New member of the club
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What a beautiful post Duke, thank you for sharing. I’m always a bit amazed and a little envious when you see people who have such a positive influence on everyone they touch.
You’re one of those people too (and of course also lainy )
Dear Dukester! What a beautiful post about Judy. Of course you heard Judy and Teddy loud and clear. Funny you mentioned that as Teddy’s sister, Maria and I had an idea years ago for a new Cooking Show on the Food Channel called The Nana (Maria) and the Bubbe (Me). What ever Maria would make that is Italian I would do the Jewish food equivalent. Like her Lasagna and my Noodle Kugel. No matter who we are or where we are from even our foods have similarities. Hope you are doing well. Thanks again and I know Gavin loves the food talks. But I would NEVER try Haggis.
Follow up to my December 5, 2013 post, first paragraph.
Pebble Beach, CA – Judy Nemes made her peaceful transition on May 30, 2014. Judy’s passion for photography and writing was a gift as she wrote and shared her life story starting in Hungary, through her travels and 17 years of cancer. She loved theatre, and continually educated herself with research and reading. Her friends were all of the many books she had on her shelves and then e-books. She will be remembered for her strength, courage and her inspiration to others.
Throughout her ordeal with this disease, Judy had always stayed extremely positive through her last days. She understood that her body was the carrier of the disease – not her mind and spirit. It was this drive that kept her alive and optimistic all of these years.
Judy is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Tomi; her sons, Brian and Kenny; Kenny’s wife, Michelle; grandchildren, Briana, Justin, Olivia and Emma; brothers, Peter Szabadi and Tommy Szabadi; and best friend, Sheri Parelskin.
We give gratitude for her many friends, Dr. Hausdorff, Pacific Cancer Care – Vivian, Mary and the rest of the nursing staff, and Hospice of the Central Coast for their loving support. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montereyherald/obituary.aspx?pid=171211465#sthash.U9ARufvb.dpufLiving with Colon Cancer
by Judy Nemes
Inspiration image
Sigmoidoscopy, the detector,
I, the observer
And protector
Of this body
We live in.With a positive attitude,
Always planning ahead,
Cancer will not run my life!Fifteen years of
Surgeries, treatments,
Removal of organs.
My armor intact,
I forge ahead.Tumor takes sabbatical,
Goes into hibernation.
I travel the world …
London, Paris, Rome.
Cancer will not slow me down!I am the observer,
Watching
This amazing story
Of a woman, me,
Never giving up.
Cancer will not run my life!Who am I?
I am Judy,
Lover of life.
Cancer will not define me!♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Judy Nemes is a colon cancer survivor living in Pebble Beach, CA.
This article was published in Coping® with Cancer magazine, September/October 2013.
Lainy – Do I hear Judy and Teddy discussing the merits of spaetzle and gnocchi?
Duke
Thanks Duke!!!
Right now, I feel like I’m hanging on for dear life!!
For now, Norbert has put off chemo but I believe he will end up doing it. All the positive information from this site has helped him lean more towards doing it….even if he did put it off for another week.
Thanks again!!
OlgaHi my favorite DUKE! Camping eh? Sounds very romantic but must have roasted Marshmallows. My ex son in law took the 4 adult kids camping last weekend,. Unfortunately he wanted to do the Grand Canyon but roads were closed due to the bad fire. So I said to him when there is a fire just roast marshmallows. Thank goodness they found one area not affected and all went well. We have not had rain since January! 20% chance tomorrow! Yeah, right.
I am so glad you are feel ok. You know we love hearing from you rambling or not!Thanks Duke….having a “weepy” day here today….was day 8 of round II. Chemo went fine….just was so anxious last night and this morning before hand. The Cisplatin was hard on me, but today was only the Gemzar. They predict I’ll mainly be super tired from this stuff. Lab counts were good except for an elevated enzyme…alk-phos I think….went up to 137…but they didn’t have an answer as to why….something about being non-speific. The main issue….and one that I now worry about every time…was accessing the chemo port…and it didn’t fail to cause problems this time either. The numbing cream seems to help the initial skin sensitivity, but the real problem is pain “inside.” The nurse said that some people have a physiology that makes them more likely to have this kind of pain. OH, how did I get to be this lucky. Oh course, the fact that it was put in by a total boob may have had something to do with that as well. I gladly accepted some Lorazapam in my IV today…..and am going to take one again tonight before bed…..no nausea…just anxiety.. I know that in another week….when this settles down….and the the next port access is farther away (June 11th), I’ll become less anxious again. For me…this is almost like “scanxiety” only it’s portxiety.
Anyway, will take your good advice and find something fun or productive to do later this week as I’m feeling better. Thank you dear friend.Julie T.
Duke, I always LOVE to read your posts. They are always so upbeat and funny. Might be that you’re from the buckeye state. My lovely father was a buckeye from Marion, OH. He had the same attitude as you. Keep smiling and keep making others smile. It’s what we all need.
Started my fifth round of gem only. CT scan in April showed continued decrease in liver tumor (down to 10.5 cm; originally 19 last July).
Weight has drifted up to low 170’s. Alk-phos is steady at 130-140. CA 19-9 between 50-70. Platelets have been running >100,000 since mid-April. Haven’t missed a treatment or had a reduced dosage since then. From Jan to April I had been running <100,000 five out of 10 tests; had four sessions canceled.
(Feel free to skip the rambling and go to the last paragraph.)
Spring has finally reached Northeast Ohio. Rhodies and iris are blooming. Grass is growing like – weeds. Have to mow twice a week. Retirement provides the “opportunity” to do that. Weather is acting more like the end of April than the end of May. I suspect we will soon catch up and jump to 85-90’s and no rain.Aimee and I are setting up a camping area in our woods above a little creek (in summer you can walk across it getting only one foot wet, barely above the ankle). Biggest hassle is scrambling up the far bank. We put steps in for that. So, we had cleared an area and started to level it. We put down pallets, covered them with a tarp weighted down with cinder block. Had a few days of rain, moderate, not hard. Walked back there about 12 hours after it had ended. The creek had raised a good three feet, flooded our area, floated the pallets about 15 feet (stopped only by brush), and moved a downed tree 10 feet, stopped only by another tree. Thank goodness we had not take any equipment back there or put down the plywood planking. Plan B is to move the site across the creek to where it is 2-3 feet higher.
Did our first “camping” of the year last weekend. We stayed in a cabin in Allegany State Park with Aimee’s sister, her son, and her significant other. Wooden walls, beds, electricity, and a gas stove do not constitute “camping”, even though we had to use an outhouse.
My purpose with this rambling was to tell you, Olga and Norbert, that life goes on. Grab it and hang on! Maybe even give it a kick in the side once in a while just to see what happens. I think some of our “limitations” are self-imposed, not medically-imposed. Test the waters, they may be cold, but, then again, they might be just warm enough.
Duke
Hi Duke,
Thanks for your response to my post. I read your post to my husband, Norbert yesterday. It made him feel so much better than he has felt in quite a while. He had me look up your info and read him your posts about yourself. For the first time, since he was diagnosed, I saw him brighten up. I saw the old Norbert, the one who will not give up so easily without a fight. I felt I owed you a huge THANK YOU!!!!
Best of luck to you with your treatment!!!Hi Duke and it sound like you are really Nuking the CC, good work. Can’t help on the chemo just wanted to say I love your progress. Continued success and get that sucker zapped! Thanks so much for the update.
It’s been a while since I posted here. Finished eighth round of gem/carbo two weeks ago, then got a CT scan. Results showed that primary tumor in liver had shrunk to 11.6 cm. CA19-9 has been steady about 60-130 for a few months. Alk-Phos steady about 140-180 for same time. Platelets continue to be low, 60,000 – 130,000. But generally high enough to support chemo.
Talked with oncologist this morning about the results of the CT scan. She was pleased with the results. Slow and steady progress. We agreed to cut back to only gemcitibane (eliminating carboplatin) for two rounds. Will then get another CT scan and see if shrinkage continues. Can easily restart carbo if needed. This will help my kidneys (the platinum is tough on them) recover. Started round 9 with this today. Planning on next CT on April 14. Is it common to eliminate carboplatin/cisplatin?
My weight has stabilized in mid-160s which is a good weight for me. Still eating everything in sight. Need to be a little more selective, like adding more fruits and veggies, and water – never go by a faucet without getting a glass of water. And increasing exercise. Continuing with acupuncture and chiropractic.
Just had someone I know die from pancreatic cancer, 14 months after diagnosis. He lived longer than the doctor expected.
As others have said, we don’t come with an expiration date. By and large, I am comfortable fighting CC on my terms, with a great support team of family, friends, and the Lake Hospital team. There are miracles all around us, every day. Our job is to find and cherish them.
Lainy, you chitchat?? NO!!
Sorry, I couldn’t resist!!
DukeNukem, so glad you got a GOOD surprise!! People do sometimes make you stop and go “hhmmmm!”
I had one woman that stepped up, went to my surgeon, scans, new surgeon, new onc, treatment discussions, etc. when I was scared and lost. I had barely known her before my diagnosis. She was there WHENEVER I needed her. And the weird thing? I don’t need her help anymore, and I find it very hard to get in touch with her now. It’s like she payed it forward.
So glad you got to Skype. Not as good as the real thing, but…..Duke I am so glad you have such a Merry Christmas! The Skype is great and sure helps to see family that is scattered all over.
Introductions is usually a first post to introduce yourself and then the rest are pretty much for their names. Like General discussion can really be about anything. What’s working like something you are doing that is helping you. Member Café I use a lot as I am the one who likes to chit chat about anything.
Each segment has a little explanation next to it. So you have not only transitioned you have graduated!
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