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Marion and Betsy….thank you so much for staying in touch..I’m still in the game of “if I live x number of years more my girls will be halfway through high school…or “if I live 8 years more, they’ll be through high school. I know I have to stop this and live each day with them as fully as I can. We have 5 grown children and 5 grandchildren (and our new year’s present was the news we’ll have a 6th early August!). We adopted our two youngest girls, sisters, 3 years ago although they’ve been with us almost all their lives. After such a long court procedure, during which they went through a very difficult time, it has not seemed fair to me that they should have to go through losing me. That’s another issue I need to put aside and get on with it. They are wonderful girls and I hope I’ll be able to deal with adolescence at the same time as dealing with cc!!!

Betsy…I have started (last month) with a psychologist who does a lot with guided imagery..after 5 sessions we’re just getting into more of that. I will start acupuncture on Tues. with a woman who has been doing massage and who is a 2x breast cancer survivor who decided second time round not to do chemo and is at this point cancer free). I have also been working on changing my diet. I’ve lost almost 40 pounds (which I could stand to do!) and don’t want to put any back on, but also want to eat very healthily. My XMAS presents from our grown children indicated their desire to help me in that area! A juicer with a great cookbook; lots of green tea with an electric tea kettle; another cookbook which focuses on many different veggie recipes). I’ll also be doing yoga which I had to postpone because my incision has taken a long time to heal…mainly a reaction to the inner stitches..one of which popped out beginning of Dec. but the surgeon thinks this could be an ongoing problem for awhile. I fully believe that the stress of the adoption procedings (which were very intense) brought on this..which I’m sure many will dispute..but it was such extreme stress that went on for a number of years (yep! I’m going to write the story “some day.”) and the doctor thinks the tumor was growing for 2-3 years before diagnosis (the elevated liver enzyme count showed up 18 months before but the doctor thought it was due to the lipitor I had started on…the next annual physical I had gone off the lipitor so then she seriously started looking at other causes)…Back to the stress, though..I do think it’s a factor in attacking our immune systems so I’m trying deal with my reactions to stress .. but how to de- stress when you’ve got a cancer diagnosis is a challenge in itself.

I have been so impressed and bolstered by the amazing strength and resilent spirits who are on this board. What a gift!

Again, my best wishes for your continued health and I will look forward to reading your posts.

Marion..I’ll get your connection to this web soon. I’m new and have to go back over posts, but you mentioned your son, so I know you have been through a lot and feel a huge gratitude to you for keeping up this website and offering so much support to others…..

Kathy

Hi Margaret,
I go on the 24th for my first CT Scan and will talk to my doctor again about chemo. Thanks for your words. I’m sorry to hear about Tom’s recurrence. My doctor didn’t say that it wasn’t necessary; he said that chemo has not been shown to be particulary effective and that when it does come back , it’s whether there has been chemo or not. He did leave it up to me to make the choice and he did ask me to go hear about the clinical trial which is the gemzar and xeloda mix followed by radiation and xeloda. It is such a gamble, isn’t it. I got very depressed following my decision but I had a lot of support from other doctors in making the decision not to do the trial but I still wonder if I shouldn’t have done it. My surgeon said recently to move on, that I had made the decision that seemed right for me and that my energies should go into creating the healthiest lifestyle I can. I’m glad I found this board because I’ve met people here with the greatest fighting attitude (including you!) and not giving up! I find that I need that positive spirit because I find myself “down” too much. My biggest concern is for my 10 and 12 year old daughters.

Keep us posted on Tom. Sounds like he’s doing everything to keep on keeping on.

Kathy

Thank you both for your responses…I’m sure it is common for everyone to feel nervous, too, about every pain (e.g. my back along the spine is hurting, so, of course, I’m convinced that it has metasticized there!) . I’m trying to adjust to this and am really struck by this site at the bravery and positive attitudes people have toward their treatment.

I was wondering, Margaret, if your husband had any chemotherapy after his successful resection or if his doctor, like mine, didn’t recommend any. What kind of treatment is he getting now? My doctor told me that if it recurs, it most likely will within two years. I have heard amazing stories from people who different friends have put me in contact with. One man is still living, healthily after 10 years (ran a marathon at 72 last year!) and another man is alive 5 1/2 years when he was given 3 months after doctors discovered during surgery it had metasticized to his lungs and pancreas. There are very, very positive, hopeful stories out there and attitude and determination seem to play such an important role!

I’m wondering if anyone knows of a study that is being done using immunotherapy or diet?

Appreciatively,
Kathy