Personal cancer stories

[jaydeehess]

Looks like there hasn't been such a thread at least not for a while. Has cancer hit you directly, or someone close? Share your story?

Me:
In 1993 my mother had colon cancer. Underwent surgery and chemo. Had a colostomy that was later reversed.
I and my brothers then had colonoscopies and were clear.
I was told to have one again in 5 years.
I didn't.
Instead, in Dec of 2000 I noticed blood in the stool. "probably 'roids" was my thought and I treated it as such. Through Christmas season one gets busy and it wasn't until early Jan 2001 that it dawned on me that the blood had not abated despite regular use of medication. I went to the doctor. A bit odd that when I described my symptoms I got an appt that very day. I was the last patient the doc saw, obviously a 'fit-in'. He probed a bit and then uttered and "oh" quietly. He probably didn't even realize he had done so. He quickly took off his glove and washed his hands. He bolted out of the office saying he wanted to see if Dr."S" was still in the office. (She is a surgeon) He came back quick but that doctor had left already. He told me "I'm not saying its cancer but hemorrhoids are smooth and the lump I felt is rough". He would make an appt with the surgeon for a c'scope asap. After that I had two surgeries. The first was to see if it could be removed without taking my rectum as well. No dice and the second left me with no rectum and a (obviously) permanent colostomy.
The rest of the year saw chemo and radiation therapy that ended in early December of 2001.

 

[Dr. Keith]

My family has not been much impacted by cancer directly. Both father and FIL have had their prostrates removed and both had few lingering side effects. Early detection, good treatment.

Among friends of our family there have been several other stories. Some terrible and some less so. One friend was diagnosed and died so soon after that we barely had time to visit before she was gone. Another friend has lost two husbands to the same cancer. While one very good friend has been fighting through treatment for years after her initial prognosis of months.

 

[fuelair]

Both grandfathers died of cancer (both grandmothers of heart diseases).
Father of liver cancer, mother basic old age
Prostate cancer for me, but no spread and fine for now>

 

[jaydeehess]

It seems like prostate cancer is somewhat forgiving as it hits later in life, and takes up to 20 years to cause major problems. Therefore if it isn't causing immediate threat to an 85 year old there is not much impetus to aggressively treat it. The treatment may make the time left simply worse than the cancer would have.

Melanoma is the most easily and effectively treated if caught early and is the most easily detected early. A skin blemish that is changing/bleeding is readily seen by you or a partner/significant other.

Then there are the ones that present pretty much no symptoms or subtle symptoms, such as my blood in stool. With Multiple Myeloma for instance, people often don't see a doctor until they break a bone while doing something innocuous. One woman reported breaking her arm simply by swinging the car door shut. MM causes bone loss as a result of interfering with blood components that have to do with bone maintenance.

 

[jaydeehess]

My family has not been much impacted by cancer directly. Both father and FIL have had their prostrates removed and both had few lingering side effects. Early detection, good treatment.

Among friends of our family there have been several other stories. Some terrible and some less so. One friend was diagnosed and died so soon after that we barely had time to visit before she was gone. Another friend has lost two husbands to the same cancer. While one very good friend has been fighting through treatment for years after her initial prognosis of months.

It, cancer, is so varied in its forms and yet we speak of cancer as a single "it".

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It seems like prostate cancer is somewhat forgiving as it hits later in life, and takes up to 20 years to cause major problems. Therefore if it isn't causing immediate threat to an 85 year old there is not much impetus to aggressively treat it. The treatment may make the time left simply worse than the cancer would have.

Concur with that. I was "one in 20" that suffered from radiation therapy. I could have done nothing and been fine for as long as I expect to be alive. If there's no threat, don't treat.

 

[mikado]

I must be in the exception, while not knowing much if my genetic medical history, the haven't had any relatives that I know of die from cancer, sadly my mother in law died of stomach bowel cancer almost on the day it was predicted.
I am not a fan of those predictions, think they become self fulfilling very easily.

 

[casebro]

I'm C&P'ing my post from the thread about antibiotics in beef:

My bro was nearly done with his second round of chemo when diarrhea hit. 6 days in hospital, then lomatil fixed it. Dunno if it was the chemicals, or a latent infection bloomed. Or a biome thing. He is out and about now, but the calluses on hands and feet are peeling off. Sensitive hands and feet now. Another round, possibly different, starts in 9 days.

Best thing about the recent hospitalization is that a CT showed tumor shrinkage after 1 1/2 rounds of chemo since Dec. 1. Sounds like they are on the right track.

Apparently a chain of health probs delayed his colonoscopy for two years- Doc used wrong code for initial order, then a hip needed replacement, then a drastic infection delayed next appointment, then finally a followup CT of the infected liver showed the a colon cancer in his liver. His recheck 5 years since a polyp was found turned into metastasized at 7. I have a CSPY scheduled for March, 7 years since I had one...

And adding that I've been to the dermatologist twice in six months. He burned off about two dozen precancerous actinic karatoses the first time, then some more of them PLUS scraped off a Basal Cell Carcinoma. Good cancer to have as they are the least likley to metastasize. But I think all those freezings made the karatoses mad. A couple more scabs have turned into scaley patches, might be basal cell starters.

A knee replacement is booked in a couple weeks, cspy about 5 weeks later. The knee doc says no dental work for three months becsue of risk of infection. I'm not going to ask about delaying the cspy.

And out two sisters have had their cspys. One was clear, the other had a half dozen things to biposy, needed one polypectomy.

Ten years ago I figured a heart attack would get me. Then for five, a stroke. Those do not worry me right now.

 

[fuelair]

Concur with that. I was "one in 20" that suffered from radiation therapy. I could have done nothing and been fine for as long as I expect to be alive. If there's no threat, don't treat.

I was an exception in the other direction: two tumors very near the capsule. Of course neither the Dr. or I knew that at the time prior to my surgery as I was only at 4 on the PSA and test only found a few cells. So he said we could wait 5 years to do anything further. I said haul it out tout suite and he did. It took 3 after visits before I got the actual situational truth: 1st (3 weeks after surgery): Well, it was very small and not near the capsule!............2nd (a month after 1): It was two small masses and closish to the capsule, but no danger we got it in plenty of time...........3rd (a month after 2nd): And we got the bigger one just a little before it had a chance to break through the capsule!!!

I liked my doctor, but he really did not want to worry me and it was not necessary for him to put off the actual situation. And, by that time I can't understand why he thought I would forget what he had said previously.........

 

[Mark6]

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1995. After 8 months of chemo and radiation therapy, I am completely free of cancer, as far as anyone can tell.

Unfortunately, the said radiation therapy pretty much destroyed my breath-holding ability.

Which is incredibly annoying (not to mention really dangerous) to a serious scuba diver.

 

[macdoc]

Almost the same as above - 6 years out - cancer free - declared cured after 5.

Had chemo - 6 rounds, spinal chemo and radiation as "just in case".

Biggest luck...found something in a casual manner and had it checked....stepped into the rabbit hole....six months later cancer free.

If you want detail about THIS type of treatment.( which can generally apply to chemo )..you can read my diary here.

http://www.cancerforums.net/threads/8786-Diffuse-Large-B-cell-Lymphoma-Feb-09-and-CHOP-R-diary

Oncos like patients to keep a diary.
Very few, even my daughter knew I had cancer ....I said nothing except to staff until I was past the treatment and it was successful.
The emotional burden of well wishers who simply cannot understand is something to be avoided.

Having the forum where you can share with others who DO understand is invaluable.

Took a couple of years to get back to feeling entirely healthy. 68 now...still riding motorcycles off road and touring on two different continents.

Take away ....if you feel something is not right, a bump, a skin lesion ...whatever ....get it checked and over 50 do those annoying stool sample tests.
It might save your life and may save a lot of grief if the cancer spreads.
Caught early like mine ....very likely a cure these days for the most prevalent.

 

[jaydeehess]

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1995. After 8 months of chemo and radiation therapy, I am completely free of cancer, as far as anyone can tell.

Unfortunately, the said radiation therapy pretty much destroyed my breath-holding ability.

Which is incredibly annoying (not to mention really dangerous) to a serious scuba diver.

Yes, radiation giveth and radiation taketh away.
In my case, rectal cancer as said above, radiation therapy at first did not show any chronic side effects. Then about 7 years later I got a leg cramp(I had been getting them more and more often) jumped up to put pressure on it, and promptly fainted and broke a rib on the piece of furniture I fell on.

I was dx'd with chronic kidney failure. Radiation had apparently started a slow decline in renal function, dominated by nephritis. Luckily(??) I still pee a lot but am not filtering large molecular weight by products such as urea(the role of the glomularie), nor am I reabsorbing (the role of the nephrons) electrolytes such as potassium. I am an odd duck in dialysis as I regulate water and am actually chronically low in potassium.

 

[Silly Green Monkey]

I'm the second generation in my family to survive cancer, Mom's done it twice. We tend to do it together for some reason, Mom had her first breast cancer while her mother was dying of ovarian, my breast cancer appeared after Mom had been tracking contralateral. Two kinds of chemo, surgery, radiation. My kidneys appear to be damaged, no doctor has mentioned it so maybe they hope for gradual recovery? I have to take anti-estrogens for four more years, already started getting my tattoos.