Happy Wife

[UpstateSC_Papi]

Married to a survivor! They are the best! Stronger than I think I'll ever be! She doesn't fish though... Bummer...

 

[TBone]

Happy Wife 1
Cancer 0

Great News!

 

[coobie]

Good to hear eddie.God Bless you both for good health in the future..

 

[Alien]

Best wishes to you both.
By the way, she has my wifes T Shirt on .... LOL . If it aint got holes in it she doesn't wear it. I think hers are much more holey than that though...

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks for the updates Eddie. You are all in our prayers.

First colonoscopy should be at 50. Every ten years if no negative findings. Every 5 years if anything unusual.

 

[kenmac]

Chemo and radiation is rough on the body ! My FIL went though it once, was cancer free for about 10 yrs. Then, cancer returned from all the radiation he had taken.
He refused to go through the treatments again. The cancer finally got him.

I wish you and her the very best, as I know it's also rough on family members as well.

She needs to be checked regularly,as it can creep back into your body.

 

[rbtjr]

Eddie, I have enjoyed many of your posts but enjoyed this one the most, by far. Great news for both of you. Let us all be mindful of and thankful for those blessings for you two and for all of our blessings collectively.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Thank you for all the kind words.

She was cancer free after treatment ended, but remained hospitalized for another month due to the damage done to her by the chemo and radiation. The radiation caused second degree burns that where just horrible. The chemo destroyed her immune system. To visit her in her hospital room, everyone had to put on a mask, sanitize your hands and you couldn't have a cold, or even a cough. That was just a very slow process getting everything working again. Then months of bed rest and more pain and suffering then I thought possible.

Every month, she could do a little bit more. Now she is walking over 2 miles a day, doing light exercise and trying to be super healthy. She lost 40 pounds and has gained back about ten pounds to 120 pounds. This seems to be her new normal. Food is a problem that comes and goes. She still has issues with her gut, and every couple of weeks, she's living in the bathroom for a day. We're told that this could last a year, but in some cases, it's for the rest of your life.

She had a port installed in her chest for IV's, that she is keeping for at least a year. Every month she goes in to have it flushed. She has had two PET scans since being told that she is cancer free, and both have confirmed that she is indeed, cancer free.

For those that do not have any cancer in your family history, go get a colonoscopy. Everyone in her family has died of heart disease. It's why she specialized in that when becoming a RN. Late last year she started having cramps and diarrhea that would get so bad that she would spend days dealing with it. One day last December she was so dehydrated that I took her in to the hospital and she had to get to IV's of saline. In February, her doctor told he to get a colonoscopy just to rule out cancer since nothing else was making sense. During the procedure, they found a large tumor, which they immediately cut out. This was not planned for, and she was never prepped for this type of surgery. They just did it because it was so large. Then there where two more surgeries to get a good sample of the tissue to be 100% sure of what type of cancer it was. A specialist for Colon Cancer from MD Anderson was her doctor, and she wanted to attack it super aggressively. They caught it early, and they went after it without mercy. She is the first person in her family history to have cancer. She was 53 years old when this started. It can happen to anyone, at any time, for no reason.

Eddie, glad to hear things are so much better. Your story strikes close to home: my grandson went through many of the same issues and procedurs but for a different type of cancer. To support your suggestion on getting a colonoscopy, the prep is a bit easier to handle than it used to be. I had one in January 2017 during which some questionable polyps were found. I changed my diet then repeated the test six months later. Now I do not have to get another for two years.

 

[EddieWalker]

Again, thank you everyone for your kind words. They really mean a lot to both of us!!!

A couple of things that we've learned during this process that have surprised us is that treatment has really advanced far more then we had ever thought. In every case, everyone involved went out of their way to work towards helping Karen get better. While this was happening, we learned of a lot of other people that where also going through treatment, and where shocked at how many thought that their doctors didn't know what they where doing, and had decided to not listen to their doctors and do something different to fight their cancer. Sadly, they are not doing very well and I'm waiting for a very good friend to pass away any day now. It's very sad. Another thing that we learned is that until you have cancer, those who have it are very secretive about it. People all over opened up to us once we starting posting on FB about Karen being sick and what she was going through.

 

[ovrszd]

Eddie, we live in a very rural area. 8,000 county population, half of those living in the county seat town. 25 years ago I thought I knew most everyone and a rough draft of their life stories. Then my 19 year old Son died in an auto accident. Over the next years I was shocked how many othe families had lost children. As you said, they were private about it. When we joined that segment of society they eagerly talked to us about it. Now I act the same way. When I see a local parent that's also lost a child there's a "secret" look or expression or pat on the shoulder that's exchanged. People are wonderful creatures when those boundaries are eliminated.

 

[PJSprog]

That's fantastic, Eddie. Her smile says it all. :thumbsup:

 

[Fuddy1952]

When Dad was 34 he had thyroid cancer. Brother and I were kids. Operation here, but grandfather was a physician and insisted he go to Sloan Kettering, so we went with him to NYC. It had metastasized, surgeon gave us bad news...not much chance of survival. However, the doctor there said Dad had tremendous will power. He said he could tell he would make it.
After a month or two after radical surgery they sent him home. I helped him cut trees on the farm and he split logs. Worked hard.
He lived a long happy life, passing away a few years ago at 89. He loved Mom, his smiling picture is by her chair. She's 92.
I miss Dad my best friend dearly. RIP Dad.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Some of our grandson's more radical procedures were done at Children's Hospital in Philly. Wife and I went to visit them at the Ronald McDonald's House where they were staying. What an eye opener that was. Twins with cancer, etc., etc. During the "down times', the parents help with changing the beds, providing support, whatever. There are times when someone goes to a room to see so and so but the room is empty. "Well, they did not make it". Heartbreaking and hope for sure. And, kudo's to Ronald McDonald House for what they provide.

 

[ultrarunner]

Will Power is often underestimated...

I have seen what it can do both ways.

I dear friend lost her husband to a heart attack... they were otherwise healthy in their 80's...

She was devastated and passed a few weeks later... she said she did not want to go on without him.

 

[robbyr]

My Dad died from melanoma in ‘77 when I was eleven years old. He was 30. In 1997 I found out I had melanoma. I was lucky. No chemo or radiation or meds of any kind. Just a surgery to remove tissue in the area of a mole. I went to MD Anderson in Houston. It was eye opening for a small town fella to sit in the main waiting area and see the many patients there. And that was just the skin cancers I believe. Cancer sucks.

 

[forgeblast]

That is AWESOME!!!!

 

[Fuddy1952]

My Dad died from melanoma in ‘77 when I was eleven years old. He was 30. In 1997 I found out I had melanoma. I was lucky. No chemo or radiation or meds of any kind. Just a surgery to remove tissue in the area of a mole. I went to MD Anderson in Houston. It was eye opening for a small town fella to sit in the main waiting area and see the many patients there. And that was just the skin cancers I believe. Cancer sucks.

Yes! Catch it early! Don't ignore something like that. Good going!

 

[Budweiser John]

Every day I wake up and pause to give thanks for the men, women, and volunteers dedicated to the healing arts. While we all talk about the ‘good ole days’, there is no way I or anyone else are willing to give up the incredible advances in medical science.
One year ago tomorrow morning I checked into Sparrow Hospital for open heart surgery. The procedure was 11 hours long and included 4 bypasses and a 25MM (1” dia aortic valve). Four days later I walked out of that facility under my own power and returned home. Talk about technology.
Fast forward, other than a twelve in scar it’s like it never happened.
Note to Eddie Walker and family. “This too shall pass”, Don’t count the days, make the day’s count.

B. John

 

[sdquick]

That is great to hear. I always appreciate your comments and advice on the forums. I hope and pray all continues well for your family!