Hi. I just wanted to post and see how you all are doing. I'm so grateful to be able to see my grandsons grow up. Having had cancer gives one a whole new perspective on life. I truly am taking it one day at a time. In fact, I have a countdown clock that I have set for my second anniversary from when I had my cancer surgery. I hope others will post, but if not, I still will. On the 12th of this month will be 4 months since I had my second surgery. Things just keep getting better and better. Peg

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

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

Hello, my husband was jus diagnosed with lung cancer,he has emphy also,i feel so lost and dunno what im gonna do,we have a 6 yr old lil girl and havent even been married a year,will be in jan,he is my life my rock my whold world.does any one no what i am to expect whats gonna happen now? any advice is appreciate......sherri

Today is the two-month anniversary of my second surgery. On August 12th, 2005, I had surgery to remove the rest of my stomach, my spleen, and the tip of my pancreas that was attached to my liver. I originally had surgery April 27, 2004, when it was discovered that I had stomach cancer. They did an open RNY and removed 9/10 of my stomach, and also removed my gallbladder. They did the second surgery to keep the cancer from coming back since things were changing again in what was left of my stomach. I am so glad that I found this ObesityHelp site sometime after my first surgery. I have learned so much. What a warm, uplifting group of people. I am so glad to be alive, and each day gets a little better. Peg