management in law enforcement) so I did have some finances. I was 45 the first time I had cancer, 46 the second time and 47 when I "moved on" in my life. I have since met a WONDERFUL man, we are married and have a beautiful life.
Marilyn, I don't feel like I'm a better person.... I feel like I'm a different person. I'm different than I was before the cancer. If you look deep inside yourself I'm sure you will notice the same thing about yourself. I no longer rush through life... I stop and not only smell the flowers, I also take pictures of them, touch them and just enjoy their presence. It took a couple of good slaps in the face for me to realize that I was important, that I was only going to get out of life what I chose to put into life.
As for my son... he has a beautiful, wonderful wife (no grandchildren for me yet), they had a gorgeous wedding, I had my hair (thinner, but still there!) and he understands my journey and my next phase of living. My son was 24 when I divorced his dad (we had been married 27 years)... yes, it was a little difficult on him but he knew that if I didn't make some changes I would have let myself die. The ex hates me (his loss) but my son and I are even closer than we were before (and we were always very close).
The WLS is something I am doing for me. My DH loves me no matter what... fat, thin, average... doesn't matter to him just as long as I'm alive and healthy. He is supporting me whole heartedly in this journey.
I so wish you felt well enough to get out and be around positive people, it is such an uplifting thing! Have you considered visiting with a professional about your feelings? Please know, I am not a huge pusher of therapy but if it is something that will help then I say try it! Just the fact that you are on this earth makes you a gift. Please, evaluate what is the root of your feelings and address your findings. Have you ever sat and visited openly with your children about your weight loss and your cancer? I felt that the more my son knew of my journey the more informed he would be and the more apt he would be to be open with me about HIS feelings. Children are so funny... even though my son is a young adult it was still hard on him when Mom went through cancer and then Mom and Dad divorced. I let him vent, talk, cry... be himself with me and I never judged.
Marilyn, I wish you the very best. Please find yourself.... life is such a gift from God, why hide that gift away by locking yourself away from the world.
Please stay in touch and I wish you the very best.
Katherine
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there. Unknown Author
Failure is only a fact when you give up. Everyone gets knocked down, the question is: Will you get back up?
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