3 month Anniversary

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share my joy and thankfulness. Today marks 3 months since I had my surgery, and I am cancer free! You can read the details by clicking on my 2-month post. I really hope someone else will post to this message board. I know it has really helped to post on other ones, and I'm sure there must be someone else out there who has/had cancer and wants to write. If not, I guess I will just have to write again! God bless. Peg

Hi Peg, It is great to read your message. I think the "life sentence" of worrying about cancer returning can be quite trying. You must be so grateful that your cancer was discovered! Myself, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2001. So, I'm a 4 year survivor...woohoo! It was found when I turned 40 and had my very first mammogram. How is your health now? Lori 384/274/170

Hi Lori. Thanks for writing. I am getting better and stronger every day. I have a ways to go, but I know I am going to get there. I am really blessed that my cancer was diagnosed when it was. I guess most stomach cancers are found too late, so the survival rate isn't very good. I had been having ongoing stomach problems for the past 10 years, and my gastroenterologist had done an upper endoscopy at the end of 2002. I changed to a new PCP at the beginning of 2004, and he did some blood work. It showed that I was very anemic, so he had me go back to my GI doctor, who did another endoscopy. It showed that I had a real problem going on. I had more tests, and they said I needed to have all or part of my stomach removed. When they did the surgery in April of 2004, they discovered that I had stomach cancer. They removed 9/10 of my stomach and my gallbladder. What was left of my stomach looked like healthy tissue. I went in for what I thought would be a routine upper endoscopy 4 1/2 months later in September. Things looked unusual, so they did another scope using an ultrasound with it. I thought, as did my doctors, that maybe it was just scar tissue. However, I went back this past January, and they did another scope, and they discovered that I was producing abnormal tissue again in my stomach. From that point on, it was a series of more tests and more scopes. My GI doctor presented my case at a meeting of several doctors, and they all felt I should have the rest of my stomach removed. I got second, third, and fourth opinions before finally deciding to have the surgery, which I did August 12th of this year. I'm so glad now that I had the surgery. I hope and pray that there aren't any dormant cells floating around anywhere, and I will continue to count down the time until my 5th anniversary when I can say that I'm cured. It's so great to hear that you are a 4-year survivor. One more year and you will feel cured! How are you dealing with everything? Did you end up having chemo? My mom was a survivor. She lived cancer-free for 25 years after her bout with breast cancer. Congrats on your spectacular weight loss too! I started out at 274 before my first surgery and was at 230 before my second surgery. Right now, I am at 205, but the scales are just crawling. Part of it is that I am able to eat foods again. I really need to watch the grazing! Although I plan to lose more weight, I also need to make sure to eat healthfully so that I can regain my strength. It's kind of a balancing act at times, isn't it. I hope you write again sometime, Lori. It would be great to keep this cancer message board going, don't you think? Peg

Peg, I'm surprised that more people are not posting to this message board. I know there are lots of folks on here who are like us. I did not have chemo. I had 4 surgeries (but still have my breast) and then I did 7 weeks/5 days a week of radiation treatments. I've been taking tamoxifen ever since. The tamoxifen made my uterus go "pre-cancerous" so I had to have a complete hysterectomy. So, it has been a challenge, but, I feel so thankful. I'm happy to stay in touch with you. I don't always get to read and/or post every day though. So, don't feel bad if you don't hear from me for a few days. I'm off to dinner with a couple of close friends now. Should be fun! Have a great day! Lori 384/274/170